You may feel powerless against the effects of hair loss, but that is not the case! The first step you can take is incorporating the right shampoo into your hair care regimen. Start with these best shampoos for hair loss!
What Causes Hair Loss?
Hair loss has a bunch of different possible root causes, including genetics, medical conditions, and hair styling. Hormonal changes (such as the ones you go through during pregnancy or menopause) can trigger hair fall, as can certain medications, scalp issues, or even stress.
To figure out what’s behind your hair loss, make an appointment with your doctor. They can investigate deeper to find the origin, which may involve listening to any other concurrent symptoms you’re having or testing your blood to see if you’re low on any vitamins or minerals. In some cases, aging is to blame or the accidental ingestion of toxins.
What Can You Do About Hair Loss?
There are lots of tools out there you can use to slow and even stop hair loss, all while promoting hair growth. In a lot of cases, solving hair loss is about treating underlying conditions, like taking vitamin supplements to make up for a deficiency that is behind your hair issues. In other cases, you may need a little extra help by using a product like Rogaine to regrow hair or applying a hair oil to the scalp to encourage healthy follicles.
The easiest thing you can do about hair loss is finding a shampoo that targets it. Since you likely use shampoo a few times a week anyway, this is an easy fix. There are plenty of products on the market that have been shown to aid in hair growth, stop hair loss, or simply boost the appearance of the hair you already have. Plus, using the right shampoo means taking care of your scalp, which is crucial for a healthy head of hair!
How Can Shampoo Help Hair Loss?
There are several ways that shampoo can help you on your hair loss journey:
Soothe Your Scalp. Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, so if you’re experiencing any irritation (itching and redness, for example), that could be one of the causes of your hair loss. Many shampoos contain ingredients that soothe and nourish the scalp, such as coconut oil, honey, tea tree, or aloe vera. Peppermint is another popular shampoo ingredient that gives a satisfying tingly feeling while hydrating a dry scalp.
Target Root Causes of Hair Loss. If hormone imbalances are behind your hair loss, for example, look for a shampoo with saw palmetto, and if scalp circulation is slowing your hair growth, look for formulas with invigorating caffeine. This is why it’s helpful to understand your hair loss before purchasing shampoo, so you know just what to look for.
Prevent or Fix Breakage and Damage. Many shampoos are designed to reverse the effects of heat damage or seal broken hair shafts, making your hair look healthier and fuller. Natural oils like jojoba and argan are great for this, as are antioxidants and other nutrients. Some shampoos even coat each strand of hair, delivering more proteins that help them strengthen.
Add Thickness and Volume. While this won’t target hair loss directly, look for shampoos that add thickness and volume to improve the appearance of the hair you still have. Many of these formulas are lightweight to avoid weighing fine hair down. Shampoos that contain biotin or panthenol are best prepared to give your hair some lift.
How to Incorporate Shampoo into Your Hair Care Routine
To get the most out of your hair care routine, follow these steps:
When in the shower, massage a few globs of shampoo into your scalp, working it around your whole head and down to the tips of your hair. Let it sit in your hair for 1-3 minutes while you wash the rest of your body; then, rinse it out. Follow shampoo with conditioner, applying to your whole hair or avoiding the scalp if you’re prone to oily roots. Let the conditioner sit for a few minutes before rinsing it out as well.
Once you’re done with your shower, wrap your hair gently in a towel without pulling it too much, and then let your hair air dry. Most experts recommend you wash your hair only every 2-3 days rather than daily.
To boost hair growth, try a serum, applying that each night to the roots of your hair and any bald spots. Make sure to massage this in, as that will boost circulation to your scalp. When styling your hair, avoid pulling it back into tight ponytails or buns that tug on your scalp, letting your hair hang loose when possible. Comb and brush hair gently when it’s dry, and avoid using high heat on your hair if you’re worried about damage or thinning. Make sure to get regular trims to avoid split ends, and eat a healthy diet to get all the nutrients you need.
1. Blu Atlas Shampoo
This best shampoo for hair loss, Blu Atlas Shampoo, approaches the issue from several directions. First, the formula contains saw palmetto, an important ingredient for those experiencing hormone-related hair loss, as it blocks your scalp from absorbing DHT, a hormone linked to thinning hair. The benefits from this shampoo don’t stop there, however.
It also contains a bunch of naturally derived ingredients (99% of the ingredients in this formula come from natural origins!) to take care of the scalp and hair, repairing damaged strands and boosting overall health. Jojoba oil delivers antioxidants and important nutrients to keep hair in great shape. Aloe calms scalp issues, and vegan biotin boosts growth to reduce signs of thinning. If you’re concerned about your hair loss, add Blu Atlas shampoo into your shower routine!
