Beginners Guide: Topical Products for Hair Growth Treatment

From ½ to 1/3 of people will suffer from hair fall at least once during their lifetimes. People are unsure of where to start when they are experiencing this, and are unaware of all available potential treatment options. This article is to serve as a guide about topicals for those experiencing hair loss, whether temporary or chronic. We will also look at the current trendy hair loss treatment options, what is proven to work, and what may be better off left in your kitchen cabinets.

 Topicals are liquid solutions we can apply on our scalp. An addition to our beauty routine that can aid us in growing our hair.

The internet is flooded with hair growth aids, and it's tempting to trust shampoos advertised with promises of luscious hair and buzzwords like biotin. However, true hair growth happens deeper than the surface. While maintaining a balanced scalp environment is essential—managing oils, flakes, and DHT in sebum—shampoos are only one part of our hair growth routine.

Shampoos for hair loss play an important role in our hair growth, but they are only part of the equation. Well-crafted shampoos avoid ingredients that irritate the follicles. For instance, Sodium Laural Sulfate can cause persistent follicular inflammation, disrupting nutrient delivery to the hair and triggering stress responses that hinder growth or trigger telogen (hair shedding).

Cheap, grocery store shampoos often contain harsh detergents or waxes that coat over the hair and scalp rather than nourishing it. This can leave our hair feeling heavy and dull to the touch or we may experience unhappy scalps that flake chronically. As a scalp expert, I recommend consulting with your Trichologist or Hair Stylist to find a shampoo that suit your specific hair goals. While it’s easy to pick up a product at the store, you’ll get the best results with personalized recommendations.

For those beginning a Hair Preservation Routine, I recommend finishing your current shampoo (unless it's harmful) and then transitioning to personalized products. Two fantastic choices are from XTC, which offers excellent options for scalp health, and Natulique, known for its natural, nourishing ingredients. Both provide effective cleansing that leaves the scalp healthy and primed for growth.

Topicals are a great addition to the routine and have shown success at treating hair loss. Combining our efforts works better to ensure success. Topicals target the scalp and hair follicles and deliver active ingredients there to grow our hair. They treat the causes of hair loss such as poor blood flow, DHT buildup, and follicle damage. Other available topicals such as growth factors deliver healing proteins to the follicle and tell the cells to grow, treating the hair in a sterile saline solution that is light and leaves your hair and scalp feeling gorgeous.

We are going to talk about both well know products and lesser-known solutions.

Many have heard of Rogaine. Easily accessible over the counter and available at 5% and 2% it is simple to get ahold of for your treatment. This would apply to more people than you would think, as androgenetic (inherited from family) alopecia is the most common form of loss. A Trichologist can inform you if this is your hair growth challenge. Aside from that, Rogaine isn’t our only option.

Sometimes we can find that the Rogaine is causing our hair to have a dry texture and it may begin to irritate the scalp. This is normal (the alcohol is a carrier to drive our topical to the growth center) but undesirable and also, again, can cause inflammation of the follicle that is counter to our goal of optimal hair growth.

People with longer hair, colored hair, or people bothered by over-the-counter Rogaine may opt to switch to XTC’s Boost Plus when planning their loss treatment with me, your Trichologist, Kelsey.  There are many benefits to this, as the Minoxidil contained within the serum is 5% but the solution also has DHT inhibiting herbs and aloe to reduce irritation and provide better results long-term.

When it comes to other topicals, many people have heard that rosemary oil can growth their hair.  Studies have shown it is comparative to 2% minoxidil. My opinion as a Trichologist is that 5% Minoxidil is that gold standard way to go for everyone (and many doctors agree). Hair growth is a slow and steady process that takes time anyway, but to me it doesn’t make sense to pay a pink tax or choose the slower option when we are talking about permanent follicle miniaturization. But this would be better than nothing. I would urge someone to find this from a reputable source or look for other alternatives to oils. Using oils on certain types of alopecia can trigger scalp imbalances and make loss issues worse, even oils most people think are okay to use on our hair!

If someone is interested in a natural herbal formula, XTC™ Xtreme Growth Therapy (XGT) is a natural alternative to Minoxidil for hair growth, packed with 11 powerful DHT blockers like Saw Palmetto, Stinging Nettle Extract, Green Tea Extract, and Pumpkin Seed Extract to target hair loss at the root. With high concentrations of Biotin, Cystine, and Vitamin B3, XGT supports cell growth, strengthens hair, and increases blood flow to hair follicles, promoting thicker, healthier hair.

When attempting to treat hair loss we may come across PRP treatments as an option. If you get queasy, skip ahead. Doing PRP gives best results when the person doing doesn’t have an aversion to needles and is in optimum health. Healing factors are taken out of our blood and injected to the hair follicles to delivery beneficial healing proteins. Multiple sessions are required, and maintenance after the first few treatments is every 3 to 6 months. Results may vary with this treatment. Other people rave about it.

We can compare this to the best modern science has to offer, the Growth Factors. Grown in a lab like insulin is, the healing properties are 60x stronger than the same factors in our body. This ensures every cell being informed by the growth factors will do their job properly. In clinic, 100% of men and women regrew hair within 4-10 weeks. The effectiveness is unmatched and it is a great topical. It is very clean feeling, made with sterile saline, and is easy to use every day. Growth factors are very nourishing for our scalp and hair.

Getting serious about hair growth means finding what really works for you, and topicals are a powerful part of the equation. While over-the-counter options like Rogaine are easy to grab, if you’re serious about seeing change, it’s often worth stepping it up with personalized treatments like XTC’s Boost Plus, XGT, or Growth Factors. Working with a trichologist means you’ll get more targeted solutions and avoid some of the common pitfalls of trial-and-error products.

Hair growth is a journey—it takes consistency, patience, and a plan that’s just right for you. With the right topicals and support, you can create a routine that keeps your scalp healthy, helps your hair thrive, and gives you the best chance of reaching your hair goals. Consult with me to decide which topical hair growth treatment is best for your situation.

Ready to take control of your hair health? Whether you're dealing with hair thinning, scalp concerns, or looking for advanced regrowth treatments, I’m here to help. As a trichologist in Pittsfield, MA, I offer personalized solutions tailored to your unique needs, including scalp care, laser therapy, and growth factor treatments. Book your consultation today and start your journey toward healthier, stronger hair. Let’s work together to create a plan that works for you.

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