Last Updated on September 16, 2020 by Nail Explorer
The many different formulations of hair loss shampoo on the drugstore or supermarket shelves appear to offer the consumer endless choices. How can a regular person experiencing mild, moderate, or severe hair loss know where to begin or what to try first? This can be a perplexing issue, but things aren’t as complicated as they may seem at first.
You see, hair loss shampoos fall into several major categories. Once you understand those categories, you will be able to read the marketing material on the bottles and understand not only what you have in your hand, but whether it’s the most appropriate hair loss shampoo for your own particular needs. Use this buyer’s guide to hair loss shampoo to educate yourself before you make your first purchase.
Table of Contents
Categories of Hair Loss Shampoos
Several ways exist to sort these shampoos into categories, but this buyer’s guide will take the approach that the most sensible method is to characterize hair loss shampoos according to their philosophy or approach. The basic ways in which shampoos attempt to deal with hair loss include:
- volumizing
- scalp conditioning
- removal of build-up
- avoidance of chemical ingredients
- inclusion of medicated ingredients
Many hair loss shampoos will combine approaches and advertise themselves as doing several of these things at once. The most common approach used is the first one on the list, and the least common approach used is the last one on the list.
So let’s get started looking at these various methods.
Volumizing Shampoos
The theory behind this approach is that your hair loss will be less apparent to your friends, relatives, and co-workers if you can find some way to make your existing hair appear fluffier, with more body. Hence the term volumizing for these shampoos. They puff up your hair and make it look like you have a full head of hair when you don’t; this makes bald spots far less obvious.
Volumizing shampoos work by leaving behind a layer of a thickening substance on the shaft of each strand of hair. Taken in the aggregate, all that thickening makes the hair appear fuller, yet the amount on each strand is slight enough that hair does not feel gummy or adulterated — it merely feels like it would after the use of a high-quality conditioner.
Volumizing shampoos are appropriate for anyone experiencing hair loss, but as a sole solution, they are probably most appropriate for you if your problem is quite mild. If your hair loss is moderate or severe you will want to look for a shampoo that does something else besides promoting volume — you will want an approach that also attempts to sure the underlying issues leading to the hair loss in the first place.
Scalp Conditioning Shampoos
The theory behind this category of hair loss shampoos is that in order to grow an abundance of healthy hair, it is necessary to get and keep your scalp in good condition. Scalp conditioning shampoos contain deep cleansers to remove any oils or substances that may be clogging up hair follicles, and they help to remove dead skin cells from the scalp to promote the growth of healthy, new tissue there.
It is true that a healthy scalp is needed in order to grow healthy hair, so scalp conditioning is a good idea. If your hair loss is due to other factors besides the underlying condition of your scalp, however, you will need a more aggressive approach to your problem, so read on.
Remove Build-Up Shampoos
These are similar to the scalp conditioning category. Indeed, most shampoos that tout themselves as good for your scalp will also have ingredients to remove build upon both the scalp and hair shaft.
Build up results from months or years of use of shampoos that leave residue behind. Volumizing shampoos can contribute to this problem, but so can anti-dandruff shampoos, conditioning shampoos, and many other types of formulations. Build up is thought to retard the growth of new hair and slow the growth of existing hair strands because it creates a chemical, rather than a natural, clean, healthy environment for hair follicles.
A shampoo that removes build-up will leave you with very clean hair. You may find that you have forgotten what it feels like to have that, especially if you’ve grown quite used to having a lot of build-up on your hair.
Pure Shampoos
These shampoos not only remove build-up, but they ensure that most, if not all, of what touches your hair during a cleansing will be pure and natural. Pure shampoos use organic ingredients, usually limiting themselves to those derived from plants and plant extracts. They will particularly avoid the use of sulfates and chemicals derived from petroleum. These may also be called organic shampoos.
In this way, pure shampoos seek to return your hair to a natural state. This can be very important for those suffering from hair loss. The chemicals present in all the other categories of shampoos discussed above can, in some cases, actually contribute to continued hair loss even though they are contained in a shampoo designed to do the opposite!
This is because chemicals are hard on the hair. They tend to dry it out, making the shaft brittle and prone to snap instead of flex when under pressure — and hair is put under pressure every time it is brushed or combed. Chemicals also abrade the surface of the hair shaft, making it jagged instead of smooth. This leads to the hair snagging on things, including other strands. The end result is breakage, which means additional hair loss.
Scalp Medicated Hair Loss Shampoos
These contain active ingredients that have been demonstrated to stimulate hair follicles and promote the growth of new hair. The most well-known medicated hair loss shampoo is Nano. Medicated shampoos are very expensive compared to all the other kinds listed above, but they may be the only effective option for people with moderate to severe hair loss.
So know that you know the overview of what type of hair loss shampoos you can choose from, let’s look at what we consider the “best” hair loss shampoos out there.
5 Best Shampoo’s For Alopecia Areata – Reviewed
Hair loss is a problem that affects men and women alike. As people age, it is natural for hair follicles to weaken and die. Choosing the correct shampoo can help you deal with this problem. It is important to understand that shampoos intended for those experiencing hair loss do not usually contain medications or ingredients that will stop hair loss. Neither will they re-invigorate follicles and cause new hair to grow.