Scent: This shampoo comes in two scents: the brand’s classic (a fresh, herbal, invigorating fragrance) or coconut apricot, which smells like a tropical sunset on a paradise island. Both scents are natural and subtle enough to be widely appealing.
Best for: Those with hormonal hair loss and anyone with dry, damaged hair who needs some extra healing, nourishment, and volume boost.
2. Honeydew Biotin Shampoo
If increased hair growth is your aim, biotin is one of the best ingredients you can find. Since biotin deficiency is a major cause of hair loss, this vitamin supports a healthy head of hair. Because harsh formulas worsen hair loss, find a gentle product like this one.
In addition to biotin, Honeydew’s shampoo also contains coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, and more. Tea tree oil is the major scalp-benefitting ingredient in the mix! These ingredients provide lightweight moisture to pump up the volume on your hair, plus they provide essential nutrients your hair and scalp need.
Scent: Fresh and clean.
Best for: Those with biotin deficiencies or who want a little extra lift.
3. Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo
This pH-balanced bond maintenance shampoo from Olaplex is definitely one of the best shampoos for hair loss. The way this one works is by clarifying your scalp, removing buildup that gets in the way of healthy hair growth. Clarifying products have the reputation of being harsh, but this shampoo is anything but.
This shampoo also contains plenty of other ingredients that moisturize and nourish without any parabens, phosphate, phthalates, sulfates, gluten, or nuts. When you use this shampoo, you’ll revamp your hair from root to tip! Plus, the brand is dedicated to sustainability, a relief for the eco-conscious among us.
Scent: Clean and somewhat medicinal.
Best for: Anyone experiencing hair loss due to scalp issues and those with oily hair.
4. Nutrafol Root Purifier Shampoo
Follicles serve as the roots of your hair, and without healthy follicles you can’t have healthy tresses. That’s where Nutrafol’s Scalp Microbiome Shampoo comes in. It was formulated by physicians specifically to cleanse, balance your scalp’s pH, and rein in sebum production. This means that your scalp’s microbiome will be healthy and ready to support growth and stop thinning.
Plus, your hair will look less greasy as an added bonus! In addition to hair growth benefits and less oil, you may also find an improvement in texture, strength, and volume after regular use. Hydrolyzed quinoa is an important ingredient in this blend, as it creates shinier, bouncier hair. Tasmanian pepper extract reduces scalp itching, and lilly pilly fruit extract makes hair more plump.
Scent: Citrusy scent that smells like something you’d use in a salon.
Best for: Anyone whose hair loss comes from their scalp.
5. Pure Biology’s Reviva Hair
A blend of growth-boosting ingredients sets this shampoo apart, and reviewers couldn’t be more enthusiastic. Many note that this stopped their hair shedding almost right away and has contributed to greater growth over time. Saw palmetto is in here to help hormonal hair loss, plus biotin for extra strength.
A keratin complex bulks up each strand of hair, repairing damage and making hair more resilient and less likely to fall out. Natural oils like argan smooth out dry hair and revitalize it. This shampoo works on all hair types, including curly and kinky!
Scent: Energizing and natural with a strong ginger scent.
Best for: People with dry, damaged hair who are experiencing thinning.
6. Briogeo Destined for Density
If you’ve noticed a change in your hair density, turn to this shampoo from Briogeo to get that thick head of hair back. It works for all hair types: straight, wavy, curly, and kinky. Copper peptides and zinc fortify hair while biotin and vitamin E provide essential nutrients, encouraging thicker, stronger hair. Then caffeine stimulates the scalp, boosting blood flow so your scalp starts pumping out new, healthy hairs.
Use this shampoo even if you have color treated or keratin treated hair for health and volume. Users report that they see a difference within just a handful of days!
Scent: Light and natural.
Best for: People looking to grow thicker, denser hair rather than those looking to treat significant hair loss.
7. Biolage Full Density Thickening Shampoo
This salon favorite brand gives you some extra body while giving your hair a thorough clean. The vegan formula works with biotin to boost hair loss and turns to zinc PCA to regulate sebum production and promote scalp health. Meanwhile, the salicylic acid in here exfoliates your scalp to allow the other ingredients to penetrate. The result is a healthier looking head of hair, as many reviewers claim!
Scent: Clean, fresh, and salon quality.
Best for: People looking for a thorough clean with some added growth and thickness benefits.
