Caffeine shampoo against hair loss

Doping for hair

For years, researchers and shampoo manufacturers have been searching for a cure for hair loss. A number of manufacturers claim to have found it. However, the research these manufacturers refer to is questionable since it was not conducted by trichologists (a dermatologist who specializes in hair disorders and hair diseases) nor was it published in a professional journal. No wonder, then, that people are skeptical of the shampoo. In particular, one manufacturer, Alopecin, is very confident and convinced of caffeine's effect against hereditary hair loss and has even claimed that caffeine shampoo is ''doping the hair.'' This is not just a slogan thrown out of the air, no, the manufacturer claimed that the high dose of caffeine that lands on your scalp from using the shampoo can be seen in doping tests. Athletes, rest assured. Other than the fact that this does not happen in practice, caffeine has not been on the doping list for ages. So that extra cup of coffee on Monday morning won't hurt.

Remedies for hair loss

If caffeine shampoo doesn't work, what does? Several agents have already been shown to be effective against hair loss. The two most stable and well-known agents against hair loss are finasteride and minoxidil. There is even an even more powerful version of finasteride called dutasteride.

The funny thing about these hair loss remedies is that neither of them were developed to combat hair loss. They turned out to be side effects that happened to be beneficial in the fight against baldness. For example, minoxidil was discovered as a hair loss drug during a study of hypertension. Why the drug works so well against hair loss is not known and remains a mystery to this day.

Frequent readers of our articles and blogs know that hair loss is related to the conversion of the hormone testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. The drug finasteride or dutasteride, also known under the brand name Propecia, was developed primarily to treat certain prostate complaints and ensures that this conversion is inhibited, thereby also reducing the rate of hair loss. The disadvantage of finasteride compared to minoxidil is the greater likelihood of unpleasant side effects. You can read more about this on our information page on hair growth drugs.

Hair transplant

So shampoo against hair loss is not an option, nor are the proven hair growth remedies. What actions against hair loss can you take then? More and more people are opting for a hair transplant in this situation. In a hair transplant, hair follicles are moved from a (well-haired) donor area to an area where (extra) hair growth is desired. There are different transplantation methods, but the goal is the same: a full head of hair.