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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong
According to UK-based trichologist Kate Holden, AIT, "Hair loss is incredibly common among women." Whether you're dealing with stress-induced shedding, postpartum thinning, hormonal hair loss, or hair that just doesn't seem to want to grow, there might be hope in an over-the-counter treatment—namely, shampoo.
"Shampoos can help with hair growth by strengthening the hair shaft, reducing breakage, and by cleaning the scalp," Holden tells Byrdie, noting that maintaining a healthy scalp is crucial.
To prevent breakage, Holden recommends formulas infused with protein, such as hydrolyzed keratin and wheat protein, along with conditioning ingredients like glycerin and coconut oil. "In terms of cleaning the scalp from buildup," she says, "ingredients such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid can be beneficial as they are chemical exfoliants that remove dead skin cells."
Scroll down for the best hair-growth shampoos on the market.
Best Overall: Nanogen 7-in-1 Hair Thickening Shampoo
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Trichologist-recommended
Contains salicylic acid and keratin
Helps prevent shedding
Expensive
"Nanogen 7-in-1 Shampoo contains salicylic acid, glycerin, and hydrolyzed keratin," says Holden. In other words, it checks all the boxes for boosting hair growth, exfoliating the scalp while strengthening the hair shaft.
In addition to cleansing and clearing away dead skin cells, this in-shower treatment works to moisturize, condition, and thicken your hair. What's more, Nanogen calls on beta-glucan and plant-based antioxidants to fortify each strand and prevent shedding.
Hair Type: Fine, thinning | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 8.1 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Budget: Marc Anthony Grow Long Caffeine Ginseng Shampoo
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Budget-friendly
Stimulates scalp
Helps prevent breakage
Doesn't lather well
Marc Anthony Grow Long will only run you a few bucks, but it's no slouch when it comes to promoting lustrous hair. Infused with ginseng and caffeine, this shampoo stimulates the scalp while giving brittle hair new life.
Hair Type: All | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 8.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Drugstore: Garnier Fructis Grow Strong Shampoo
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Budget-friendly
Contains protein
Nice scent
Results aren't dramatic
From the pharmacy aisle, we're big fans of Garnier Grow Strong. This affordable shampoo contains fruit-derived proteins to fortify the hair shaft so it can grow long and healthy.
Hair Type: All | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 22 ounces, 33.8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
What Our Testers Say
"My hair felt different immediately after my first use. My roots felt fresher, it air-dried better, and my clean hair lasted one to two days longer before inevitably looking oily from all the sweat. After using this shampoo three times in just a week and a half, I noticed a softer, healthier feel to my hair." — Ashley Rubell, Product Tester
Best Luxury: Miriam Quevedo Black Baccara Hair Multiplying Shampoo
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Contains keratin and growth factors
Strengthens hair bonds
Expensive
Black Baccara contains a blend of vegetable-based keratin, stem cells, and hair growth factors. It's formulated to fortify each strand from the inside out while strengthening weakened bonds and leaving your hair lusciously soft.
Hair Type: Fine, thinning, damaged | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 8.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Splurge: Oribe Serene Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
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Contains salicylic acid and keratin
Soothes irritation
Expensive
If you're dealing with stunted hair growth due to a flaky scalp, Holden recommends a salicylic acid shampoo like Oribe's splurge-worthy Serene Scalp. In addition to gently removing buildup, it soothes irritation and calls on keratin to strengthen brittle hair.
Hair Type: Dandruff-prone, color-treated, thinning, dry | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 8.5 ounces, 33.8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Thinning Hair: Pura D'or Hair Thinning Therapy Shampoo
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Promotes scalp health
Reduces breakage
Adds shine
Doesn't lather well
This impressive shampoo cleanses and purifies your scalp while promoting resilience with a dose of hair-health-boosting all-stars like biotin, niacin, and argan oil. The result? Less breakage and better scalp health.
Hair Type: Thinning, damaged, fine, balanced | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 16 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
What Our Testers Say
“This shampoo will help plump your strands, expedite growth, increase shine, invigorate the scalp, and decrease breakage. Even if you have thick hair already, I think this shampoo is worth keeping in your weekly rotation to keep your hair in its healthiest state.” — Ashley Rubell, Product Tester
Best for Natural Hair: Vernon François Re-Vamp Shampoo
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Contains keratin
Replenishes damaged hair
Conditioning formula
Results aren't dramatic
Natural hair? Reach for Vernon François Re-Vamp. This shampoo contains keratin, mafura oil, castor oil, and glycerin to strengthen damaged hair while replenishing lost moisture and conditioning each strand.
Hair Type: Damaged, dry, fine, textured, curly | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 8.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Fine Hair: Philip Kingsley Body Building Weightless Shampoo
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Trichologist-recommended
Contains keratin
Strengthens hair shaft
Expensive
"I often recommend Philip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo for people with fine hair that is prone to breakage," offers Holden. "It's a great volumizing shampoo and contains hydrolyzed protein to strengthen the hair shaft."
Hair Type: Fine | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 2.5 ounces, 33.8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Dandruff: Nizoral A-D Shampoo
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Contains ketoconazole
Targets dandruff-causing fungus
Minimizes inflammation
Small amount
"For dandruff sufferers, Nizoral shampoo is a good option as it contains ketoconazole," says Holden. Boasting anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, the clinical ingredient targets the cause of a flaky scalp while removing the dead skin blocking your hair follicles.
