In my 20 years of researching hair loss, around a dozen brands of products have garnered massive publicity. Among the few of these that I have yet to review is the Nioxin line of shampoos and system kits. Also see my posts on Revivogen and Nizoral for other highly popular shampoos.
The Nioxin system (1, 2, 3. 4, 5 and 6) kits include a shampoo, a conditioner and a scalp treatment lotion for thinning hair. All of these are used by men and women, for both pattern hair loss and generalized thinning. Nioxin was acquired by Proctor & Gamble in 2008. Make sure to check out the company’s Instagram and YouTube channel.
Nioxin Shampoo Recommended by Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano was in the news last year due to her major hair loss and shedding due to Covid-19. Recently, she said that her hair regrowth was aided by Nutrafol supplements and Nioxin shampoo and conditioner.
Sale
This week, a several news headlines mentioned that Alyssa Milano’s favorite Nioxin shampoo was on sale for 64 percent off on Amazon. Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas, this shampoo is often on sale.
Only Nioxin 1 (for light thinning of natural hair) seems to be that steeply discounted (current price of $16). Nioxin 2 for progressed thinning is a bit more expensive. The combined line of these shampoos currently have over 20,000 reviews on Amazon, averaging a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Note that the cleanser shampoo systems 3-6 are for colored and bleached hair types. Systems 1-2 are for natural hair (see diagram further below).
Even more impressive, the system kits have a combined over 25,000 reviews on Amazon. At an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5, this is pretty impressive for a shampoo and conditioner related hair loss product. Of course Amazon has a huge problem of fake reviews, so it is also good to check customer opinions on other sites selling Nioxin. The most popular of these include Wal Mart, Costco and Walgreens.
Nioxin Ingredients
Across it various systems, Nioxin contains ensulizole, sulisobenzone, peppermint oil, nettle root extract, niacin, biotin, numerous other B vitamins, and saw palmetto. The last mentioned is a leading natural dihydrotestosterone (DHT) inhibitor to reverse androgenetic alopecia. Also included are salicylic acid, peppermint oil and menthol. Most of these ingredients are unlikely to cause any significant side effects.
According to the company’s website:
“The Nioxin Cleanser Shampoo removes dirt, excessive oil and other environmental residues from the scalp and hair. “
Ultimately, this reduces hair shedding and supposedly makes existing hair thicker. Note that even the best dermatologist recommended hair loss shampoos will not regrow hair on totally bald areas of the scalp. In a majority of cases, the product marketing overpromises on results.
Newer Products
Apparently, Nioxin now also offers hair care products (including serums, sprays and lotions) that contain Minoxidil 2% (for women) and the unique Sandalore. The company is devoting significant resources for product innovation and also sells a 3D Care System. Hopefully they can even include ingredients such as Stemoxydine and Resveratrol in their products going forward.