Read before
you decide.
A curated library of evidence-based hair restoration science. The industry is full of marketing claims dressed up as science — this page links to research and clinical reviews from sources we trust, including the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), with an honest summary of what each piece actually says.
Curated,
not exhaustive.
Patients arriving at Revio have often read dozens of articles, blog posts, and influencer videos before booking a consultation. Some of that material is well-sourced. Much of it is not.
The point of this library is not to overwhelm you with reading — it is to give you a small set of credible references you can return to before making a decision. We do not curate everything we read. We curate what we would feel comfortable handing to a member of our own family.
Vitamins to increase
hair growth — what experts say.
A clinical review of the most-marketed hair vitamins. The honest summary: a vitamin can help your hair only when your body is actually deficient in it. Below normal levels, supplementation may restore growth. At normal levels, it will do nothing — and at higher doses, it can be toxic.
The article cites Vitamin D deficiency as a real and surprisingly common contributor to hair loss (one specialist quoted in the piece reports seeing it in at least 30% of her patients), along with non-anemic iron deficiency and, more rarely, zinc deficiency. It is equally direct about what does not work: biotin without an actual deficiency, caffeine, and most of the over-the-counter "hair growth" formulas.
The article's strongest point — and one we share — is that supplements should be taken only after a blood test confirms deficiency, not on the marketing claim of a bottle. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E) accumulate dangerously in the body, and biotin can even interfere with the accuracy of routine blood tests.
Red light therapy
for hair loss.
A clinical overview of photobiomodulation — also called low-level laser therapy or red light therapy — as a treatment for pattern hair loss. The article reports stabilization of hair-loss progression in roughly 90% of treated patients and visible regrowth of miniaturized hair in roughly 60%, with the strongest results when combined with medical treatment (finasteride or minoxidil) or used after a hair transplant to support recovery.
The honest limits are equally important. Treatment requires 11 to 12 months of consistent use to show its full effect. Dosing matters: too much treatment is as ineffective as too little — most evidence supports every-second-day use rather than daily. Hair colour affects efficacy (dark hair absorbs more of the light before it reaches the follicle, reducing transmission by as much as 32–37%). And the article candidly notes that current consumer devices are not well-calibrated for patients with darker skin tones, where increased pigmentation absorbs therapeutic photons before they reach the follicles.
A useful read if you are considering at-home laser caps or in-clinic light therapy. It explains what is plausible — and what is over-promised.
A library
in progress.
We add to this page slowly and on purpose. New entries are selected by Dr. Vézina based on what patients are asking about most often, and what the current evidence actually supports. If there is a study or article you have read elsewhere and want our take on, bring it to your evaluation — we are happy to discuss it.
Confused by something
you read elsewhere?
A Hair Loss Evaluation includes time to discuss articles, products, or advice you have seen — and an honest read on whether any of it applies to your specific case.