All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If your hair is thinning (and if you want it to stop thinning), it makes sense to start with the best shampoo for men with thinning hair. Of course, don't stop there: Stopping hair loss typically involves dietary, health, and medical intervention. But these efforts can also be supported by the right hair products. And that’s why there is such a thing as the best shampoo for thinning hair—though what “best” means will differ from one guy to the next.
The Best Shampoos for Men with Thinning Hair, at a Glance
- The Best Thickening Shampoo for Thinning Hair: R+Co BLEU Thickening Shampoo, $50
- The Best Volumizing Shampoo for Thinning Hair: Sachajuan Volumizing Shampoo, $31
- The Best Medicated Shampoo for Busting DHT: MDhair Regrowth Shampoo, $22
- The Best Shampoo for Scalp Stimulation: Davines Circulation-Boosting Shampoo, $24
- The Best Strengthening Shampoo for Thinning Hair: Hair Alchemy Strengthening Shampoo, $52
- The Best Shampoo Alternative for Thinning Hair: Modern Mammals Daily Hair Rinse, $26
- The Best Vegan Shampoo for Thinning Hair: Klorane Strengthening Shampoo, $24
- The Best Dry Shampoo for Thinning Hair: Living Proof Dry Shampoo, $24
- The Best Soothing Shampoo for Thinning Hair: Kevin Murphy Stimulate Me Wash,
$22$20
Regular Shampoo vs. Preventative Care
To kick-off your search for the shampoo best-equipped to put a halt to hair loss, it's worth laying out that a general, all-purpose shampoo that simply purges your hair of built-up grime will likely not cut it. Like many hair products, some shampoos can aim to give more volume, and the illusion of texture. Or, they might coat each strand while cleaning, to provide an overall boost in fullness. (Many conditioners do the latter especially well.) If you want to really target the hair loss itself with your shampoo, know that this isn’t going to be your primary defense against going bald, but using a special shampoo can certainly boost the effort.
In this case, look for formulas with saw palmetto or pumpkin seed oil, the two primary ingredients that are known to inhibit the production of dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which is the hormonal byproduct that steadily shrinks hair follicles and leads to recession, thinning, and overall loss. Point your shampoo search towards products that balance, purify, and fortify the scalp. A scalp-focused regimen can create an optimal environment for your follicles, which in turn means they stay better anchored and experience prolonged growth. Lastly, opt for light to mid-weight formulas that won't weigh the hair follicle down. Sudsing up a super thick shampoo may make you feel squeaky clean, a dense formula is likely to take away a lot more than the daily filth you've accumulated.
Who Actually Needs This?
If your hair is thinning or experiencing extensive breakage (two very separate things that can occur at once), then a specialized shampoo could either be the first step in taking back your hair narrative–or the solution. Strengthening your hair at the root with increased elasticity will prevent strands from easily breaking off which can lead to the appearance of balding. For hereditary hair loss, the right shampoo won't be the end-all-be-all but it will provide the added boost you need after talking with your board-certified dermatologist to build a hair retention plan that works for you. Our roundup of the best thinning hair shampoos covers all of these approaches. Have a look, and see which option best suits your needs.
The Best Thickening Shampoo for Thin or Thinning Hair
The cruelty-free, protein-rich formulation in R+Co BLEU's thickening shampoo seeps into each strand of hair, making them individually thicker. The overall result, when applied across all of your head, is immediately noticeable, and it even feels thicker as you run your hands through it. It leaves fine hair shiny, hydrated, and with added volume—and should be chased with the brand's thickening conditioner too.
The Best Volumizing Shampoo for Thinning Hair
This ocean-blue cleanser floods your hair with vegetable proteins, making it stronger so that it stands upright—strong and proud. And unlike other shampoos that give your hair volume by stripping it of all moisture, Sachajuan's never compromises hair health or quality. You get volume, plus that healthy shine.
The Best Medicated Shampoo for Busting DHT
If you want to double down on proactively fighting hair loss while shampooing, then this is sulfate-free shampoo has got you covered. MDhair's formula combines active ingredients like pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto, the two best natural ingredients for DHT mitigation, with ginger extract which is great for regulating scalp sebum. The result is a clarified scalp that is the preferred playing ground for new hair growth.
The Best Strengthening Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Stronger hair means less breakage but so does treating dry hair, which is paramount for those experiencing thinning. Oribe's Hair Alchemy shampoo is blended with growth-inducing chia seed and plant-based protein to reinforce the hair follicle at its root while a hyaluronic acid complex injects moisture to improve overall elasticity. Hair that can bounce back is less likely to break off when confronted with the harsh elements (and your city's even harsher water supply).