8. Innersense Pure Harmony Hairbath
Anyone with fine hair knows how having limp hair makes thinning more noticeable. That’s why this shampoo not only strengthens hair to ensure growth but also boosts volume so loss is hardly visible! It’s an instant confidence booster. The way it works is that hydrating ingredients like glycerin and shea butter quench your hair’s thirst without weighing it down. Then citrus oils treat dandruff and provide antioxidants to rid the scalp of any free radical damage.
Rice bran oil is another important strengthener and hydrator; green tea ensures moisture while also fighting inflammation and toxins; and mango conditions the scalp. You’ll notice more shine and bounce right away!
Scent: Tangy and citrusy, like a sweet blend of orange and tangerine that feels so summery.
Best for: Thinning fine hair.
9. Ultrax Labs Hair Surge
You’ll pay a pretty penny for this hair loss solution, but if you’re desperate to see new growth it is absolutely worth it. This science-backed formula relies on caffeine to improve scalp circulation, plus anti-dandruff ingredient ketoconazole that has been shown to reduce thinning.
Saw palmetto makes it into this formula, too, for those with hormonal issues. This won’t just level up the quantity of your hair but the quality as well. Just check out the hundreds of Amazon reviews that mention how this shampoo was an absolute lifesaver! There are even before and after pictures so you can get a sense of how dramatic the results are.
Scent: A bright pop of peppermint.
Best for: Hair issues that stem from the scalp and for those who can afford an expensive but effective solution.
10. Andalou Naturals Argan Stem Cell Shampoo
This best shampoo for hair loss is a budget-friendly option, which elongates the hair’s growth phase to encourage faster growth. At the same time, it provides a little extra lift to make hair appear thicker and more voluminous right off the bat. The way it works is by cleaning out hair follicles and getting rid of toxins that may be slowing hair growth while also promoting regeneration on a cellular level to get things back on track.
Hydrating ingredients like glycerin and aloe work in harmony with natural botanicals such as coltsfoot leaf to lessen inflammation, yarrow to rid the follicles of buildup, and horsetail extract to increase hair’s elasticity, helping it bounce back and respond better to stress. Argan oil and several vitamins nourish hair, licorice root is great for the hair shaft, and white tea tackles those harmful free radicals.
Scent: Warm and inviting—many users claim this is their favorite part of using the product!
Best for: People with not much money to spend on hair care who want to encourage growth with natural complexes.
11. Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Anti Hair Fall Shampoo
Dr. Barbara Sturm offers an expensive fix for hair loss with this high-quality shampoo. The point of this formula is to renew both the hair follicles and shafts, protecting the scalp from heat and UV damage that can put too much stress on your hair. The clean, vegan formula contains vitamin B5 for extra strength, camellia and larch to take care of your hair follicles, and hyaluronic acid for important moisture.
Panthenol injects volume into hair, and sunflower sprout gets dormant hair follicles active again, encouraging new growth. Users claim they only need a little bit of the product to get a lot of lather and notice a massive difference in health, volume, and density. Good hair care comes at a price!
Scent: This product is fragrance free, so may only have a slight natural scent from the blend of ingredients. This makes it ideal for those with sensitive scalps.
Best for: People looking for a simple formula that nourishes hair into growing again.
12. OGX Biotin and Collagen Shampoo
Next we have a drugstore favorite that is accessible to all. While this shampoo is less about stopping hair fall, it definitely will improve your hair’s look and feel, making for a voluminous head of hair your friends will envy. Biotin, collagen, and hydrolyzed wheat protein work together to coat strands of hair with moisture and increase their thickness for a noticeable shift in fullness. Sulfate and paraben-free surfactants also ensure a thorough clean, while biotin brings an extra dose of micronutrients.
Scent: An irresistible blend of jasmine, vanilla, and bergamot.
Best for: Anyone with thin to medium hair looking for extra volume and thickness.
13. Philip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo
To boost volume, you need a nearly weightless formula that won’t drag your hair down. That’s exactly what this shampoo is. It was created by a trichologist, so you know that it will work to conquer your hair loss as well! Copolymers get to work on frizz, cutting down on static and keeping flyaways where they belong.
Cellulose provides a plumping effect, giving you that model-worthy flow and bounce. If the environment is a major concern of yours, you’ll be glad to know that this product is Co2 negative, so it won’t increase your carbon footprint. Sounds like a win-win to us!
Scent: This product is unscented.
Best for: Anyone with fine hair looking for volume to cover up the thinning spots.
