Update 4/7/24. Does Viviscal help thinning hair grow thicker and stronger or is it a scam? Viviscal is one of the best-known hair growth supplements. And for good reason. There are several clinical studies on this dietary supplement. In this review, you will learn about the research on ViviScal to help you decide if it really works or not. In addition, I'll address the side effects some people are reporting. Does it really work? Let's see.
Viviscal Ingredients
According to the Supplement Facts label, 1 tablet of Viviscal Extra Strength has the following ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount per serving | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Total Carbohydrates | <1 g | <1% DV |
| Vitamin C | 59 mg | 98% DV |
| Niacinamide (Niacin) | 12 mg | 60% DV |
| Biotin | 120 micrograms | 40% DV |
| Iron | 10 mg | 56% DV |
| Zinc | 11 mg | 73% DV |
| AminoMar Marine Complex | 450 mg | N/A |
| Horsetail Extract | 36.7 mg | N/A |
| Millet Seed Extract | 7.5 mg | N/A |
No prescription is needed to buy Viviscal.
AminoMar Marine Complex
The AminoMar complex is said to be the main key ingredient. The AminoMar Marine Complex is composed of:
- Shark Powder (shark cartilage)
- Mollusk Powder (from Oysters)
What parts of sharks and mollusks are used in Viviscal, I can't say. But, these ingredients do come from “sustainable marine sources.”
I called the company that makes the supplement and was informed shark cartilage is part of the AminoMar complex. The name “AminoMar” complex is the name the company gives to the shark and mollusk powder combination.
Horsetail Extract
The scientific name for this is Equisetum arvense. While they don't tell us what extract of horsetail Viviscal contains, we are told it comes from the stem. What I can say is that when I searched the National Library of Medicine for “Horsetail and hair growth” and “Equisetum arvense and hair” no studies showed up.
Horsetail does appear to have some anti-inflammatory properties and I wonder if this might help “support” hair growth. I am speculating about this.
Millet Seed Extract
The scientific name for this is Sorghum bicolor. It's also called “broom corn,” a reference I believe comes from when this stuff was used to make brooms. The role it plays in human hair growth, I can't say.
Vitamin C
I located one study on vitamin C and hair growth. Technically this study was on a vitamin C-like compound called L ascorbic acid 2 phosphate. Basically, the compound caused the elongation of hair shafts in mice and also in isolated hair follicles in a test tube.
This is intriguing but as far as can be determined by this reporter, no study has shown that L ascorbic acid 2 phosphate caused hair growth in a human. What about vitamin C itself? Does vitamin C grow hair? Well, it does help us make collagen. Collagen is a protein in our hair. But, I could not find any direct proof for vitamin C supplements promoting hair growth.
Viviscal Before & After Proof
See the research and before and after pictures
Watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer
Niacinamide
This is the type of niacin found in the product. My guess is niacinamide is used because it does not cause facial flushing and redness.
Some may have heard of an anti-aging supplement called nicotinamide riboside (NR). While NR is not in Viviscal, it does contain one of its building blocks – niacinamide.
See the nicotinamide riboside review for more on that supplement.
Biotin
Biotin, a B vitamin (sometimes called vitamin H) is found in many shampoos and other hair products. While a lack of biotin may lead to hair loss in some people, I'm not convinced that most of us are lacking in it because many foods provide it. Bacteria inside of us can make it too. Either way, while a lack of biotin might lead to hair loss, I'm not aware of any evidence that biotin supplements grow hair.
Iron and Zinc
Viviscal provides a good amount of both of these minerals and both of these minerals have been linked to hair loss. For more on this see this review of iron and hair loss and zinc and hair loss.
There is a Viviscal for Men but it does not have iron. I think this is wise because too much iron may not be healthy for men.
Other Ingredients
Viviscal also contains these “other ingredients” according to the product website:
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Maltodextrin
- Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose
- Silicon dioxide
- Magnesium stearate
- Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose
- Glycerol
- Artificial orange flavoring
- Modified starch
Ingredients are listed in order as they occur as they appear on the label. These ingredients don't play any role in the hair growth benefits of Viviscal.
