My Thoughts On Nioxin
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What’s the secret to a happy scalp and healthy hair? Well, I haven’t cracked it – I still have alopecia so despite the many hair loss treatments I’ve found, I haven’t found one that’s brought my hair back for good. (Although treatments like Nioxin did regrow all my hair after a few months…if only I’d had the discipline to stick with it!)
Many hair growth products offer a ‘one size fits all’ approach to reduce hair thinning and stimulate hair growth – which may not work for those with specific issues like hormone-related hair loss (androgenetic alopecia), gut problems or high levels of inflammation.
For those people, the ones with more extensive hair loss rather than hair thinning, they might prefer a customized solution. And Happy Head claims to be it: with a prescription grade hair loss treatment, personalized to your age, sex, hair type and hair loss history.
If you can get to the root cause of what’s triggering your hair loss, you’ve got a much better chance of hair regrowth. But what do Happy Head reviews say? And is this brand worth forking out all that extra cash on? Most importantly, is rubbing such strong chemicals on your scalp worth the negative side effects?
Happy Head offers a hair loss serum that can be adapted and customized depending on a person’s age, sex and medical history. The serum is for people over the age of eighteen, although their website appears to be mainly targeting balding men. (They make a hair thickening shampoo and conditioner, too – but we’ll focus on the topical serum in this review.)
Co-founders and brother Dr Ben Behnam and Dr Sean Behnam crafted the proprietary hair growth formula in the US. Nowadays, this topical hair treatment comes from Happy Head’s wider team of board-certified dermatologists and doctors, who specialize in hair growth.
Just like another popular hair treatment, Regenix, Happy Head offers ongoing support with their hair loss experts, and customizations until you find a treatment that works for you. They’ll keep sending you shipments of your personalized treatment every month until you decide to cancel.
Sounds handy, right? Hmm…well, just like I talk about in my post on Regenix, there is a dark side. Because this supposedly helpful, personalized approach could very well just be a scam: like a wild goose chase as you keep ordering more products, keep spending more, in the hopes that eventually you’ll find something that fits.
Although Happy Head offers two different formulas (for men and women), they contain the same active ingredients: topical minoxidil and hydrocortisone. These core ingredients can then be adapted depending on your needs.
The men’s formula also includes topical finasteride while the women’s one omits finasteride (finasteride is not recommended for premenopausal women due to its link with birth defects). Unfortunately, Happy Head doesn’t list any of their inactive ingredients anywhere on their website.
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll already know my opinion on minoxidil for hair growth. (If not, check out the posts that mention it below…or keep reading for my notes on its side effects!) I had pretty bad reactions when I used topical minoxidil on my scalp and also bad long-term effects from corticosteroid injections.
So the the fact that the formula is comprised of not just one, or two, but THREE of the strongest kinds of topical treatments you can put on your scalp – all of which can have extremely bad side effects – urges me to advise you: avoid Happy Head products!
Try a more natural remedy instead, like peppermint oil or caffeine (both of which have been proven in clinical trials to be just as effective as minoxidil). Many of my top hair loss serums include these natural ingredients, without the harsh ones.
If you do decide to go for a personalized treatment, each 60ml bottle of serum should last you for one month. It includes a dropper for easy application: all you have to do is fill the solution to the indicated point and apply the serum directly to your scalp twice a day, massaging it deep into your hair follicles. You don’t need to rinse it out.
Many customers comment about the “repulsive smell” of this serum: as it contains extremely harsh chemicals, its potent smell is a far cry from the salon-worthy serums you could be using to nourish your scalp instead!
Although some people seem pleased with their hair growth results, most are extremely dissatisfied with the customer service they received – reporting cases of unwanted charges and autorenewals, difficulties in getting refunds and wrong products being sent out.
I’ve been using HH since Dec 2022 and really love the product. Customer service via email is excellent. if you’re using their call service it can be hard to connect, as I’m sure they’re swamped with calls. Every customer service agent I worked with thru email, was so professional and efficient!! Highly recommend this company if your looking for a product that offers more than just minoxidil!
– Denise, via Trustpilot
I was a customer for approximately six months, but canceled when Happy Head couldn’t deliver an order in a timely fashion. They emphasize using the product twice daily but it’s difficult to do when they dispense such an exact amount of liquid that you don’t have enough to last an extra day or two if the delivery is late. The date for my final order — auto-shipment— was June 4, and I hadn’t received it by June 20, when I decided to cancel. I reached out June 14 to check status and didn’t hear from anyone until June 19. There are plenty of companies selling similar products. I’d look elsewhere, and that’s my plan.
