Wait, Does Hair-Growth Shampoo Actually Work?

As someone who has naturally fine, thin hair, I’ve tried everything to get the long, thick, mermaid hair of my dreams.

Castor oil, hair-growth vitamins, volumizing shampoo, scalp treatments—you name it, I’ve tried it. But the one product I had yet to try? Hair-growth shampoos. I mean, can something that sits on your head for 30 seconds really grow your hair longer within a few washes? Or are hair-growth shampoos just regular shampoos with a fancy name? But as it turns out, neither is true—they actually fall somewhere in the middle.

First, let’s get on the same page: “No, shampoo can’t make your hair grow longer,” says dermatologist Geeta Yadav, MD. “The only topical ingredient that can help is minoxidil, i.e., the active ingredient in treatments like Rogaine.” But that doesn’t mean hair-growth shampoo is totally bogus. Because your scalp follicles need a healthy foundation to produce hair, using a shampoo with medicated topicals and soothing moisturizers can potentially encourage hair growth in the long run, trichologist Bridgette Hill previously told Cosmo, especially when combined with a comprehensive approach.

Of course, choosing the right shampoo is easier said than done. So I worked with the experts to find the best hair-growth shampoos of 2023, tested and reviewed a bunch of formulas myself, and broke them all down for you below, starting with:

Our top picks for hair-growth shampoos in 2023:

Now scroll through for the full list, then keep reading to find out how to choose the best hair-growth shampoo, and what to look for depending on your hair type, goals, and ingredient preferences.