What to Know Before Choosing Hair Growth Products
Few product categories make bigger promises than hair growth. Shampoos, serums, oils, gummies and devices all claim to deliver thicker, fuller hair. Some approaches have evidence behind them and many do not. Knowing how these products are classified, and what they can realistically do, protects both your hair and your budget.
Key points
- Cosmetics can improve how hair looks and feels; they cannot change hair growth.
- Proven treatments for hair loss are medicines and should be discussed with a pharmacist or doctor.
- Supplements help only if you have a deficiency, and high doses can cause problems.
Three very different kinds of product
Cosmetics
Shampoos, conditioners and serums sold as cosmetics cleanse, condition and improve appearance. Thickening products coat the hair so it looks fuller. In the United States, a product intended to affect the structure or function of the body, including regrowing hair, is regulated as a drug, not a cosmetic. A cosmetic that claims to regrow hair is making a claim it is not entitled to make.
Supplements
Biotin, zinc, iron and blends marketed for “hair, skin and nails” are widely sold. Deficiencies in some nutrients can contribute to hair loss, and correcting a deficiency can help. For people who are not deficient, evidence that these supplements improve hair is limited. Biotin in high doses can also interfere with certain laboratory blood tests, so tell your doctor if you take it.
Medicines
Treatments shown to help certain types of hair loss, such as hereditary hair loss, are medicines. Some are available without a prescription and others require one. They have side effects and directions that must be followed, and benefits generally last only while treatment continues.
Why diagnosis comes first
Hair loss has many causes: genetics, hormones, illness, stress, nutrition, medicines and hairstyles. A product aimed at one cause will not help another. Dermatologists emphasize finding the cause before choosing a treatment, and note that results are usually better when treatment starts early.
Questions to ask before buying
- What type of product is this: cosmetic, supplement or medicine?
- What exactly does the label claim, and is there evidence for it?
- How long must I use it, and what happens when I stop?
- What are the possible side effects or interactions with my medicines?
- Has a professional confirmed why my hair is thinning?
Warning signs of an unreliable product
- Promises of rapid or guaranteed regrowth.
- “Before and after” images with no further information.
- Claims to work for every type of hair loss.
- No clear ingredient list or manufacturer details.
What cosmetic care can do
While you seek advice, cosmetic care still has a role. Gentle washing, regular conditioning and products that reduce breakage, such as Strengthening Hair Serum, help you keep the hair you have looking its best. Royal Care sells cosmetic hair care only; we do not sell hair loss medicines.
The bottom line
Be clear about what a product is and what it can do, and get a diagnosis before spending money on treatments. For gentle everyday care, see our hair care department.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss: Diagnosis and treatment.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?).
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Biotin.
- NHS. Hair loss.
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