9 best shampoos for hair growth, according to dermatologists
Whether you're suffering with hair loss, have started to notice your hair thinning, or are simply desperate to get your strands past shoulder-length, the best shampoos for hair growth could help your mane get back on the road to recovery.
“It’s really very emotional for people,” says Joyce Davis, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon. Often, hair-loss patients come into her office and start crying from the toll of it all," she says.
However, what helps one person regrow luscious hair may do nothing for another. There’s also debate among experts about whether these popular over-the-counter hair loss treatments like hair oils, hair growth vitamins, and the best shampoos for hair growth actually work. Still, some people swear by them — so they may be worth adding to your hair care routine if you’re looking for a potential at-home solution for boosting your scalp health and hair health. Just be sure to keep your expectations in check.
The best hair loss shampoos are “a great starting point for most people,” says Danilo Del Campo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. With that in mind, we tapped experts for recommendations on which hair-growth shampoos you should consider, and answered some of your most common questions on hair density, thinning, and loss.
SKIP TO: How we test hair growth shampoos | Does hair growth shampoo really work? | Our full reviews.
Meet the experts:
| Joyce Davis, MD | A board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in NYC. |
| Michele Green, MD. | A board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in NYC. |
| Danilo Del Campo, MD. | A board-certified dermatologist and partner at Chicago Skin Clinic. |
| Steve Daveluy, MD. | Associate professor and program director of dermatology at Wayne State University. |
| Jalia Pettis | A hairstylist and makeup artist based in Phoenix. |
How we test hair growth shampoos:
From leave-in conditioners to dry shampoo, the GLAMOUR beauty desk receives countless new hair care products every month — including heaps of different shampoos that promise to leave you with longer and stronger hair.
Each one is rigorously put through its paces by our editors — who have a wide range of different hair types and textures. We assess everything from whether they've got the right kind of growth-stimulating ingredients, to how they leave our hair looking after use — all of which helps us decide exactly which formulas deserve to be featured in this edit. Find out more about how we test.
Do hair growth shampoos really work?
There's no strong consensus among experts about whether hair-growth shampoos actually work. Some doctors believe they do make an impact, while others — like Dr. Davis — say hair-growth shampoos “are probably misnamed”, as instead of actually growing new hair, she says that they “mostly make the hair seem thicker."
That many take a middle-ground approach, believing certain hair growth shampoos can be a potential solution for addressing hair thinning and loss at home — or at least, a starting point. Essentially, the results will depend on a few factors — such as the underlying cause of someone's hair loss, and whether the shampoo has been formulated with certain key ingredients.
Crucial for stimulating keratin production — which strengthens the hair shaft, promotes growth, and increases volume and density — biotin is an ingredient you'll find in many effective hair growth shampoos. Packed with anti-inflammatory properties, Niacin is also a great ingredient to look out for if you have thinning hair, as it helps boost blood flow to the scalp — which, in turn, promotes regrowth.
Whether you're after longer locks or not, hydration is key for healthy hair — so if you're after maximum hair growth and strengthening, look for a formula containing natural and deeply moisturising ingredients like coconut oil and Argan oil. Also, an effective hair growth shampoo shouldn't really have any sulphates — as these harsh cleansing agents can remove too much moisture, leave hair dry and brittle, and irritate sensitive scalps. Instead, look for formulas containing non-stripping cleansers like activated charcoal, lactic acid, and salicylic acid — which are just as effective at unclogging the hair follicles.
After a shampoo that promotes healthy hair growth? Keep reading for our full edit of the best shampoos for hair growth.
Grow Gorgeous Intense Thickening Shampoo
Giving your roots more lift and volume is an instant and impactful way to make your locks look more luscious. This richly nourishing shampoo from Grow Gorgeous does just that for lacklustre strands — waking your hair up at the root, and making it appear far fuller. The clever formula contains classic thickening and stimulating ingredients like biotin and caffeine — as well as rice protein which visibly enhances volume and shine, and ProVitamin B5 for improved manageability.
- Ingredient highlights: Rice protein, caffeine, niacinamide, and biotin.
- Smells like: An experience in-salon experience.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Undisclosed.
- Size: 250ml.
- Hair type: Best for fine and flat hair.
- Pros: Available on subscription, regularly on sale, vegan, free from parabens, sulphates and silicones.
- Cons: Some reviewers say the name is a little misleading — it's definitely more of a thickening shampoo than a hair growth shampoo.
