We spent over 100 hours researching, testing and reading online reviews to find out what makes the best hair loss/ fall shampoo. We then carefully considered the ingredients in more than 20 different brands. Finally, we tested out top 6 products with a panel of testers to get real user feedback.

We found that Clinical Effects Hair Therapy Shampoo is the best overall hair thinning shampoo with Shapiro MD coming in a close second. There are various factors that you need to consider before you make your choice including; your gender, overall health, age, as well as environmental factors.

In late 2015, the Oregon Attorney General (AG) Ellen Rosenblum filed a lawsuit against General Nutrition Corp. (GNC) over ingredients found in its line of health/ beauty products.

Following which, Federal officials went on a crackdown on the herbal industry, targeting manufacturers who falsely claimed their solutions could help you lose belly fat, build six packs or even regrow hair. 81 percent of product owners interviewed, admitted that they were not aware of the active ingredients in the brands they were buying — including the very ingredients responsible for the lawsuit.

So, we went deep behind the label to figure out which ingredients work and which should be avoided. To pick the best shampoo for hair growth, we based our research on the following criteria:

One thing many people do not realize is there are many reasons for hair loss such as male-pattern baldness, fungal overgrowth, poor diet or exposure to harsh chemicals.

While regular shampoos clean your hair, these shampoos and conditioners help fight the underlying causes of hair loss. They do this by targeting one or more of the following issues –

Normalizing Hormone Levels: Hair thinning is often caused by high Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels. Certain ingredients can help reduce those levels.

A high-quality DHT Blocking Shampoo can help both men and women reduce DHT levels.

Clearing Pore Blockages: If pores on your scalp become blocked this can lead to accelerated hair loss. The best products will help unblock these pores thereby encouraging growth.

Improvement In Circulation: Low blood circulation can lead to hair follicles being unable to get the nutrients that they need. Some ingredients are able to boost circulation which can improve scalp health.

Caffeine is often cited as having significant circulation enhancing properties.

Thickening Abilities: These shampoos help improve thin hair by thickening the follicle. This results in greater hair coverage and thicker hair, which help to fight thinning hair.

Shampoos with Biotin are great at thickening and strengthening hair.

Combating Fungal Growth: One overlooked issue is fungal growth n the scalp. While that can sound scary it’s actually quite common.

You should consult with your dermatologist before you try anti-fungal topical products.

Another common medical condition androgenetic alopecia, where the hair falls out in circular patches on the hair and scalp. This condition can have many causes and you should discuss options with your dermatologist.

Given how many causes there are for thinning hair, there are a few key questions you should answer to find the right product to promote hair health:

1. Your Gender: Many women prefer using brands with natural and organic ingredients. While men often have larger amounts of DHT which need a different approach.

2. The Cause Of Hair Loss: Most anti-hair loss products deal with specific aspects of the problem. Keep in mind that sometimes getting healthy hair takes a change in lifestyle.

3. Cost & Guarantee: You should always look for a high-quality brand with good reviews. The best brands offer a money-back guarantee. We tested the guarantee of our top picks to make sure they had efficient return policies.

You have an option to go with a powerful FDA approved treatment such as ketoconazole or minoxidil or you can try organic. Research has shown that many natural ingredients can help to combat hair loss. Rosemary oil, emu oil, saw palmetto and caffeine among others can all help.

Biotin – Biotin is an essential water-soluble vitamin that is in part of the Vitamin B complex family. Biotin is also known as Vitamin B7. Many clinical studies have proven that Biotin helps to support healthy hair, nails, and skin. Hair contains proteins such as Keratin. Biotin helps stimulate these proteins.

Castor oil – Castor oil is used for many different home remedies, but one little-known benefit of castor oil is its hair and skin benefits. It helps to increase white blood cell counts and T-11 cell counts, which help kill viruses, fungi, bacteria, and even cancer cells.

Emu oil – When the scalp becomes inflamed, it can stunt hair follicle development. Emu oil has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and in a study at the University of Massachusetts, emu oil to be better at reducing and treating skin inflammation than fish oil. Another study conducted on mice showed that emu oil is effective in promoting new hair follicles.