ViviScal Research
Let’s review the Viviscal research next.
Pilot Study #1 (not published)
Study title. “A 10-week pilot consumer perception test to evaluate the overall acceptability of a viviscal oral supplement when used by females with self-perceived thinning hair.”
This study involved 40 women and lasted 40 weeks. Results indicate that Viviscal reduces hair loss by 46%.
Problems with this study. This investigation does not seem to be a published peer-reviewed study Also, it's said they started with 40 women, but only 16 completed the study. Why did so many drop out? This high dropout rate reduces the significance of the study.
Clinical Study #2
Researchers in Finland published what appears to be the very first published Viviscal clinical study. The investigation lasted 6 months and involved 40 young men. Half the people got ViviScal and half received a placebo (fish extract).
After 6 months, those taking Viviscal had a 38% increase in non-vellus hair (in other words hair that’s not “peach fuzz”). Those getting the placebo saw a 2% increase in non-vellus hair. That's pretty good.
Clinical Study #3
Study title. Treatment of Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis with Oral Viviscal® for 12 months.
This study appears to have been conducted in 1994.
Study problem. This does not seem to be a published, peer-reviewed study.
Clinical Study #4
Revista Brasileira de Medicina. 1997. Vol 53; No. 3; p 1-5. Pareira, Jose Marcos.
This study does not appear to be in English and can’t be located.
From what I could gather, researchers looked at 200 men with male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). After 6 months of ViviScal treatment, 75.3% had decreased hair loss. 14.6% of men showed partial hair re-growth.
2012 Study
Researchers in the US conducted a small study of 10 women aged 21-75 years of age who had thinning hair. The women took either Viviscal (10 women in this group) or a placebo (5 women in this group) twice a day for 6 months.
After 6 months, those taking Viviscal showed significantly more hair growth compared to the placebo group, which showed more hair loss. Those taking Viviscal also reported more hair shine and skin improvements.
2015 Study
This investigation lasted 3 months and involved 60 women (21-65 years of age) who were either given Viviscal Extra Strength (2x per day) or a placebo. After 3 months of use, women who took Viviscal:
- Had more hair in the areas of their scalps measured
- Had less hair shedding
Women also reported they felt better also. It's possible they felt better because their new hair growth helped their confidence and outlook on life.
2016 Study
This investigation involved men with thinning hair. For 6 months, 60 men with thinning hair were given either a placebo or ViviScal. After 6 months, men taking the supplement were shown to have significant improvements in
- total hairs counted
- density of hairs
- more terminal hairs (terminal hairs are the thick hair on the head)
When researchers performed the “hair pull test' fewer hairs were removed. This appears to show ViviScal strengthened hair too.
See the video review of ViviScal for before and after pictures.
Summary of Research
Here is a quick summary of the research. Refer to the studies above to see their specifics.
| Study | Study Results |
|---|---|
| Pilot Study (unpublished) | Viviscal works |
| 1992 study | Viviscal works |
| 1997 study | Viviscal works |
| 2012 study | Viviscal works |
| 2015 study | Viviscal works |
| 2016 study | Viviscal works |
Viviscal vs. Viviscal Extra Strength
There are different types of Viviscal. When I called Viviscal, I was told that this mostly has to do with the number of Amino Mar complexes they have. Here are the differences between them:
- Viviscal Extra Strength: 450 mg
- Viviscal For Men: 450 mg
- Viviscal Professional: 475 mg
When I called the company, I was told the professional version (Viviscal Pro) was not to be sold to the public. it's only available through doctors or salons.
