While incredibly common–hair loss affects over 80 million people in the US, according to widely reported figures–it’s not the sort of topic that comes up at dinner parties. Few of us relish the discussion at all. Hair loss is stressful. I can attest to this. I feel far more sentimentality attached to my lengths than I should. My locks are like a protective blanket for me. I feel my best when my mane is freshly washed and styled. A blow-dry is transformational for my mood.
Vogue’s Favorite Shampoos for Hair Loss:
I experienced my first wave of serious hair thinning back in 2020. Beyond normal shedding (50 to 100 hairs per day, say the American Academy of Dermatology), I started to notice clumps on my pillow and heart-plummeting handfuls on wash day. This set me on a mission to turn the tide with a holistic routine that includes hair supplements, red light therapy for hair growth, hair growth oils, hair serums and styling essentials designed to nourish, increase density, and promote follicle health. But the most effective routine should start with the right shampoo designed specifically to tackle hair loss.
As the first step in any wash day routine, it is important to choose the right ingredients in a shampoo to prevent irritation and dryness, and remove follicle-clogging buildup effectively, while also promoting a healthy scalp environment. This is the role of a shampoo for hair loss, says Dr. Nichola Conlon, molecular biologist and longevity expert, who also encourages managing expectations on how much a shampoo can do: “A cosmetic shampoo isn’t going to treat every underlying cause of hair loss, but what it can do is create a healthier environment for the hair you already have. A well-formulated shampoo can remove excess oil, product buildup and support the scalp barrier to help manage some of the scalp conditions that can contribute to irritation.”
The most effective results will be achieved by including shampoos for hair loss as part of a wider routine. Dr. Conlon adds, “When combined with good conditioning, it can also reduce breakage, which helps preserve density and length. There are emerging ingredients and technologies aimed at supporting the follicle and reducing shedding, but I’d think of shampoo as one part of a wider scalp-and-hair routine rather than a standalone.”
First, it is important to get to the root cause (sorry, not sorry) of what is causing hair loss in the first place. With the help of Dr. Conlon as well as health expert and physician Dr. Naheed Ali, we decode the different types of hair loss, the ingredients to look out for, the frequency of how often to wash your hair and the other products to support a wider hair loss-fighting routine.
Below, Vogue highlights six of the best shampoos for hair loss to consider.
