Update 3/9/20.Thicker, Fuller Hair is as the name suggests, a hair care regimen for thinning hair. Said to be created by an Ayurvedic chemist, Thicker Fuller Hair is said to repair hair from scalp to strand. Sounds great but does it really work? In this review, you'll see the ingredients in Thicker Fuller Hair along with what the research says about them.
Have you seen the shampoo called Thicker Fuller Hair? It's by Dr Hoting Thickening Solutions and contains caffeine which, the label eludes, will “energize” your hair. Dr Hoting Thickening Solutions appears to be a division of the which is owned by the Henkel company (Henkel.com). Can this shampoo grow hair or make your hair thicker? Let's take a look at the research and see.
Other Hair Growth Reviews
- Viviscal Review
- Nutrafol vs. Viviscal Review
- Castor Oil Review
- My Biotin Pro Clinical Review
- Halo Beauty Review
- Amplixin Review
- SeroVital Hair Regeneres Review
- Hair Essentials Review
- Laser Therapy & Hair Growth: Before & After pics
- Can Rosemary Oil Grow Hair? The Proof (video)
Thicker Fuller Hair Ingredients
Prominent ingredients mentioned on the shampoos website are:
- Quinoa (a source of protein)
- Vegan keratin (protein)
- Neem leaf
- VitaMineral boost
- Baobab (moisturizing agent)
- Biotin
- Pea sprout
- Caffeine
What is VitaMineral Boost?
As the name implies its a combination of vital minerals, specifically:
- copper
- magnesium
- zinc
together, these minerals are called Sepitonic M3. The idea is that the Sepitonic M3 mineral combination reduces free radicals and improves the mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells.
What Is Baobab?
Baoabab comes from the Baobab tree. The tree contains copious amounts of water as well as vitamins and minerals.
Caffeine And Hair Growth
This shampoo contains caffeine. The Thicker Fuller Hair website says caffeine helps build visible hair volume and can give a boost to your hair just as coffee does for you. Really? Can caffeine really wake up hair? Does caffeine make the hair on your head stand up or add fullness, thickness or body?
Let's look at the evidence.
It's well known that testosterone (DHT) can cause hair to fall out.
In one study, researchers treated hair follicles of 14 men with testosterone (which reduced hair growth) and then treated the follicles again with caffeine. The caffeine not only counteracted the effect of testosterone but also seemed to cause some hair follicle growth. Impressive but the hair growth was seen in a test tube -not on the head.
In another caffeine hair growth study, a shampoo containing caffeine was shown to penetrate hair follicles. The shampoo was left on for 2 minutes. This study did not test if the shampoo stopped hair from falling out.
Thicker Fuller Hair does not tell us how much caffeine is in the shampoo and I could not find any instructions about how long to leave the shampoo on the head.
In another investigation hair follicles from men and women were treated with testosterone or testosterone + caffeine. Researchers noted that caffeine improved the hair shaft length and prolonged the hair growth phase as well as stimulated the production of various proteins in hair.
In a more interesting study, researchers recruited women with androgenetic alopecia. For 6 months, the women used either a regular shampoo or a shampoo containing phyto caffeine (caffeine from plants). After 6 months of using the caffeine shampoo, fewer hairs could be pulled from the scalps. This appears to show caffeine strengthened the hair and made it less likely to fall out.
Studies like these appear to show that caffeine seems to have an effect on hair. That said, a more real-life test would be to see if it grows hair on the heads of people.
Did It Work For Me?
When I tried it, Cell-U-Plex was said to be the secret sauce in the shampoo that's supposed to make hair thicker and fuller. I got the impression that caffeine was added to Cell-U-Plex to make it work better.
I bought a bottle to try it out. I didn't feel any tingling in my scalp and I don't think my hair (what hair I have left) seemed any more energized or invigorated than when I used other shampoos. It's not a bad shampoo. It cleans your hair like it's supposed to. But I didn't notice any effect from the caffeine. Granted I did not use the shampoo for 6 months so I can't say if it grows hair or not.
Where Do You Buy It?
The shampoo is popular and not expensive and can be found at Walmart, CVS, Bed Bath and Beyond and Walgreens to name a few.