Viviscal For Men
I get a lot of questions about which hair growth supplements are best for men. Here are the ingredients in Viviscal Extra Strength vs. Viviscal For Men side by side:
| Viviscal Extra Strength | Viviscal For Men |
|---|---|
| Total carbs <1g (<1%DVP | Total carbs <1 g (<1%DV) |
| Vitamin C 59 mg (98%DV) | Vitamin C 30 mg (50% DV) |
| Niacin 12 mg (60% DV) | Zinc 8 mg (53% DV) |
| Biotin 120 mcg (40% DV) | N/A |
| Iron 10 mg (56% DV) | N/A |
| Zinc 11 mg (73% DV) | 8 mg (53% DV) |
| Amino Mar Complex 450 mg | Amino Mar Complex 452.9 mg |
| Horsetail 36.7 mg | Horsetail 24.5 mg |
| Millet seed 7.5 mg | N/A |
| Flaxseed extract 50 mg |
In the table above % DV = percent daily value. “N/A” = does not contain that nutrient.
As can be seen, both the men's and women's versions are very similar. They both have the same key ingredients. In fact, the Male version has a tad more of the Amino Mar Marine complex and Horsetail extract compared to Viviscal Extra Strength. Also, note that Millet Seed Extract has been replaced with Flaxseed Extract in the Men's version. I liked that the Men's version did not contain iron. Too much iron might not be good for men.
Bottom line: I believe men could take the women's version and have the same results as if they took the men's version. Since the men's version may be more expensive, this is something to consider.
Viviscal vs. The Competition
Let's now take a look at how the supplement stacks up to other popular hair growth supplements.
Viviscal vs. Nutrafol
Nutrafol is another very popular hair supplement. Like Viviscal, there is a version for men and women. Nutrafol is said to work by reducing inflammation and inhibiting a hormone called DHT. Nutrafol has more ingredients than Viviscal. Nutrafol does have 1 clinical study showing it might work. So which is better? It would be nice to see a head-to-head comparison of Nutrafol vs.
Viviscal. I won't hold my breath for that to happen anytime soon.
Watch this video: Nutrafol vs. Viviscal
Viviscal vs. Provillus
The Provillus website (Provillus.com) states that it is “Clinically Proven and FDA Approved.” And they are correct. It is. This is because Provillus is minoxidil (Rogaine), the hair growth drug we've all heard of. Provillus is not a supplement. Provillus is a 5% solution of minoxidil that's applied topically to the scalp. It's no different than any other kind of minoxidil you've seen.
In theory, Viviscal might work better with minoxidil. They both have studies showing they can help women and men. Fortunately, Rogaine (minoxidil) is available without a prescription and it's not too expensive.
Viviscal vs. Keranique
Keranique is touted as a hair growth system. There is Keranique shampoo, conditioner, Keranique Regrowth Treatment, and hair spray. The Keranique Regrowth Treatment contains “the only FDA-approved and clinically proven non-prescription ingredient to regrow hair and revitalize hair follicles.” It does – the ingredient is minoxidil (Rogaine). Keranique may be a fine product that can help support hair growth, but it's the minoxidil in it that regrows hair.
While there are no head-to-head studies comparing Viviscal to Keranique, in theory, they may work better together when combined with the minoxidil in Keranique's Regrowth Treatment serum.
Viviscal vs. Halo Beauty
Halo Beauty is a skin, nails, and hair supplement by YouTube star Tati Westbrook. Halo Beauty is a combination of various vitamins, herbs, and other compounds. While there is a little crossover between these two supplements (Halo Beauty has vitamin C and horsetail, too), it doesn't have the Amino Mar complex. So, how they stack up to each other is unknown.
Viviscal vs. Joyome
Joyome is an anti-wrinkle cream developed by the makers of Plexus Slim. As far as it can be determined, Joyome has no effects on hair growth or hair loss. As such, I don't think these products are comparable to each other. Here's my video review of Plexus Joyome:
Viviscal Side Effects
I believe Viviscal is safe for healthy people. Few side effects and adverse reactions have been reported. Here is a brief list of things to consider when taking this supplement. This list is not complete:
- Start with less than is recommended for the first week to see how you respond.
- Speak to your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Stop taking at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
- Show the supplement to your pharmacist if you take any prescription medications like blood thinners.
- Avoid this supplement if you are vegan.
- Speak to your doctor first if you are allergic to fish. Viviscal contains shark cartilage and mollusk powder.
