Do hair growth supplements actually work?

Online, videos abound of people saying the supplements make hair thicker, healthier and shinier. Do they really? Online and off, many people have credited supplements with helping them overcome hair loss. Videos abound on TikTok of people saying that brands such as Nutrafol and Viviscal made their hair thicker, healthier and shinier.

So do these hair growth supplements really work? Such supplements often contain vitamins (like biotin and vitamins A, C and D ), minerals (like zinc and selenium) and extracts from plants including turmeric and horsetail. They can also contain collagen and even shark cartilage and oyster extract powder. In some cases, they might help to regrow lost or thinning hair.

But they have not been well-studied and may not be as effective as prescription treatments, like minoxidil (also sold over the counter as Rogaine) or oral finasteride, said Dr Melanie Tawfik, a dermatologist at MedStar Health in Chevy Chase, Maryland..