Thicker Fuller Hair Company
The company is High Ridge Brands (HighRidgeBrands.com). An older website name for the company was NewHallLabs.com although that site no longer seems to be in use. The company address is 333 Ludlow St Ste 2 Stamford, CT 06902-6991. High Ridge Brands is behind many popular products you may be familiar with such as:
- Alberto Vo5
- White Rain
- Reach toothbrushes
The main website for the shampoo and conditioner is ThickerFullerHair.com. While the website now talks about how the shampoo and conditioner were created by an Ayurvedic chemist and licensed trichologist (someone who studies hair), in the past the person behind the shampoo was called Dr. Hoting although his name is no longer mentioned.
The BBB gives High Ridge Brands an A+ rating. See the BBB file for more information.
Who Is Dr. Hoting?
The name Dr. Hoting used to be displayed on bottles of shampoo although this is no longer so. Dr. Edo Hoting is still mentioned on the German company, Schwarzkopf website (schwarzkopf.de). Bottles of Thicker Fuller Hair bearing his name can still be found online and maybe also at local stores.
According to the Schwarzkopf website, Dr. Edo Hoting is a dermatologist.
The company that makes Thicker Fuller Hair shampoo doesn't specifically claim its caffeine helps hair loss, the company used to discuss how caffeine invigorates and energizes the scalp.
As I said, my scalp felt no different when I use Thicker Fuller Hair. It's a fine shampoo but does it help hair loss any better than pouring Diet Coke on your head?
Does Thicker Fuller Hair Work?
Thicker Fuller Hair is a fine shampoo that will do a good job of cleaning the hair. The research on caffeine helping strengthen hair is interesting but I'd like to see more studies to know for sure. It may take a few months to see a difference if it works.
Here it is on Amazon if you want to see what others are saying
I’ve posted a review on My Biotin Pro Clinical which is being advertised on TV
http://supplementclarity.com/my-biotin-proclinical-review/
Thicker Fuller Hair products have been around for many years now. I’ve used them off and on but I don’t think I’ve used the one with caffeine in it. They seem to have a list of impressive herbal ingredients but who knows how much of each ingredient is really in the product, but it also doesn’t have too many bad ingredients either.
I’m pretty much convinced minoxidil is the only thing over the counter that might have a chance at regrowing hair. There’s propecia and spironolactone but those require prescription and those still work better when in combination of minoxidil.
All of these other topical and supplements might help slow hair loss down but they take months to see if they may or may not work and I think if hair loss has already progressed they don’t help much.
I regret not sticking to minoxidil years ago. I was hoping I’d find something more natural and without the risk of side effects but nothing has really worked
KK, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Truly appreciated.
Hi KK,
I have just started to lose my hair and like you, I’m looking for natural solutions.
When you say ” I regret not sticking to minoxidil years ago” do you mean you lost your hair and minoxidil won’t help now?
I need to make a decision and I’d like to know which way to go.
thank you!
Monika
Hi Monika, I think KK meant that she regretted not continuing to keep taking monixdil and wished she had. is that right KK?
Thanks for your reply, Joe.
Does it mean that even monoxidil doesn’t help to regrow lost hair? I thought it did. What DOES it do then?
Hi Monika, Monoxidil can slow hair loss and can also promote hair growth. About 40% of people who use monoxdil do experience hair re-growth. The effects do seem to depend on where the hair loss is located. In other words, monoxdil seems to work best on the top of the scalp rather than in the front. It may take months before people notice a difference but in studies, it does help hair loss.
Thank you! I have ordered Viviscal. Do you know if that helps?
I’m guessing because of the Amino Mar secret ingredient in it that it has boron. Many shelfish and kind have boron. Boron helps with the balance of testosteron and estrogen.
Does it sound like I’m on the right track?
Hi Monika, if its going to work, I think it will take a few months since hair takes so long to grow. If your lacking boron in the diet, its possible it might help balance hormone levels. I think most people probably already get enough boron although that would depend on what we eat. Foods that already boron in addition to what you said include apples, milk and beans.
