If you are looking for the best hair loss shampoo for men, you are probably one of the 85% of males who experience hair thinning by the age of 50 [1]. Since hair loss is more common in men than in women, what you need is a formula that can help treat the main reasons men’s hair is falling out, such as male pattern baldness.
However, it can be frustrating that most of the time, the only fundamental difference between shampoos marketed for men and those that are marketed for women consists in their “masculine” fragrance and bottle design.
Fortunately, in a sea of ineffective hair care products, there are also some good and scientifically supported shampoo options [2] that can help slow down men’s hair loss and even stimulate hair growth, such as formulas containing Minoxidil or the best rosemary oil for hair growth.
While some hair loss is normal in the shower, be aware that if what you are experiencing equals hair shedding, shampoo is not likely to be enough to curb or reverse your hair loss. It is a good idea to see a trichologist, preferably from the first signs of hair thinning and balding, to get to the root of your hair woes and recommend the best hair loss treatment for men.
Keep reading this article to find out all you need to know about:
There is no simple answer to the question as to whether hair loss shampoos work for hair loss or not. There are many formulas marketed as the best hair growth shampoo, many of which claim to prevent or reduce hair loss. However, very few have studies behind them that demonstrate their efficiency to combat hair loss.
Moreover, the efficiency of a particular kind of hair growth shampoo depends on the cause and stage of your hair thinning, as well as your scalp and hair particularities.
While there are hair loss shampoos out there that do work for some men, you have to know that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all hair loss treatment. It is a good idea to have moderate expectations from these hair care products, as while some of them may reduce your hair loss or even promote growth, they are unlikely to be strong enough to reverse advanced balding or to produce visible thicker hair results overnight.
As for those that do work, consistency is key in using them and it can take weeks or even months for a visible difference in hair density.
Here are some of the shampoos for men that contain ingredients which have been proven effective in preventing hair loss and/or restoring hair growth (however, further research is needed to test their efficiency in shampoo form):
Also known as male pattern baldness, androgenetic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss in men. It is produced by a number of factors, such as age, genetics and hormones.
This type of hair loss occurs when your body produces too much of a male hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which binds to receptors in your hair follicle, making them shrink and stop producing hair [3].
Main symptoms of androgenetic alopecia:
This shampoo formula contains Minoxidil 2%, which is known to be one of the most effective and widely prescribed hair growth medications available. Minoxidil helps your hair grow by widening your blood vessels and allowing more nutrients to reach your hair follicles [4].
While it is unlikely that Minoxidil shampoo works as well as topical Minoxidil for hair loss, Foligan also contains a plant-based proprietary blend known as Trioxidil, which nourishes your hair, softens and moisturises your locks, making them less likely to break from mechanical damage.
Price: Approximately £30/8 oz
Rosemary oil for hair is a natural DHT blocker, which has been proven to be as effective as topical Minoxidil in stimulating hair growth in male pattern baldness [5].
At the same time, peppermint oil for hair has demonstrated similar effects, but only in animal studies, so further research is needed to prove its effectiveness in humans. However, the menthol in peppermint oil is known to increase blood flow to your hair follicles, helping them receive more nutrients [6]. Additionally, the pleasant tingling sensation of the menthol can help calm an itchy or irritated scalp.
Finally, peppermint oil also contains antioxidants, which may provide some UV protection for your tresses [7] (but you still need to wear a hat when spending prolonged time outside in hot weather, as excessive sunlight is not good for your hair).
Price: Approximately £26/8 oz
Telogen effluvium is a condition that causes significant hair shedding that starts 2-3 months after a physically or psychologically stressful event. It is fortunately self-resolving and in 95% of cases, it will improve in under 6 months [8] after the initial stressful factor has been removed.
While telogen effluvium is more prevalent in women than in men, this may be because women are more inclined to seek a diagnosis for it [8]. Men can and do also experience this condition, although the exact incidence rates are currently unknown.
Main symptoms of telogen effluvium:
Black seed oil for hair has demonstrated its effectiveness in curbing telogen effluvium hair shedding and stimulating your hair to grow denser and thicker [10] research has shown that it can regulate your hair growth cycle, keeping your strands in the growth phase for longer.
Moreover, blackseed oil possesses antioxidants that may play a role in preventing UV damage and have a moderate anti-ageing effect on your hair [11] It may also possess some antimicrobial properties, but further research is needed to ascertain this [12].
Price: Approximately £18/ 25 oz
This formula contains an ingredient called stemoxydine. This substance has been proven to reduce the amount of hair follicles that are in the shedding phase and thus help end your telogen effluvium. Moreover, it has been found to be effective in improving androgenetic alopecia hair loss as well [13][14].
Price: Approximately £20/ 7 oz
There are several common scalp problems that can lead to hair loss. The most frequently encountered are dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, which don’t necessarily make your hair fall out (though this may be caused by inflammation in seborrheic dermatitis), but they make your scalp so itchy that the scratching alone can break your strands.
However, there are also other conditions, such as scalp psoriasis or ringworm, which actively cause patchy hair loss in the affected area.
