Products for Thinning Hair: All Hype or Helpful?

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Over one third of women over 40 start losing their hair. The reasons can vary, but most often a change in hormone levels is the culprit. Though people expect thinning hair and baldness in men, it happens almost as often among women.

In a man, it can be seen as a sign of virility and success, especially in superstars like ex-athlete Michael Jordan and actor Bruce Willis. Sadly, a woman with thinning hair, as well as the culture she lives in, feels her days of sexual allure are probably over.

An array of causes

Hormones, especially the loss of testosterone, are the most common reason a woman starts losing her hair. Men produce much more testosterone, but it is also an essential hormone in a woman’s endocrinological system. Even a slight reduction can have a major effect on the hair follicle. Testosterone levels in a woman start dropping during peri-menopause and plunge during menopause and after.

Stress or a major event, a happy one like childbirth or a worrisome one like surgery, can cause telogen effluvium, a disorder that speeds hair loss and can last for many years. Emotional stress kicks hormones out of whack, upsetting the body’s essential balance.

Other causes include:
• Losing weight too fast
• Chemotherapy
• Hairstyles: years of pulling hair into a ponytail, wrapping it on rollers, putting it in cornrows, or braiding hair tightly
• Psoriasis

Choosing shampoos for thinning hair

Since there are millions of women suffering from hair loss, there are numerous shampoos directed at this target market. Some advertise they can help reduce or even stop hair thinning in women. Others promise to make the hair you do have look fuller. Many say they do both.

When you check out shampoos for thinning hair, look for one that strengthens the hair shaft and is FDA approved. You may want to alternate using one that reduces hair loss with one that thickens the look of the hair. These don’t actually help reduce loss or regrow hair, but they help cover up the problem while your hair regrows, making you look like you have more hair.

There are shampoos for thinning hair for every budget. It is a good idea to check out consumer reviews since you get the benefit of the experience of people who have actually used the product.

Below three of the most popular brands are reviewed.

Part of its Expert Collection, Pantene Age Defy Shampoo fights aging hair, helping both your hair and you to look younger. Beside thinning hair, it attacks the problems of breakage, split ends, frizz, dryness, and lifeless color.

The shampoo and entire Age-Defy product line were developed in conjunction with the experts in anti-aging methods at Olay. It can be used daily, even on hair that has been color-treated.

It uses a number of vitamins and caffeine to help add luster and life to thinning hair. The surface of hair strands looks healthier and smoother with regular use.

Reviews of this shampoo are overall very positive. One woman with thinning hair commented that her hair had returned to its original state of thickness. Several mention how shiny their hair looks after regular use. One mentioned that she saw results after using it for three days. Another who had been fighting thinning hair for a year was happy with the full volume the shampoo produced.

Pantene Age Defy Shampoo is approved by the FDA and thickens your existing hair. Priced under $10 for a 3.9 oz. bottle, it is available online and at many retail outlets.

Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo cleans and exfoliates your scalp and hair follicles with a blend of botanicals and salicylic acid from wintergreen. Product residue can clog pores and follicles on even the cleanest scalp. Using an exfoliating shampoo gets rid of sebum as well as the residue, letting your hair grow more easily.

Using a combination of millet seed and milk thistle helps to balance lipids in your hair strands, nourishing dry scalps. The formula uses a combination of Ayurvedic herbs, especially turmeric and ginseng.

It has received a number of positive reviews from users. One woman with thinning hair noted that her hair felt thicker and fuller almost immediately. Another commented after using it for five weeks that her scalp is less oily and her hair was noticeably thicker.

The makers of Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo are so sure you will see a difference after using it on your thinning hair, they are offering a free sample pack on their website http://invati.aveda.com/, which includes the shampoo, a thickening conditioner and a scalp revitalizer. The shampoo itself, which is FDA approved, sells for under $40 for a 6.76 oz. bottle, both online and at styling salons.

Redken Intra Force Shampoo for Natural Thinning Hair

Redken Intra Force Shampoo for Natural Thinning Hair helps get rid of impurities, DHT, and sebum on the scalp. Arginine and Zinc PCA cleans the follicle, promoting healthy hair and scalp. This strengthens your hair and makes it look more attractive.

Overall reviews were positive, with several women suffering from thinning hair reporting excellent results. One woman bought it after her stylist recommended it. Both she and her boyfriend noticed a difference with regular use. Another woman with thinning hair said her hair looks thicker, and she felt it stimulated her scalp.

One woman reported that she had a medical condition that caused her to lose most of her hair in the previous year. After regular use, her hair is almost back to normal.

Redken Intra Force Shampoo for Natural Thinning Hair is FDA approved and available online and at many retail shops. It sells for under $20 for a 9.8 oz. bottle.