I’d also switch to a shampoo that does not contain sodium laruel sulfate (SLS). Someone previously mentioned that and I think its a good idea. there’s some evidence SLS in toothpaste can irritate the cells in the mouth. That makes me wonder about hair follicles? There are many SLS free shampoos out there. The one called Ever Strong by L Oreal is pretty inexpensive
Let us know what happens.
Thanks again! I am applying caffeine every day, taking Viviscal and also applying a natural cosmetics with plant-based estrogen. We’ll see, it’s too early to tell.
I’ll keep you posted!
I am a 46 y/o hispanic with waist long hair. I have always used coffee shampoo . In my family we mix a bottle of shampoo, with 1 cup espresso coffee, 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon , and one tablespoon of purple onion . Mix it all together and you’ll fill up to two 1/2 bottles. My hair is extremely long, thinck , smooth, flexible and shinny. I cut my hair every six weeks cause it grows too fast.
I’m 26 years old and I started to lose my hair right after high school. Hair loss runs in my family. My hairline started to recede and was becoming thin around the temple area.
I’ve been using the Somaluxe Shampoo now for 4-5 months now and I love it. I’ve noticed a HUGE difference. My hair grows faster and its thicker….Don’t expect this to grow hair where you lost it. It’s not going to happen. But to stop and prevent hair from falling out, this is great
My hair was falling out like crazy! Biotin does help – I am taking biotin 1000 for over a year now, but i still had hair falling out. I did a full physical at my doctor and dermatologist. He recommended I change my shampoo & conditioner because i was using stuff from the store that was full of chemicals.
I now use the Somaluxe Paradise Shampoo which is all natural and I have noticed my hair stopped falling out. Chemicals are so dangerous, and I wish I knew this before! Use the Somaluxe Shampoo – Take Biotin, and that should work. I’m hoping it will grow the rest of my hair back that I lost to harmful shampoos!
1000 milligrams or microgram of biotin.
Nancy, my guess is it is 1000 mg of biotin.
I had a really tough February 2015. My hair started falling out like crazy in the shower. I tried giving myself a few weeks to see if it stop on its own, but it really hadn’t. So I figured I would take things into my own hands. I’m using the Shielo Volume Shampoo with the Shielo conditioner, and after about 5 washes in 2 weeks, I can see a significant different. I’m going to credit the shampoo.
My hair is waist long though, so it probably looks worse than it is, but there is still a good change.
Have you reviewed Hair Skin and Nails? Does that work? My hair won’t grow passed a certain length (quite frustrating)….would love to know if it really works.
Hi Sara, who makes it?
HSN is made by It Works, awsome product. I take daily, in 1 month it grew approximately an inch. Having natural curly frizzy hair it has relaxed much of the frizzy. Would recommend to anyone.
Yes, caffeine is known as a TOPICAL 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. 5-alpha reductase is the enzyme that is responsible for the reduction (hence its name) of testosterone to the “ultra-potent” androgen known as 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone, better known as DHT.
DHT is the cause of 90% of ALL hair loss in both men and women. No vitamin, no mineral, no extracts, no NOTHING found in products claiming to thicken your hair, reduce hair loss, or regrow hair will do ANYTHING unless it directly reduces 5-alpha reductase, and hence reduce DHT.
Caffeine does just that. It is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor and only needs 2 minutes to be absorbed into your scalp. Go buy caffeine powder online for $20. It will get you a massive amount of pure powdered caffeine anhydrous. Mix a teaspoon or two in boiling water, let it cool, and add your favorite shampoo to it.
It may have the consistency of cottage cheese, but that’s OK. The caffeine is being re-hydrated and expands to a gloppy mess. Use only enough of the shampoo to cover your head, and let the lather remain on your head for up to five minutes for the best results. Do NOT use it all at once, but just enough to let the lather cover your head . Use it EVERY DAY for at least THREE MONTHS. This is not something you only use once or twice a week, but something you must use EVERY DAY if you want to see any results.
The problem with most over-the-counter, commercially-available shampoos that say they contain caffeine, may indeed contain caffeine, but be in such minute quantities as to be ineffective.
Here is a link to medical research articles showing the benefits of caffeine for both men and women with regards to aiding in the fight against hair-loss.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24836650
Tom, thanks for that study. I updated my review to include it. Much appreciated! Did it work for you?
