If your hair is thinning, it could be due to a variety of factors.
Some factors include age, changes in diet, and the products you use.
Doctors recommend finding a product that encourages hair growth.
Avoid products with dyes, too.
But if thin hair is an issue that really bothers you, you might want to consider modifying your hair routine — and shampoos are actually a great place to start.
"An ideal shampoo for thinning hair needs to not only improve the volume of your strands, but also encourage growth and circulation of hair follicles," advises New York City dermatologist Neil Sadick.
But first things first — New York City dermatologist Francesca Fusco advises women to determine the cause of their thinning hair with a professional. She identified androgenetic alopecia and dandruff as two common reasons that women lose hair without understanding why.
"The DHT hormone [dihydrotestosterone] can contribute to thinning in women who are genetically predisposed to female pattern thinning," Fusco confirms. For those whose case falls into this instance, she advises a prescription shampoo: ketoconazole 2 percent, as it has anti-androgenic properties. "Ketoconazole has been proposed to disrupt the pathway of DHT leading to thinning of follicles."
Chronic dandruff can also lead to hair shedding if it's left untreated or under treated.
"Many women with dandruff don't use a dandruff shampoo regularly because they are concerned with the lack of cosmetic elegance and the concern that it won't beautify their hair," Fusco explained. "A dandruff shampoo and conditioner that contain ZP [zinc pyrithione] and ingredients that beautify the hair can be used every day, as they will control dandruff, reduce inflammation, and thereby diminish shedding."
Sadick suggests avoiding "products with dyes and preservatives like parabens and synthetic fragrances." Ingredients that thicken the hair include amino acids, biotin, ginseng root, and menthol or peppermint oil. "Amino acids provide the building blocks to build new strands while biotin, part of the B-vitamin complex is required by hair to metabolize amino acids and can help strengthen hair," the doctor communicates. "Antioxidants such as vitamin E and ginseng are beneficial to promote hair growth because they reduce free radicals (from sun, stress, or over-processing) and have anti-inflammatory properties."
Last but not least are the botanicals, which are great as they are rich in antioxidants and other compounds that stimulate blood flow and promote hair growth.
Dr. Fusco (who is also a consultant for Unilever) suggests this shampoo, containing one percent zinc pyrithione that gently fights dandruff without irritating the scalp.