Hair Stylists Share 4 Essential Shampoo Ingredients To Look Out For If You’re Struggling With Thinning Hair Over 40

There’s nothing abnormal about dealing with thinning hair over time. In fact, thinning hair is so common that your friends and family may be struggling with it, too — but it’s the thing few people talk about so we often remain in the dark about how to treat it. There are several factors that can contribute to thinner hair, and depending on which has caused your hair to thin, each can be dealt with in different ways. For example, if your hair is getting thinner as a result of post-pregnancy or nursing hormonal changes, or pre-menopausal or menopausal hormonal changes, your ideal solution may be to talk to a doctor about hormone therapy or simply wait, be patient, and keep reminding yourself that you will not go bald. Other typical causes of hair loss in women include genetic hair loss, medications, diet (and nutritional deficiencies), and stress — each will require different ways of handling the issue, and visiting a board-certified dermatologist is your first step toward getting answers. 

But in all cases of hair loss, whether from stress or hormonal shifts, how you care for your hair and the products that you use to get you through matter. Specifically: the shampoo that you rely on can make a difference. A shampoo with ingredients like sulfates can increase hair loss, while other shampoos can help slow it down. 

In this video, a hair expert shares four essential shampoo ingredients that can help if you’re struggling with thinning hair. 

According to @sklptdhair, three shampoos that can really help with hair loss and shedding include Aveda invati, the Nioxin System, and Kevin Murphy Plumping Wash. When we break down the ingredients that most of these shampoos have in common, we find a few contain similar key components that can help strengthen your hair and nourish hair follicles at the scalp to encourage hair growth.

Salicylic Acid

If the pores on your scalp are clogged with oils and dirt, it can lead to hair shedding and get in the way of your hair looking its healthiest. A shampoo like Aveda invati contains salicylic acid, otherwise known as the ingredient found in many acne-banishing cleansers and serums. This ingredient removes buildup that can clog pores, clearing the way for cleaner hair follicles that can absorb nourishing, hydrating ingredients that help strengthen your hair.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is one of those nourishing ingredients mentioned above that you’ll find in both Nioxin and Kevin Murphy Plumping shampoos. Aloe contains anti-inflammatory properties and essential vitamins and minerals that condition hair and give it shine. The hair growth you experience should be glossy and gorgeous — and aloe vera can help.

Rice Amino Acid

You’ll find rice bran and rice amino acids in Nioxin shampoos. This strengthening ingredient actually expands the diameter of individual hair strands so that they appear plumper and thicker. It simultaneously conditions and strengthens hair and hair follicles so that it makes thinning hair look better in the short term, while prepping it for more hair growth in the long term.

If you’re struggling with hair shedding and are at your wit’s end, try one of these three expert-approved shampoos to help reduce the amount of hair fallout you experience. In the meantime, visit a board-certified dermatologist or trichologist to get to the root of your hair concerns so that you can also find long-term solutions that will help with hair regrowth.