My pleasure! I have been battling hair loss, primarily in the crown, for about five years now. You would be amazed at the level of ignorance that people have regarding what causes hair loss and, more importantly, how to treat hair loss effectively.
The BEST way to combat hair loss, in terms of stopping its progression and the POSSIBILITY (just a possibility) of regrowing hair, is as follows:
1.) Shampoo
Ask your doctor for a prescription for 2% Ketoconazole shampoo. This is the same shampoo as the over-the-counter Nizarol shampoo, but contains prescription-strength ketoconazole. Ketoconazole is an anti-fungal medication proven to reduce (minimally) circulating androgens. If you want to add a little punch to the shampoo, add the caffeine to the shampoo the same way I outlined previously. If your doctor does not write you a prescription, you can still use the over-the-counter Nizarol shampoo. It won’t work as well, but it’s something.
2.) Medications
There are only three, and ONLY three, medications proven to reduce 5-alpha reductase to a significant level so as to reduce DHT significantly.
Finasteride (generic) reduces 5-alpha reductase type II (there are two forms) by roughly 70%. The generic form will cost you about $10. The Finasteride comes in 5mg doses. CUT THE PILL IN HALF so the dose is reduced to 2.5mg and take ONE every day. The half-life of Finasteride is eight hours, so after twenty-four hours, there is still a little left in your system. Finasteride may (MAY) have some side effects that include a reduction in libido, possible breast tenderness, and lethargy. These side effects are transitory, which means they go away after two weeks of daily use.
Dutasteride (Avodart) is like Finasteride on steroids. Not only does it reduce 5-alpha reductase, type II, by 90%, but it also reduces type I by roughly 30%. It’s been shown to regrow more hair than Finasteride, but there is no generic equivalent. The price for Dutasteride (0.5mg) is roughly $300 per month and most insurance plans do not cover it. Dutasteride has a half-life of roughly five weeks (yes, FIVE WEEKS). This means that, in five weeks, half the dose is cleared from your system. However, the drug must reach steady state in your blood, which takes 3 months to accomplish. You may get away with taking one pill every other day, or every third day, which would extend the prescription from 1 to 3 months. White grapefruit juice reduces the amount of drug that is broken down by your liver and will extend its half life as well, however, if you are taking ANY other medications, ask your doctor AND your pharmacist before drinking any white grapefruit juice.
Minoxidil Foam (5%)
Yes, this is Rogaine. You must use it twice a day, every single day. It’s more of a band-aid, and does nothing much on its own. It shows the best results when combined with either Finasteride or Dutasteride.
As-Of-Yet-Unproven-Supplements
There are some plant extracts, herbs, and tinctures that have shown, at least in some (not many) scientific studies, to reduce 5-alpha-reductase and DHT. Some of these include:
Chinese Skullcap (it MUST say Baical skullcap) The American version does nothing and may cause liver damage.
Parsley Concentrate (Apiginin).
Soy Isoflavones (purchased in any health food store).
A great bet is to go to http://www.pubmed.com and type in “herbs” or “Traditional Chinese Medicine” or “Hair Growth” or “Androgenic Alopecia” or any combination of those words in the search engine.
Best Approach:
1.) Nizoral Shampoo, either prescription or normal strength (let lather remain on head for 5 minutes).
2.) Follow with 5% Rogaine Foam (twice per day)
3.) Follow with 2.5mg of Finasteride or 0.5mg of Dutasteride.
4.) Any herb that you have researched on pubmed that is safe.
Hope this helps!
Tom, it really does thanks so much! I had never heard of that shampoo before either. Here is Nizoral shampoo on Amazon if anyone wants to check it out.
Nizoral AD (anti-dandruff) Shampoo contains the ingredient Ketoconazole, which is an anti-fungal medication usually taken internally.
It has been available in stores for the past 20 years and costs about $15 for a very large bottle. The version available in stores has a 1% concentration of Ketoconazole.
Nizoral AD also comes in a prescription strength, 2% Ketoconazole concentration.
http://www.pubmed.com is your BEST source to verify any medical claims. It’s a search engine, much like Google is. Simply enter Ketoconazole, or Nizoral and hair growth, and you will find many medical, professional articles regarding it – not just people’s unscientific or unprofessional opinions – REAL SCIENCE.
