Christian Vierig
It can feel completely devastating to realize your hair is thinning or falling out. Too many of us experience female pattern hair loss, and it can happen to anyone for a myriad of reasons—from genetics to stress and even overuse of hot tools like your everyday flat iron. Unfortunately, there can be a lot of shame around the issue, making it harder to get information about how to treat hair loss. Alongside using hair growth vitamins and oils, hair growth shampoos (and conditioners) can actually help re-grow patchy sections, add density to thin hair, and prevent sparseness in the first place.
When it comes to a hair growth shampoo, you have two options: prescriptions or over-the-counter treatments. Prescription shampoos like ketoconazole are “anti-androgenetic,” which means they prevent two hormones associated with triggering hair loss from activating—testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)—by “targeting hair growth at the site of the follicle and helping to interrupt the hormone cycle locally that causes thinning,” explains Dr. Eric Schweiger of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC. Meanwhile, “over-the-counter growth shampoos typically contain amino acids and antioxidants to provide the components to rebuild hair as well as reduce damage and inflammation,” Schweiger adds.
Depending on what’s causing your hair loss, consulting with a doctor, trichologist, or dermatologist is always a good first step. To find the best drugstore shampoos that can improve hair growth and density, we consulted some of the best minds in the industry—including cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson of BeautyStat; Krupa Koestline, cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Consultants; Dr. William Yates, board-certified hair loss expert and surgeon; and Dr. Nava Greenfield of Schweiger Dermatology Group. Ahead, shop 20 of the best hair growth shampoos available.
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