Hair loss isn't one condition. This compares the real options by the problem they actually treat — genetic pattern baldness, shedding, and the autoimmune type — with realistic expected outcomes, prices, and honest limits.
Follicles miniaturise under DHT. Treatment is suppressive and long-term; results take 6–12 months and reverse if stopped.
| Treatment | Expected efficacy | Rx/OTC | Cost (India) | Ongoing to keep results? | Key caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topical minoxidil 2/5% | Meaningful response in ~40% | OTC | ₹300–1,100/mo | Yes | Irritation, facial hair (5%), early shed |
| Oral low-dose minoxidil | Comparable to topical; convenient | Rx | ₹100–500/mo | Yes | Body-hair growth, fluid retention |
| Finasteride 1 mg | ~90% halt progression, ~65% regrowth over 2 yrs | Rx | ₹200–600/mo | Yes | Sexual side-effects ~1–4%; not for women of childbearing |
| Dutasteride 0.5 mg | Most effective monotherapy in meta-analysis | Rx (off-label) | ₹300–700/mo | Yes | Same SE class; long half-life |
| Spironolactone (women) | ~57% improve (↑ with minoxidil) | Rx | ₹50–200/mo | Yes | Teratogen; hyperkalaemia |
| Anti-androgen OCPs (women) | Moderate for hormonal-pattern loss | Rx | ₹100–500/mo | Yes | Clot risk |
| Ketoconazole 2% shampoo | Mild slowing; adjunct only | OTC | ₹200–500 | Yes | Weak standalone |
| PRP | Density gain; heterogeneous | Clinic | ₹3–15k × 3–6 | Yes (maintenance) | No standard protocol |
| Hair transplant | ~90%+ graft survival (permanent) | Surgery | ₹40k–2.5L | Grafts permanent; native hair needs meds | Surgeon-dependent |
| Microneedling | Boosts minoxidil response | OTC/clinic | ₹300–5k | Yes | Hygiene/infection risk |
| LLLT (red-light) | Modest density increase | OTC device | ₹15–80k | Yes | High upfront; modest |
Follicles pushed into rest by stress, illness, deficiency or hormones. Acute TE (<6 months) usually self-resolves; chronic TE (>6 months) is the multifactorial, cause-elusive one. Diagnosis comes first (a clinic step); then the OTC products compared below.
| Product | Expected efficacy | Rx/OTC | Cost | Ongoing to keep results? | Key note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair-Gain 90 medicine Aston Sequoia | Daily shedding ↓ ~53%; shaft thickness ↑ ~50%; visible density by weeks 9–12 | OTC (medicine) | ₹17.44/tablet (₹3,489 / 200-tab course) | No — course-based; repeat if needed | 10 actives at therapeutic doses + NAC; not for male-pattern balding |
| Follixxxxx (Abxxx) food | Limited — core actives at supplement doses; no NAC | NA (FSSAI; “Not for Medicinal Use”) | ₹26/tablet (MRP ₹782 / 30) | Recurring | Soya-protein / botanical food supplement, not a medicine |
| Biotin / hair gummies food | No measurable improvement unless genuinely deficient | NA | ₹300–1,500/mo | NA | — |
| Marine complexes (Nutrafol/Viviscal) food | ~+32% terminal-hair count at 3 mo — small manufacturer studies only | NA | ₹2,000–6,000/mo | NA | Marine collagen + botanicals |
An immune attack on the follicle — a separate disease, not AGA or TE.
| Treatment | Expected efficacy | Rx/OTC | Cost | Key caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intralesional steroids | Regrowth in limited patches | Clinic | Per session | For small patches |
| JAK inhibitors (baricitinib etc.) | ~⅓ reach ≥80% scalp coverage (severe AA) | Rx | High | Continuous dosing; monitoring |
Read from the actual itemised ingredient lists (not front-of-box claims), compared on a per-tablet basis.
| Ingredient (per tablet) | Hair-Gain 90 (Aston Sequoia) | Follixxxxx (Abxxx) |
|---|---|---|
| Biotin | 10 mg | 0.03 mg |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | 100 mg | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) | 50 mg | 12 mg |
| N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) | 50 mg | Absent |
| Folic acid (B9) | 1 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Selenium | 65 mcg | Absent |
| Zinc / Copper | 22.5 / 3 mg | 10 / 1.35 mg |
| Iron / DL-Methionine | 8 / 40 mg | 8 / 40 mg |
| Cysteine source | NAC 50 mg (acetylated — better-absorbed glutathione precursor) | L-Cysteine 100 mg |
| DHT / botanical actives | None (not its target) | Beta-sitosterol 100, Ginkgo 100, Green tea 100, Millet 100, Melatonin 1, Evening primrose 10, grape-seed 50, isoflavones 50 |
| Regulatory label | Medicine — “For Therapeutic Use” | FSSAI food — “Not for Medicinal Use” |
| Price per tablet | ₹17.44 | ₹26 (MRP) |
Hair loss has different causes, so no single product wins everything. For genetic pattern baldness, the drug pillars (minoxidil, finasteride) lead, and Follixxxxx-type botanicals offer weak-evidence DHT support.
For shedding and nutritional-deficiency hair fall — Hair-Gain 90's actual lane — it delivers the core actives at therapeutic doses, adds NAC and selenium (which the competitor lacks), and is a licensed medicine, not a food supplement — at a lower per-tablet price (₹17.44 vs ₹26).
The competitor's "18 amino acids" are simply the amino-acid profile of its soya-protein powder, not 18 formulated actives. Deliberately-dosed therapeutic actives vs a protein powder itemised to look comprehensive — that's the real difference.
Efficacy figures for Hair-Gain 90 are from Aston Sequoia clinical data; individual results vary. Hair-Gain 90 is for telogen effluvium and nutritional-deficiency hair fall, not male-pattern balding. Competitor data read from current itemised ingredient listings (per-tablet). Prices indicative, July 2026.