Is There a Connection Between Melatonin Use and Hair Loss

Melatonin doesn’t cause hair loss. However, topical melatonin may actually stop or reverse hair loss. Side effects reported with topical melatonin include temporary redness or other color changes, sensitivity, or itching.
Melatonin is a hormone that’s naturally made by your brain. It’s important for your circadian rhythm or internal clock. As it gets darker in the evening, your brain makes more melatonin in order to promote sleep.
Melatonin can also have other effects in the bodyTrusted Source. For example, it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can impact mood.
Melatonin may affect hair health in people with androgenetic alopecia (AGA), which causes male- and female-pattern baldness. Researchers estimate that AGA impacts over 50%Trusted Source of older men and 15% of women after menopause.
Melatonin doesn’t contribute to hair loss caused by AGA. Instead, it may help to stop hair loss or even promote hair growth. Keep reading to discover more.

Can melatonin cause hair loss?
There’s no evidence that melatonin causes hair loss. In fact, there’s evidence of the opposite. Melatonin may help to stop hair loss or boost hair growth.
What causes androgenetic alopecia?
Androgens, specifically dihydrotestosterone (DHT), are hormones that contribute to AGA. These chemical messengers have various roles in the body, including being involved in the cycle of hair growth.
Too much DHT can impact the hair follicleTrusted Source, shortening the hair growth phase and leading to hairs that are thinner and shorter. Over time, this can lead to increased hair loss and hair thinning.
Genetics also plays a role in AGA. That means that having a close relative — such as a parent or sibling — with AGA increases your risk of getting it as well.

Can melatonin stop or reverse hair loss?
There’s some evidence that topical melatonin, applied directly to the skin or scalp, may help stop or even reverse hair loss.
A 2023 study reviewed the results of 11 studies of topical melatonin in people with hair loss. It reported that in most of the studies, topical melatonin:
• improved hair growth on the scalp
• boosted the density of hair on the scalp
• increased the thickness of hairs

A 2024 reviewTrusted Source notes that studies have found that melatonin has anti-androgen effects and is also involved in regulating hair growth. Researchers summarized several clinical studies where melatonin was found to have a beneficial effect on hair loss.
How does melatonin help with hair growth?
A 2022 studyTrusted Source used cells in a lab to model the human hair follicle. It found that the dermal papillae, which are cells involved in sending signals for hair growth, had higher levels of melatonin receptors.

This means that melatonin binding to melatonin receptors in this area may promote hair growth.
A 2024 studyTrusted Source in mice supported this, finding melatonin sped up the hair cycle. Melatonin boosted signaling related to hair growth in dermal papillae, and led to signaling in stem cells in the hair follicle that promoted hair growth.
More research is needed on people.