Full Length Anti-Breakage Hard Water Shampoo
As well as coating your hair in a build-up of unwanted minerals that leave it feeling dry, coarse, and dull, hard water makes your strands far more prone to breakage — and can therefore really inhibit growth.
The Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 is your best option for filtering out those nasties — but the brand's recently reformulated shampoo will also massively help. As well as their innovative Klean Complex™ that neutralises hard water minerals, the formula is enriched with Bamboo Charcoal and Vitamin C to draw out any minerals and metals in the hair shaft, liquorice root for stimulating growth, hydration-boosting lactic acid, and oat protein for maximum softness and shine.
- Ingredient highlights: pH-balancing Klean Complex™, activated charcoal, liquorice root, and 15 amino acids.
- Smells like: Bergamot and lavender.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Yes.
- Size: 350ml.
- Hair type: Best for all hair types.
- Pros: Available on subscription, great for breakage, paraben and phthalates-free.
- Cons: It encourages less breakage rather than promoting growth, as such.
Aveda Pure Abundance Volumising Shampoo
Designed specifically with fine and limp hair in mind, this plant-based shampoo has been made with clever volumising acacia gum — which helps fill out the appearance of fine strands, and leaves your mane looking far more abundant. Aside from its gentle formula, arguably the best thing about this shampoo is its gorgeous fresh scent of peppermint and ylang ylang. Stunning.
- Ingredient highlights: Organic acacia gum, organic peppermint, and ylang ylang.
- Smells like: Peppermint, ylang ylang, palmarosa, and jasmine.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Yes.
- Size: 250ml.
- Hair type: Best for fine hair.
- Pros: Specially formulated for fine hair, vegan, available on subscription.
- Cons: Quite expensive.
Adwoa Beauty Blue Tansy Clarifying Gel Shampoo
As someone with curly hair herself (a hair type that can be dry and brittle), Jalia Pettis, a hairstylist and makeup artist based in Phoenix, appreciates how this shampoo clarifies strands, stripping them of buildup, and then moisturises them with natural ingredients, like sea kelp and blue tansy flower oil. Moisturising dry, frizz-prone hair helps with hair growth by combatting the impact of a flaky scalp and fortifying brittle follicles so they’re less prone to breakage, she explains.
Expert tip: Consider buying this shampoo in a set with a matching conditioner and hair oil. “What turned me on to [this brand] was actually the oil,” Pettis says. “I really like how it felt on the scalp without weighing it down.”
- Ingredient highlights: Blue tansy flower oil, jojoba oil, and bamboo extract.
- Smells like: Floral.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: yes.
- Size: 414ml.
- Hair type: Best for natural hair types (wavy, curly, kinky, coily).
- Pros: Made especially for textured hair, detoxifying formula, paraben-free and vegan.
- Cons: Quite expensive.
Head & Shoulders Bare Soothing Hydration Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
This product is free of parabens and phthalates, two preservatives known to interfere with your endocrine system, Dr. Del Campo explains. “There's a concern [these ingredients] might do more harm than actual good,” he says, which is why he recommends shampoos made without them. Formulated with just nine ingredients and dermatologically accredited by the Skin Health Alliance (an organisation that independently reviews products for safety and efficacy), this product is “meant for basic stuff that does promote some hair growth,” Dr. Del Campo says.
- Ingredient highlights: Plant derived moisturiser, citric acid pH balancer, and anti-dandruff active.
- Smells like: Aloe, orchid.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Yes.
- Size: 400ml.
- Hair type: Best for all hair types.
- Pros: Protects from dandruff, really affordable, free from sulphates and silicones.
- Cons: Not many active ingredients specifically for hair growth.
K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo
With their impressive line-up of professional-grade products, it should come as no surprise that K18 has quickly become one of our favourite hair care brands. Best used as a weekly power cleanse or shampoo treatment, this formula works up into a lovely lather, and effectively removes any build-up — all while micro-dosing your tresses with the patented ‘K18Peptide’ that reduces protein loss. Plus, it'll keep your colour vibrant for longer, and boost the performance of your styling products.
Expert tip: According to Pettis, this shampoo is great if you’re looking to target and remove scalp flakiness and also balance the pH of your hair — the latter of which can improve the size of the hair follicle, and promote thickness.
- Ingredient highlights: K18Peptide, salicylic acid, and activated charcoal.
