It's right there on the shelf in every drugstore. Melatonin, the hormone your body produces in the evening to make you sleepy. Most people know it as a remedy for jet lag or a restless night. What fewer people know: researchers have also tested melatonin in men with hair loss, and not just with a few isolated subjects in a student lab.
It sounds strange, a sleep hormone that supposedly has something to do with your hair. Yet, there's a logic behind it. Below is the honest story: what has been demonstrated, what people make of it on social media, and where that goes wrong.
What does a sleep hormone have to do with your hair?
Melatonin does more than just get you ready for bed. It's also one of the strongest antioxidants your body produces itself. What few people know: skin and hair follicles not only receive melatonin through the bloodstream, but they also produce a small amount locally.
This is relevant because hair follicles suffer from oxidative stress: damage from free radicals that disrupts the hair cycle and causes cells to age faster. A substance that slows down this process can, in theory, contribute to a healthier environment for your hair follicles. In animals, it has long been known that melatonin controls fur growth. In minks and hamsters, the amount of daylight, and thus melatonin production, determines when the fur becomes thicker or thinner. This link between melatonin and the growth cycle is precisely why researchers began to investigate whether it also works in humans.
The study that put melatonin on the map
The most important name in this research field is the German dermatologist Tobias Fischer. His team published research on a melatonin solution applied directly to the scalp, in a concentration between 0.0033 and 0.1 percent. In one of the larger studies, spread across approximately 200 centers and over 1800 participants, the percentage of people with a positive hair pull test decreased from 61.6 to 7.8 percent after three months of daily use. In a hair pull test, a dermatologist assesses how many hairs come loose with a gentle pulling motion: the fewer hairs that come loose, the more stable the hair cycle.
The results were published, among others, in the International Journal of Trichology, and have since been cited multiple times in review articles on hair loss. This means melatonin is not a myth. There is a series of clinical studies behind it, conducted on both men and women with hereditary hair loss, and not just a handful of volunteers.
Fischer did not, by the way, start with hair loss as his initial premise. His earlier work focused on the role of melatonin in the skin in general, and the link with hair growth came afterwards. This is precisely why the story feels credible: it's not an ingredient concocted to fit into a serum bottle, but a serendipitous finding from skin research that was then specifically tested on the scalp.
Why a sleeping pill is something entirely different
This is where it often goes wrong. People read about melatonin and hair growth, go to the drugstore, buy a bottle of 3 or 10 milligram melatonin tablets, and expect their hair to grow thicker. That's not what was studied.
The studies used a solution applied directly to the scalp, in a very low concentration, directly to the hair follicles. A sleeping pill works differently. You swallow it, it's processed through your stomach and liver, and it spreads throughout your entire body. There's no good evidence that enough melatonin reaches your hair follicles via that route to produce the same effect as a topical application. Too high a dose of orally ingested melatonin can actually disrupt your hormone balance and sleep rhythm, and that's a completely different kind of stress for your body.
So, a melatonin pill for sleep and a melatonin solution for your scalp are two different things. One does not replace the other, no matter how much you might wish it did.
What we don't know for sure yet
Research into topical melatonin is promising, but not complete. Most studies are relatively small or date back more than ten years. Some of the studies combined melatonin with other active substances, making it difficult to say which part of the result is precisely due to melatonin.
Also, no product containing melatonin has been officially approved as a medicine for hair loss, as is the case for minoxidil. Larger, independent follow-up studies should provide more clarity about the correct dosage, the best form of administration, and how melatonin compares to existing long-term treatments.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, a ready-made hair serum with melatonin is difficult to find, by the way. It mainly appears in German pharmacy products and a handful of niche brands. Mixing your own solution with melatonin powder is not a good idea: the concentration in the studies was carefully adjusted, and applying too much in the wrong place is more likely to cause irritation than results.
Melatonin versus proven options
Minoxidil has been the most studied hair loss treatment for decades and has a mountain of clinical evidence behind it. Ingredients such as Redensyl and Procapil target a different mechanism: they work directly on the stem cells in the hair follicles and regulate the hair growth cycle from there.
Melatonin intervenes in a third way, through protection against oxidative damage. This doesn't make it a replacement for proven treatments, but rather an interesting supplement whose scientific basis is still growing. If you've been battling visible hair loss for months, melatonin shouldn't be your first resort. As an additional support alongside an approach that already works on multiple fronts, it's a reasonable gamble.
What can you practically do with this information?
In any case, do not confuse a melatonin supplement for the night with a hair loss treatment. If you are curious about topical melatonin, specifically look for a product designed for use on the scalp, not a sleeping pill from the shelf next to it.
For most men with early hair loss, it's smarter to start with ingredients that have the most evidence. The Hairborn Growth Serum combines Redensyl, Procapil, and rosemary, among others, active ingredients that each affect the hair cycle through a different mechanism. Melatonin is not currently included, which is no secret, but it is something to keep an eye on as research continues to develop.
Do you want to give your scalp's blood circulation an extra boost in addition to a serum? Then the Hairborn Derma Roller is a simple addition that is independent of any active ingredient you use.
And give it time. Whether you choose minoxidil, Redensyl, or one day a melatonin treatment, no single remedy will show a difference within a few weeks. A hair cycle lasts months, and only after a period of three to six months of consistent use will you truly know if something works for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you combine melatonin with minoxidil?
There is no specific research that has tested the combination separately, but because the two work through different mechanisms—minoxidil through blood circulation and melatonin through protection against oxidative damage—there is no known reason why they would counteract each other.
Is there a difference between melatonin as drops or as a spray?
There is no research directly comparing drops and spray with the same concentration of melatonin; the main concern is the concentration of the active substance and how well it reaches the scalp, not the exact form.
Can you mix melatonin powder yourself for the scalp?
No, that is not recommended. The concentrations in the studied solutions were carefully calibrated, and mixing it yourself without the proper equipment and knowledge can lead to too high or too low a concentration, resulting in irritation or a lack of effect.
Does a melatonin pill for night also help against hair loss?
There is no good evidence that oral melatonin taken at night reaches the hair follicles sufficiently via the bloodstream to produce the same effect as a topical application on the scalp.
Is topical melatonin suitable for women with hair loss?
Yes, the available studies on topical melatonin have been conducted on both men and women with hereditary hair loss, with comparable results for both groups.
Can you get irritation from melatonin on the scalp?
Side effects of topical melatonin generally appear to be mild, but as with any product on the skin, slight irritation or an allergic reaction is theoretically possible. If in doubt, test it on a small area of skin first.
How long does it take for topical melatonin to show effect?
The studies that showed an effect measured it after three months of daily use, so expect at least that period before you have an honest picture of what it does for you.
Can you combine topical melatonin with a derma roller?
Yes, there is no known negative interaction between topical melatonin and a dermaroller, as the roller works locally and mechanically while melatonin has a chemical protective effect on the hair follicles.
Is there separate research on men with hereditary hair loss?
The larger studies on topical melatonin have been conducted on mixed groups of men and women with hereditary hair loss, with the results not significantly differing by gender in the published data.
Can you get topical melatonin from a Dutch pharmacy?
No, there is currently no standard Dutch pharmacy product with topical melatonin specifically for hair loss; it is mainly found in German pharmacy products and a small number of niche brands.
