If you’ve recently noticed your hair thinning or falling out at a more rapid pace than normal, you may feel like your road to becoming a grandparent is speeding up faster than you’d like. Rest assured that even though it might not be your ideal, hair loss is a totally normal event. There are lots of people who suffer from hair loss starting in their early 20s and who deal with it throughout their lives.

If you’re interested in actively working to prevent hair loss, there are a few different treatments you can try, starting with your shampoo. While there are a few prescription-strength hair loss shampoos available, there are lots of over-the-counter options that will likely be less expensive.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Before you start treating your hair loss, it’s important to understand the root cause.

Genetics plays a major factor, but stress, hormones, and autoimmune disorders can also play a role. Excessive styling and dandruff are also known factors that can cause hair loss. Fortunately, if you treat the underlying issue first (by cutting down on stress or minimizing your styling routine), you may be able to have more success once you start using one of these hair loss shampoos.

1. Ultrax Labs Hair Surge

There are three key active ingredients in Ultrax Labs Hair Surge that work together to enhance the length of hair, improve hair density, and block the enzymes that converts testosterone into a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that is one of the biggest contributors to hair loss. These ingredients are caffeine, ketoconazole, and saw palmetto. Along with biotin, these three ingredients are the most popular in the industry for stimulating hair growth.

The company that makes Hair Surge only makes a few different products, and the reason is clear — this is one of the few over-the-counter hair loss shampoos that actually works. They’re so confident that they even offer a 90-day money back guarantee.

At $56.95, Hair Surge is expensive, but it has a lot of fans who swear by it.¹

2. Revita Hair Growth Stimulating Shampoo

Another well-known hair growth shampoo is Revita’s Hair Growth Stimulating Shampoo. It relies on caffeine and ketoconazole (which is the chemical that blocks DHT), as well as biotin.

The manufacturers believe their product is the most effective not because of their ingredients, which is fairly standard for hair growth shampoos, but because of their formula. Their product is made with Nanosome technology, which uses molecules called nanosomes that are denser and more stable than the molecules traditionally used to formulate hair and skincare products. They’ve backed up their claims with clinical studies, which showed that 90 percent of people using their shampoo slowed their hair loss. Their formula is also hypoallergenic, so it’s easy on sensitive skin.

Revita’s Hair Growth Stimulating Shampoo costs $32 per bottle.²

3. Nizoral A-D Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Nizoral is one of the companies that makes a prescription-strength hair growth shampoo with two percent ketoconazole, but you can buy this regular-strength version with one percent ketoconazole over the counter.

This Anti-Dandruff Shampoo features only ketoconazole as its active ingredient and it’s received lots of praise for its ability to promote hair growth while cutting down on the fungus and inflammation that causes dandruff. However, it is pretty strong and can cause damage to the scalp if left on the hair strands for more than five minutes. If you have both dandruff and hair loss, this could solve both of your problems at once.

It’s available for $42.99 from Amazon.³

4. Nioxin System 1 Cleanser Shampoo

Nioxin’s System 1 Cleanser Shampoo is great for people who have thinning hair caused by clogged hair follicles.

This shampoo is made with white tea extract and peppermint oil, which provide a refreshing boost to sebum-clogged hair follicles. It doesn’t contain any of the big-four hair growth stimulating ingredients, but it will help you if your problems stem from hair that’s greasy from residue. While it cleans the scalp, it also delivers a powerful kick with a conditioning treatment that helps promote hair growth and thickness. This makes hair look fuller and healthier.

You can find Nioxin’s System 1 Cleanser Shampoo for only $20 at Ulta.⁴

5. Lipogaine Big 5 All-Natural Shampoo

The “Big 5” in Lipogaine’s Big 5 All-Natural Shampoo refers to five powerful hair growth stimulating ingredients. These include the traditional choices of biotin, caffeine, and saw palmetto, along with two new players — argan oil and castor oil. The first three ingredients, as we know, help to promote hair growth, but the last two are prized for their fungus-fighting properties, which can cause hair thinning and dandruff.

This shampoo is safe for color-treated hair and gentle enough to use on sensitive scalps. However, it can cause dryness, which is why many people recommend pairing it with a moisturizing conditioner.

Considering Lipogaine’s Big 5 All-Natural Shampoo has five powerful active ingredients, the price tag of $25.95 is pretty reasonable.⁵

6. Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo

The caffeine in Alpecin’s Caffeine Shampoo targets DHT, the hormone that’s responsible for hair loss. However, it doesn’t actually stimulate new growth, which is why it’s great for people who still have active hair follicles. Instead, it strengthens existing follicles, which in turn strengthens the hair and makes it harder for it to fall out.

It’s advertised as having a particularly positive effect on hair loss caused by male pattern baldness, which is why it’s targeted towards men. However, both men and women have seen positive effects from it.

Alpecin’s Caffeine Shampoo is imported from Germany, so it’s a little pricier at $44.98.⁶

Conclusion

Whether you’re experiencing hair loss due to genetics, stress, or a medical condition, unintended hair loss can make people feel self-conscious and alone. Unfortunately, many companies in this industry prey on would-be customers by offering products that offer reassuring claims with no proof to back it up.

If you’re reaching for a shampoo to help combat your hair loss, you should start your search by reading reviews and doing your research to find a product that’s effective.