- Smells like: Clean citrus.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Yes.
- Size: 250ml.
- Hair type: Best for all hair textures.
- Pros: Amazing reviews, suitable for all hair types and textures, not for daily use — so one bottle will last you ages.
- Cons: Really expensive.
L'Oréal Professionnel Serié Expert Absolut Repair Molecular Shampoo
Pettis recently started using this colour-safe product on clients and has “quickly fallen in love with it.” Besides smelling really good (it has an earthy, perfume undertone, she says), it contains a peptides bonder and amino acids that repair the molecular structure of the hair, restoring its strength and elasticity, she explains. Pettis used this strengthening shampoo on a client with colour-treated hair, who “just kept raving” about how soft it left her hair feeling.
Expert tip: This shampoo lathers really well, says Pettis, so start with a small amount. “A little goes a long way,” she says.
- Ingredient highlights: Peptides bonders, and 5 amino acids.
- Smells like: Vanilla, floral.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Yes.
- Size: 250ml.
- Hair type: Best for extremely dry, damaged hair.
- Pros: Clarifying formula; Leaves hair visibly shiny; Available on subscription.
- Cons: It's quite expensive per bottle.
Kérastase Resistance Bain Extentioniste
A shampoo that is formulated specifically to prevent breakage, the Kérastase Resistance Bain Extentioniste uses powerful amino acids and ceramides to improve your hair's elasticity from root to tip. It targets weak and brittle strands, then rebuilds their internal structure to make it more resistant to breakage. Elsewhere in the formulation are lipids, which work to give your hair a smooth and shiny surface.
- Ingredient highlights: Amino acids, cermaides, Creatine R complex.
- Smells like: Doesn't say.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Yes.
- Size: 250ml per bottle.
- Hair type: Best for weak hair types.
- Pros: Designed to tackle breakage, reviewers love the scent, silky formula.
- Cons: Our testers didn't note much, other than its price.
PURA D'OR Gold Label Anti-Thinning Deep Moisturizing Therapy Shampoo & Conditioner Set
If you’re looking to double down on your hair-growth efforts, consider this shampoo-conditioner set from Pura D’or. Dr. Del Campo often recommends this brand to patients as it’s widely available and incorporates a lot of what he looks for in a hair-growth shampoo, including ingredients like biotin and saw palmetto, a “natural plant extract that may potentially slow hair loss,” he says. Plus, it contains antioxidants like rosemary oil, which are good for calming an irritated scalp.
Expert tip: Both the shampoo and conditioner are formulated at 1.5x strength, so use a small amount to start.
- Ingredient highlights: Aloe vera, saw palmetto, biotin, and niacin.
- Smells like: Natural scent.
- Safe for colour-treated hair: Yes.
- Size: 473ml per bottle.
- Hair type: Best for all hair types.
- Pros: Shampoo and conditioner; Paraben-free; Organic ingredients.
- Cons: None that we noticed when testing.
What causes hair loss?
There are lots of different reasons behind hair loss. Factors like age, genetics, hormones, medical conditions, and stress can all contribute, Dr. Green says. Regarding age, as we grow older, “our hair follicles’ size decreases, leading to thinner, shorter hairs,” she explains. “This natural aging process can be exacerbated by genetics, as patients can be genetically more prone to thinning and hair-follicle miniaturisation.”
Hormonal changes, like those that happen during pregnancy, postpartum, or menopause, can also play a role, and so can medical conditions, like thyroid and autoimmune disorders, she says.
Moreover, chronic stress can be to blame, as it can “trigger an immune response that attacks and damages hair follicles, causing hair loss,” Dr. Green says.
Another culprit: Metabolic problems, like iron deficiency anemia (a condition whereby you don’t have enough iron in your body), adds Dr. Davis. “Hair is just a protein, but it's the least important protein your body produces,” she says. So if your body doesn’t have all the vitamins and amino acid ingredients it needs to produce proteins, then hair “is the first thing your body will skimp on.” Additionally, COVID-19 infection can be another cause of hair shedding and loss. “This typically occurs after recovering from the illness,” Dr. Davis says.
How often should you use a shampoo for thinning hair?
Unless it says otherwise on the bottle, you can probably use your growth or thickening shampoo every time you wash your hair. Ideally, that'll be roughly three times a week — although if your hair is thinning or ultra-fine, you'll likely end up feeling like it needs a wash roughly every other day to avoid it looking overly greasy.
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