What To Look Out For In Hair Thickening & Hair Loss Shampoos
The world of hair care is a tricky one to navigate for us blokes and there’s a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo that gets thrown around these days, particularly when it comes to finding products which can help tackle our retreating hairlines.
So to help you get the lowdown on terminology and figure out what you need to look for and what you need to avoid, we’ve put together this helpful buying guide to stop you scratching your head in confusion and start reaping the rewards of fuller, thicker hair!
Avoiding Being Duped
The very first thing to look out for unfortunately when it comes to products centred around thinning hair is tall tales and con jobs.
We’ll tell you this once only – there is no shampoo that can miraculously cause your hair to regrow currently on the market. If you want that, you’ll have to go through a GP and seek proper medical treatment and not by spending all your dosh on some fancy snakeskin oil found on the internet.
If a shampoo promises you that your hair is growing to go back, it’s probably not going to be true for most people and many products have gotten into trouble with advertising standards rules in the past for saying so.
This is why our top 10 is described as being the best shampoos for hair thickening or for helping thinning hair, as actually stimulating hair growth is a rare feat for a shampoo and even if you do think a product seems to be retrieving your old hairline, it’s more likely just strengthening and maximising the volume of what you do have.
In short, if a shampoo is promising way too much, it’s probably too good to be true.
Key Ingredients To Look Out For
Having a great hair care regimen is always going to improve the appearance of your hair by keeping your head healthy and roots vitalised, so a hair thickening shampoo and moisturising conditioner are always a must.
Although a hair thickening shampoo can’t promise hair regrowth, it may be able to help counteract or at least stall the process of thinning hair with the right ingredients, as well as create the ideal environment for your scalp to thrive. So while you might not be used to reading the back of your shampoo bottle, it’s probably time to start.
Here are some of the best ingredients within hair thickening shampoos which will help boost your faltering quiff.
Biotin/Vitamin B7
Often referred to as Biotin, Vitamin B7 is a very popular vitamin found in hair loss shampoos as it is found in a number of our favourite protein foods such as meat and eggs, as well as healthy greens. It’s a necessary agent for hair growth and so if it’s something you’re deficient in diet-wise, your doo is always going to be looking slightly sparse.
By having it included in your shampoo, you’re actively applying this crucial hair care vitamin directly to the scalp, creating a great foundation for positive hair growth.
Hydrolysed Proteins
Protein comes in many forms and when hydrolysed, this means they break down in water and create a better reaction with your hair. Popular hydrolysed proteins to watch out for include Keratin, Wheat and Collagen, as these help add volume and strength to hair strands.
Ketoconazole
An ingredient you’ll see a lot of in popular anti-dandruff shampoo, this an ingredient to watch out for if you’re already suffering hairline is also under a lot of duress from a dry and irritated scalp.
It’s also said to increase overall hair thickness for hair follicles as they grow.
Zinc Pyrithione
Another anti-dandruff agent you may want to consider is zinc pyrithione as it is often used in the treatment of dermatological conditions, particularly seborrheic dermatitis.
DHT
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is the byproduct of testosterone responsible for male pattern baldness. Shampoos which help combat DHT can help improve your current hair condition and potentially decrease your rate of androgenic alopecia. Biotin, which we’ve already mentioned is a natural DHT blocker, as is caffeine (which we’re about too), but there is actually a wide range of natural ingredients out there which boast anti-DHT properties, so keep an eye out for them!
Caffeine
A few years ago, caffeine shampoo was touted as the miracle cure for hair regrowth and while this has since been dismissed as hyperbole, the fact remains that under laboratory conditions, caffeine has been proven to stimulate growth in hair follicles. While it won’t be anywhere near as effective on a human scalp, caffeine can still help increase blood flow to the scalp and give hair follicles a much-needed boost.
Coconut Oil
Improving the strength of your locks, coconut oil helps remove sebum buildup to keep hair fresh and non-greasy, a great thickening agent!
Considering Your Hair Type
Remember that everyone’s scalp and hair type is different, so while you might read rave reviews about one product, you need to consider that your own experience might totally differ if your noggin has very specific needs.
If you have a dry scalp, you’ll need shampoos with plenty of moisturising agents, vitamins and ingredients which can treat dry scalp. If you have an oilier, greasier scalp you may want to make sure it contains less harsh ingredients that strip the hair of its natural oil.
Know your hair type before browsing so you can make a more informed decision and pick something that’s right for you, not everyone else.
With that being said, here are some harsher ingredients to avoid base on your hair type:
Ingredients To Avoid
We should stress that avoiding all ingredients in shampoo is close to impossible, but by reading through and reading their effects, you’ll be able to ascertain which ones are going to be nasty on your particular hair type.
Parabens
These are found in most shampoos, so you may struggle to find a paraben free option, however, if you struggle with dry scalp conditions, they’ve been known to cause mild irritation.
Sulfates
These are surfactants which create that classic lather effect of shampoo. But while it might make it look like things better, they are often a cause of dry and irritated skin.
Silicone
While silicone does provide a nice slick and slippery texture, it actually has no benefits for hair and can cause build-up on your roots, killing your hair vibrancy!
Excess Oils
If you have oily hair, a load of extra oils for moisturisation isn’t needed, as you’ll end up just looking greasy!
Sodium Chloride
Otherwise known as salt, this stuff has been known to make sensitive scalps dry and itchy and even cause hair loss! Hence why your hair never feels too great after a swim in the sea!
Alcohols
Not the type you have down the pub on a Friday, but things like isopropyl and propanol often used in beauty products, these can be damaging to your hair.
Dimethicone
A thick ingredient which can clog your pores and cause irritation to the scalp.
Bottle Size
While it’s advised to use a limited amount of shampoo with every wash, we realise some of you enjoy a more liberal amount which means bottle size will be of particular importance to you.
Most bottles are around 250ml, but If you’re someone who goes through a bottle in no time at all and your chosen hair thickening shampoo is a little difficult to find on the supermarket shelf, you’re going to want to purchase a larger bottle.
The actual shape and size of your bottle may also be of importance to you if you need to travel to the gym or away from home!
Price
In general, most quality specialist shampoos designed to help thinning hair range between £10 and £20.
Anything well above this range usually has to promise incredibly high-quality or be a reputable brand to be worth the money and anything under £10 will usually be a cheaper made product, increasing the risk of it containing shortcut ingredients like silicone and parabens that are nasty for your hair.
Brand
When browsing shampoos for a specific purpose, you tend to come across brands that aren’t quite as commonly found in the supermarket. It’s probably best to do some research behind any brand you choose to check they are authentic and trustworthy, so be sure to consult plenty of reviews and read into brands. The less you can find out, the less trustworthy they probably are, because if they’ve found the remedy to hair care, you’d surely know about it by now!
