It’s time for my Nutrafol review – because it’s one of the most popular hair supplements.
However, it only has one major downside – price.
At $80 per bottle, it’s really hard to afford monthly.
So at these money, could Nutrafol be a scam? Or does it actually work?:
- pretty good ingredients
- minimal rate of side effects
- many user reviews behind it
Well, let’s check out its before/after results and find out the real facts behind.
Note: This review is based on my experience + research about Nutrafol.
So Let’s Get To The Review
Full Name: Core from Nutrafol
Versions: There are 3 – each designed for a certain category:
- men
- women
- women plus (after menopause)
Best Actual Price: $79/bottle for each version
Cheapest Place To Buy: Probably Amazon
Designed For: Mostly hair growth (both men and women) – but it also claims to improve hair in general:
- promotes hair health
- improves texture, shine and density
- speeds up hair growth
My Rating: 8 out of 10 – It’s a great supplement in terms of effect.
Worth Buying?: Probably not – but just because it’s too expensive.
It has a great formula and works really well, but it simply costs way too much.
Considering you can get the same results results from a $25 supplement, I couldn’t recommend Nutrafol.
What I Liked About It
- Excellent formula
- Lots of herbal ingredients and vitamins + minerals
- The mentioned doses are pretty high
- Very effective in reality
- Speeds up hair growth for real (I tried it myself)
- Available on several retailers
What I Didn’t Like About It
- You have to take 4 pills per day
- One bottle only lasts for 1 month
- No doses for each ingredient (only for the blend)
- Many complaints – especially about the price
- Really overpriced at $80 per bottle
- No discount if you buy more bottles together
What Is Nutrafol? – A Quick Overview
Basically – it’s a supplement designed to grow hair faster, using a special formula.
Now – there are a few features that make it different from other products:
- Claims to offer a personalized treatment plan.
- Has different versions for men and women.
- Has a successful study behind [1].
Despite its “personalized treatment” claims (which are true), Nutrafol has 3 main versions:
- Men
- Women
- Women Plus (for women after menopause)
Now – the Men and the Women Plus versions have exactly the same ingredients.
On the other hand, the Woman version has the same formula – but its doses are a bit lower.
Other than that, there’s no difference between them.
Note: If you’re a woman dealing with hair loss, the Women Plus version might work better (no matter what age you have). It has some higher doses, so the effect should be a bit better.
So now that you know that main things about Nutrafol, it’s time to analyze it closer.
#1 – Ingredients (9.90 out of 10)
At first sight, Nutrafol’s ingredients look perfect:
- Wide variety of ingredients
- Really high doses
- Both vitamins and herbal ingredients
So this formula looks really potent, to be honest. But there’s one thing I didn’t like about it:
- no doses for each ingredient
- only the blends have clear doses
It’s not a major thing – but they should have mentioned each dose, if you ask me.
Now – the ingredients are divided in 3 blends. So let’s take a closer look at each:
1. Nutrafol Blend (530 mg)
This is actually a combination of several herbs and amino acids:
- Lysine – it’s useful for hair loss (when combined with other nutrients).
- Methionine – increases hair strength [2].
- Cysteine – some studies say it can reverse hair loss (but not alone).
- Horsetail Extract – it’s one of the best herbs for hair growth.
- Resveratrol Extract – it’s a great antioxidant.
- Bioperine – it’s mean to increase the absorption of curcumin (you will see it below).
- Capsimax Extract – that’s actually Cayenne pepper and it stimulates hair growth [3].
Some of these ingredients are really powerful – while others are pretty weak.
But overall, this blend looks pretty good – especially because it has a high dose.
2. Synergen Complex (1720 mg)
That’s another kind of herbal blend, because it contains mostly natural ingredients:
- Marine Collagen – strengthens hair roots.
- Ashwagandha Extract – seems to reduce hair loss, as a secondary effect [4].
- Saw Palmetto Extract – it’s one of the top herbs for hair loss [5].
- BCM-95 Curcumin – its anti-inflammatory effect isn’t relevant for hair, but it’s also an antioxidant.
- Palm Tocotrienol Complex – can increase hair growth [6].
This complex has a really high dose overall.
Plus, many of these compounds have studies behind – which is a real proof that they’re effective.
