Hair Loss Is Hard to Course-Correct, But Experts Say These 9 Shampoos Can Truly Help
If you've noticed that your hair is thinning as strands fall out faster than they normally do, don't panic. First, know that you're not alone. About 50% of women will experience some form of noticeable hair loss throughout their lives.
Multiple factors can contribute to hair thinning—things like age, genetics, hormonal imbalances, certain illnesses, stress, and breakage. That's why it's important to see a doctor if you feel as if your hair loss is a new or worsening issue. An expert can suss out the root cause and course-correct the issue.
The good news? For most people, hair loss isn't anything to be majorly concerned about. Sometimes, it's just part and parcel of life. But that doesn't mean you have to throw your hands up in defeat and resign yourself to a fate of thinning. No, not at all. An easy place to start when attempting to deal with hair loss is to take a look at the shampoo you're using. If your hair loss is scalp-related, then it's likely that swapping your current shampoo out for a specialist product aimed at hair loss will make a difference.
"The health of your scalp plays a vital role in hair growth. Everything from scalp inflammation and microbial imbalances to genetics and hormonal sensitivities can impact the health of your hair follicles, and the hairs that emerge from them. Use daily topical products to help stimulate and protect your scalp from both internal and external aggressors," says consultant trichologist Anabel Kingsley.
With that in mind, though, it's important to know the limitations of topical products. "Know what your hair loss products are doing and what you can realistically expect from them. Leave-on topical products can make a lasting difference to your hair growth cycle, the rate of hair shedding, and the health of your hair follicles. Wash-off formulas such as shampoos, conditioners, and sprays will help with instant aesthetics and breakage," she adds.
If you're experiencing hair fall or just want to thicken up your lengths a little, keep scrolling to shop the nine best shampoos for hair loss.
1. Philip Kingsley Density Thickening Shampoo
Utilizing the power of hydrolyzed pea peptides (who knew?!), this trichologist-approved shampoo helps to increase strand thickness, as well as hydrate and smooth hair for improved strength. It also contains hyper-branched polymers that spring into a hexagonal shape once the hair is dry to help boost volume. Oh, and as if that isn't enough, there's also some exfoliating salicylic acid in there to create a healthy growing environment on your scalp. All in all, this one's a winner.
Glowing Customer review: "I love this shampoo. It does what it says. I have thin hair that falls out due to perimenopause. It thickens my hair, no heavy weight to it, and doesn't make my hair greasy. My hair looks healthy with volume. Bit pricey but worth it."
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If your hair is fine and prone to breakage, this protein spray will help protect it—by shielding it from heat damage and delivering an extra dose of pea peptides to strengthen each strand against breakage.
2. Virtue Flourish Shampoo For Thinning Hair
All of Virtue's products are formulated around a high-tech protein called Alpha Keratin 60ku—a protein that is identical to the keratin found in human hair. It binds to the hair and fills in areas of damage for stronger, healthier strands (that are less prone to breakage as a result). The brand's Flourish range is specially formulated for thinning hair, combining the aforementioned Alpha Keratin 60ku with sodium hyaluronate, red algae extract, and biomimetic signal peptides to provide an ideal environment for growth.
Glowing Customer review: "I've been using continuously for 1 year and can definitely say I've had less shedding and more growth. I like the smell and it leaves my hair shining."
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Like the shampoo, this product is jam-packed with growth-boosting ingredients. Use it alongside the shampoo to help thicken hair with scalp-calming peptides, irritation-reducing probiotics, and growth-boosting larch wood extract. Simply spritz it onto the scalp after you shampoo and massage it in for best results.
3. Vegamour GRO+ Advanced Balancing Shampoo for Severe Signs of Thinning
This new shampoo from editor-favorite haircare brand Vegamour is serious about hair loss. It was co-developed by a dermatologist and the formula is skincare-inspired to exfoliate, cleanse, and remove product buildup while maintaining optimum scalp health. The secret is in the ingredient list, which boasts Spanish microalgae, a prebiotic scalp superfood. There's niacinamide, a scalp-balancing antioxidant. Finally, there's GROActive+ Complex, the brand's patent-pending, AI-discovered compound that addresses shedding.
Glowing customer review: "This shampoo works wonders for my hair. I have been using it for weeks and have been able to tell a difference in the strength of my hair. I am starting to see more baby hairs pop up which hopefully means it’s working."
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This hair serum has all the same growth-boosting ingredients as the shampoo in a concentrated, leave-on formula.
4. Kérastase Densifique Thickening Shampoo
This French formula contains hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and gluco-peptide. The first strengthens and thickens the hair to prevent future damage. The second promotes elasticity and boosts moisture. The third strengthens the hair fibers and reduces breakage. Together, they decrease hair fall, and subsequently, create a visibly thicker appearance.
Glowing Customer review: "All the reviews were great so I decided to purchase and I am very happy about my decision. I love how it makes my hair look & feel fuller."
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Why not add the matching hair mask into your routine to level up your hair even more? It contains the same hair-strengthening and thickening ingredients as the shampoo, albeit in a rich, creamy, and ultra-moisturizing formula.
