The 11 Best Hair Growth Serums for Long, Strong Hair

Hair rarely stays the same, shifting in its thickness and texture with time, amid stress, and through health changes like pregnancy and menopause. The best hair growth serum can help; it won’t necessarily restore your hair to normalcy, but rather establish a foundation that spurs hair growth, thus helping offset the effects of thinning and shedding.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Nutrafol Hair Serum, $69
• Best with Minoxidil: Hers Women’s Minoxidil 2% Topical Solution, $45
• Best with Peptides: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density, $23
• Best Silicone-Free: Vegamour Gro Revitalizing Hair Serum, $54
• Best for Damaged Hair: Kérastase Genesis Fortifiant Hair Serum, $60
• Best for Dry Hair: Divi Scalp Serum, $48
• Best for Grays: Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum, $64

But finding the right formula isn't a matter of simply choosing a product off the shelf and hoping that it works. First, it helps to understand what’s causing your hair changes. “I encourage everyone with a concern for hair thinning or shedding to consult with a health-care provider first,” says Paradi Mirmirani, MD, a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair disorders with Kaiser Permanente in Vallejo, CA.

That’s because factors like genetics, your nutrition, stress and anxiety, and changes in your hormones, metabolism, or medications can all contribute to thinning hair. And the cause of your hair loss can help you determine the right ingredients for you—and, with that, the best hair growth serum. Therefore, “the best guidance is to ask questions and rely on trusted sources for scientific evidence and advice that is tailored to your individual need,” she instructs. With that in mind, consider these the serums worth trying to achieve your unique hair goals.

In this article

• What is a hair growth serum
• What to look for in a hair growth serum
• What’s the difference between a serum and a supplement
• Expert tips to apply hair growth serums
• Do hair growth serums really work?
• Meet the experts

Best Overall: Nutrafol Hair Serum

• Why We Love It: Much like its bestselling supplement—which many Vogue editors consider the gold standard among hair care products—Nutrafol's topical serum takes a novel approach to thinning with ashwagandha, an adaptogen long used in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce inflammation and quell anxiety. This non-greasy serum also uses exosomes (small vesicles packed with protein, lipids, and plant RNA) to encourage cellular renewal at the scalp and defend against stress.
• Key Ingredients: Ashwagandha exosomes, Irish moss peptides, pea sprout extract
• Best for: All hair types
• Size: 50 ml

Best with Minoxidil: Hers Women’s Minoxidil 2% Topical Solution

• Why We Love It: Minoxidil is the sole active ingredient approved by the FDA to support hair growth in women, but it often comes in a less-than-elegant format, like a foam. That’s not the case with this topical solution by Hers, which absorbs quickly into the scalp and extends the hair's natural growth cycle. Worth noting: It can’t be used while you’re breastfeeding or pregnant, so it might not be an option for postpartum hair loss.
• Key Ingredients: Minoxidil
• Best for: Female pattern baldness
• Size: 60 ml

Best with Peptides: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

• Why We Love It: Peptides are often used in skin care to encourage collagen and elastin production, but applied to your scalp, they can also support hair health and lend a thicker, fuller appearance. This formula harnesses an array of proprietary peptides to do just that, as well as caffeine to stimulate circulation on the scalp, thus delivering more nutrients to the roots.
• Key Ingredients: Caffeine, peptides, green tea extract
• Best for: All hair types
• Size: 60 ml

Best Silicone-Free: Vegamour Gro Revitalizing Hair Serum

• Why We Love It: Free of silicones yet brimming with plant extracts, this water-based formula uses phytoactives like turmeric to increase the look of hair density and caffeine to stimulate the scalp. Although it contains biotin (often derived from animal sources), the formula is still vegan and cruelty-free—and helps deliver the thicker-looking hair in a matter of months.
• Key Ingredients: Turmeric, biotin, caffeine
• Best for: Thinning hair
• Size: 30 ml

Best for Damaged Hair: Kérastase Genesis Fortifiant Hair Serum

• Why We Love It: Regular washing, brushing, and styling can take a toll on hair, which is where this Kérastase formula intends to help. The silicone-free serum pairs science-backed peptides like arginine with botanicals like ginger root extract and caffeine to help reduce mechanical damage to hair. Also worthy of noting is the fragrance, which has a woody yet refreshing feel thanks to notes of lavender, bergamot, and vetiver.
• Key Ingredients: Ginger root extract, arginine, caffeine
• Best for: Thinning or breakage-prone hair
• Size: 90 ml

