Key takeaways
- Minoxidil and finasteride are the only ingredients approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for hair regrowth.
- You can find minoxidil and finasteride in over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription hair growth products. Some OTC products also contain other ingredients, like biotin.
- Happy Head Topical Finasteride and Minoxidil is our pick for the best prescription product.
Hair thinning can happen to anyone, no matter their sex or age.
However, certain hair growth products are available featuring ingredients that can help slow down or even reverse the thinning process and keep your hair looking thick and healthy.
We analyzed the options, from prescriptions to OTC treatments, so you can select the best product for your needs.
Ketoconazole can cause serious side effects. Contact your doctor if you experience skin redness or other discoloration, pain, swelling, or tenderness after applying the medication.
According to the company’s trials, the OLAPLEX intensive hair treatment can strengthen hair threefold in just one use. One complaint is that the sprayer doesn’t distribute the product well and can get messy. It’s also a smaller bottle, so you may have to purchase it often with regular use. It’s sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, color safe, vegan, and cruelty-free.
As the name implies, it includes caffeine to stimulate growth, rosemary oil to protect against hair loss, and peppermint oil to improve scalp health. Some users complain that it’s messy and hard to rinse out, given the oils included.
While many products have ingredients companies claim to support hair growth, not all are supported by scientific research.
We looked for products and treatments from reputable brands with the most significant research behind them and the most effective ingredients.
We also looked carefully at customer reviews, choosing only products that real customers find useful in their experience.
When searching for products for hair loss, it’s a good idea to start with the ingredients.
Some of the most effective ingredients for hair growth include dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blockers and inhibitors. DHT is a molecule derived from testosterone that causes hair loss.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only two ingredients for hair regrowth: minoxidil and finasteride. Both are DHT blockers, and they can be found in various OTC and prescription medications.
Minoxidil is thought to work by partially enlarging hair follicles and lengthening the hair’s growth phase. Finasteride works by decreasing the amount of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in your body.
Here are a few of the most popular ingredients for hair growth and slowing hair loss:
- Biotin: Biotin has been
shown to improve hair loss, especially in patients with alopecia. - Zinc: Zinc is a micronutrient that can
help with alopecia. - Iron: An iron deficiency is often associated with hair loss. In some cases, iron supplements can help with regrowth.
- Collagen: Collagen is a protein that promotes hair health, though few
studies indicate that it can help with hair regrowth. Nevertheless, it’s frequently found in hair products. - Niacin: Niacin has been shown to help with hair fullness in older research.
- Caffeine: Caffeine is frequently found in hair growth products, as it’s been
shown to improve follicle stimulation, especially when applied topically. - Horsetail:
Research suggests that horsetail benefits hair growth due to silicon and antioxidant contents. - Saw palmetto: Saw palmetto extract may block 5 alpha-reductase (5AR), an enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT.
- Ginseng: Ginseng contains saponins, which have been shown to encourage hair growth by inhibiting 5AR in mice, as well as gintonin, which may be a suitable treatment for alopecia in humans.
Like any product applied to the skin, hair loss treatments may cause reactions. Potential side effects of topical treatments may include:
- irritation
- redness or other skin discoloration
- itching
- skin flaking
Similarly, oral treatments may cause side effects such as:
- skin rash
- dizziness
- shortness of breath
- fluid retention
- nausea
Be sure to check with your doctor before using any new hair growth product. If the product is topical, it’s best to do a patch test before use.
All treatments should have clear guidelines on safe use and potential side effects. Read any instructions carefully and follow instructions precisely.
While it may feel like you’ve been dealt a short straw, hair loss is surprisingly common.
It can occur due to: stress,
You can find the best treatment option by exploring the cause behind your hair thinning with your doctor or dermatologist.
Always follow the specific instructions given on the box or bottle. Here are a few general tips to help you make the most out of your hair regrowth products:
- Thoroughly massage in scalp treatments to help stimulate the hair follicles.
- Don’t overdo it. Using excessive amounts of your product will only cause buildup and block the hair follicles.
- Stick with a new product for a few weeks or even a month — results won’t appear immediately.
- Take hair supplements with food to avoid side effects.
A product’s effectiveness depends on the brand and its ingredients. A more expensive product doesn’t automatically mean that it is more effective.
The price of a product has many factors, like the cost of ingredients and the perceived popularity or luxury of the brand name. Not only that, but the product’s target audience can increase or decrease the price completely independent of how effective it actually is.
When looking for effective hair regrowth products, consider the ingredient and if those ingredients have been clinically proven to help regrow or thicken hair.
For example, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) has been proven to support hair regrowth for many people and is more likely to give you the results you are looking for than an untested ingredient.
Hair growth products don’t work instantaneously. Most products will start to work within a few months.
Hair follicles take a few weeks to become stimulated by your product, and after that, it will take a month or two before you notice new hair growth.
While physical hair growth may take several months, most products will improve the appearance of your hair’s thickness within a few weeks.
While serums work from the outside in, supplements work from the inside out. Ideally, you’ll be able to use both types of products at once for optimal results.
There aren’t yet studies that show the benefits of serums as opposed to supplements. However, in general, topical treatments tend to work quicker than oral treatments.
In addition to using hair growth products, there are a variety of other methods to improve your hair’s thickness and health.
It’s also important to:
- get enough sleep
- exercise regularly
- reduce stress
- eat a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables
These products may do the trick if you’re looking for a hair growth boost. While many can help improve hair health, they rarely get to the root of the problem.
Always talk with your doctor to help determine the medical cause of your hair loss and find a more targeted solution.