- Viviscal has iron and vitamin C. Speak to your doctor if you have hemochromatosis (iron overload disease).
- There's no good proof that Viviscal causes liver damage. However, if you have liver disease, speak to your doctor first.
In “scientific study #1” summarized above, there is mention of a study participant getting headaches which caused the person to drop out of the study. In the Pdf file of this study – which you can view on the Viviscal website – they make reference to “Appendix V” which lists the reasons why people dropped out of the study. Unfortunately, Appendix V is not part of the Pdf file.
Viviscal And Sleep Problems
If you read the comments below, you'll notice several people reporting that Viviscal may cause insomnia. I saw no mention of insomnia in any of the Viviscal clinical studies so it's not known how common this is.
Horsetail does contain small amounts of nicotine. It's very little, but could this cause sleep problems? I can't say. For more on this topic, read the comments section below.
Does Viviscal Contain Mercury?
I called the company that makes this supplement – Church & Dwight Co. I was told that Viviscal does not contain mercury. The controversy over this involves shark cartilage powder. Previous research has noted that shark cartilage supplements may contain toxic mercury. But this doesn't mean Viviscal has mercury. When I called the Viviscal company, I was told their latest testing showed levels of mercury were 0.02 mg per kg, which is lower than the amount permitted by both US and EU standards.
I was also told the version of Viviscal sold on Amazon does not contain any mercury at all. It's at a zero level. This is because of the rules Amazon must follow when shipping internationally. Church and Dwight formulates a different version for Amazon that does not contain any shark cartilage, a source of mercury. Because the Amazon version does not contain shark cartilage, this means it also does not contain any mercury.
Does Viviscal Contain BMAA?
β-Methylamino-L-alanine, also known as BMAA, is a brain toxin that is produced by some types of bacteria (called cyanobacteria) and other microorganisms. BMAA has been implicated in the development of Parkinson's disease and ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Because BMAA has been found in shellfish, this is of concern to some who use Viviviscal. Thankfully, this is not a problem. I called the Church & Dwight company and asked about the amount of BMAA in Viviscal. I was told Viviscal does not contain any BMAA.
Viviscal And Gaining Weight
Some people have also reported Viviscal has caused them to gain weight. None of the studies reported this side effect. I am not sure how common weight gain side effect is or if it might be a fluke? See the comments for more on this.
Who Makes Viviscal?
Viviscal is sold by Lifes2good (Lifes2Good.com), a company that markets many health and beauty products. While the global corporate office is located in Ireland, in the US, they can be found at 355 N Canal Street, Chicago, IL 60606. They also have an office in London.
Lifes2Good is part of a larger company called Church & Dwight Co., Inc, located in New Jersey. This organization has several familiar brands including OxyClean, Kaboom, Orajel, and even Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Church and Dwight is a publicly-traded company (stock symbol CHD).
I was told they are phasing out the Lifs2good name and just using Church & Dwight in the future.
The Lifes2good company has been in business since 1997 according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB gave this company a rating of A+ when this review was updated. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Church and Dwight has an D rating with the BBB. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Contact Viviscal
According to the company website, customer support can be reached at 877-333-4581. The Better Business Bureau also provides this number: 312-454-6167. The address for Viviscal is 355 N Canal St, Chicago, IL 60606-1207. The product website states the supplement is made in Ireland.
Church and Dwight, which now owns Viviscal, is located at 500 Charles Ewing Blvd Princeton South Corporate Center Trenton, NJ 08628-3448. The phone number is 609-683-5900.
Finola Hughes And ViviScal
Previously, actress Finola Hughes has appeared in Viviscal ads. She is listed on the website as a spokesperson. I assume this means she’s a paid spokesperson.
Viviscal And Molly Sims
Actress, model, and author Molly Sims is also a spokesperson. She is listed as a 20-year user of Viviscal. Her story of how she started losing her hair in her 20s is on the product website. I assume she is a paid spokesperson.
