meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Short Wave

What Works – And Doesn’t – For Hair Loss?

Short Wave

NPR

Daily News, Nature, Life Sciences, Astronomy, Science, News

4.76K Ratings

🗓️ 27 October 2025

⏱️ 14 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

People may think of hair loss as a guy thing. But by some estimates, half of all women experience hair loss in their lifetime. And when your social media algorithm gets a whiff? Good. Luck. There are some solutions out there based in science, but not every remedy works for every person — or every type of hair loss. (Yes, there are different types. And the type you have matters!) So today, pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin guest hosts the show to talk about causes of hair loss and how to figure out which treatments may be best for you. 


Interested in more science behind your health? Email us your question at [email protected].


Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This message comes from The Economist. Introducing the Economist Insider, a new video offering with twice-weekly shows featuring in-depth analysis and expertise to make sense of an increasingly complex and dangerous world. More at Economist.com slash insider.

0:17.7

You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.

0:22.8

Hey, Shortwavers, NPR Pharmaceuticals correspondent, Sydney Lupkin hosting today with a story that starts with Allison Richards, who remembers when she was a little girl.

0:34.2

The thing some people noticed most about her was her hair. They're like,

0:38.2

oh, your hair is so pretty. It's so long. Allison had long, straight, blonde hair. That was the

0:44.2

beauty feature that people commented on. But when Allison was in her 20s, she noticed her hair was

0:49.3

changing, getting thinner. Then during COVID, when Allison was living in New York, maybe it was stress,

0:55.4

maybe age, she wasn't sure. Something scary happened.

0:59.5

There was one day in the shower, we're just, I had hundreds of strands of hair, like fistfuls

1:07.7

of hair coming out. Even though it's not like threatening, hair loss can be devastating.

1:14.9

It can feel like part of your identity is slipping away.

1:18.5

It was a very scary experience.

1:24.1

And generally, people think of hair loss as a guy thing.

1:27.7

But by some estimates, half of all women will experience hair loss in their lifetime.

1:32.9

And if that's you and your algorithm gets a whiff, good luck.

1:37.7

Plumps in the shower.

1:39.2

Like clumps, it would come out.

1:41.0

And I lost half of my hair.

1:42.3

I was pumpkin seed oil and monocidal.

1:43.9

He'll decrease hair fall, reduce hormonal hair thinning and act with everything.

1:47.0

Hair loss, hair growth, hair thinning, dandra, frizz, dryness, literally everything on my page.

1:54.0

And while there are some solutions out there based in science, that science is still evolving.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.