Key ingredients: minerals, starches, hydrophobic resins | Fragrance-free: no
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best proven product for thinning hair?
If you’re experiencing hair thinning, the right products can make a big difference. The best approach focuses on hair growth, scalp health, and follicle strength. “Minoxidil is the most tried-and-true ingredient for hair loss and thinning,” says Dr. Mislankar. (That’s why you can find it in Rogaine, as well as in other over-the-counter hair growth treatments.
Other ingredients like biotin, caffeine, and rosemary oil might get top billing, but their long-term benefits have yet to be proven. More helpful is to remember that scalp care is hair care. “Keeping your scalp healthy is key—eliminating excess oil and buildup helps create the best environment for growth,” says Cardenas, who recommends washing your hair regularly. If you’re dealing with product buildup, an exfoliating scalp serum or scrub can help you maintain a healthy scalp.
Can hair grow back after thinning?
Hair can grow back after thinning, but whether that happens depends on the cause of hair loss. “In some cases, like telogen effluvium—temporary hair shedding caused by stress, illness, or hormonal changes—hair often grows back on its own with time and patience,” says Dr. Mislankar.
However, if thinning is due to androgenetic alopecia (hereditary hair loss), long-term treatments like medications or procedures are usually needed to maintain new growth. “While waiting for hair to regrow, avoiding excessive heat styling or harsh chemicals helps prevent further damage,” she says. In the meantime, she recommends using volumizing shampoos, leave-in treatments, and strategic hairstyles to help your hair appear fuller while you wait.
What are the best ingredients for thinning hair?
The three primary hair-loss treatments are minoxidil, finasteride, and ketoconazole. While there are a lot of hair supplements and topicals out there that promise to boost hair density, only a handful of ingredients out there actually work—and these three make the cut.
Each plays a special part in encouraging hair growth. “Minoxidil works by widening blood vessels in your scalp, boosting circulation so more nutrients reach your hair follicles—helping to spark new growth and keep shedding in check,” says Dr. Mislanker. Finasteride blocks an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which turns testosterone into DHT. DHT is the hormone that makes hair follicles shrink and leads to thinning—so when there’s less of it, your follicles stay active longer, helping to keep your hair where it belongs.
Finally, ketoconazole, which can be found over the counter in some dandruff shampoos, “isn’t just for fighting fungus—it also helps mitigate scalp inflammation, one of the culprits behind hair loss,” Dr. Mislankar says. “Research suggests it has mild anti-androgenic properties, meaning it may help minimize DHT’s impact on hair follicles.” Together—and if your doctor gives you the green light—they can create the ideal foundation for new hair growth.
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While there are certainly products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created in order to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn’t want to pick up a purple shampoo that’s only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that’s never been tested by anyone with curls—right?