– Cory, via Trustpilot
Wow I’m glad I’m not the only person dealing with this horrible company. Warning: do not order from this company! Scammers! Ordered product the 10th of April and by the 25 they had sent me another bottle, they would not cancel order and charged my card 79 dollars. Customer service was awful, would not help. Disputed charges and they still are fighting to get that money. Do not buy! Product does not work, customer service was awful now I’m making sure nobody else goes through a waste of time and money with this company.
– Jess, via Trustpilot
I asked them to pause my subscription and instead they charged me $79 for another month sending me another bottle that I didn’t ask for. The product is also causing my scalp to get bad rashes. DO NOT RECOMMEND.
– Marc, via Trustpilot
Happy Head serum isn’t suitable for those under eighteen. Also, because one of its key ingredients is topical finasteride, I can’t say I’d recommend it for anyone – but in particular, for men.
While it is oral finasteride (not topical) that is often associated with sexual dysfunction in men, this study doesn’t rule out the negative effects of the topical solution either; simply that it “reduces the potential” of this side effect.
If using topical finasteride, you’re also more susceptible to localized side effects on your scalp: to burning sensations, scalp irritation, contact dermatitis and other scalp conditions. Sounds like it could do more damage than it’s worth, in my opinion!
Just like topical minoxidil (another FDA-approved ingredient for hair growth), topical finasteride is an extremely strong solution. Which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Sure, it might offer a short-term quick fix…but what are the long-term side effects it could involve? Not even just a little scalp irritation but actually damaging your skin, your immune system, even your gut health?
Happy Head uses a massive dose of minoxidil, too: 8%. Usually, 5% is the most recommended for men and only 2% the amount recommended for women. Although you can ask to reduce this in your personalized treatment, the fact that this is its baseline causes me some concern.
And if you start experiencing bad side effects (which is likely), you won’t be able to tell whether it’s from the hydrocortisone, the minoxidil or the finasteride. While you can change the formula to remove or adjust the ingredients, you’re still stuck with a month’s supply that you might be unable to use…and what happens if you remove the “wrong ingredient” for next month’s batch? Another waste of your money?!
In my opinion, Happy Head just isn’t worth it. Which is why I’d recommend a more natural topical treatment for hair loss. Check out my favorite natural serums in this post, see my top product below or keep reading to discover my top 3 alternative brands.
Well, there are many! First of all, there’s the reported side effects of using topical finasteride, including sexual dysfunction and testicular pain in men. And even though clinical studies show it may have a “lower side effect profile” than oral finasteride, it still comes with a bunch of associated risks.
Pre-menopausal women aren’t advised to use finasteride at all, due to its hormonal effects – it raises estrogen levels and has teratogenic effects could cause cognitive disabilities in the foetus should you become pregnant while using the serum.
Topical finasteride is only deemed safe for postmenopausal women. Even then, comes with plenty of potential side effects: as this study shows, it even worsened hair loss for some female participants. So even though you can apparently ask to have finasteride included in your Happy Head serum if you’re postmenopausal, I still wouldn’t recommend it.
Happy Head may say they offer a customized approach with their FDA-approved medications – but it isn’t based on hair microanalysis, like in the case of Regenix. Instead, before buying your so-called bespoke treatment, you simply:
Happy Head will then recommend a “personalized treatment plan” and direct you to the shipping/payment page. Almost too convenient, in my opinion! And they charge you for products before they get any further information from you (like photos of your hair loss, or before you even have your consultation), which raises a massive red flag to me.
Also, while the brand seems to be proud of the fact that you “save on a visit to the doctor’s office” and can still get “the strongest FDA-approved prescription medicine, delivered to your door”, I’m not sure that’s something I’d actually want.
If the treatment is that strong, shouldn’t you be seen by a doctor first, to determine whether you actually need it? Shouldn’t someone look at your scalp and hair first, rather than just going on your answers from a questionnaire and from a couple of photos?
Because while the brand is required by law to get a copy of your driver’s license of photos of your head in order to write you a prescription, you’re missing out on that face-to-face time you might need in order to determine the root cause of your hair loss.
