We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
Gianluca Carraro//Keita
Best for All-Over Thinning
Nutrafol Hair Serum
When hair growth is the topic of conversation, very few brands immediately come to mind as often as Nutrafol. The brand’s cult-favourite vitamins are a great way to support hair growth internally, while this serum offers an extra boost of strength topically.
Dr. Engelman explains, ‘When used as a complement to oral supplementation or other therapies, this serum can help deliver botanicals and supportive ingredients directly to the scalp to encourage a favourable growth environment.’
Product specificationsKEY INGREDIENTSLactic acid, ashwagandha exosomes, Irish moss peptides, sea buckthorn
Best Hair Growth Supplements
Viviscal Professional Strength Hair Growth Tablets
The hair regrowth process isn’t one-size-fits-all, and requires a multi-pronged approach to see long-lasting results. Topicals help, but supplements can help expedite the results with consistent use. Viviscal’s combines common hair-boosting ingredients such as biotin, with apple extract and vitamin C to fortify weakened strands and follicles.
‘Viviscal’s marine-derived AminoMar complex and essential vitamins have clinical evidence supporting improved hair thickness and hair growth in people experiencing shedding and thinning,’ says Dr. Engelman.
Product specificationsKEY INGREDIENTSBiotin, vitamin C, apple extract, glycerin
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Best for Weakened Edges
Cécred Restoring Hair & Edge Drops
After a few testimonials of this serum’s effects on edges and bald spots on social media, it was impossible to get your hands on a bottle. Its formula is packed with density-boosting ingredients, including peptides, biotin, ginger extract, and rice powder which revitalise the scalp with each use.
I applied the serum to my scalp and strands a few times a week (consistency is important!). After two months, my baby hair swirls were longer than I remembered and didn’t break off as easily anymore.
Product specificationsKEY INGREDIENTSBiotin, peptides, Cécred Bioactive Keratin Ferment, ginger extract, rice powder
Best for Visible Results
Philip Kingsley Minoxidil 5% Scalp Drops
Minoxidil is perhaps one of the most common treatments for restoring hair, but this isn’t a typical hair serum you can use intermittently. Minoxidil requires consistency and long-term use to maintain growth, but the results are well worth the wait.
According to Dr. Engelman, ‘this remains an important first-line option for many forms of pattern thinning and edge density loss because it directly stimulates follicles to stay in the growth phase longer.’
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Best for Beginners
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density 
If you’re looking to start your regrowth journey but can’t quite commit to expensive formulas, The Ordinary’s iteration is primed for beginners. While peptides are hotly touted for their anti-ageing properties in skincare, The Ordinary uses a peptide-rich formula to boost density from root to ends, allowing hair to feel and look thicker.
This has been my go-to for scalp maintenance when I opt for protective styles. I applied it multiple times a day for weeks, targeting a bald spot I noticed at the crown of my head from ponytail tension. It only took two months for the bald spot to disappear behind tiny hairs sprouting up.
Product specificationsKEY INGREDIENTSPeptides, caffeine
Nerisha Penrose is the Beauty Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. Prior to joining the team, she was an Editorial Fellow at ELLE.com. In her current role, she helps lead coverage on makeup, skin care, hair, and fragrances. With over six years of experience in the world of beauty editorial, Nerisha enjoys delving deep into the complexities of fragrance notes, hunting for the best fixes for acne-prone skin, and advocating for daily sunscreen use. She regularly researches and tests the latest products, consults beauty professionals (including our Beauty Advisory Board) to determine the best expert-approved formulas to recommend, and conducts interviews with luminaries across the industry. Nerisha received her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from Temple University before joining the editorial teams at Nylon and Billboard. In 2020, she co-launched our popular franchise The State of Black Beauty, an ongoing exploration of—and destination for—beauty at the intersection of Black culture.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