Best for Dry Hair: Divi Scalp Serum

• Why We Love It: With an ingredient list that could rival a face serum, this formula brings together a lineup of ingredients meant to nourish the scalp—and in doing so, encourage hair growth and density. A blend of copper peptides, caffeine, and rosemary oil encourages healthy growth, while hyaluronic acid, amino acids, and vitamin E supply moisture.
• Key Ingredients: Copper tripeptide-1, hyaluronic acid, caffeine
• Best for: Thinning hair, dry scalps, or those with tight hairstyles
• Size: 30 ml

Best for Grays: Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum

• Why We Love It: No matter how well you may care for your hair, time takes a toll in the form of thinning and graying. This scalp serum intends to address both, with a proprietary complex that minimizes the appearance of grays alongside peptides, phytonutrients, and other cutting-edge actives that simultaneously boost hair density. Together, they deliver the hair of your youth in a matter of months.
• Key Ingredients: Amino acids, amaranth peptides, pea sprout extract
• Best for: Age-related hair loss and graying
• Size: 50 ml

Best for Age-Related Thinning: Act+Acre Cold Processed Stem Cell Scalp Serum

• Why We Love It: Born of a desire to support scalp health, Act+Acre is the brainchild of trichologist Helen Reavey, whose celebrity clients include Tilda Swinton and Alicia Keys. The brand’s stem cell-powered scalp serum connects the dots even more clearly between scalp health and thick hair. It uses apple stem cells extracted through a cold-pressing process—the better to retain its nutrients—as well as aloe vera and bamboo extract to bolster the scalp's skin barrier and microbiome, thus restoring (and maintaining) the hair growth cycle.
• Key Ingredients: Apple stem cells, aloe vera, bamboo extract
• Best for: Mildly thinning hair
• Size: 65 ml

Best for Temporary Hair Thinning: René Furterer Triphasic Reactional Concentrated Serum

• Why We Love It: Some forms of hair loss, such as those related to acute stress or postpartum hormones, are temporary—but still worthy of treatment. This serum uses plant-based extracts, such as a lotus complex and Brazilian ginseng extract, to restore hair to its anagen, or growth, phase. It has an extra advantage in terms of convenience, too: Each of the 12 ampoules in this set is intended to be applied just once a week for three months.
• Key Ingredients: Lotus minerals, pfaffia extract, lemon essential oil
• Best for: Sudden or temporary hair thinning
• Size: 12 0.16 oz. vials

Best Wash-Out Treatment: The Nue Co. Supa_Thick Treatment

• Why We Love It: This is one of the few serums that works as a pre-shampoo treatment, as it needs to be washed out after 20 minutes. The benefit, however, is that it only needs to be used two or three times a week to offer the results, such as a soothed, less flaky scalp and healthy hair growth. It deploys botanical oils like rosemary leaf and peppermint to encourage blood flow (and thus nutrients) to the hair follicles, while a blend of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics bolster the scalp’s microbiome.
• Key Ingredients: Larix wood extract, camellia extract, rosemary leaf oil
• Best for: Imbalanced scalp
• Size: 100 ml

Best Hair Oil: Ranavat Might Majesty Fortifying Hair Serum

• Why We Love It: For those seeking shine alongside strength, this pre-shampoo treatment draws from the Ayurvedic tradition of hair oiling, delivering moisture and a glossy finish with a blend of sunflower seed and jasmine oils. (The latter lends a light floral fragrance, too.) Suspended in this oil is amla extract, a potent antioxidant that has long been used in India to soften and protect hair—giving this serum the ability to both minimize shedding and encourage growth.
• Key Ingredients: Amla extract, sunflower oil, jasmine oil
• Best for: Dry hair
• Size: 1.7 fl. oz.

Like that for your scalp, a hair growth serum is a formula that, generally speaking, offers a high concentration of ingredients, such as vitamins, botanical extracts, and essential oils, with the purpose of improving the appearance, strength, and thickness of hair, according to Dr. Christine Shaver, MD, a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair restoration at Bernstein Medical Center in New York, NY. You can also find hair growth serums that contain active ingredients that have been FDA-approved to promote hair growth, like minoxidil.

