Do hair loss shampoos work?

Is there any evidence they can stop thinning and lead to regrowth?

I use hair loss shampoo myself.

After I noticed my hair started falling out.

I can’t say for sure what caused it. But I think it might have been in response to stress.

Anyway, since then, I’ve been using a popular hair loss shampoo.

My hair has grown back and I’m very happy.

Not wanting to press my luck, I continue to use this shampoo, just in case.

However, I was unable to track down a study showing that natural hair loss shampoo keeps your hair from falling out.

Someone may one day do such study.

But, until then, we’re stuck with saying there’s no proof that hair loss shampoo works.

Still I continue to buy it. Because I also know that lack of a study doesn’t necessarily mean the proof isn’t there.

It just means that someone hasn’t done the study.

Meanwhile, though, I couldn’t wait for research to be published. My hair was coming out and I needed to do something. Immediately.

There is a chemical option called ketoconazole shampoo, which is sold over the counter. I could find just one study pointing to its possible use for hair loss.

The authors noted that results using shampoo with this compound were similar to a hair loss drug called Minoxidil.

However, ketoconazole is a drug. Normally it’s used to treat fungal infections. All drugs come with side effects.

Personally, I’d much rather use something natural. Especially if it seems to solve my problem.

Of course, I have no hard scientific proof that the hair loss shampoo in and of itself stopped my hair from falling out.

However, I do keep buying it.

I should also note that I used a special essential oil blend that is backed by evidence. But only in the beginning.

Essential oils mixed with a carrier oil are messy.

The shampoo is much easier and I’m seeing good results. So that’s all I use now.

Do Hair Loss Shampoos Work?

(This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything, I receive a referral fee, at no extra cost to you.)

Hair loss is believed to be caused by a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone. (Otherwise known as DHT.)

DHT is derived from the male hormone testosterone.

However, DHT is responsible for thinning hair in men and women.

That’s because testosterone is found in the bodies of both men and women.

So the mechanism that leads to hair loss appears to be exactly the same in everyone. Male or female.

Hair loss shampoo supposedly work by blocking the action of DHT, at the scalp.

These shampoos contain natural plant extracts thought to counter DHT.

I use a formula called Pura d’Or Hair Thinning Therapy Shampoo. It comes in two formulas, blue and gold.

For months I used the gold and liked the results in terms of (what I think) prevented more hair loss. But just like the bottle warned, using it can cause additional thinning at first, as old nearly dead hair strands depart.

Then, after a couple months of continued use, I started seeing good results. My hair stopped falling out and the thin spot on top of my head disappeared.

Even though the problem is resolved, I continue using hair loss shampoo. Just in case.

Also, this hair loss shampoo contains no sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, phthalates or petroleum byproducts.

Knowing what I know about these chemicals, I don’t want to put them on my scalp. Because anything you put on your skin ends up in your bloodstream.

However, I switched from the Pura d’Or premium gold formula to the the Pura d’Or blue. I like the blue a lot better because it leaves my hair more manageable.

You may not be able to find Pura d’Or at your local drugstore. But you can find it online.

I’ve found that the shampoo is drying. So it must be used along with the conditioner. At least for me.

Do Hair Loss Shampoos Stop Thinning Hair?

Even though there’s no scientific proof that hair loss shampoos actually work, they are popular.

At least judging by the number of them now on the market.

There is really no downside to using them, except that they’re expensive.

I’m hoping this will change, as more brands come onto the market.

Personally, I think they’re a much better option than hair loss drugs, which come with side effects.

Two of the possible side effects of Minoxidil are chest pain and irregular heartbeat.

Also, the natural hair loss shampoos are high end formulas, made without sodium lauryl sulfate.

This is a harsh lathering agent that I don’t want to use on my head, especially if I was fighting hair loss.

It might seem far fetched that something natural you apply externally can counter hair loss. But there is scientific evidence that a special combination of essential oils can help reverse baldness, when applied to the scalp.

I covered this in an earlier post, which you can read about here.

For More Reading

Ketoconazole Shampoo and Hair Loss