3. Vitamins & Minerals
Unlike the other blends, each of these compounds have their doses mentioned clearly:
- Vitamin A (1563 mcg)
- Vitamin C (80 mg)
- Biotin (3000 mcg)
- Vitamin D (62.5 mcg)
- Iodine (225 mcg)
- Zinc (20 mg)
- Selenium (200 mg)
Now – most of these vitamins and minerals have the same benefits for hair.
They’re designed to improve hair health and nourish the follicles – thus speeding up hair growth [7].
But except zinc, none of them has a major benefit for hair growth. They have rather additional benefits.
Conclusion
Nutrafol’s ingredients are really good, to be honest.
There are both classic substances and herbal ingredients. Besides, the final doses are really high (compared to other supplements).
So a product with this kind of formula must be effective – if you ask me.
#2 – How To Take It (7 out of 10)
That’s the first downside of Nutrafol – it’s not very comfortable or easy to take.
What exactly do I mean by this? Here’s the thing.
1. Pills Facts
Now – the pills themselves don’t look too bad:
- average size
- look identical to turmeric pills (if you tried any)
- covered in gelatin
Basically – they’re the kind of pills you can swallow easily.
Also, they’re pretty light – so they’re not close to the horse pills of other products. But the real problem is how you have to take them.
2. The Schedule
According to the label – Nutrafol requires 4 pills per day.
To be honest, that’s extremely uncomfortable:
- high risk to forget about (at least) one pill everyday
- hard to use if you work all day long
Besides, taking a large number of pills everyday isn’t very healthy for your liver – even if the pills are natural.
Even 3 pills per day seems a lot to me.
So normally – I wouldn’t use a supplement that requires 4 pills per day. It’s simply difficult and unhealthy on the long term.
#3 – My Results (9 out of 10)
As I said, I had high expectations from Nutrafol. And fortunately – it didn’t disappoint me.
To be honest – it was one of the best hair supplements I used (BUT ONLY IN TERMS OF EFFECT).
From other points of view, it was far from the top 5.
1. My Background
My hair had been in a really bad shape in the last years (due to a chronic hair loss):
- very thin ends
- little to no volume (though it tends to be wavy)
- both ends and roots are fragile
Obviously – my hair loss didn’t stop completely, but it was much better than it used to be.
So I was curious to see if Nutrafol could stop it completely, and also regrow and thicken my hair.
2. How It Worked
I used 2 entire bottles and I was really satisfied with the results.
Note: I used Nutrafol Women Plus, which is the version for women with menopause hair loss. I was far from that, but this version had some higher doses than the regular one for women – so that’s why I chose it.
- My hair loss decreased a lot after about 6 weeks.
- I noticed I had more volume.
- Also, my hair seemed thicker and denser.
- It grew about 5 inches in 2 months (that’s a lot).
Basically – Nutrafol really worked.
I could see a difference between the time I was taking it and the time I was not – so that was the point.
It didn’t really solve the problem of my thin hair ends, but that would have been pretty hard.
The point is – it decreased my hair loss and improved my growth speed.
Conclusion
In terms of effect, Nutrafol is surely not a scam – it works pretty well actually.
It’s not my #1 recommended product because you can get a similar product for less than half of its price.
But regarding how it works, I was really satisfied.
#4 – Other Opinions (8 out of 10)
I tried to look for other opinions on Nutrafol – so that I can create an unbiased review.
Note: I only considered authentic reviews made by real customers (not the ones that speak about Nutrafol in general).
1. What People Say
To my huge surprise, not all reviews I found on Nutrafol were positive.
I mean – there were enough satisfied customers as well. But I found many people complaining as well.
- Some say Nutrafol really increased their hair growth.
- Others say it made their hair thicker.
- There are some that have been using it for years.
- On the other hand, others say it was useless.
- Some say it even made their hair fall out or look worse.
- Others complain about digestive problems (as side effects).
- Many say it should be way cheaper – considering what it contains.
Now – it’s normal that people’s opinions are quite mixed up.
Based on my experience, I can only agree with some of these reviews. But that doesn’t mean I consider the others fake.
However – I do agree that Nutrafol has a serious problem.
2. Biggest Complaint
That’s actually the problem I’m talking about – price.
Most people complain that Nutrafol costs way too much:
- you can find its ingredients much cheaper (under $40 all together)
- it’s not the only supplement that regrows hair
Now – I totally agree with this complaint.
In fact, that’s one of the top reasons why I don’t recommend Nutrafol.
#5 – Price (2 out of 10)
As I said – that’s the #1 reason why I would never recommend Nutrafol.