Buy Viviscal
This supplement is VERY popular and can be purchased at a wide range of stores like Walgreens, Costco, BJs, Sam's Club, Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Ulta, and Target as well as on Amazon. Here is Viviscal on Amazon
Viviscal Cost
Viviscal extra strength costs $99 per bottle according to the supplement's website. There is also a scalp lotion which is $19.99 but it doesn't have the same ingredients as the pill– and there is no good proof that the scalp lotion helps re-grow hair. The same thing is true for Viviscal shampoo and other products.
My advice: stick with Viviscal tablets. Don't worry about the shampoo or scalp lotion.
Interestingly, the shampoo does not contain caffeine, which is part of Thicker Fuller Hair I reviewed previously.
Viviscal Elite
The Elite supplement contains an auto-ship program where they send you a 90-day supply every 3 months (90 days) so you don't run out. Shipping is free with the Elite program and some free gifts are included also. It looks like the Elite program is for combo products. There seems to be no proof the Elite program offers clinically proven advanges over the regular viviscal formula.
Viviscal Pro & Con
| Pro | Con |
| Supplement has research | May take 3-6 months to see changes |
| All studies show it works | |
| Company supports studies | |
| The company is well known | |
| Reports show no side effects | |
| Seems to work in women and men |
Other Hair Products
Several people have told me that they have gotten good results using a product called Toppik. This is not a hair growth supplement but rather a fine powder that binds to existing hair, making it look thicker and fuller. I have met people with thinning hair who have used this product, and they give it high marks.
The Church and Dwight Co. now owns Toppik (smart move if you ask me).
Does ViviScal Work?
Viviscal has various clinical studies to prove it grows thinning hair and/or slows hair loss. For the most part, the studies appear to be well done. In the testimonials below, several people have stated it does work. Based on the research and testimonials, this may be something worth trying.
Here's Viviscal on Amazon
Other Hair Growth Supplement Reviews
- Viviscal vs. Nutrafol Review
- PHYTO Re30 Review
- Castor Oil: Does It Grow Hair?
- Gray Hair Supplements Review
- Pseudocatalase Review
- Halo Beauty Review
- Amla Fruit and Hair Growth Review
- Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?
- Hair Essentials Review
- Rosemary oil for Balding and Regrowing Hair (video)
Hello,
I am a 24 year old female with thin hair. Sitting at work one day I read about Viviscal…since I am always up for new ways to grow my thinning hair (due to extensions) I went right to Walgreens after work to buy it. I have only been taking it for a week so I am not going to say I see any growth yet. I also take Biotin 5,000 but stopped this past week because I didn’t know if I could take both together. As in previous posts, my nails grow because of the biotin…but my hair, not so much.
I have a lot of baby hairs so it tends to look thin on the sides of my face. I am hoping Viviscal works…When it comes to hair growth I find that the more you look and wait…the bigger the disappointment. ” A watched pot never boils”. Just take the vitamins and dont be so anal about it =)
Good luck everyone. I will check back in a month.
Joe/Bill, interesting comments and review of Viviscal. I think that the bottom line is this, there are no scientifically controlled studies to support its claims. But there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that customers have positive results such as less hair loss and increased feeling of thickness after 6 months.
Typically, women who have androgenic hair loss develop very fine hair strands at the top of the head, which makes the hair feel even thinner. There is loss in the diameter of the hair strand itself. It is possible this product helps thicken new growth, which is why it takes 6 months to really see an effect due to growth cycles.
I do NOT believe it will effect major hair regrowth for those with considerable loss. But for those with thinning, they may notice some effect by delaying or lessening hair loss, and thickening the individual strands by increasing the diameter of a more healthy strand. I will keep you posted as I go along. It is expensive but so is Rogaine, which does have side effects (dropping your blood pressure for instance) and is messy to use.
Joe,
Thanks for finding and approving my posts. Sorry for any confusion on my part. But feel free to share your comments on our Viviscal product review as well.
Best wishes,
Bill – Managing Publisher of the Hair Loss Learning Center and the Hair Transplant Network
Thanks Joe. I’ll try reposting the link below and maybe it will get through.
http://www.hairlosslearningcenter.org/topical-hair-loss-treatment/viviscal-hair-loss-solution.asp
Best wishes,
Bill
My original reply is below.
