How to Find the Best Shampoo for Hair Loss

How to Find the Best Shampoo for Hair Loss

There are very few things worse than losing your hair.

It can be incredibly frustrating and even unavoidable for some individuals. Though, there are solutions to combat these frustrations. As you might already know, a primary reason for hair loss is genetics.

Hair loss and hair thinning affect both men and women. It can significantly hamper an individual’s psychological state.

Luckily, many products may offer solutions to your dismay.

Whether you’re suffering from male pattern baldness, androgenetic alopecia, or are just looking for thicker hair, using hair loss shampoo as a hair growth product can go a long way.

Just interested in our #1 pick? We’ve included it here for your convenience. Please read below to see how we came up with our top 7 hair loss shampoo picks and why Revita is our #1 choice for the best hair loss shampoo.

Revita High-Performance Hair Stimulating Shampoo

  • Supports both healthy and compromised hair follicles
  • Fights Follicular Dysfunction from First Application
  • Improves hair density, thickness, and appearance
  • Promotes scalp stimulation
  • It cuts down on stress-induced loss

What should I know about hair loss shampoos?

  1. You do not have to recreate the wheel. If something works for you, then stick with it. More importantly, research the ingredients of the shampoos you’re currently using. Also, look at those claiming to stop hair loss and grow new hair. You may be surprised at your findings! Not all hair growth claims are backed by scientific data.
  2. Ketoconazole. If you remember anything from this post, remember that this ingredient is necessary for healthy hair. You will find this in any reputable hair loss shampoo. Simply put, Ketoconazole is a knockout in any hair-fighting match.
  3. Be consistent. When searching for hair growth shampoo, stick with it for a minimum of at least six months. If you use a conditioner (which is recommended), keep this consistent for the duration of this time. Remember, Rome was not built in a day.

Which ingredients should I look for in hair loss shampoos?

Research is still in its early stages for hair loss shampoos and their effects. But, these four ingredients continually hit it out of the park for healthy hair development:

  1. Ketoconazole. Are you surprised to see this again? Studies show the most effective use of this antifungal medication was by applying 2% ketoconazole shampoo. Use it two to four days a week. Leave the shampoo on for at least three to five minutes after each application. You have a strong contender if this ingredient is listed in your shampoo.
  2. Caffeine. “No, Peter, do not pour your coffee cup on your head!” In all actuality, caffeine enhances the length of hair shafts. It also stimulates the growth of keratinocytes, the largest cell found in a body’s epidermis (outer layer of skin). This ingredient shouldn’t be confused with one’s caffeine consumption. That can hamper hair cell development.
  3. Biotin. Outside of caffeine, this is a term you are likely familiar with. Biotin is crucial to skin cell development, affecting hair follicles. Think… if your hair follicles are weak or unhealthy, hair loss occurs. One area outside of shampoos to increase Biotin absorption is in your diet. Consider eating more eggs, peanuts, liver, cauliflower, and bananas.
  4. Saw Palmetto. In one study, almost half of the men treated with this had an immediate 12 percent increase in their total hair count. This ingredient has been used for hundreds of years. It withholds the unique ability to block DHT development linked to male hair loss.

Hair Loss Shampoo Buying Guide

There are so many forms of hair loss products that choosing the correct form can be challenging. However, a hair loss shampoo should be at the top of your list of treatments to try.

Simple, quick, and practical hair loss shampoos can meet all your needs.

Choosing the specific hair loss shampoo out of all the different shampoo options is where it can get quite a bit more complicated.

There are many different companies, each with their hair loss shampoo.

Some companies have multiple hair loss shampoos for you to choose from. This is why understanding what to look for in a hair loss shampoo is so important.

While there will still be a few options after weeding through them, this knowledge can be a big help in choosing which shampoo you want to buy.

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Why Go With A Hair Loss Shampoo

The most apparent reason why a hair loss shampoo might be excellent for you is because of its ease of it.

Switching out your regular shampoo with one specifically for hair loss is so easy to do. This switch won’t change anything about your daily routine, nor will it take more time.

Since you always shampoo your hair when you shower, you will have no trouble remembering to use it. This is better than pills or other topical treatments, which require you to remember to take or use them.

For busy schedules, shampoo is a clear choice. A hair loss shampoo is also perfect if you start losing your hair or want a preventative measure.

Hair loss shampoo as a precautionary measure is beneficial if your family has a history of hair loss at an early age.

There is all manner of hair loss shampoos ranging from gentle to medicated. Some all-natural options contain only the best natural ingredients, such as coconut oil, tea tree oil, castor oil, argan oil, and biotin.

Meanwhile, the medicated options are more robust if you are already losing your hair.

Both shampoo options will have their advantages, and you can alternate shampoos as a hair loss treatment to get the best of both. This allows you to pick the shampoo that best fits your situation and needs. This variety also allows you to find a shampoo that suits your hair type.

After all, an oily hair loss shampoo will not fit your needs if you already struggle with oily hair.