14. Hims and Hers Hair Loss Shampoos
Here we have two different shampoos by the same company, designed to help men and women respectively. Because gender does affect your hair and skincare needs, we’ve included both in this listing. The Hims shampoo focuses on saw palmetto to inhibit DHT, plus some light exfoliants to rid the scalp of buildup and some hydrating ingredients.
Men love how this product makes their hair look and feel better, plus cuts down on thinning (especially when combined with the brand’s other hair loss products). In the Hers formula, saw palmetto works alongside biotin and pumpkin seed oil to thicken hair. It’s a more moisturizing formula, allowing for longer, shinier, more luscious locks. Both formulas are sure to cut down on shedding!
Scent: The men’s formula has a woodsy eucalyptus grove scent, while the women’s formula smells like a rose garden.
Best for: Men and women looking for a full hair care regimen to tackle their hair fall.
15. K18 Peptide Prep
If you’re guilty of using a lot of product to make your hair behave, chances are you’re also clogging up your hair follicles while you’re at it, leading to chronic inflammation and hair loss. If that’s the case for you, a shampoo like K18 Peptide Prep should do the trick. This detoxifying shampoo was shown to remove 99% of product buildup, plus 95% of sebum for a refreshed head of hair.
The key to creating a healthy environment for hair growth is to clean thoroughly before releasing ingredients deep into the scalp and hair shaft. This pH-balanced shampoo sucks impurities out with charcoal and buffs dead skin cells with salicylic acid. Then a proprietary peptide blend makes sure that your hair holds onto protein to prevent loss, and glycerin ensures that plenty of moisture is left. Users love how much healthier their hair looks after use and note that their scalps feel better than ever.
Scent: Clean.
Best for: People who use a lot of different products on their hair.
16. Grow Gorgeous Intense
Sometimes your hair and scalp just need a wake up call, which is what you get from this best shampoo for hair loss. This formula reinvigorates hair, allowing you to get back to the dense hair of your dreams in no time. Biotin is one ingredient that makes this happen, especially when it works in tandem with caffeine to boost circulation in the roots.
Niacinamide helps your scalp maintain its moisture barrier to keep things hydrated and protected, rice protein increases shine, and amino acids provide lightweight volume and boost keratin production. Reviewers are encouraged by this shampoo’s effects, with some even mentioned that this was their key to growing hair back after chemo.
Scent: One reviewer calls the scent “unreal,” and others agree that the woodsy, incense-like smell is a major upside.
Best for: Anyone with fine, limp hair who is starting to lose some density.
17. Ranavat Regenerative Shampoo
Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of taking care of your wellbeing. This shampoo is based on ayurvedic principles, restoring health to your scalp in order to slow loss and promote growth. It improves the bonds in your hair, strengthening them to keep hair in place, plus it has been shown to regenerate hair by three times the original amount.
These effects are thanks to natural ayurvedic ingredients like lotus and hibiscus for follicle strengthening, amla extract for luster, and ashwagandha to cut down on stress to the scalp. Shikakai softens hair, making it easier to detangle, and jasmine flower cuts down on brittleness. Reviewers love how this one is both gentle and helpful!
Scent: Delicate jasmine.
Best for: Anyone looking for a natural approach to greater hair health.
Hair Loss and Shampoo FAQs
How many strands of hair is normal to lose each day?
Shedding anywhere from 50-100 hairs each day is perfectly normal. That’s because all hair goes through a natural lifecycle. It grows in the anagen phase, getting about a centimeter in length each month. In the catagen phase, hair stops growing. It isn’t in that phase for long, and soon reaches the telogen phase, where it rests in preparation for falling off.
Does shampoo cause hair loss?
It’s more likely than not that something other than your shampoo is causing hair loss. While that’s generally the case, some shampoos may contribute to hair loss or at least prevent the ideal environment for healthy hair growth. Products with sulfates and parabens, for example, may have this effect.
Can shampoo alone fix hair loss?
It’s unlikely that shampoo on its own will completely fix hair loss, although it’s certainly possible! This depends on the cause of the hair loss. If yours is caused by a dirty scalp full of buildup, for example, a clarifying shampoo very well might stop your hair loss. If your medicine is causing hair loss, a shampoo may not fix the issue.
What else can you do to make your hair grow?
Start by seeing a dermatologist to establish the cause for your hair loss and figure out how best to proceed. Other things you can do to make your hair grow include eating a healthy diet with all the nutrients you need, avoiding styling your hair in a way that may damage it, taking hair growth supplements, and using other hair growth products.
McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.