The Best Shampoo for Curly, Thinning Hair
Curly hair typically requires more moisture but if your hair is thinning the last thing you want to do is weigh down hair strands with a super thick formula. This strengthening shampoo is a nice balance—packed with natural oils like mint and coconut mixed in with hair fortifying biotin in a lightweight formula, it'll inject your hair with moisture without leading to additional hair fall.
The Best Shampoo Alternative for Thinning Hair
If you desperately want to find a hair loss shampoo while simultaneously being shampoo-averse, then you may want to try co-washing (which is when you rely on conditioner to flush away grime and excess oil). It works wonders, especially with a product like Modern Mammals' everyday rinse. It almost straddles the line between shampoo and conditioner, though it is definitely more the latter. It delivers a hydrating rinse that won't compromise your thinning hair's health, and will instead preserve its buoyancy while also promoting a healthy, habitable scalp. Best of all, you can use it daily.
The Best Co-Wash for Thinning, Curly Hair
For curly hair that shows signs of thinning, the best approach, as noted above, is to avoid heavy products that could weigh the hair down. If any shampoo is just too stripping, a co-wash specifically developed with delicate curly strands in mind might be the answer. Carol's Daughter's lather-free hair milk is formulated with hydrating agave nectar and shea butter to replenish that much-needed moisture while gently lifting away dirt and grime.
The Best Shampoo for Scalp Stimulation
Caffeine wakes up your scalp, too: It’s pumped into Davines’ shampoo, and boosts circulation to the scalp and into each hair follicle along with fortifying niacinamide (yep, the star ingredient in your skincare routine). This increases nutrient delivery to each strand, and in turn improves hair density as it grows. The gradual effect is that it slows future loss, and prevents breakage along any of the strands so you can revel in thicker hair.
The Best Anti-Dandruff Shampoo for Hair Growth
If you're prone to itching or flaking up top, then give your scalp a periodic rinse with an anti-dandruff shampoo. (We like a once- or twice-monthly dose when preventing the problem, and more frequently when treating the problem.) While anti-dandruff formulas can be a little harsh on the hair, this formula is infused with scalp soothing aloe vera. That said, when using always follow it with a conditioner or better yet, a deeply restorative hair mask.
The Best Clarifying Shampoo for a Healthy Reset
Once every week or two, you should give your head and scalp a true flushing out—with a detoxifying and clarifying shampoo that removes hard water buildup, excess grime and oil, and the likes. OUAI's does that while also pumpkin keratin into your strands for a fortified freshening-up. The result is a health scalp and overall refreshed hair look.
The Best Vegan Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Nature knows best, especially when it comes to offering a first line of defense against the natural occurrence of thinning hair. Klorane's vegan strengthening shampoo is a two-pronged attack: quinine bark extract to strengthen the folicle and produce breakage of existing strands, edelweiss to stimulate new growth. Applying a layer of the antioxidant-rich hair thickening formula is like watering the garden of eden–on top of your head—and watching it blossom back to life.
The Best Dry Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Living Proof's Perfect Hair Day assortment really lives up to its name, and this dry shampoo upholds it all—literally. It gives hair more texture and volume by soaking up the excess oils at the root of the hair, buying you an extra day before requiring a wash.
The Best Dry Shampoo Spray for Men With Thinning Hair
Swedish hair brand Maria Nila is finally a hit stateside, and this lighter-than-most dry shampoo spray is a good entry into the brand, especially since it leaves no residue in its wake (unlike many spray-to-powder dry shampoos). Use it on the mornings your hair needs a little extra lift, volume, and texture, but only if you haven't shampooed that day. Make sure hair is rinsed and dried before use, then follow with your usual styler.
The Best Soothing Shampoo for Thinning Hair
Sometimes your scalp just needs a wake up call. Packed with mint and pepper, this gently exfoliating wash improves scalp health while you cleanse to reveal perkier strands. While it's not technically advertised as such, this shampoo can also double as your second wake up call—the one that turns you from a semi-functional zombie who just rolled out of bed into an actual, functioning human.
The Best Shampoo for Repairing Damaged Hair
If you think one too many dye jobs has led to your hair thinning then a restructuring shampoo that is designed to repair damaged hair while cleansing is worth a shot. This pick from Aveda is a great contender, as it's formulated with quinoa proteins (which form a protective barrier over the hair strands while you clean) and moisturizing babassu and coconut oils so your hair is left dirt-free—not excessively stripped.