Finally, hair shampoos can be used with most other hair treatments. In severe cases, multiple forms of attack to cut back on your hair loss is a perfect thing. Depending on the exact shampoo, it can even be used during micro-needling.

When A Hair Loss Shampoo Might Not Be For You

There are times and situations when it might be in your best interest to avoid hair loss shampoos.

One such situation is if you had surgery, stitches, or any injury on your scalp. In these instances, it is often best not to use any shampoo at all, particularly those with chemicals in them.

Speaking about chemicals, most hair loss shampoos have various chemicals in them. Most of these chemicals are meant to help your hair somehow, but they are still chemicals nonetheless.

Any chemical that you use on something as sensitive as your scalp stands the chance of causing some form of side effect.

Sometimes a hair growth shampoo that doesn’t work for you may cause you to lose your hair. At the same time, when a hair loss shampoo starts repairing your hair, sometimes it can trigger your hair to fall out or cause thinning hair, at first before stimulating the growth of new hair.

Though this is technically a step in the right direction, this is still not something you want. True, there are natural hair loss shampoos that don’t have these potentially harmful ingredients in them. However, these don’t tend to work as well.

Finally, keep in mind that shampoos of any type are only external treatments. These will not deal with root problems or penetrate deeply into your hair follicles. They are also only going to help as long as you use them.

Also, if you have lost almost all your hair already, using shampoo on what little hair you have left is not likely to help you at all.

There comes a certain point when you need something more potent than shampoo to help your hair loss.

How To Pick A Hair Loss Shampoo

While many hair loss shampoos are similar, some can boast of being genuinely unique. For example, some options focus on one specific cause of hair loss and treat that one thing.

Other options treat multiple different problems that cause your hair to be thin.

Dandruff can, in some cases, cause hair loss. Therefore, some hair loss shampoos will target dandruff, fungal infections, parasites, and other things.

These are perfect shampoos if you suffer from any of these problems leading to hair problems.

Other hair loss shampoos focus on DHT, a leading cause of hair loss.

Hair loss shampoos that in some way block DHT can use a variety of methods. This is perfect if you, or someone from your family, are suffering from hair loss because of genetic reasons.

A few hair loss shampoos focus on infusing your scalp with the nutrients that your hair needs. These often ask you to let the shampoo sit in your hair so that these nutrients can be absorbed into your scalp.

A handful of hair loss shampoos try to take multiple methods at once. These will have one or two ingredients to block DHT while mainly comprising other components containing nutrients or fighting infection.

Finally, some options are made for specific hair types, such as oily or dry hair. There are a few hair loss shampoo options that fit other problems, but these are the main ones that these shampoos make an effort to target.

Any of these are great for your hair. It is up to you to decide which of these you need most. This is the first step to choosing the right hair loss shampoo for you.

What You Want In It

Certain ingredients are fantastic in any shampoo, especially hair loss ones. Protein is an excellent example of this.

Being one of the building blocks that go into your hair, protein in any form is needed for your hair.

Some specific forms of protein that you may see include keratin, amino acids, hydrolyzed proteins, and a few others.

On this same note, vitamins are equally crucial for thinning hair.

Treatments that have multiple different vitamins in them are best. You want these to be some of the first ingredients listed since they are the main ingredients.

You are looking for a hair loss product that contains B vitamins, Vitamin E, and almost any other type of vitamin. Moisturizers are also good in hair loss shampoos. You may also be looking for a biotin shampoo as well.

Some of the best options for thin hair are coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, and other popular and easy to recognize.

Essential oils of all kinds are great for your hair. Peppermint essential oil in hair loss shampoos helps invigorate your scalp and is quite common.

Lavender oil is soothing for irritated scalps. Aside from oils, plant extracts of all types are also highly beneficial.

Though not natural, Salicylic acid can exfoliate your scalp and help scalp circulation, ultimately leading to additional hair growth.

Shampoos that have hydrocortisone or Ketoconazole help and are worth a try. The latter is an ingredient that can combat fungus to keep your scalp healthy.

Rendensyl is a newer but beneficial ingredient as well. Pattern baldness is best helped with the use of DHT blockers.

Some admirable natural ingredients for this are saw palmetto, argan oil, pumpkin seed oil, and stinging nettle. Green tea extract and minoxidil are comparable options, and both are great ingredients, too.

What You Want To Avoid

There is a list of ingredients in hair loss shampoos that you don’t want in your hair.

First, ‘filler’ ingredients serve no purpose. These do nothing for your hair and can harm your hair, strip it, or do any number of other things.

Some shampoo ingredients are called ‘thickening’ ingredients. These are not called that because they thicken the shampoo; they reduce your hair.

Good in small amounts, these ingredients tend to clog up your pores when they are used too frequently. This is why you must be wary of hair loss shampoos that call themselves thickening shampoos.

Clogging up the pores on your scalp will not help your hair any, though the ingredients may help your hair when you first start using it.

