Many patients ask the doctors at HRBR for advice regarding shampoos and conditioners, either before they have a transplant or following their procedure. It is not a surprising question when an internet search for “Hair Loss Shampoo” returns over 1.4 million results. So, can shampoo for thinning hair help with hair loss?
A hair shampoo is basically a detergent that is used to clean the scalp and hair fibres and the majority of hair shampoos do nothing else. Exaggerated claims of stopping or slowing down hair loss, for whatever reason, are not correct.
Hair Loss Shampoo
Some shampoos do have an ability to thicken the hair temporarily between shampoos however once washed out, the results disappear. With regards to a hair conditioner, we recommend that patients use a good quality one as these are the products that make a difference to the quality of the hair but unfortunately, they do not change the quantity of hair or have any effect on hair loss.
Our advice to our patients is not to over use hair shampoos as they do not bring about any medical benefit to thinning hair. There is no shampoo for thinning hair of which we are aware that has been scientifically proven to make hair grow stronger or to stop the progression of male or female pattern hair loss.
Recently a company who produce a caffeinated ‘hair loss shampoo’ was making outrageous claims about the increase in hair growth with their product. The Advertising Standards Authority have made them withdraw the advertising.
Nizoral Shampoo
The reality is, unfortunately, there is no cure for male and female pattern hair loss at present. The only products that have been scientifically proven to make a difference to the progression of male and female pattern hair loss is Minoxidil 5% and for men the 5 alpha reductase inhibitor prescription medication which has been approved by the FDA.
The one exception to this is Ketoconazole shampoo “Nizoral”, limited clinical studies suggest Ketoconazole shampoo used either alone or in combination with other treatments may be useful in reducing hair loss by blocking the androgen receptor. As such, the doctors at HRBR have recommended that our patients use Nizoral shampoo as part of their treatment plan in some cases.
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Our advice is any hair product that claims to put more hair on your head should be viewed with caution as these claims are not verified by scientific studies.
For more information on treatment options for male and female pattern hair loss contact the team at HRBR on info@hrbr.ie and 00353 1 209 1000 for more information.
About the Author
DR Maurice Collins
Consultant Surgeon
MB, B.Ch, BAO, DLO, FRCSI, FRCS, FRCSEd.
Registered with the Medical Council of Ireland
Dr Collins is Medical Director and Team Principal of Hair Restoration Blackrock. He was educated at Belvedere College Dublin and did his undergraduate medical studies at University College Dublin. After graduating as a doctor he trained in General Surgery and received his Fellowship (FRCSI) in this specialty from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Find out more about DR Maurice Collins and our team of doctors and surgeons.
