In short
No shampoo has good evidence for regrowing hair lost to male pattern baldness. Some make hair look thicker for a day, and an anti-dandruff shampoo helps if your scalp is the problem.
On this page
Hair loss shampoos are sold on the promise of thicker hair or less shedding. This page goes through the common ingredients and what the studies found, with links.
Can a shampoo regrow hair?
There is no good evidence that any shampoo regrows hair lost to male pattern baldness. A shampoo is on the scalp for a minute or two and then rinsed off. The treatments with trial evidence are left on the scalp or taken as tablets.
Does caffeine shampoo work?
The evidence is thin. The main trial tested a caffeine liquid that is left on the scalp, not a shampoo. After six months it did about as well as a 5% minoxidil solution on one laboratory measure of hair growth (Dhurat 2017). The men knew which product they were using, and there was no dummy treatment to compare against.
Does ketoconazole shampoo help with hair loss?
Possibly a little. Ketoconazole is an anti-dandruff ingredient. In one small study, men using a 2% ketoconazole shampoo had improvements in hair density similar to men using a minoxidil regimen, and the authors said it needed testing in a larger group (Piérard-Franchimont 1998). A 2020 review found five human studies with 318 people in total, which reported thicker hair shafts, and called for proper trials (Fields 2020).
If you have dandruff or an itchy, flaky scalp, an anti-dandruff shampoo is worth using for that alone.
Does biotin help?
Only if you are short of it, which is uncommon. A review found 18 reported cases where biotin improved hair or nails, and every one of those patients had an underlying condition or deficiency. It found no good evidence for biotin in healthy people (Patel 2017).
What about saw palmetto?
Small studies of saw palmetto, taken as a supplement or applied to the scalp, have reported improvements in hair count and quality. The review that collected them said good-quality data are lacking (Evron 2020). None of that tells you much about a shampoo that is rinsed off.
What do thickening shampoos do?
They coat each hair so it looks and feels fuller until the next wash. That can be useful, but it doesn’t change how much hair you have or how fast you lose it.
Does washing your hair make it fall out?
No. Losing 50 to 100 hairs a day is normal, and washing just collects the ones that had already let go. Washing less often makes it look like more on wash day.
What does have evidence?
For male pattern hair loss, minoxidil applied to the scalp and prescription tablets have trial evidence. Our guides to minoxidil in Australia and hair loss treatment for men go through them.
When should you see a GP?
- Hair loss that is sudden or patchy.
- A scalp that is sore, red or scaly and hasn’t settled with an anti-dandruff shampoo.
- Shedding all over the scalp after an illness, a big weight change or a new medicine.
References
- Dhurat R and others. An open-label randomized multicenter study assessing the noninferiority of a caffeine-based topical liquid 0.2% versus minoxidil 5% solution in male androgenetic alopecia. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2017.
- Piérard-Franchimont C and others. Ketoconazole shampoo: effect of long-term use in androgenic alopecia. Dermatology. 1998.
- Fields JR and others. Topical ketoconazole for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review. Dermatol Ther. 2020.
- Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A review of the use of biotin for hair loss. Skin Appendage Disord. 2017.
- Evron E and others. Natural hair supplement: friend or foe? Saw palmetto, a systematic review in alopecia. Skin Appendage Disord. 2020.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t replace a consultation with a doctor who knows your history. In an emergency, call 000.