What Makes a Great Hair Growth Shampoo?

As advances in scientific hair loss literature continue to grow, we’ve seen new proofs confirming the benefits of certain natural vitamins and ingredients for hair. Below are three of the most important elements you should look for in any hair restoration shampoo:

Biotin

The benefits of biotin are based on research that shows that hair loss is a consequence of biotin and zinc deficiency.

Also known as Vitamin B7, Biotin is a compound that’s important for a wide range of bodily processes, including the synthesis of fatty acids, glucose, and some amino acids. But it also helps the strengthening of hair and nails. Biotin is a crucial component to skin cells, which also play an important role in hair follicle health. If your follicles are weak or unhealthy, they’ll be unable to retain hair. GroMD shampoo and conditioner is chalk full of this miracle vitamin.

Saw Palmetto

This unique sounding plant is full of berries that shows promise as a way to treat hair loss (and it’s already used as an herbal remedy to treat an enlarged prostate and a decreased sex drive). What’s the science behind it? An extract of saw palmetto berries may block an enzyme (5-alpha-reductbase) that converts testosterone to DHT. And DHT is responsible both for hair loss and enlargement of the prostate. In one study, nearly half of men who were treated with saw palmetto had an 11.9 percent increase in total hair count. GroMD uses palmetto as part of its formula to block DHT, and that’s why we believe in it -- our shampoo is a highly effective and safe way to treat and prevent hair loss.

Caffeine

Believe it or not, that glorious morning coffee that gives you a much-needed boost of energy for the day also boosts your hair follicles. Studies now show that caffeine ‘counteracts’ the suppression of hair-follicle production by testosterone in males.

Specifically, caffeine enhanced the length of hair shafts, prolonged anagen duration, and stimulated keratinocyte growth. Keratinocyte is the most abundant cell found in the epidermis, the outer layer of your skin.

The problem is that drinking massive quantities of coffee or other caffeine-laden drinks will not help make hair grow. As one scientist pointed out, you’d have to drink 20 to 30 cups of coffee for caffeine to have any kind of therapeutic benefit for your hair roots because caffeine is easily diluted and quickly excreted by the body. Besides, that amount of coffee would be toxic because caffeine is, well, kind of a drug.

However, there are a variety of topical products available with caffeine that can be directly applied to your scalp. Even better, research shows that hair follicles don’t build up a resistance to caffeine-included products as it does with some drugs.