The best shampoos for thinning hair in 2023, according to experts

Feb 14, 2024

Our hair can signal so much: our health, age, style and more. So, it's no surprise that watching the part at the crown of our head widen or seeing a surprise handful of hair in the shower can be incredibly upsetting. If this has happened to you, you are not alone; far from it. According to The Hair Society, an estimated 35 million men and 21 million women suffer from hair loss. These numbers may sound staggeringly high, but there are many reasons people experience hair thinning and loss: Genetics, pregnancy, stress, poor diet, COVID-19, severe illness and underlying health conditions are just a few of the culprits.

If you, like so many, are searching for a solution to your hair thinning woes, one proven option and a great place to start is with a shampoo that can reverse thinning and promote regrowth. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Glenn Vallecillos tells AOL, “Depending on the reasoning for hair loss, there are hair regrowth shampoos that do show promise, with the focus of these products centering around maintaining healthy hair follicles by preventing further damage and promoting growth."

To help you get on track to restoring your hair’s health, we evaluated 43 hair-thinning shampoos and spoke with nine experts to find the best shampoos for thinning hair available today. In doing our research, we first omitted any products that had under a 4.5-star rating, then assessed the remaining shampoos based on key ingredients, reported side effects, price point, customer satisfaction and overall success.

Includes: Shampoo, conditioner and serum

Key ingredients: Proprietary blend of extracts, essential oils, biotin

Best for: Progressed thinning

The award-winning Nioxin System 2 is more than just a shampoo; it’s a full hair restoration kit with shampoo, conditioner, and treatment. This bundle of products is a great choice for someone wanting to take an aggressive approach to reversing hair thinning and loss. Formulated for fine to normal hair with progressed thinning, Nioxin’s first step in the bundle is the shampoo, which is especially great for removing environmental build-up and excess sebum, which can clog follicles and make it harder for hair to grow. Excess sebum has also been linked to increased dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that can occur in men and women that has been linked to hair loss. After gently exfoliating and cleansing the scalp to promote the right conditions for your hair to thrive, the conditioner strengthens hair to prevent breakage, while the serum stimulates the scalp with natural leaf extracts and sunscreen to shield this delicate area from the sun.

Key ingredients: Rosemary, biotin, peppermint, nettle, castor oil, and other botanicals

Best for: All types of thinning hair, male or female

You don’t always have to spend a small fortune on beauty products to see a big impact. Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Shampoo contains a powerful potion of hair-helpers, such as biotin, castor oil, rosemary and nettle. We love this shampoo and stand behind it thanks to the combination of pure rosemary oil that stimulates hair growth while nettle regulates pesky DHT, which can prevent thinning and shedding. Castor oil has long been used to stimulate hair growth on the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes.

This cult favorite is also easy to find while shopping at retail stores like Walgreens or Target, or ordering online from Amazon or Ulta. We also love the Mielle hair strengthen oil if you are looking for a great hair oil to smooth flyaways, moisturize the scalp, and stimulate circulation.

Key ingredient: Amino Kera NPNF and 3HC Hair Stimulation Complex

Best for: Any type of hair loss

Getting a surprise handful of hair in the shower is upsetting for anyone, so maybe you want something that directly targets promoting hair growth. Pure Biology RevivaHair Growth Stimulating & Anti Hair Loss Shampoo will do just that, plus protect the hair once it grows, using two proprietary complexes.

Its 3HC Hair Stimulation Complex is a blend of stem-cell-derived ingredients that stimulate turnover in the cells responsible for hair follicle development. According to Pure Biology, it has been clinically shown to reduce hair loss by 21% in just three weeks, to lengthen the life of hair fibers, and to increase fiber density.

Its other blend, Amino Kera NPNF, is a type of keratin complex that can penetrate the hair shaft more deeply, according to the brand. Keratin is a protein essential for healthy hair, so this is a really good thing.

Key ingredients: Karmatin (vegan keratin), red clover, mung bean

Best for: Women with all forms of hair loss

With its soft citrus scent, color-protecting qualities, and phytoactives to make hair appear longer, fuller, and more radiant, Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Shampoo for Thinning Hair is a solid choice for women experiencing hair loss.

It contains two active hair-loss ingredients: Red clover and mung bean, which regulate DHT and promote hair growth. According to one reviewer, “I was expecting the shampoo to take a little while to work, but the crazy thing is I saw immediate results. My hair had so much volume right after using it, and it’s continued to get better as I have used the shampoo over the last few weeks." Another devotee raved, “I’ve used the revitalizing shampoo several times, and it cleanses my scalp extremely well. After washing it off, my hair feels smooth. It has a wonderful citrus scent. The fallout of hair is less & less each time.”

Key ingredients: Biotin, keratin, zinc, primrose oil, coconut oil

Best for: Limp, thin hair

It’s no secret that thinning hair leads to limp locks that make us feel less than stellar. Biotin Hair Shampoo for Thinning Hair prevents hair loss and boosts volume at the same time.

Biotin and keratin are the stars of the show here. Both nutrients are essential to building the proteins that make up healthy hair. Meanwhile, coconut and primrose oil gently cleanse the hair and scalp. These natural cleansers are a great alternative to drying sulfates, which can negatively impact hair and scalp health and lead to breakage.

