My Dad and I Grew Out Our Thinning Hair With Nutrafol
I get asked about Nutrafol all the time from friends who are curious about a beauty writer’s opinion. I usually default to what dermatologist Dr. Nicole Lee once told me: “Nutrafol is well known anecdotally for improving hair quality and growth, with many people noticing reduced shedding.” Though I had always been a bit frustrated by my super-fine hair, I steered clear of popular hair-growth supplements. Most of them included biotin as the main ingredient, which I had been warned could worsen acne, something my pimple-prone skin certainly did not need.
But that was before my hair started falling out last fall. I’m not sure exactly what triggered the shedding. Possibly stress or hormonal shifts or my rather abrupt transition to a new gym-rat lifestyle. But I do know that the diffuse shedding got so bad that my shower wall looked like Cousin Itt had done a face-plant into the tile by the end of wash day. And my part started to look decidedly wider. I then gave Nutrafol, which is biotin-free, a try and ordered a three-month supply. The pills instead include a cocktail of plant and marine extracts like Ashwagandha, saw palmetto, and kelp to target more of the root causes of shedding and boost overall hair health. I won’t lie: The pills taste and smell awful — a bit like dirt with a low-tide chaser. And taking four a day, which is the recommended dose, is a pain.
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Nutrafol Men
But I couldn’t deny that after two months of use there was noticeably less hair in my shower. That alone was enough to keep me choking down the pills, though I didn’t think my hair was any thicker, nor did I see any changes in my hairline. Then right at the tail end of my trial, I was shocked when my hairstylist, Julie Dickson, asked me out of the blue if I was doing anything differently. She sectioned out my hair and showed me a ring of hair a few inches long around my head. At first, I panicked that the delicate baby hairs were breakage, but she assured me it was the opposite: new growth. And Julie would know best — she specializes in fine and thinning hair and told me she saw similar results in her other clients who had stayed consistent on a Nutrafol regimen. Those little hairs were proof that my hair was growing back and growing back fast. My shedding phase had officially ended.
The year after I was going through my own hair-loss trials, my father, who was blessed with a full head of hair into his late 60s, also noticed some thinning. I inherited my fine hair from him, so the fact that it was falling out of our heads at the same time seemed fitting. I’m not sure who was more upset about this, him or my mother, who immediately tried everything she could to get it to grow back. This included trying prescription finasteride (he was too nervous about the side effects), Kirkland brand minoxidil (he was too lazy to apply it), and all different kinds of shampoo (didn’t work). Finally, she saw a Facebook ad for Nutrafol for men and, after checking with me that it wasn’t a scam, ordered him a supply. After a few months, it was easy to see the results on his shorter style — his hair was much fuller and thicker than it had been before.
“I’m very happy he’s no longer going bald,” says my mom. “Even if the pills are expensive.” Now if only Nutrafol would sell them in a family-size pack.
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