The Top 6 Shampoos For Alopecia: An Honest Review
March 6, 2019
38 Comments
Are you an ostrich? Been living with your head in the sand? No?!
Well then, you’re bound to have heard of Nioxin. And if you haven’t, clear the sand out of your ears and listen up!
Because in this post I’ll explain what Nioxin is, how it developed and the products that are available now.
De-sanded yet? All the grains gone?! Great. Then let’s begin.
Coming Up:
Emma’s ‘not a doctor’ disclaimer
Hi there, I’m an alopecian, I’m not a doctor! Any advice I give is based on my own research and personal experiences. This site is however reader-supported. When you buy through external links, I may earn a tiny affiliate commission. Learn more here.
It’s a line of products that was developed in the late 1980s by a lady called Eva Graham (hey, thanks Eva!) Nowadays, it’s used to treat both men and women living with alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, alopecia universalis and alopecia totalis. And for anyone with limp, dry, fine or thinning hair, really.
The products have both therapeutic and preventative functions, and they work to reverse permanent damage.
LA Says: Nioxin never actually promises to reduce hair loss or to promote regrowth. They’re careful – and clever – with their words.
What they do say is that their products promote a healthier scalp environment. Which provides a better and more nourished foundation for new locks to grow.
Well, the amount of awards it wins indicates that yes, yes it might just be.
Based out of Lithia Springs, Georgia, Nioxin has been voted the Favourite Fine/Thinning Hair Line product for 16 years in a row at the Stylist Choice Awards. Stylists and clients alike love this product and it continues to be a firm favorite around the world.
It all began when Eva Graham lost half of her own mop after giving birth. Raised in the mountains of North West Carolina, where she learned about the healing nature of plants, she wanted to find a natural solution to this condition. Plus, the conventional treatments she tried did no good!
So Eva began to cultivate a new approach, starting with the scalp.
She realised that “the scalp is simply an extension of the face: it needs gentle ingredients to breathe and function correctly.” Well said!
So with this vision, $500 and a lot of determination, Eva set to work – teaming up with biologists, chemists, pharmacologist and hairdressers and experimenting with herbs and botanicals to eventually create Nioxin Research Laboratories in 1987. The first products that arrived in salons were dubbed “The Science of Living Hair” and were promoted as the “non-drug alternative” to hair loss.
Want to know more about the company’s history? You can read the full story here – but the short version is that Nioxin has gone from strength to strength since.
Nowadays, it continues getting rave reviews from customers, even though pharma giants Proctor and Gamble took over in 2008. (Apparently, the formula since then changed and now includes sulfates – so if you want a sulfate free option, try Pura D’Or or one of the options on this list.
At the time, the manufacturer’s site notes that thinning hair was on the rise. In fact, 6% more men and a massive 46% more women experienced thinning hair in 2008 than in 1999, with stress identified as the main cause after genetics. Stressful times, it seems. Nasty, nasty noughties.
Like I said, all of their products aim to foster a healthy scalp environment. Signs of an unhealthy scalp include seborrhea, extreme oiliness and dandruff. So Nioxin contains a special blend of minerals, vitamins and other active ingredients to rid the scalp of unwanted excess sebum and replenish follicles. Nice work.
Unfortunately though, the set-up is a bit like a pyramid scheme. Which is actually what I find with most beauty products! Because, for example, to get the full benefits of the moisturiser, you need to buy the cleanser and toner. If you want that nail varnish to look great, you should probably get the hand cream and cuticle repair kit, too.
It’s like one standalone product is never enough. (Unless you try Revita shampoo, like I did!)
Which is why, when you buy Nioxin Cleanser (the shampoo), you’re also encouraged to buy the conditioner, plus the scalp and head treatment as a bare minimum. Then there’s the option to add on exfoliating treatments, moisturising masques, leave-in protectants – you name it, they’ve got it. (Ever an ‘all or nothing’ kind of gal, I got the full shebang of products!)
Good question. There are 6 “3D Care Systems” available, each designed with a different moisture level and hair type in mind.
For instance, maybe you’ve natural hair with progressed thinning (like me). Or maybe you have coloured locks with just a little thinning. Or maybe you’ve got a chemically treated mane (meaning you bleach, perm or straighten it regularly) – in which case, there’s a different system for your needs.
Each kit contains 3 products: a cleanser, a conditioner and a scalp ‘n’ hair treatment. There are also trial kits you can buy, while you figure out which type suits you best. Yay!
Read my Nioxin reviews post for more details on the following 6 systems. You can also narrow down your search using the brand’s handy consultation tool.
You know what Nioxin is. You know who created it, where it’s based, how it works and why it’s so popular.
Now you just need to focus on the ‘when’ – like, when are you going to try this awesome product out?!
My advice is to check out that consultation tool, see what system would suit you…and then figure out where you can get your hands on your own supply of Nioxin.
Happy shopping!
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Alopecian. Yoga Teacher. Copywriter. Here to share information, offer support and show people the adventures that can lie in hair loss. I’m proud to have alopecia and I want to help others embrace their baldness, too!
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I’m Emma. I’ve had alopecia for 24 years and I’m here to inform/hopefully empower people like me! Read my full story here. But I’m not a doctor, so any advice here is based on my own research and experience. I’m also in a few affiliate programs – see my disclaimer page for more. Or contact me here. Also, why not join a thousand fellow alopecians and get my-semi regular hair about life with irregular hair?
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