Depending on their formulation and how often you use them, “hair growth serums can provide a variety of benefits, from improving the healthy appearance of hair to enhancing hair growth,” says Dr. Shaver, who notes that it’s critical to choose a formula that targets your unique hair goals.

First, consider your hair needs. For instance, if your hair tends to be dry, then “look for serums that contain oils to help hydrate the dry hair shaft,” says Dr. Shaver. Meanwhile, if you simply want better, faster hair growth, then she recommends looking for products with ingredients that have been clinically proven to do just that—and have scientific data that support their use.

One such ingredient that both she and Dr. Mirmirani recommend is minoxidil, “which is a drug with a long and proven track record for hair growth,” says Dr. Mirmirani. “These minoxidil serums will have a benefit, but are often more costly than over-the-counter minoxidil solution or foam.” (That investment may be worthwhile if a serum makes you more likely to apply it consistently, which typically yields better results.)

Also, consider avoiding formulations that contain additives that might irritating to the scalp and inadvertently cause dryness or itchiness, such as harsh chemicals, dyes, and fragrances. Instead, seek out those that have been dermatologist-tested, says Dr. Shaver.

For one, supplements, which are often taken orally, can “address specific nutritional deficiencies that may be lacking in a person’s diet,” says Dr. Mirmirani. So, they can be helpful to address systemic causes of hair thinning, such as a deficiency in certain nutrients. (For instance, research has found that deficiencies in iron, vitamin D, and folate may correlate to hair thinning or slow hair growth.)

But these do take longer to work, as supplements “must first be metabolized by the body and dispersed by the bloodstream to be beneficial,” says Dr. Shaver. And oral supplements may have more systemic side effects and interactions with other medications, so it’s especially important to check with your doctor before taking a supplement.

Meanwhile, “the goal of a serum is to target the hair follicle directly by delivering compounds that may allow for improved or optimal hair growth,” says Dr. Mirmirani. These ingredients are those that aren’t typically found in the diet, such as minoxidil and plant-based compounds.

Topical serums tend to be better for “addressing superficial concerns, such as scaling of the scalp and dryness of the hair shaft, since the product can be applied directly to the location that needs the serum,” says Dr. Shaver, who notes that they can also offer benefits more quickly, such as hydrating and comforting the scalp.

The most important step is to test your serum before using it for the first time. “Apply the serum to a small spot on the scalp for a few days to ensure that there is no irritation before applying it more broadly,” says Dr. Mirmirani. “A measured approach is best.” To that end, get comfortable with the fact that you’ll need to be both consistent and patient in your usage, as the results can take time.

As for the application itself, apply a hair growth serum to a clean scalp (though this might vary with the exact product). Ideally, it helps to do it while hair is lightly damp, since this “can help to disperse the product across the scalp and make the scalp more porous and enhance absorption,” says Dr. Shaver. (However, she notes, a very wet scalp would dilute your serum and potentially make it less effective.)

For those with thick hair, then “partition the hair so that the scalp can be exposed and the serum can reach the skin if the purpose is for hair growth, since the product needs to be directly on the scalp so it can be absorbed and reach the base of the hair follicles,” says Dr. Shaver. While many products do provide applicator nozzles that reach through the hair, some droppers aren’t as precise.

Finally, if you’re applying hair growth serum in the evening, consider your skin type—since certain ingredients, such as oils, can potentially rub off onto your pillow and be transferred to skin. “For sensitive or acne-prone skin, either frequent pillowcase changes or wearing a hair bonnet after serum application may be helpful,” she says.

They can work, with some caveats. It’s key to choose your product carefully. “I’m generally skeptical of products that promise a lot of benefits and don’t provide good scientific evidence to support their claims,” says Dr. Mirmirani. “Some hair growths serums are promising, but the vast majority don’t provide strong evidence for me to recommend to my patients.”

She also stresses the importance of other, healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a well-rounded diet, getting eight hours of sleep, making time for regular exercise, and addressing sources of stress. “These changes to your routine may be just as effective as some serums and supplements,” she says. “While these behaviors can be difficult to implement or difficult to stick with, they are free—and will have benefits far beyond hair growth.”

• Christine Shaver, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair restoration at Bernstein Medical Center in New York, NY.
• Paradi Mirmirani, MD a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair disorders with Kaiser Permanente in Vallejo, CA

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