Invasive solutions, expensive wigs, and other topical hair loss remedies are becoming increasingly mainstream. However, these seemingly harmless solutions can be quite costly—and sometimes risky, with many people experiencing side effects like scalp irritation, hair growth in unwanted places, allergic reactions...and even additional hair loss. 

So, it’s understandable if you’re wary of trying these so-called solutions for yourself. Surprisingly, women are still seeing impressive results by using high-quality hair supplements that often prove to be as effective as many expensive solutions that require constant upkeep.

Yet, with many popular supplement brands adding cheap fillers and unnecessary additives to their formulas, how do you know which are healthy and effective? We'll show you what to look for when searching for an effective hair vitamin. We also reveal the most common myths and truths surrounding hair vitamins, so you're better equipped to make a successful purchase and start seeing results.

Why Vitamins Are Essential For Healthy Hair

Our hair goes through three growth phases: anagen, catagen, and telogen. The first is the active growing phase, and it tends to last between three to five years. While genetics generally determine the length of your anagen phase, key nutrients play a major role in the process. They help support your hair's strength, which contributes to less breakage and longer, healthier strands. 

Healthier You, Healthier Hair

Similar to multivitamins, many reputable hair growth supplements are formulated with the exact vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that target the gut microbiome—an internal network of 100 trillion microorganisms that communicate between our immune system, brain, skin, and hair.

That's why the health of our immune system and everything we eat has such a big impact on our external appearance. A well-formulated hair vitamin can help promote immunity and whole-body wellness for healthier hair.  

That's why your dermatologist may recommend taking a daily supplement fortified with the nutrients necessary for continued hair health.1 However, many of us choose the wrong type of product or listen to outdated advice about what can actually help us grow longer hair.

3 Myths About Growing Longer Hair

Along with the popularity and success stories associated with hair growth vitamins come the inevitable myths that influence consumers' purchasing decisions. Some may be based in fact, but most of them are simply untrue and should be ignored when seriously considering steps to support and protect the growth of your hair.

Here is a quick 1-2-3 list of some of our favorite debunked hair vitamin myths:

  • Biotin Is All Your Hair Needs 

    While biotin is a critically important ingredient in most hair health vitamins, it is not the only one. There is much more to hair health than taking a simple biotin capsule.

  • Prenatal Vitamins Are Better

    Prenatal vitamins are really not ideal for promoting existing hair growth. In fact, unless you are actually pregnant, you should not consume prenatal vitamins as they may contain high quantities of unnecessary iron.

  • Trimming Hair Encourages Growth

    Hair grows from the root, not the tip, so trimming your hair does not impact the speed or support of its growth. It may make your hair look healthy and free of split ends, but it won't actually promote normal, healthy growth.

3 Truths To Growing Longer Hair

With all of the confusion about what is true and what is just a myth, here are some key truths to consider. Check out this checklist of three existing hair growth facts:

 Natural Ingredients Are The Best Support

The best hair growth vitamins on the market are the ones comprised of natural, healthy, non-synthetic ingredients. By cutting out the fillers, you're providing your hair with the most essential elements it needs.

Clinical Studies Ensure Quality

When a supplement lists clinically studied ingredients, you can rest assured that you're buying a quality product that can deliver results.

Vitamins Encourage The Health Of Your Hair

Always try to look for proprietary blends that include the most comprehensive assortment of vitamins, nutrients, and ingredients.

Now that we've sorted some truth from the fiction, it's important to know which ingredients to look for — and which to avoid — in a quality hair blend. 

Key Ingredients In A High-Quality Hair Vitamin:

Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto is a potent berry extract that targets the natural regulation of hormones that play a role in hair loss. However, many of the generic versions of saw palmetto haven't been properly harvested and lack the vital compounds that help block DHT. That's why it’s important to look for a highly bioavailable saw palmetto, such as US Plus® Saw Palmetto, with a minimum 320 mg, which is the dose that studies found to be effective.

Biotin

This popular nutrient protects and helps rebuild hair from damage due to over-styling or environmental conditions. For best results, be sure to find a supplement with at least 2,500 mcg per serving.

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Collagen works to build keratin (the protein that makes up most of your hair) and promotes blood circulation to the scalp. This process not only helps create new hair follicles but also repairs and strengthens hair before it even leaves the follicle. Plus, collagen can act as a natural antioxidant that protects hair from graying as well as further loss associated with age.

Tocotrienols

Tocotrienols, a highly potent form of vitamin E, have been shown to promote the immune response and protect against several seasonal and environmental threats, which, in turn, promotes healthy hair growth from within and helps strengthen follicles. We suggest looking for a supplement that lists a clinically studied and patented version of tocotrienols, such as EvnolMax®, at the top of their ingredients. 

Reishi Mushroom

This unique ingredient is most commonly used to promote blood circulation, support your immune system, and fight seasonal threats. And, when utilized in a hair vitamin, it can actually encourage circulation to the scalp to stimulate the hair shaft and promote growth.

Flaxseed Oil

This source of Omega-3 fatty acids promotes a healthy scalp along with the shine and appearance of hair.

Avoid These Harmful Ingredients:

  • Magnesium Stearate

    This "flow agent" may seem harmless, but in reality, it can be very dangerous in high doses. Unfortunately, most sources for magnesium stearate are genetically modified, and treated with high amounts of pesticides, due to its origins as a cottonseed oil base.

  • Titanium Dioxide

    Widely relied upon in vitamin manufacturing as a coloring agent and binding mineral, titanium dioxide is known to cause health issues in the immune system in large amounts. Low-quality hair vitamin blends typically include this filler.

    • Try to Avoid: Amazon Reviews

      Millions of Americans look to Amazon before purchasing their products, but most don’t realize that up to 60% of their reviews are written by individuals paid to leave positive feedback. Risking your health with reviews that are likely false is too dangerous a game to play when you’re choosing an ingestible supplement. 

Our Specialized Ranking System

At Smarter Reviews, we employ a comprehensive evaluation system to analyze and measure the full value of products, by looking at the ingredients, safety, projected effectiveness, return policies, and overall customer satisfaction. This method is known as the Smarter Reviews Ranking System.

In addition to ranking products, we also collect research from the latest studies and clinical trials. Choosing the best product is easy with Smarter Reviews. We offer a clear-cut system that covers the most important criteria, and takes into account the experienced personal reviews of our valued Smarter Shoppers. We've taken the guesswork out of the process, so you can shop smart, and save on time and money.

Top 6 Hair Growth Supplements of 2021

We've compiled a list of what we've found to be the top six products in this category, on the market today.

Click to see the list of HAIR VITAMINS we evaluated >>