5. Kérastase Genesis Strengthening Shampoo
Another Kérastase pick, this shampoo strengthens hair so that it is less likely to succumb to breakage and fall. It uses a combination of edelweiss native cells, ginger root extract, and aminexil (an OTC hair-thinning ingredient) to gently cleanse the scalp and fortify strands. On top of that though, it feels absolutely wonderful to use, working into a thick, rich lather that leaves hair smelling expensive all day long.
Glowing Customer review: "I purchased my first bottle of this shampoo at my salon. The difference in my hair fall and breakage amazes me. I shampoo with it twice and only wash my hair twice a week."
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When it comes to hair loss, it's extra important to ensure you're protecting strands from damage that could lead to breakage. This heat-protecting mist should be sprayed onto hair and scalp before blow drying to help prevent any heat-induced hair loss. It leaves hair looking and feeling silky-smooth, too.
6. Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo
Beauty insiders tend to be skeptical of skincare brands that venture into haircare—and even more so when the price tags are hefty. But when it comes to hair loss, there's no denying that skincare (of the scalp) plays a huge part, which is why this shampoo from Dr. Barbara Sturm makes sense. Enriched with camellia extract and larch to nourish the hair follicle, as well as pro-vitamin B5 to prevent splitting and damage to existing strands, this shampoo does work wonders.
Glowing Customer review: "My hair definitely looks thicker. With more density and few hairs in my shower! I'll continue to use it."
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This hair serum is expensive, and we don't recommend forking out for this unless you already have the money to spend and want a particularly luxurious experience. As Kingsley mentioned, it's important to remember that products can only do so much for hair loss. Having said that, this is a great scalp serum. Apply after the aforementioned shampoo and expect silky-soft, stronger-feeling hair.
7. Aveda Invati Advanced Exfoliating Light Shampoo
We've said it once, but we'll say it again: Healthy hair growth starts at the scalp. And that's exactly why this exfoliating shampoo is so great. Ideal for thinner hair types, it helps to rid the scalp of buildup that makes for a bad growing environment for healthy strands. After one use, it's hard not to notice just how much softer, bouncier, and full of volume your hair is.
Glowing customer review: "Been using it with spray for over a year now! My hair doesn't fall anymore! My hair got thicker."
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This leave-in formula uses Japanese knotweed and tangerine peel to help support the hair's natural keratin supply for super-strong strands. The best bit though is that it also helps to lift hair at the root, creating the illusion of a thicker scalp, just without any crispiness.
8. Viviscal Densifying Shampoo
Viviscal is widely considered to be the best affordable brand out there to help target hair loss and hair fall. This shampoo uses heavy-hitting ingredients like biotin, keratin, marine collagen, and seaweed extract to cleanse the scalp without stripping moisture or exacerbating hair loss. It strengthens the hair to prevent thinning and boost growth.
Glowing customer review: "I am extremely satisfied with my purchase of Viviscal Thickening Shampoo. This product, formulated with biotin and keratin, has truly exceeded my expectations. Since I started using it, I've noticed a significant improvement in the strength and thickness of my hair. The addition of marine collagen and seaweed extract has fortified my hair, reducing breakage and giving it a healthier look."
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Perhaps Viviscal's best-known product, this supplement is specifically designed to target the root cause of hair thinning and improve thickness and density from the inside out. Not only are these 100% drug-free, but they're also backed by over 25 years of research and contain ingredients like collagen, biotin, zinc, vitamin C, iron, and niacin. They're not one of the top-selling hair supplements in the U.S. for nothing…
9. Klorane Strengthening Shampoo
Edelweiss is known to strengthen the hair and make it more resilient to breakage, so it's no wonder why the French pharmacy brand, Klorane, used it as the star ingredient in this shampoo. Combined with quinine, caffeine, and vitamin B, this formula has all the makings of a powerful and effective growth-boosting shampoo.
Glowing customer review: "I've tried everything to strengthen my tired and weak hair from continuing to fall out and nothing has helped until I started using Klorane [...] In just a few weeks my hair has stopped coming out and has gotten stronger."
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As with most wash-off products, hair-loss-correcting shampoos work best when paired with a leave-on product. This one targets both sudden and hereditary hair thinning by providing essential nutrients to the hair and scalp. Over time, you'll see a visible improvement in density.
Shannon Lawlor is a renowned beauty journalist and has contributed to Who What Wear’s beauty content since 2020. As a leading beauty editor, expert and brand consultant, she has over eight years of experience working for some of the industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear (of course), Glamour UK, Stylist, Refinery29 and Fabulous. Having also worked behind the scenes with some of the industry’s biggest brands and retailers, Shannon has a unique insight into what people really want from their beauty routines. Understanding that beauty lovers seek honest, open and responsible advice, she has it made her mission to demystify the intimidating world of beauty, taking a no-frills approach to the most relatable topics. While Shannon is the first to admit she doesn’t hold the answer to every beauty question out there, she is dedicated to sharing her expert insights in a bid to help. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for easy-to-use, foolproof beauty products and has made it her mission to scope out the best of the best. When she’s not working, Shannon is likely soaking in the bath or giving no-holds-barred beauty reviews on Instagram from her bathroom floor.
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