It’s a No-Brainer!
Until recently, the only hair supplement I’ve recommended on Lady Alopecia was Folexin. I included it because several readers told me about this brand of hair supplements, gushing about how it had stopped their hair shedding and even boosted regrowth!
I never got to try Folexin, because I was on an anti-inflammatory diet at the time and couldn’t eat soy (which Folexin uses as a binder).
But having seen more and more hair supplements pop up online, I thought I’d explore this area further. To see whether taking a pill for hair loss really could help – and if so, what the best brand is.
After a LOT of research, I still think Folexin is one of the top choices; especially when compared to a mega-brand like Nutrafol. In this Folexin vs Nutrafol post, I’ll explain why.
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.
Folexin are a brand of US-made hair growth supplements for men and women. They promote stronger, thicker hair and support the natural hair growth process. That means helping things move into the anagen (growth) phase without getting stuck in the telogen (resting) phase, which can be a problem for many alopecians.
What I like about Folexin is: they don’t promise to miraculously regrow hair – in fact, they say quite candidly on their website:
“Folexin is designed to support the natural hair growth process; it’s not a hair loss treatment.”
Still, each hair supplement contains great natural ingredients to promote hair growth: like iron, zinc, magnesium, biotin, saw palmetto, Vitamin C, Vitamins D3 and E, a full Vitamin B complex and Fo-Ti – one of the most popular herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to support immune health and the natural hair growth process.
Unlike Folexin, Nutrafol offers a range of hair supplements for different stages of life: including postpartum and pre- / post menopause. They also make separate supplements for men and women, with varying quantities of their active ingredients.
I like this targeted approach: rather than prescribing a ‘catch-all solution’ to promote hair growth. As the reason why my hair isn’t growing back might be different to yours – so it’s nice to find a range of supplements that cover the most common reasons, in a personalized way.
Specifically, the various Nutrafol hair supplements aim to tackle: hormone related hair loss, stress related hair loss, and hair loss due to metabolism issues or age.
Nutrafol has an impressive list of ingredients – in a formula that’s 100% hormone free and drug free. The star ingredients are saw palmetto (also in Folexin, which naturally blocks DHT) and ashwagandha extract: which studies show to lower inflammation and stress in the body. Although there are many, many more ingredients to admire – see my full post on those for more.
A major thing that turns me off about Nutrafol supplements is the appalling reviews they get about their customer service. People aren’t really complaining about the products but about getting caught up in an autoship program they can’t cancel. So I’d recommend buying Nutrafol from Amazon to be safe.
With Folexin, you only get one choice: the original supplements to support natural hair growth. With Nutrafol, you can choose between: Nutrafol Women, Nutrafol Men, Nutrafol Women’s Balance and Nutrafol Postpartum. They also make a haircare range including a serum, shampoo and conditioner, and a scalp exfoliator.
Folexin aren’t classified as vegan, due to their inclusion of Vitamin D3, while Nutrafol make a vegan option of the women’s supplement. Although both supplements are free from dairy, eggs and gluten, Folexin contains soy – which might be an allergen for some.
Speaking of contraindications, Nutrafol includes resveratrol – which can assist in cell production, lower oxidative stress and encourage a move into the growth phase of the hair cycle. However, this 2020 study highlights some dangers in that it can act like estrogen – so those with hormone sensitive conditions like breast, uterine or ovarion cancer or endometriosis should avoid taking resveratrol.
Folexin doesn’t have any reported bad side effects and should be safe to use for everyone: however, I’d still recommend checking with your doctor before taking any daily supplement – just in case you have a histamine intolerance or excess stores of any of the ingredients they contain.
The big, flashing lights difference between Folexin and Nutrafol is that one is over 3x more expensive than the other. That’s right, you heard me!
Nutrafol costs a whopping $88 per bottle, while Folexin is only $25 (and that’s before you snap up some discounts on their site!). Plus, you only need 2 pills a day with Folexin and you need to take 4 with Nutrafol – so your fancy bottle will run out much quicker.
For me, the price makes it a no-brainer. But for many people, a more targeted approach to encourage hair growth is worth all that extra cash! So here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of each, to help you make that decision.
I couldn’t find any bad side effects linked to Folexin – although having researched biotin more, some people with a biotin sensitivity might experience nausea or skin rashes. The same goes for Nutrafol, which also contains biotin. Nutrafol might also be more difficult to digest and could cause vomiting, diarrhea, hypersensitivity or headaches in those that are sensitive to zinc and resveratrol.
It seems like Nutrafol would be more effective as it addresses the different causes of hair thinning, with a targeted formula to encourage regrowth. Folexin has a more generalized approach – but considering the reviews I’ve read and the amount of people who’ve written to me to share their experience, Folexin can also reduce shedding, promote stronger and thicker hair and even help hair growth!
I’ve been doing a lot of research into hair supplements recently and I’d still stand by Folexin as one of the best. (Even though I haven’t tried it myself!) The reviews – on Amazon, on the company’s website and the ones people have sent to me personally – have all been really positive.
There’s no scammy autoship program like with Nutrafol and you can’t argue with the much, much cheaper price!
However, there are also a lot of positive Nutrafol reviews – not about the brand, or the customer service, but about the supplements themselves. They also have an incredible ingredients list and, if I had more cash to splash, maybe I’d be leaning towards them instead.
Still, even though I’d recommend buying Folexin over Nutrafol, if you do choose Nutrafol, please for mercy’s sake, don’t get it from their website. Get it from Amazon or your local salon, if they stock it instead.
I hope this comparison post has been helpful! And as always, feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Love & hugs,
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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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2 Responses
THANK YOU for this post!!!!! You saved my $$$!
I don’t have Alopecia, but I am so glad to have found your site via a Google.
I was just about to order Nutrafol to try for my problem hair (hypothyroid issues) because the adverts for it have been EVERYWHERE lately, but I did NOT like their pricing! Thanks to your post I learned about Folexin and I just ordered a 5 month supply for about the same cost as what ONE month of Nutrafol costs. SCORE! I never would have known about it if not for your blog. I’m a little leery of the Soy, because of my thyroid condition and hormones; but I will take the Folexin at lunch time, 5 hours after taking my thyroid medications. I hope to be able to report back later this Winter with a positive experience. *fingers crossed* And at the very least, the extra vitamins can’t hurt me. 😉
Hi Amber,
Thanks so much for your kind words…really happy that my post has been helpful for you and wishing you all the very best with Folexin! Take care, Emma / Lady Alopecia x