Tom, thanks for the % in the shampoo. yes I’m very familiar with pubmed. I link to quite a few of studies there.
As for helping with my hair loss, the answer is YES!
Androgenetic Alopecia is a condition that progresses. It rarely stops on its own. My hair loss has been arrested, and my existing hair greatly thickened. However, I am on Finasteride, Chinese Skullcap, Soy Isoflavones, Parsley Concentrate, AND a super-concentrated caffeine shampoo that I make myself, so I can’t really say how much is due to the caffeine. However, all the things I use work in slightly different ways.
The caffeine is a 5-aplha reductase inhibitors, as is the Finasteride. The Chinese Skullcap reduces apoptosis, or programmed cell death of the dermal papilla hair cells, as does the Parsley Concentrate. I think each thing I use compliments the others and results in a system that works best together than any single ingredient on its own.
Tom, that’s great news and I’m sure everyone reading this is glad you shared what is working for you.
Fascinating. Care to share your shampoo recipe?
Caffeine is a white, colorless chemical which is dirt cheap because there is so much of it left over from coffee decafination. I would use that, probably with plain water as a solvent. Scalp penetration might be enhanced with the addition of some drinkable ethyl alcohol like Crystal Clear, or moonshine or vodka
I have thin hair and have tried every product, and for the price nuhairrx is the clear winner. Makes my hair fuller and does not weigh it down.
Dolly, is nuhairrx a shampoo or a serum you put in your hair? I tried to find out more info about it but could not see much. I was curious what its ingredients were. I could not find them.
My hair started falling out, and NOT growing back in my 40s. Then I went to a naturo-path health care provider that recommended I start taking a protein shake in the morning. I do not work for this company, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE their product. It is a non-soy veggie protein powder called-
NATUR-ADE vegetable protein powder. Here in Denver I buy it at Vitamin Cottage but it is available everywhere.
I make a chocolate protein drink with skim milk. After about three weeks of this, my hair started changing for the better.
I am now 60, and have hair between my shoulder blades, and it is thick, not thin. I have been post-meno for about 15 years. Still my hair looks GOOD!!!! No one believes I’m 60 with this hair!!!
Hair also grows more in the Summer time, At this writing it is August 2014. In all fairness, I am also 1/8th Cherokee. I think genetics also plays a role. but I’ve seen people of all ages helped by the protein drink mentioned above. Try it. It won’t hurt anything if your hair doesn’t grow back and could help!!! Also under active thyroid contributes negatively to thinning hair and hair loss in general.
Get your thyroid checked!
Rebekah, thanks for the heads up and im glad it helped you. Here is Naturade vegetable protein powder on Amazon if anyone wants to take a look at it. I agree about getting the thyroid checked too.
But caffeine only works as a stimulant by absorbing into the liver and making it dump stored sugars into the bloodstream. I don’t see how it can stimulate your hair?
Mick, good question. I’m generally skeptical myself but will keep an open mind to any human research that can be located.
Some things that can be absorbed through digestion also can benefit you through topical application. This may be one of them.
Nox, its possible. Let’s test caffeine and see if it helps hair.
hi!
I know that Sodium Laureth Sulfate, is the hair loss ingredient that is causing the problem & maybe caffeine?
🙂 Jj
Joan, yes sodium laureth sulfate is in a lot of shampoos as well as other things.
I was taking Fioricet for headaches and at the same time my hair grew like CRAZY. Almost two inches a month! Turns out each Fioricet tablet has 40 mgs of caffeine in it. And I was taking ten a day. So yes caffeine DOES make your hair grow for sure!!
Hi Melanie, thanks for sharing. I’m glad it worked for you.
My husband’s hair has been getting thinner since his 20’s (about 20 years now) and we have tried a lot of products. He LOVES this shampoo and the serum. We have to have ‘back up’ supply in the closet. While everything doesn’t work for everybody, and the caffeine in personal care products is not exactly the same as that in your coffee, it IS beneficial in many topical applications – including (apparently) this shampoo line as well as some face creams (my own personal experience and tested by Dr. Oz.).
jazzbirdie, happy its helping your husband 🙂