It’s simply too expensive overall – way too expensive to afford it every month (in my case).
1. The Exact Price
Basically – Nutrafol is pricey no matter where you buy it from:
- the lowest price is $79 per bottle
- that’s only 1 month supply
- price is the same for all 3 versions (men, women, women plus)
Besides, there are no larger bottles (which usually have a slightly better price).
So in my opinion – Nutrafol is extremely expensive. I could not continue to use it for more than 3 months – and that’s because of the price.
2. Competitors’ Price
Now – it’s true that Nutrafol has some great ingredients. Plus, it works really well – I guarantee for that.
However – there’s a supplement that is my #1 recommendation and it has similar features.
It’s called Folexin – so let’s compare it with Nutrafol.
- Folexin contains about 30 ingredients (vs 25 Nutrafol).
- Their effect was pretty much the same in my case.
- But Folexin seemed to grow my hair a bit faster in 2 months.
- Folexin only requires 2 pills per day (vs 4 in Nutrafol).
- Folexin costs $24 at most and $18 at the least (vs $79 Nutrafol).
So you can draw the conclusions yourself.
But I personally would recommend Folexin – because it does the same thing, but costs about 1/3 of Nutrafol.
That’s why I think it’s a much better choice (especially on the long term).
#6 – Where To Find It (9 out of 10)
Here’s some good news – you can find Nutrafol in several retailers:
- the official website
- Amazon
- Ebay
- Walmart and several others
Now – prices are pretty similar in all those retailers. However, there are small differences:
- Each version costs $79 on the official website.
- To buy it, you have to subscribe to auto-shipping.
- On Amazon, each version costs $88 ($9 more).
- On Ebay, prices depend from the seller.
So to be honest, the official website has the lowest prices out of all retailers.
However – it requires you to subscribe to their offer (in order to buy the product).
Even though the company is serious and allows you to unsubscribe, I think it’s safer to buy the product manually – at least for the beginning.
Therefore – I do no recommend Nutrafol, because it’s too pricey overall.
But if you still want to buy it either way, my advice is to choose Amazon.
#7 – FAQs
Up next, let me answer the most common questions about Nutrafol.
Note: I might repeat something I mentioned before, but it’s easier to spot here.
1. How many pills per day?
According to the label – you need to take 4 (for the best effect).
To be honest, that’s a lot – plus, it’s very uncomfortable taking a pill every 3-4 hours (in case you prefer to space them out).
2. How long lasts one bottle?
Only one month – even though you might expect more.
There are 120 pills per bottle and you need to take 4 every day. This means a bottle is just a 30 days supply.
3. Can I take it with other drugs?
As far as I know – yes.
Nutrafol is mostly made of natural ingredients (also, the website mentions it’s “drug-free”).
So there shouldn’t be any interaction with other drugs you might take.
4. Are there any side effects?
Normally, there shouldn’t be any – since it’s a natural supplement.
However – some of the review I read mentioned they had cramps or stomach pain after starting to use Nutrafol.
If this happens, simply stop the pills. If your problems also go away in a few days – it was probably because of them.
But if they don’t, probably Nutrafol didn’t cause them.
5. How fast should I notice an effect?
There’s no clear number – but I would say around a month.
However, some people need more and others need less. Also – you won’t see the best results after one month, but after 2-3 months.
But if you only want to see if Nutrafol is effective for you, 1 month is a reasonable period.
#8 – Final Conclusions
Here’s how I would sum up Nutrafol in 3 conclusions.
1. Excellent Formula
As I said – Nutrafol has some of the best ingredients on the market:
- many substances with studies behind
- most have real benefits for hair health
- pretty high doses
- works for both men and women
It’s not the only product with such a great formula – but it deserves to be praised here.
2. Real Results
I can only speak from experience here – because I can’t tell how Nutrafol worked for others.
Well, in my case it was effective:
- made my hair grow faster (around 5 inches in 2 months)
- strengthened my fragile hair
- added more volume
Now – in terms of hair growth, it wasn’t the #1 supplement I tried, but it was among the best.
So overall, I was pretty satisfied.
3. So Pricey
Even though it worked really well – Nutrafol was still way too expensive:
- there are cheaper products with a similar formula
- its ingredients alone don’t cost so much
- some cheaper supplements work just the same (or even better)
So because of the really high cost – I couldn’t possibly recommend Nutrafol.
It’s a great supplement, but I couldn’t afford buying it for more than 2 months.