—
Joe,
I appreciate you providing an unbiased review of Viviscal. Patient members of our popular hair loss forum community are very skeptical when new products make promises to reverse hair loss but seldom deliver. Even products that produce marginal benefit tend to make unrealistic claims. This may work to boost initial sales but it’s also why most of these products don’t last on the market very long.
I encourage you to read our Viviscal product review at
http://www.hairlosslearningcenter.org/topical-hair-loss-treatment/viviscal-hair-loss-solution.asp
and let us know what you think.
Best wishes,
Bill – Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center.
Joe,
Thanks for your input. I looked back on my original post and I did present more than one link, although it was certainly not intended to promote anything or sound spammy. Thus, I’m revising my post and posting it below. I hope it works this time :-).
Like you, we recently wrote a unbiased product review on Vivsical and thought I’d share it for educational purposes only. I can assure you that we do not sell Viviscal and wrote this content strictly for educational purposes.
Hmm, so I just tried posting the my original reply and unlike yesterday, it’s not showing up with the usual “Awaiting Moderation” note. I wonder if there’s something else wrong that’s preventing it from showing up? Maybe I can email you my comments and you can take a look?
Bill – Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center.
Bill, Ill check to see if anything else by you got re routed by accident.
Your welcome Joe. This is a nice blog/site. There is one other thing I would like to mention. There are hair loss specialists who can provide semi-permanent hair pieces for severe hair loss at the top for women (and men I would think). Typically, they are clipped in with very tiny clips that you cannot feel or see. They last approximately 2 years, which is good because they are moderately expensive at around $800.00. They are perfectly matched to your hair and no one can tell you have one on. You can swim and wash your hair and style as usual.
People who wear them feel they are a very good alternative to a wig. Obviously if you have severe general alopecia you might need a full wig, but for hair loss on top they are amazing. As for hair transplants they work but are quite expensive, at around $10,000 for a good replacement at the top of the hairline.
I had a young woman as a patient who had it done due to severe hair loss at the crown. The M.D. did an amazing job and her hair looked great. He kept her on a maintenance regimen of finsteride and spironolactone to prevent further loss after the transplant. If you can afford it, it is a very good option. Just make sure you get someone really skilled at it.
One final comment, one of the women at the hospital I work at has significant hair loss all along the part at the crown. I mean significant (essentially bald at the top). She does absolutely nothing to cover it up. She is a lovely person and a highly regarded professional in our field. She is clearly very comfortable with just being who she is. She has more than enough money to do whatever she wants. But doesn’t. I have to admire that.
Paula, thanks for the insights. I did not know those types of hair extensions existed. yes its very good when people feel good about themselves too!
Joe,
I tried commenting on your blog with my candid thoughts but for some reason, it was removed. Any idea why? I’m clearly not a spammer and just wanted to provide my input on Viviscal. I see others have provided links in their responses and were allowed, so I’m not sure why mine was deleted.
If there are some kind of rules on replying to comments, please inform me so that I can participate in the discussion.
Thanks,
Bill – Managing Publisher of the Hair Loss Learning Center
Bill, my only idea is that your comment was accidentally removed. This doesn’t usually happen but if your comment had more than link it may have. I checked and did not see your previous comment. Website links are usually fine because it helps people get to know each other; when it comes to supplement sites that only sell supplements I usually remove those links so to give people a place where they can discuss things without being spammed. Again If your post had more than 1 link I’m guessing it was automatically removed.
Joe, good job looking at the studies. I am a R.N. and I believe Viviscal does work to some degree even though the hard science isn’t there to back it up. Most of the support for this pill is anecdotal, but I think relevant. I have used it for two months and so has a friend. Both of us are women with post-menopausal hair thinning. It does make the hair feel thicker and this is after only two months.
There are three other medications which also help but they are prescription and primarily help women. They are spironolactone, avodart and finesteride. Spironolactone is effective in increasing frontal hairline growth. I have taken it (100mg a day) for two years and it has helped tremendously.
