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Perhaps the only thing more anxiety-inducing than excess hair shedding is realizing that many of the purported solutions are expensive. In addition to stocking up on specialized shampoos, serums, and supplements, you might also see a doctor, get blood work, or try an in-office treatment. These can all be worthy investments, but they certainly add up.
With that in mind, we asked some of our favorite hair experts for their most affordable hair growth recommendations. It’s a tough ask: The potent botanicals in many products and supplements are pricey because they take time and effort to extract and formulate, while treatments utilize innovative and costly technology. Plus, in a cruel joke from the universe, "combination treatments yield the best results," says Robert Finney, MD, a dermatologist in New York who specializes in hair restoration, so you’ll likely have to invest in multiple products and treatments to see noticeable improvement. (He often suggests combining minoxidil with a scalp serum that contains peptides or rosemary oil along with LED light therapy treatments.)
Still, the pros came through with suggestions that are both science-backed and wallet-friendly. They offered smart, money-saving swaps (Costco, come through!), the truth about some supplements ("Typically, they’re pricey for what you get and there’s already enough biotin in your daily multivitamin," Finney says), and even promising DIY ideas ("The data for rosemary oil is relatively good," notes NYC dermatologist Michelle Henry, MD).
Here, 12 hair products that won’t break the bank, and actually work:
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Kirkland Signature Minoxidil Hair Regrowth Treatment
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Kirkland Signature Minoxidil Hair Regrowth Treatment
$49 at CostcoCredit: Kirkland Signature
"It may not be sexy, but minoxidil works. I’m a huge fan of Costco’s version, which is the most elegant formula of the ones I’ve tried," Finney says. You get a six month supply for under $50, and although it’s marketed to men, it’s okay for women, too: "Minoxidil is minoxidil—there’s no need to pay the pink tax," Finney says. Apply a thin layer all over the scalp once a day. If you have a sensitive scalp or are allergic to propylene glycol, get the serum instead of this foam, Finney notes.
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Nature’s Craft Saw Palmetto Herbal Extracts
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Nature’s Craft Saw Palmetto Herbal Extracts
Now 16% Off$13 at AmazonCredit: Nature’s Craft
If you don’t want to spring for the popular hair growth supplement Nutrafol, Finney recommends this cost-saving swap. Saw palmetto is one of the ingredients in Nutrafol and "is a weak DHT blocker [the hormone linked to hair loss], so it can potentially help prevent further loss," he says.
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Dr. Groot Scalp Revitalizing Solution
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Dr. Groot Scalp Revitalizing Solution
$30 at AmazonCredit: Dr. Groot
To create the appearance of thicker-looking hair, you can use a volumizing shampoo. "My clients are loving this one," says celebrity hairstylist Mark Townsend. "So many volumizing shampoos are very drying to the hair and scalp, but this one moisturizes as it makes hair look thicker."
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Not Your Mother’s Naturals Rice Water & Himalayan Moringa Superior Strength Conditioner
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Not Your Mother’s Naturals Rice Water & Himalayan Moringa Superior Strength Conditioner
$9 at Ulta BeautyCredit: Not Your Mother’s
Rice water rinses can be helpful, Henry says; the protein-rich ingredient increases the strength of hair, hydrates, and reduces breakage. It’s easy (and costs pennies) to make your own version of this traditional Japanese treatment: Soak half a cup of uncooked rice in two cups of water for 24 hours. Strain out the rice, then pour the water on clean, wet hair and let it soak for at least 10 minutes; then rinse. Or you can also find rice water in your haircare: "That might be the route to go—it’s convenient and likely has additional ingredients for more hair health benefits," Henry says.
5
AL’IVER Rosemary Essential Oil
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AL’IVER Rosemary Essential Oil
Now 38% Off$10 at AmazonCredit: Aliver
"There are studies showing that rosemary oil can be equivalent to 2 percent minoxidil," Henry says. She recommends using 100 percent organic rosemary oil rather than haircare formulas that contain some rosemary oil. "We don’t know the true concentration of rosemary oil in those," she explains. Add a few drops of rosemary oil to a carrier oil (like argan or castor oil), and apply the blend to your scalp daily.
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John Frieda UltraFiller+ Thickening Spray for Fine Hair
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John Frieda UltraFiller+ Thickening Spray for Fine Hair
$14 at AmazonCredit: John Frieda
For a quick way to make hair appear fuller, celeb hairstylist Laura Polko likes this new styling spray. It hydrates and plumps strands without weighing them down. "I recommend using this after the UltraFiller+ shampoo and conditioner; they’re all amazing," Polko says.
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Sky Organics Organic Castor Oil
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Sky Organics Organic Castor Oil
$14 at AmazonCredit: Sky Organics
Unlike rosemary extract, castor oil doesn’t have data supporting its hair growth benefits, Henry notes, but it does have scores of social media fans who say that its nourishing fatty acids have made a difference. Besides using it as a one-hour scalp treatment, you can brush it through lashes and brows—and it makes a great carrier for your rosemary oil.
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Biosil Collagen Generator
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Biosil Collagen Generator
$20 at AmazonCredit: Biosil
“I recommend this supplement to my patients,” says Henry. It helps spur your body to generate its own collagen, elastin, and keratin, the protein that’s the primary component of hair.
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Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer
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Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer
Now 22% Off$9 at AmazonCredit: Aphogee
Strengthening products have biotin or proteins in them that give the hair more durability so it can continue to grow, says Henry, who shares that this leave-in treatment is one of her favorites. It’s ideal for relaxed or permed hair; just spray it on clean, towel-dried hair.
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L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Repair Concentrate
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L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Repair Concentrate
Now 23% Off$10 at AmazonCredit: L’Oreal Paris
This bonding treatment, which you leave on damp hair for 10 minutes before shampooing, helps repair and strengthen brittle, weak strands so they won’t snap off as easily. It’s made for dry, damaged, or color-treated hair.
11
Better Not Younger Superpower Liquid Comb
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Better Not Younger Superpower Liquid Comb
$20 at AmazonCredit: Better Not Younger
You can skip scalp scrubs, massagers, and rollers ("The scalp doesn’t need aggressive exfoliation," Henry says). But if you have long hair and it’s hard for you to get your serums down onto your scalp, then do spring for this nifty and sensational-feeling applicator. "There’s a great peptide serum that you can add into the container [which is sold separately]; put minoxidil in there, too," Finney says.
12
HairMax Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb
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HairMax Ultima 9 Classic LaserComb
$199 at AmazonCredit: Hairmax
A hair laser is an investment up front, but it does last for years. "Light therapy has 20 years of studies showing that it can stimulate hair follicles," Finney says. "You want diodes in the 620-678 nm range, and you want to make sure that they reach the scalp. This comb helps you do that."
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Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy Fullness Restore Scalp Serum
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Dove Scalp + Hair Therapy Fullness Restore Scalp Serum
$13 at AmazonCredit: Dove
This daily serum helps to make strands healthier and stronger—and is under ten dollars. Peptides and zinc fortify roots while vitamin B3 and glycerin hydrate and balance the scalp, making it the ideal environment for growth.
