Hair Growth Serums: Are They Worth It?
Have you tried everything to get those Rapunzel-esque locks flowing?
Whether you’re just trying to get that length that you see in the magazines or you are suffering from hair loss, you want the product that actually works. There’s a lot of snake oil out there, making claims that science and the product itself doesn’t back up.
We want to talk about the key ingredients to look for in these serums and what you can do before you buy an apothecary of products.
Back to the basics
Before you go out and buy a dozen different products, you should make sure you’re doing the age-old techniques that have proven effective for many years. In reality, there isn’t a lot you can do naturally to stimulate faster hair growth at the roots. But there is plenty you can do to grow healthier, stronger hair that will reduce breakage and promote those long, luscious locks.
First, make sure you’re getting regular trims. Next, rub that scalp. A good scalp massage stimulates blood flow and helps nutrients get to your follicle faster. And speaking of the scalp, this is like the soil for all your lovely hair. Scalp health is hair health, so make sure you’re taking the best care of your scalp. If your follicles are clogged with excess sebum, dead skin, dandruff, inflammation or infection, your hair will suffer the consequences. Follicles that are blocked off for too long or have been permanently damaged can lead to problems with hair growth, hair health and can be a primary source of hair loss.
You can also try using only cool water on your hair. Heat has many damaging effects on your hair, so limit blow drying and heat styling of any kind. It never hurts to add more healthy fats to your diet, especially omega-3s which can help with hair growth.
Then there’s what not to do. Don’t smoke. This isn’t a PSA, but smoking restricts blood flow, which restricts oxygen and nutrients your scalp and hair need. You should also check your medications. Many medications have side effects of hair loss, but don’t just throw out a vital medication without first talking to your doctor.
Bringing out the heavy lifters
There are a number of products, treatments and medications that can help with hair loss. Essential oils, anti-thinning shampoos and other over-the-counter products (just watch out for cheap ingredients that harm your hair), Minoxidil (AKA Rogaine), Spironolactone, laser therapy, cosmetic treatments or even platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.
Before you go with any more intensive treatments, try the simpler solutions out first. But if you’ve done that, here are a few things to pay attention to in your hair serums.
Most of the best hair growth serums are medically prescribed, but you can find over-the-counter products available. Look for the key ingredient Minoxidil. This is the only science-tested, FDA-approved chemical that has been proven to promote hair growth. Other ingredients do have success stories, but the research is still unavailable. These are ingredients like biotin, collagen, keratin, vitamin A, and more.
Hair is so much more complex than we give it credit for. This is why targeting hair growth and, especially, identifying the cause of thinning or slow-growth hair can be very difficult. If you’ve tried out all the products and you’re still not seeing the growth you desire, come in for a consultation. We can give your scalp a thorough look, talk about your products, your hair care routine, and any other factors that might be hampering hair growth.
Rapunzel-like hair doesn’t come quite as easily as the fairy tales make it seem. But with the right care and right products we can give your hair the boost it needs to stimulate growth.