I also take finesteride 2.5mg daily to limit the effects of DHT and further hair loss. Overall, my hair has improved and I have not had more hair thinning and have actually regrown some hair.
Recent studies have indicated that Avodart may be more effective than finesteride in promoting new hair growth in women. I also use Nioxin shampoo and conditioner for volume and Dermatch to fill in slightly thin spots (it works beautifully and no one knows I have used it). I apply Dermatch to wet hair after I shampoo with the little sponge and then blow dry my hair. It makes the entire top of my head/hair thicker and covers bare spots beautifully. It doesn’t smell or rub off. I strongly recommend it and I am not a sales person.
For all of you who have thinning hair, you are not alone. I see women every day in my job that have thinning hair. It is very common among post-menopausal women and younger women suffer from this as well. Thanks for this blog Joe. It is a big support for women who have this problem.
Paula, thank you for your kind words and for your info on those medications for hair loss. I know everybody who reads this is VERY appreciative for you taking the time to write 🙂
Can you tell me if I can take this with having Diabites
Hi Sue, I looked into this for you and did find a little research on horsetail and blood sugar levels. It looks like horsetail might reduce blood sugar levels. That might mean it might bolster the effect of any medications you take. Here is a link http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/843.html
As far as I know viviscal has not done any testing in people with diabetes so its hard to know for sure what effect it might have. I’d talk to your doctor first and see what they say about this.
Joe, check out this article by the NHS in the U.K. on finasteride which is quite interesting..
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hair-loss/Pages/Treatment.aspx
Danny thanks, for sharing. It seemed to be a pretty complete overview on hair loss treatments!
Hey I’m a 27 year old guy where by my hair has been slowly thinning out for the last 3 years say, to the point now where my scalp is getting way too visible for my liking.. I’ve been using that Nioxin gear on and off during that period with no effect at all yet I still keep buying the stuff.
For work I have to wear a hard hat every day in Australia where by I’m sweating regularly because of the heat and have done for the past 7 years. Do you think that may have anything to do with the thinning of my hair?..
Anyway I’ve gone and purchased all the vitamins and oils mentioned by krissy along with Silica & Kelp. And I’m going to try and get hold of some Finasteride to try, but I need a prescription through the doctor for this..
First day today so I will let you know if I see any developments..
Danny, I dont think wearing a hard hat should contribute to thinning hair. Do ask the doctor about this but I think Im right on this. Finasteride is usually used to treat prostate problems but as you said some research does hint that it might help hair growth as well. I mentioned this in my book about supplements. Let me know how things progress for you.
I am in my 2nd month of viviscal and have definitely noticed regrowth in my temple area where i had thinning because of my job…i have long hair and am required to keep it up and after 15 years of ponytails..well…its showing. I had new baby hairs after 1 month which have now turned to long, covering hair. thank god! (even if a few are gray). im 36 and did not want to cut my hair short…and who knows….everyone’s body is different and maybe it will, maybe it wont….definitely worth a try.
Hello again! I just re-read stuff AFTER I wrote a comment.
If anything Biotin-5mg has HELPED my eczema and acne! My skin is amazing, I haven’t been free of breakouts in…ever LOL
My nails are super duper strong, which kinda sucks because now I can’t really cut them on my own, I have to go to the nail salon and they have to use that machine they use for acrylics.
Hello you guys! Good evening, I took my first dose(s) today, March 1st. I don’t know, I’m a weirdo, I always start things on the first of the month, or a Sunday (etc…) so I can accurately measure how long it took to work or whatever.
I will keep you guys updated! I am also still taking Biotin-5mg. As well as multi-vitamin, Omega-3 and all that good stuff!
I started using Vivisical about 2 months ago. I have always had long hair and decided to get it cut off. After regretting the cut, I found Vivisical after surfing the internet. After reading reviews, I ordered a 2 month supply. Yesterday I ordered another 2 month supply. My hair has really grown over the past 2 months. I have definitely seen a difference. I am totally satisfied with the product.