Hair Type: Dandruff-prone, thinning, balanced | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 4 ounces, 7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
"If you suffer from dandruff, a good ingredient to look out for is ketoconazole; not only does it fight the cause of dandruff, there is some evidence that ketoconazole may help with hair growth, too." — UK-based trichologist Kate Holden, AIT
Best Anti-Shedding: The Mane Choice Peach Black Tea & Vitamin Fusion Anti-Shedding Shampoo
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Dissolves build-up
Stimulates scalp
Helps prevent shedding
May be too heavy for fine hair
If you're experiencing an unusual amount of shedding, The Mane Choice might be your best bet. Containing a fusion of biotin and caffeine-rich black tea, the formula dissolves buildup, stimulates the scalp, and helps prevent hair loss by boosting the integrity of each strand.
Hair Type: Fine, medium, straight, curly, natural, thinning | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Strengthening: Kerastase Densifique Bain Densité Bodifying Shampoo
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Contains wheat protein
Fortifies damaged hair
Thickening
Expensive
Brittle hair? You can count on Kérastase Densifique to take them back from the brink. Thanks to a blend of wheat protein, ceramides, and gluco-peptides, this strengthening shampoo fortifies, plumps, and protects fragile hair.
Hair Type: Fine, damaged, thinning | Sulfate-Free: No | Size: 8.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best K-Beauty: Vitabrid C12 Scalp Shampoo
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Promotes scalp health
Strengthens damaged hair
Conditioning formula
Expensive
Vitabrid C12 checks a lot of Holden's boxes for hair-growth shampoo. We're talking anti-flake salicylic acid, strengthening hydrolyzed soy protein, and conditioning glycerin, plus biotin, ceramides, and vitamin C to boot.
Hair Type: Dandruff-prone, thinning, fine, damaged | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 10.1 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Sulfate-Free: Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo
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Stimulates scalp
Thickening
Strengthens damaged hair
Expensive
Prefer sulfate-free formulas? Briogeo's Blossom & Bloom Shampoo won't let you down. The strengthening formula instantly thickens limp hair while also stimulating the scalp with ginseng.
Hair Type: Fine, thinning, damaged | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 8 ounces, 33.8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Natural: Klorane Strengthening Shampoo with Quinine and Edelweiss
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Natural formula
Stimulates scalp
Helps prevent breakage
Not as moisturizing as other options
We also like Klorane's Strengthening Shampoo. Formulated for thinning hair, it invigorates the scalp with caffeine, fortifies with vitamins, and calls on quinine bark extract, which the brand claims can help promote new growth.
Hair Type: Thinning, fine, damaged | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 13.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Dry Shampoo: BeautyBio Healthy Scalp Dry Shampoo
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Dissolves buildup
Absorbs excess oil
Contains FolliGro Complex
Expensive
While you might think dry shampoo only contributes to scalp buildup, BeatyBio does the opposite. It dissolves buildup with rosebay extract while absorbing excess oil and promoting healthy hair growth with the brand's signature FolliGro Complex.
Hair Type: All | Sulfate-Free: Yes | Size: 4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Final Verdict
Overall, the best hair-growth shampoo is Nanogen 7-in-1 Hair Thickening Treatment (view at Amazon), a trichologist-approved formula containing salicylic acid, glycerin, beta-glucan, and hydrolyzed keratin. For something a bit more affordable, you can't go wrong with the scalp-stimulating Marc Anthony Grow Long Shampoo (view at Ulta). And if you're open to splurging, we highly recommend Oribe Serene Scalp (view at Sephora), which tackles flakes with salicylic acid and strengthens with keratin.
What to Look for in a Hair Growth Shampoo
Scalp Support
When it comes to growth-boosting shampoos, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman recommends looking for a product that supports overall scalp health in addition to the hair cuticle and hair follicle. “The scalp plays an important role in growing and maintaining strong, healthy hair,” she says. Therefore, you want to make sure it’s being properly nourished and treated for optimal hair health and growth.
Stimulating Ingredients
Dr. Engelman also stresses the importance of using a formula that contains stimulating ingredients such as biotin, zinc, niacin, peppermint, and caffeine. “These stimulate blood flow to the scalp and nutrient delivery to the hair follicle, promoting hair growth,” she says. That said, the more of these ingredients a product contains, the better.
Conditioning and Moisturizing Ingredients
Hair that’s dry and stripped of its natural oils won’t lead to healthy growth, so Dr. Engelman recommends looking for products that also contain conditioning and moisturizing ingredients. “These are key because they keep the strands healthy and strong.”
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Does hair growth shampoo work?
According to Dr. Engelman, yes, hair growth shampoos do work—but don't expect a miracle. “While they won’t suddenly make thinning hair long and full, they can boost the hair’s volume, speed up growth, and strengthen strands to prevent hair loss and breakage.”
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Does tea tree shampoo help with hair growth?
When it comes to tea tree oil shampoos, Dr. Engelman says that they won’t stimulate hair growth, but they promote overall hair and scalp health. “Tea tree oil makes hair follicles more accepting of nutrients and promotes healthy, strong hair growth,” she says. “However, there is no evidence that it speeds up hair growth.”
Why Trust Byrdie?
Byrdie contributor Theresa Holland is a seasoned commerce writer specializing in beauty and wellness. For this article, she interviewed a trichologist for product recommendations and insight into ingredients and formulations that help with hair growth. She referenced a long list of peer-reviewed articles, combed through reviews, and pored over the ingredients lists of dozens of shampoos before making her final selections. From the above, Theresa has personally tried Vitabrid, Vitabrid, Oribe, Nizoral, and Garnier Fructis.
Meet the Expert
- Kate Holden, AIT, is a trichologist consultant based in Manchester, United Kingdom, and an associate member of the Institute of Trichologists. She offers expert diagnosis, therapeutic recommendations, referrals, and treatments for various hair and scalp conditions, including hair loss and thinning.
- Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologic surgeon in New York. Dr. Engelman has also been featured in the media as a consultant and is heavily involved in the MDSC Skinceuticals skincare line.
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