Sulfur is another ingredient you don’t want in your hair. While it may seem nice that sulfur helps shampoo get that lather you love, this comes at a cost.

Sulfur also strips your hair of its protective oils, making it dry out, sometimes enough to become brittle.

Hair loss companies can make all sorts of claims about what their ingredients do for you. It would help if you looking for proof of these statements, test results, or studies. Without evidence, these claims are just that: claims. These may be empty claims.

Finally, you will find that some ingredient lists contain ingredients that are straightforward to recognize.

Meanwhile, others may make you scratch your head as you try to figure out how even to pronounce them correctly. This is a clear indicator that you may not want this on your scalp.

Some Other Preferences To Consider

Aside from the ingredients that you don’t want in your shampoo, the rest is a matter of preference. Some of this preference can be comprised mainly of things you know don’t work for you. This also includes things that you know you react to.

Ingredients you are allergic to are out of the question for obvious reasons. Allergic reactions can cause hair loss and hair breakage all by themselves.

A common allergen found in shampoos is wheat products, but certain chemicals can also cause an allergic reaction as well. As mentioned, chemicals of any kind can be harmful. So, natural or not, you will have to make a decision.

Some hair loss shampoos are full of chemicals and nothing else. These are effective but not suited to living a healthy lifestyle.

There are varying degrees of natural options where some hard decisions can play.

Entirely natural products of any kind will be pretty pricy.

Conversely, some may claim natural while having only a handful of genuinely natural ingredients. However, these latter will be more affordable than the purer shampoos.

Most people like to have some form of balance, choosing shampoos with a fair amount of natural ingredients while not being too expensive.

What this balance looks like for you is entirely your preference. Also up to you are the tactics you wish your shampoo to take. This is where you have to decide if you want your shampoo to focus on blocking DHT, increasing your blood flow, treating fungal infections, or some other tactic.

Finally, you can decide that you prefer a well-known brand over a smaller or newer one. Older brands have often proven themselves more trustworthy. However, more unique brands are often more innovative.

Final Hair Loss Product Buying Guide Notes

It is your decision what hair loss shampoo you want to use, or if you’re going even to use one at all. That said, you may be benefited by getting a second opinion.

A dermatologist can look at your hair, listen to your concerns, and recommend a particular type of shampoo.

One thing is sure, the sooner you start using a hair loss shampoo, the sooner it will be able to help your hair.

Postponing can result in irreversible damage to your hair follicles if you choose to do nothing for your hair.

A final thing to keep in mind, whatever shampoo you pick, is that you should let it sit on your scalp.

The longer something sits on your scalp, the more of it can absorb into your scalp via your blood vessels. This little tip of letting it stay for even a minute or two can help you get the most of your shampoo.

Hair Loss Shampoo FAQs

What ingredients should you look for in hair loss shampoo?

We’ve found that the best hair loss shampoo contains Ketoconazole, biotin, caffeine, biotin, and saw palmetto, all are essential elements to anyone looking for serious hair regrowth.

What hair loss shampoos should you avoid?

Any hair loss shampoos that do not provide any science behind their makeup should be left alone. Sulfur should be avoided.

Thickening shampoo, biotin shampoo, caffeine shampoo are good, but when the shampoo only contains that ingredient, you can find better for healthy hair growth. Any good hair loss shampoo is going to run you $15+.

For those suffering from male pattern baldness, using hair loss shampoo, along with minoxidil (Rogaine), is going to be your best bet.

If your hair loss, shampoo is causing hair breakage should be stopped immediately.

Should I use other products with hair loss shampoo?

Absolutely! Hair regrowth shampoo can be used in conjunction with things such as minoxidil, finasteride, coconut oil, or pretty much anything else you’re utilizing. There is no one-size-fits-all as a hair loss treatment (at least not yet).

Takeaway

Choosing the best hair growth shampoo can be tricky for your hair loss and growth needs.

Companies make outlandish and hardly believable claims that may not be backed by merit like any investment. It will take patience, trial-and-error, and a little bit of diligence on your part.

But, you’re equipped with knowledge. This knowledge can help you choose the best hair shampoo for your scalp.

In the end, your head will genuinely thank you, and you’ll end up with lots of healthy hair growth!

Let us know below what you think about our list and hair loss shampoos. Leave a comment, and we will respond as soon as we can.

Happy shampooing!

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Christopher is the founder of Hair Loss Geeks, which launched back in 2011. At the time there wasn't any credible information on the internet about hair loss. As someone suffering from hair loss himself, Christopher began his extensive research journey. After launching the site, he later graduated from Boston University in 2012 with his PhD in Biochemistry. What started off as a hobby project quickly became a bigger focus as it grew. Christopher hopes everyone can learn from both his experience and research.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Wow, I didn’t know that caffeine is also used in shampoos to promote hair growth. I’d like to know more about hair loss shampoo combos because I’d like to start working one improving the volume of my hair. Now matter how long I grow it, it seems to still be quite thin and easily breakable.

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