Hey guys, I am a37 year old female. I noticed my hair thinning a few years back. I have naturally curly thick hair. Of course everyone around me says I’m nuts. But as you all know we know our own hair. I believe I am probably losing the same amount of hair, which has always been a lot. It seems it just doesn’t come in as fast.
Now I recently found out that I was very anemic. Most likely had been for several years. Do to excessive bleeding from fibroids. Anyhow sorry to go on. I did have the fibroid removed and am taking iron pills. Haven’t noticed any difference in my hair yet. If anything it seems worse.
Back to the questions here. I have not tried viviscal but am curious. I have tried biotin a few different times. Works great for nails. Can’t say any huge difference in hair growth. I had to stop taking it each time because it made me BREAK OUT BAD. I have never had acne issues before.
I googled biotin and acne. There are a lot of people with the same issue. That being said my boyfriend suffers from alopecia and I recommended biotin to him. He has had great results he takes 5000 mg a day. He had several bald spots, total beard loss and an eyebrow that was gone. The spots on his head have filled in nicely. His eyebrow is also coming back in. The eyebrow is still light in color as is his beard. But hey just for men works.
He has been so happy, the hair loss started 3 years ago all going very quickly. This is the first time he has had results from anything. Anyhow I will try the viviscal and let you all know. Hope to see more posts from users.
Jackie, its interesting you said 5000 mg of biotin helping hair loss. when I was at vitamin Shoppe the person behind the counter said the same thing to me! So, on her recommendation I got 5 mg of biotin and we’ll see what happens. so far, no acne for me (which is good!). I checked into biotin and acne and didnt see anything concrete in the studies. that doesn’t mean its all in peoples head but rather that maybe nobody has religiously tested it yet. Im glad people are mentioning this because my hope is that somebody looks at a connection between biotin and acne in a study.
Do let me know if viviscal works for you.
I first heard of Viviscal years ago but I think it was only available in Europe and was not sold in the U. S. After reading great reviews on Amazon, I decided to give it a try. I started yesterday with 1 tablet and took 2 today. I also have thinning hair around my temples and crown and my hair is not growing as fast like it did when I was younger. I will keep you posted on how it’s working for me. I paid 49.99 at Walgreens for a 60 day supply.
Hi! I have just hit the age of 50 and boy are thing changing…LOL! I too saw Tabitha Coffey on Dr. Oz and her recommendation for women “of a certain age” when their hormones began to do a number on their hair.
A month supply online or at the drugstore is $50. Then you add shipping online, or tax locally – take your pick. It is 2 pills a day and says it is like Latisse or Rogain or anything else like this… It isn’t an overnight fix. You have to use it for a while to see any results.
I am only on my first week but will let you know how it goes. My hair is fine and seems to be shedding more, so I am looking to stop it before it becomes a big problem. I will let you know in a month how it is going. 🙂
Hi Joe,
I spoke with my doctor about this, and he said “when it comes to these supplements, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is”. He said in his opinion he wouldn’t want me to waste my money…If I can be frank, quite a few of these comments seem to me to be just endorsing this drug. Of course they’re going to tell you to try it for at least 3/4 months…that’s $200 that you’ve given to the company by the end of it. Like my doctor said, there isn’t a whole lot of science behind this, and these drug companies can go pretty darn far towards crossing a line without ACTUALLY crossing it and breaking any laws per the FDA.
Just my two cents…
Thanks!
Hannah, its entirely possible that some of the comments may be fake but I hope that’s not the case. I can only take people at face value in what they say. Sometimes spammers are easy to spot because they leave links to their website where they sell the product. When it comes to Viviscal, I have not seen that happening when people leave comments. While I’m pretty good at weeding out spam, I’m sure I’m not perfect. Could Viviscal be paying people to leave comments? Maybe. I honestly don’t know.
I do think results vary in how much Viviscal works and I’m sure for some it won’t work at all. I still think the research leaves a LOT to be desired. For the people who say Viviscal worked for them, I’m glad because I know how important hair is to men and especially women. I don’t think people should gamble their food money on this product however because as you said, it can be very expensive.
Good 2 cents Hannah;)