Admittedly, Happy Head appears to be much cheaper than Regenix ($79 per month instead of $200, and that includes your dermatologist consultation, customized prescription and ongoing support) but I’m still not sure whether it’s actually worth it compared to other products like Nioxin or Revita.
If you can’t get your hands on Happy Head treatments, you don’t like the sound of the brand, or you’d rather use less crazily strong chemicals on your head (!!), here are a few other hair loss products I’d highly recommend.
All of which I’ve tried myself, and all of which have either helped to stop my hair loss, or to encourage hair regrowth!
Revita, from the brand DS Labs, make my favorite shampoo and conditioner for thinning hair. These two products alone stopped my hair shedding after just a few weeks while thickening and improving the quality of my existing hair…without any nasty side effects. Revita is affordable, their products smell great and their customer service has always been spot-on.
My next batch of DS Labs goodies (including a serum with nanoxidil) has just arrived in Vietnam, so stay tuned to see how that goes!
Vegamour’s range of salon-luxury products reduced my hair shedding while pregnant – and regrew both my scalp hair and my eyebrow after postpartum hair loss! After just a couple of weeks, I saw white vellus hair in my bald patches for the first time in several months. Their eyebrow serum also helped grow my eyebrow back after 2 months.
Vegamour is a more high-end brand (although if you just get the GRO serum, which worked for me), it’s actually cheaper than Happy Head).
OK, so Nioxin isn’t an entirely natural option, like the other two; its new formula contains sulfates. But I still think it’s a brilliant treatment for hair growth, as gave me complete regrowth within 3 months of using it!
I used System 2 for my extensive hair loss and, sulfates or not, I was really happy with the results.
Nioxin mightn’t be a suitable choice for everyone though, and it can have some side effects (albeit far fewer than Happy Head). Check out my review below for more.
As these treatments are prescription grade, there’s a little more difficult to get – you can’t just order them from Amazon, for example. Instead, you’ll have to go through the Happy Head website. The company only sells Happy Head serum and other products in the US, and not in all the states either…so it may be a little tricky to get.
Potential side effects of finasteride and minoxidil include dizzy spells, brain fog, headaches, scalp irritation and burning, loss of smell, nausea, unwanted hair growth, increased hair loss, erectile dysfunction, skin rashes and color changes, plus skin acne. Yikes.
In case you can’t tell from all the warnings within this post, I really wouldn’t be happy to recommend Happy Head.
Because sure, minoxidil and finasteride have been approved by the FDA. And ok, some studies even indicate that a combination of the two work better than either does individually: so this hair loss serum is probably quite effective for some people.
But I can’t in all good conscience recommend something that contains ingredients which have caused me such trouble personally, and which carry so many bad potential side effects…even if it could regrow your hair!
Of course, I’m not a doctor and I’m only going my by personal experience/research here. But I wanted to include these warnings so you can be discerning in whether or not you choose this serum – and speak to your medical professional (someone in person, and objective!) before you sign up.
Wishing you all the best with whatever treatment you try!
Love & hugs,
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2 responses
This is so not true. I have a good friend a dude who started using this and it worked better than you can imagine. It’s like shocking how much he grew on the top of his head. What a difference! Kind of not fair of you to say those things when it really helps balding people who want hair. I don’t work for them, or give a damn about the company. I’m just saying the shit works and I’ve seen proof that it works! I thought all these hair growing things were a scam or gimmick. The name “happy head” is dumb and sounds like a porn star name. Hard to take it seriously from just the name. It really works though. Don’t take that away from balding people. You’re not helping them by saying it doesn’t work. Don’t state your opinion as a fact. I’m telling you, from a scientifically visioned proven observation, that s h I T works!!! Fudge around and find out!
Hi Lori,
I appreciate you sharing your opinion. But never do I claim in this post (or in any others on Lady Alopecia), that what I’m sharing is fact. Please read the post again…you’ll see, I mention several times, that this is my personal experience, my opinion and my own research. I’m not claiming to be a doctor or to have all the answers. And when I did my research on Happy Head, there were simply too many bad reviews to ignore.
Of course, we’re all different and it’s wonderful that your friend found it to work for his own hair loss…but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bad potential side effects for others, or that other people aren’t getting scammed. My role here is to share all the information I can, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m being as fair and objective as I can without having tried the product. So thank you for sharing your friend’s experience but perhaps do read posts properly before you attack their author. Wishing you all the very best anyway, and take care.