What they will do is provide solutions so that your hair loss problem is less apparent. Shampoos intended for those suffering from hair loss contain ingredients that serve to thicken the hair so that it appears to have more volume, resulting in the illusion that you have more hair. Hair loss shampoos also contain gentle cleansers instead of harsh detergents so that your remaining hair is stressed as little as possible.
1. Thicker, Fuller Hair Shampoo
The brand name of this shampoo says it all. One advantage this shampoo has over its competitors is that it is very reasonably priced; a 12-ounce bottle will cost very cheap. This makes it less expensive than some luxury shampoos that are not intended for hair loss at all. Some users find that this shampoo is not as effective as more expensive formulations, but it’s worth trying, especially if your hair loss is in the mild to moderate range.
Ingredients of Thicker, Fuller Hair Shampoo include:
- Vitamins
- Plant extracts
- Proteins, and
- Caffeine
Caffeine may seem to be an unusual addition to the shampoo. According to the manufacturer, it props up strands of hair and helps invigorate the scalp.
2. BOTANICAL HAIR GROWTH LAB
Botanical Hair Growth Lab Shampoo is much more expensive than Thicker, Fuller Hair. Many users feel that the additional cost of Couvre is well worth it, however, claiming that it thickens their hair as much as Nano Shampoo, a much more expensive formulation.
Botanical Hair Growth Lab markets itself as a protein-based shampoo specifically designed to remove the buildup of chemicals on your scalp and on strands of your hair. Over time, these substances can cause hair to appear limp instead of full. Users report that they can see a difference in fullness after only one use of the Botanical Hair Growth Lab Shampoo.
3. RegenePure DR
The DR in the name of this shampoo stands for “doctor recommended.” RegenePure DR focuses on repairing the root area of hair and thoroughly cleansing the scalp. One of its main ingredients is Ketoconazole, an antifungal that fights dandruff and is found in many anti-dandruff preparations. In addition to this beneficial effect, it serves to thicken strands of hair so they appear fuller. Some studies also report that Ketoconazole can interfere with the production of DHT, a natural hormone that contributes to hair loss due to aging.
In addition to Ketoconazole, ingredients of RegenePure DR include:
- saw palmetto extract
- Vitamin B6
- Zinc oxide
- Niacin
- Caffeine
- Linoleic acid
- Emu oil
- Jojoba oil
Users report that RegenePure DR is expensive and does not lather well, but that may actually be a plus. The lack of lather is due to the fact that this formulation contains no sulfates, chemicals that cleanse but are harmful to delicate strands of hair.
4. VitaTress Biotin Shampoo
Biotin Natural Solutions Shampoo uses substance Biotin as one of its principal ingredients. Biotin is considered essential for the natural growth of healthy hair. Biotin or vitamin B7 is produced naturally in the body, and it is an established fact that the underproduction of Biotin can lead to hair loss. Biotin shampoos attempt to correct this imbalance by providing biotin that is topically applied to the scalp and hair.
Some studies suggest that this is an ineffective approach because biotin must be taken internally and metabolized in order to have any effect on hair loss. This shampoo is therefore not recommended by most hair loss experts, who instruct instead that you choose a thickening shampoo to conceal your hair loss while you undergo treatment for the condition.
5. Ultrax Labs Hair Surge
This shampoo is unlike the others listed above in this guide because it contains the ingredient aminexil, a chemical that stops hair loss due to the hardening and shrinking of hair follicles. Research studies suggest that regular aminexil treatments are effective at stopping this type of hair loss, particularly when it is of short-term duration associated with stress factors like childbirth, seasonal factors, or the use of medications like penicillin. In a controlled study, the placebo group experienced no improvement while a majority of participants using Ultrax Labs Hair Surge enjoyed a decrease in hair loss and the onset of thicker, fuller hair.
6. Progaine Volumizing Shampoo
This shampoo has a name that may potentially mislead users because it is very similar to the brand name Rogaine, a patented medication that has been proven to stop hair loss. Rogaine used to be available by prescription only but is now an over the counter medication. Progaine Shampoo, despite the name, does not contain any Rogaine (the chemical Minoxidil), even though it is produced by Upjohn, the same company that brought Rogaine to market.
Indeed, Progaine makes no claim that it can regrow hair or put a halt to hair loss. It does claim to be a shampoo that will “optimize” fine, thin hair, meaning that it contains thickening agents to make such hair appear more full. Users report that Progaine contains gentle cleansers that don’t irritate the scalp and provide effective cleansing action. It is suitable for daily use and is specially formulated for people that are also using Rogaine since keeping the hair in the best condition possible will assist the effectiveness of Minoxidil treatment.
Most hair loss shampoos are designed to conceal hair loss rather than cure the condition. They are available in a range of prices and formulations, some of which do contain active ingredients that may help deal with the underlying conditions causing hair loss.
Conclsion
Well, i guess it’s been a whole lot of a jounery and we have finally come to the end of our article for the best shampoo for alopecia areata, we reviewed the top 6 shampoo’s and we hope that you will be able to choose the one that suits you best.