Dermatologists Say This Shampoo Might Help Fix Your Thinning Hair (2025)

WHETHER OR NOT their hair is actually thinning, most men still want to add a little more oomph to their hair. If you’re one of those guys who spend time in front of the mirror styling, blow drying and just trying to get a little more fullness to their quiff (don’t worry, we are too), one of the best things you can do is invest in a quality thickening shampoo. That's because, in many cases, styling starts in the shower, and these hair products help to pump up the volume of your strands even before you towel off.

Best Hair Thickening Shampoos

These days, thickening shampoos are a dime a dozen, most of which contain ingredients like biotin, saw palmetto, caffeine and a veritable cornucopia of botanical extracts that can help with everything from temporarily volumizing hair, balancing the scalp, strengthening strands and, in some cases, even address underlying hair thinning and hair loss.

Although, to be clear, the primary agenda of these shampoos is to help hair feel and look thicker, not necessarily reverse thinning, as no shampoo on its own is enough to help you regrow lost hair or prevent balding entirely (you'll have to use a combination of supplements and other treatments for that). Typically, thickening shampoos accomplish this goal by coating individual strands with ingredients to plump them up to appear thicker. Strengthening hair follicles with ingredients like keratin will also help hair look fuller, while adding moisture can cause hair shafts to swell and present thicker. In short, the healthier your hair is the thicker it'll look.

Of course, this volume (get it?) of factors is a good thing because it means that no matter what kind of hair you have, there’s a hair-thickening shampoo out there for you. But with all those options, where do you start? We’ve asked a panel of hair experts for their favorites and what specifics to look for as a primer.

What to Consider

Hair Type

When selecting a shampoo to thicken hair, it's essential to consider your specific hair type to achieve both targeted volume results and maintain hair health overall. For example, individuals with finer hair should avoid heavy, ultra-texturizing shampoos, which can make this hair type feel weighed down. Instead, opt for lightweight, volumizing formulas that boost fullness without compromising lift. Alternatively, coarse or curly, as well as color-treated strands, thrive with moisture-rich, sulfate-free shampoos. These will provide much-needed hydration and help prevent dryness.

You'll also want to consider your scalp, as board-certified dermatologist Dr. Natalie Kash, MD, explains, “If you tend to have a dry scalp or dry, brittle hair, avoid harsh ingredients like alcohols that can further dry out hair as well as strong surfactants like sulfates.” To avoid this, look for gentler shampoos with moisturizing ingredients like shea butter. On the other hand, she says that, those with oily scalps should go for a clarifying shampoo to balance their sebum production which causes oiliness without irritating the scalp.

Key Ingredients

Still, Dr. Kash says that not every product will work for everyone, and whether a thickening shampoo works for you largely depends on your hair type, as well as the formulation, concentration and mixture of ingredients. However, there are a few common ingredients to look for that have been shown to help hair appear thicker and feel fuller you should zero in on.

According to Dr. Hardik Doshi, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon and lead surgeon at Ample Hair Restoration Clinic in New York City, biotin (a B-vitamin that can help strengthen hair), caffeine (believed to stimulate hair follicles by improving blood circulation), keratin (a protein found in the structure of hair), niacin (which can improve blood flow to the scalp), panthenol (which can help strengthen and add thickness to the hair shaft), and saw palmetto (believed to inhibit the production of DHT which contributes to hair loss) are all ingredients worth investing in to bolster your hair's thickness or help it at least appear thicker.

Size

When picking a shampoo to thicken hair, the size of the bottle might not be your top priority—but it’s definitely something to keep in mind, especially if you’re on a budget. Many shampoos designed to thicken hair can be pricey, and since you’ll need to buy them regularly, the cost can quickly add up. If you're looking to save a bit, opting for larger bottles can make a noticeable difference in your wallet over time. It’s all about getting the most bang for your buck without compromising on quality.

How We Selected

Over the past two years, the grooming team at Men's Health has been testing a wide variety of shampoos to see how well they help hair appear and feel thicker. Our Grooming team evaluated how effectively these products cleaned hair, their scent and their price point. To make sure we covered all the bases, we consulted with three doctors and one hairstylist on the best hair-thickening shampoos for men they recommend. They helped us narrow down the best products on the market for different hair types, offering valuable insights into what products and ingredients to seek out (and what to avoid).

Based on their expert advice and our extensive testing, we’ve compiled this list of the 11 best shampoos that truly deliver when it comes to thickening men's hair.

This thickening shampoo is a favorite of Dr. Doshi, as he explains it's effective at boosting volume without breaking the bank, making it ideal for those who'd rather not splurge on beauty products. “It's packed with biotin and collagen, which are well-known for promoting hair volume and overall health. What's more, it's got wheat protein to strengthen your hair and reduce breakage," he adds. We also loved how it left our flows feeling bouncy, fresh and incredibly noticeably stronger.

Specifically formulated to pump up fine and thinning hair, this gentle shampoo uses ingredients like phyto extracts, panthenol and biotin to add volume and lift to limp hair in just one wash. Plus, as an added bonus, it also helps balance and control scalp issues like dryness, something our sensitive scalped testers really appreciated.

Hims continues to be one of our go-to brands for men's self-care and wellness. This well-reviewed volumizing shampoo offers a deep clean, as well as volumizing benefits that we saw as soon as the first wash. The hero ingredient in its formula, saw palmetto, has also been found to help block DHT which contributes to male pattern hair loss. Not to mention, at under $12 a bottle, it's a pretty great value.

This ultra-luxe shampoo feels and smells like the top-tier, rich-lathering product it is, but it’s also packed with a proprietary compound of plant-based and scientifically-developed ingredients to not only make hair appear thicker and fuller, but also help combat the first signs of hair loss. Sure, it's pricey but the results we saw were well worth it. To say nothing of the incredible cologne-quality scent it rocks.

Fortified with ingredients like rice protein and vitamin E, this thickening shampoo not only helps hair appear thicker and more voluminous, but it also helps fortify strands so they get stronger from the inside out. With a DHT-blocking formula, this shampoo can even help postpone balding. More than anything, it's the elegant woodsy scent and fresh feeling this shampoo promotes that got our attention.

Dr. Kash also recommends this volumizing and thickening shampoo because, “it balances cleansing properties with avoiding overly drying out the hair or weighing it down.” The formula contains amaranth peptides to help plump fine and thin hair, but is also safe for color or chemically treated hair as well thanks to the inclusion of phytantriol in the formula.