This shampoo contains zinc pyrithione, a substance that is recommended in the treatment of several common scalp problems. It is especially effective against yeast infections on the scalp, such as dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis [16], but can also alleviate inflammation on your scalp, which makes it efficient in other conditions as well. This is likely to reduce hair breakage due to itchiness and inflammation.
Zinc pyrithione shampoo has been found to treat scalp psoriasis alongside topical steroids [17] and is believed to also hold some antibacterial properties [18], but more research is needed to determine whether they are sufficient to treat conditions such as scalp folliculitis.
Price: Approximately £15/ 8 oz
Nizoral shampoo is one of our recommended hair growth products for men that really work. The main ingredient in this dandruff shampoo is ketoconazole, which is widely recommended for its efficiency in treating dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. One study performed on 176 people with dandruff showed an 80% improvement in dandruff after one month of using a ketoconazole shampoo [19].
Morever, Nizoral may also treat hair loss from androgenetic alopecia, as 2% ketoconazole shampoos have been found to be as efficient as Minoxidil in stimulating hair growth in men with Norwood stage 3 male pattern baldness [19].
Nizoral shampoo is one of our recommended hair growth products for men that really work.
Price: Approximately £8/ 2 oz
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that causes round, smooth bald spots to appear on your scalp and sometimes in your beard or eyebrows. In mild cases, the lost hair will grow back within a few months or a year, but the condition is likely to flare up again at a later time [20]. More severe cases lead to permanent hair loss, such as ophiasis alopecia, alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis.
Main symptoms of alopecia areata:
This shampoo contains hemp seed oil, which has been found to have a positive effect on hair regrowth in patients with alopecia areata [21] It also has emollient and conditioning qualities [22], which can help prevent hair breakage.
Its other components, such as mastic, honey, and dittany, also have moisturising and nourishing properties.
Price: Approximately 23£/ 9 oz
While there are no scientific studies to show the efficiency of this combination in shampoo form on alopecia areata, a mixture of rosemary oil, lavender oil, and cedarwood oil has been found to play a role in reducing the symptoms of this condition [23].
Since this shampoo contains rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood, it may have a beneficial effect on alopecia areata, but more research is needed to determine whether this combination of ingredients has the same effect when in shampoo form.
Moreover, both rosemary and lavender oils have hair growth properties and lavender oil also has well-known soothing and relaxing qualities, which can reduce stress and anxiety that can cause hair loss.
Price: Approximately £24/16 oz
Several aspects of your lifestyle can lead to strand damage, which can give you dry, brittle hair that is easy to break. Vitamin deficiencies can starve your locks of the nutrients they need, overexposure to the sun can cause summer hair loss, and using heat styling or harsh chemicals (such as bleach) on your hair can dry it up and make it fragile. Regardless of the type of lifestyle-induced hair loss, they usually have similar effects on your hair strength.
Main symptoms of lifestyle-induced hair loss:
This shampoo is created especially for damaged hair, containing ingredients that can not only nourish it but also strengthen hair by making it more stress-resistant. The Argan oil it contains is known to regulate your natural sebum production, moisturise it and increase its elasticity, making it less likely to break from friction or brushing [24].
At the same time, the shea butter it contains is a good emollient, which can soften your hair and scalp [25] and has been found to play a role in conditioning and regenerating bleach-damaged hair [26].
Price: Approximately 16£/ 4oz
The abyssinian oil and hyaluronic acid in this shampoo formula have moisturising and conditioning properties, they help improve your hair shine, make it less frizzy, and easier to detangle. This can reduce friction-induced hair breakage and lead to fewer split ends.
Price: Approximately 32£/ 9 oz
While all the shampoos that are commercially available are usually tested and deemed safe for the human scalp, many of them can contain substances that can damage your hair (and/or your overall health) with excessive use. So you may want to avoid shampoos which contain the following ingredients:
Whether or not you can achieve hair growth, be it naturally or by undergoing treatment, depends on the condition that causes your hair to thin. That is why it is important to speak with an experienced trichologist, who can make the right recommendations for you. Those recommendations may include:
If non-surgical options are not enough to help you regrow your thinning hair, you may want to consider getting a hair transplant. It is a very simple and relatively painless procedure, where healthy hair follicles are harvested from a donor area on your scalp (usually the back or sides of your head) and reimplanted in balding areas.
More and more people, including celebrities are getting hair transplants each year, as advancements in this field have made it easier to get a natural looking hair transplant regardless of whether you opt for an FUE or FUT type procedure.
While hair transplant costs may be relatively high in comparison to hair growth medication, it is worth the investment. That is because hair transplants are permanent, allowing you to enjoy thicker, fuller locks for years to come. If you can hardly believe this, see these hair transplant results after 10 years for yourself.
Book a consultation to speak with one of our hair loss specialists to discuss a treatment plan for your hair condition or check out our reviews page to learn more about the services our award-winning clinic provides.
Simply fill in your details in the form below and we'll get in touch with you shortly.
Δ