Amino Acids – Amino acids are the building block for hair. Your body creates keratins when amino acids are “keratinized” to create keratin which then turns into new hair.

Other ingredients that have shown results in regrowing hair are coconut oil, zinc pyrithione, finasteride, and piroctone olamine.

It is important that the product you choose also smells and feels great. We found that some brands had a herbal or medicinal scent. Some brands tested contained harsh chemicals which can actually irritate the scalp making the symptoms worse.

If you color your hair, it’s important to check that the product is color safe. Several of our testers found that even some of the purported color safe products had an adverse effect on their coloring.

Whichever product you decide to use, it is important to remember that they can cause dryness. The ketoconazole in many anti-dandruff shampoos will cause dryness and you will need a good conditioner to put the moisture back in.

Many of the brands we tested have a conditioner designed to work together. Our testers found that users often ended up choosing a different brand of conditioner that worked with their specific hair type.

If you suffer from dry scalp, a proper conditioner can have a significant impact.

Your hair can suffer from many health-related factors. A diet that is lacking in vitamins and minerals lack proper hydration as well as damage from styling. Make sure you eat a varied and balanced diet with plenty of nutrient-rich foods including fruit and vegetables.

Try and limit using heat to style. This includes hairdryers and straightening irons.

Although this is not something that many of us think about, it is worth noting that our heads are home to vast numbers of fungi and microorganisms. This is not a bad thing, as they are able to help skin cells provide protection against germs.

Fungal overgrowth can occur in anyone and if untreated it can even cause follicular damage. If you believe that your hair thinning is the result of fungal overgrowth there are several options for treatment.

MCT, or methylchloroisothiazolinone, is a very effective and powerful anti-fungal. Another option is products with natural antifungals.

When it comes to organic products there are popular and high-quality brands you can choose from.

Some chemicals can have quite harsh effects on longer hair, which means that they are not always suitable for women.

There are several organic brands that can be effective for those sensitive to these chemicals and in some cases can be more effective.

Shapiro MD gets our highest recommendation, as it uses nature’s three best ingredients (that being Caffeine, Green Tea Extract and Saw Palmetto) to reduce hair fall and help regrow hair.

There are clinical studies that back our recommendation, and what we love is the fact that it has been developed by board-certified dermatologists.

Another organic product that has proven to be effective is PhytoWorx. It has a more pleasant aroma and uses organic ingredients including rosemary oil, olive oil, and fruit extracts.

Studies indicate that Rosemary oil works very well for curbing hair loss.

In 2015, a group of researchers conducted a trial using Rosemary oil against the popular FDA approved solution, Minoxidil.

Yet another study conducted in 2013 by researchers from Japan showed that Rosemary oil stimulated hair growth.

Many people, both men, and women suffer from thinning hair. If you are starting to notice it getting thinner but you have not yet got any bald spots, you can still take steps to rectify the situation. This includes issues such as fungus, hormonal problems, and poor hair health.

One brand many people have found effective in treating thinning hair is Apex Crown by Wick & Strom. It contains ketoconazole and biotin. While it may not be everyone, Ketoconazole has been shown to improve hair loss conditions. Biotin has been shown to protect against breakage. It also helps to strengthen your hair.

Hair loss is common in men as they grow older although it can affect them at any age. This can speed up for many different reasons although hormone related male pattern baldness is the most common of these.

The most common symptom for men is a receding hairline. You can combat further receding with treatments ranging from oral supplements, prescription serums, and shampoos.

If supplements interest you more than Shampoos, we have a guide to the best hair growth supplements that has additional information.

While hair loss tends to be associated with men there are plenty of women out there that experience the same issues. As is the case with men, a variety of different factors ranging from age, health, hormonal changes or fungal overgrowth can lead to hair loss in women.

Once again, our strong recommendation is Clinical Effects Hair Therapy Shampoo The product is organic and has been known to work equally well on women. All of their products contain a 60-day iron clad guarantee, so it’s a risk-free investment.