The formula is a recipe for bouncy, shiny, healthy hair, and the earthy sandalwood scent is enticing to people of any gender.

Key ingredients: Biotin, proprietary 17-herb blend

Best for: Any type of hair loss or thinning

If you’re the earthy type who swears by all-natural ingredients, Pure D'Or Anti-Hair Thinning Biotin Shampoo is for you. It’s brimming with beautifying herbal extracts, contains biobased cleansers and all-natural preservatives, and is USDA-certified biobased at 90%.

It contains red Korean seaweed, tea tree oil, nettle leaf, black cumin seed oil and many other herbal extracts to stimulate hair growth, support the scalp, and cleanse your locks. Meanwhile, argan oil and biotin strengthen your strands. Fragile hair that snaps easily is a major cause of hair loss, so keeping your locks strong will help you keep a fuller head of hair.

Key ingredients: Peptides, caffeine, procyanidin b2, biotin, taurine, copper peptides, DHT blockers

Best for: Stress-related hair loss

When you’ve already been through a stressful life event, seeing clumps of your beautiful hair in your brush can feel like a cruel joke. Luckily, Revita Shampoo for thinning hair can help grow your hair back more quickly, so you’re not suffering from even more stress from the change to your appearance.

Stress-related hair loss often leads to clumps falling out, and the longer you have a bald patch, the more distressing it can be. A formula that stimulates new hair is ideal. Revita has caffeine and niacin to enhance blood flow and oxygen to the scalp and roots, stimulating growth, while biotin, vitamins, and minerals condition and revitalize your hair. This two-pronged approach of addressing growth and protecting existing hair can help you get your hair and confidence back.

Key ingredients: CaffinoPlex blend of natural caffeine and saw palmetto, niacin, peppermint oil, mango butter

Best for: Illness-related hair loss

It’s no secret that illness can do a number on your hair, leading to everything from shedding and thinning to outright baldness in the case of chemotherapy. Just like with stress-related hair loss, you want to start filling in those thin patches pronto. Ultrax Labs Hair Surge can help. It has a proprietary blend of caffeine and natural extracts to stimulate growth and nourish hair follicles, so you can start looking like yourself again.

More than a few reviewers cited the cleanser as having helped them grow their hair after illness. “This shampoo has saved my life and brought back my confidence,” says one. “Due to thyroid issues, I lost a lot of hair to the point where I couldn’t go out without wearing a hat. If you use it correctly and are consistent, you’ll be very happy.” As always, we recommend sharing any new products with your healthcare provider before starting a new routine.

When shopping for shampoos, you’ll notice that some promise to nourish existing hair with ingredients like biotin and keratin, which means they act on hair loss symptoms (thin, flat hair) more than stimulate new growth. However, these strengthening ingredients can make tresses appear thicker and protect them from breakage.

Some products have growth stimulators, like coffee, caffeine, and certain plants. Botanicals have been used for millennia to treat the scalp and address hair loss. Other commonly used natural ingredients with immense benefits to hair and scalp health include rosemary, menthol, red clover, nettles, eucalyptus and tea tree.

If you have patches where hair has fallen out due to illness, stress, or childbirth (these forms of hair loss are typically temporary and treatable), pick cleansers that stimulate new growth so you can restore your hair to its former glory ASAP.

Formulas that help with scalp health can also directly and indirectly promote hair growth.

Prices vary pretty widely, from around $10 a bottle up to $50+. You’ll probably need to use the formula for over a month or two, so keep that in mind when choosing.

To pick the best shampoo for thinning hair in 2023, we looked at 43 different shampoos and evaluated each on the inclusion of ingredients proven to stimulate hair growth or support growth through treating the scalp, as well as those that help strengthen and protect hair. We assessed customer satisfaction and self-reported results, taking note of any negative side effects or significant numbers of poor reviews. We also looked at affordability, brand reputation, and ethical or clean beauty commitment.

Thickening and strengthening agents can change the texture of thinning hair to make it appear denser, while certain other ingredients may help with growth. People with nonscarring hair loss can grow hair back using shampoo, says Gitau. However, everyone’s different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

For example, “in populations of African Americans and Africans, scarring conditions such as Central Centrifugal Scarring Alopecia will be more prevalent due to the tradition of braiding, heat styling, relaxing, coloring, locs, and frequent hair manipulation,” she says. If this is you, it’s a good idea to see a specialist who can determine your best course of action.

If your hair loss was caused by stress or lifestyle factors, be sure to address those factors, whether that means getting support from a therapist or eating a more balanced diet.

Shampoos that mask symptoms of hair loss by thickening, moisturizing, and strengthening follicles can give results after a few washes. However, those that promote hair growth either directly or indirectly will take time (think at least a month) to show results. For example, rosemary oil (one of the most common hair growth shampoo ingredients) may take up to six months to work.

Shampoos differ from topical treatments like Minoxidil and Finasteride. Those topical treatments are stronger chemicals with more potential side effects and can require a prescription. Hair growth shampoos typically contain natural ingredients and should be as safe to use as any other hair cleanser, as long as you don’t have an allergy to them.