Besides – why pay $80 when you can get the same benefits from a $24 product?
My Verdict – Is Nutrafol A Scam?
Short answer: Definitely not – it’s a really good hair supplement:
- speeds and improves hair growth
- adds volume and density
- increases hair health in general
However – I wouldn’t recommend Nutrafol, for several reasons:
- Extremely expensive at $80 per month.
- You need to take 4 pills per day.
- Enough unsatisfied customers.
- You can get a similar products for 1/3 of its price.
Now – Nutrafol is a great supplement in terms of effect, I can guarantee for that.
But no matter how well it works, it’s still extremely overpriced.
What do I recommend instead?: A supplement called Folexin is my #1 recommendation for hair growth.
- Decreases hair loss and regrows new hairs.
- Speeds up hair growth considerably.
- Thickens the hair.
- Works for both men and women.
- Costs even $18 per bottle.
Basically – Folexin does the same things as Nutrafol, but costs up to $18 (instead of $80).
That’s the main reason why it’s my top choice among hair supplements.
So compared to Nutrafol – I would afford buying it for more than 2 months. That’s what makes the difference, if you ask me.
1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pubmed/29742189
2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pmc/articles/PMC5917003/
3 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pubmed/17569567
4 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pmc/articles/PMC4543599/
5 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pmc/articles/PMC4847595/
I’m using Nutrafol right now and I am already starting to see results after one month. I bought the core women form, not the women plus you said you used. Maybe next time I will switch to that one if you say it has a higher dose, didn’t really notice that. But I’m happy with this one too, it’s effective.
I just checked out Folexin, which you recommend and it also looks really good (i looked at the ingredients). But I’m thrilled to see the price, it’s so much better than Nutrafol. I think next time I will get both and take them by turn with a month break, to compare. If Nutrafol works just a bit better, I will continue with Folexin because I want to save as much money as possible.
Thanks for these inside tips on Nutrafol, your review was really helpful!
Hi Louise, thanks for your feedback on Nutrafol. It’s great to hear it’s helpful and it works. The women plus version has just a slightly higher dose (compared to the regular women version).
So if you saw an effect with the Women Form, you will surely see an effect with Women Plus as well.
Your idea of trying both Nutrafol and Folexin sounds pretty well – but make sure to take at least 1 month break between them, if not more. Otherwise you might take one’s effect for the other, so the results might be confusing. But you already said you plant to do this, so it’s fine.
If you decide to get both in the end, please let me know which works better.
Hi, I can tell that Nutrafol works but it also has severe side effects. My specialist recommended it for thinning hair (I’m 66) and even though it cost me so much, I decided to try it as I did not want to have my scalp visible from every angle. I had a hard time taking 4 pills per day, as I already have diabetes and associated conditions and follow treatments for each.
But long story short, I started experiencing stomach pain from the first days. Despite the pain I continued to take the meds, because they cost me a lot so I didn’t want to give them up. Within a few weeks I noticed my hair was getting thicker and also growing more than usual. But I was constantly in pain and would sometimes experience diarrhea.
I gave Nutrafol a break for 1 week and the pain disappeared. I still had one unopened bottle so started taking it once again, but my problems came back. I have no decided to quit it forever, as my health and well-being are more important. But I’m still looking for solutions.
Do you think Folexin could help me at this age? I’m attracted by the fact that it’s so much cheaper, but it contains something very similar with Nutrafol. Is there any chance that I get the same reactions?
Hello Helena, thank you for letting me know how Nutrafol worked for you.
First of all, your hair thinning is probably caused by aging. But supplements are really helpful in this case.
Since it was your specialist recommending Nutrafol, I assume he considered all possible interactions with the drugs you were already taking. Because these interactions were the first things coming into my mind (as a possible explanation for your side effects).
Anyway – I would recommend you to stop taking Nutrafol. You’re right, your health is more important now – especially when there are so many other products on the market.
You can try to contact their customer service and ask for a refund. But I doubt they will agree, especially if your bottle is opened.
Now, regarding Folexin – it has a slightly better formula. So it doesn’t contain the exact same ingredients. That’s why you might give it a try.
But my advice would be to order just 1 bottle. In this way, you can see if it causes you the same side effects or not. That’s why there’s no point buying 3 bottles from the start, though the price is better. I don’t think it has a money back guarantee, so…
If you experience the same problems, please let me know. My opinion is that your problem are interactions (the fact that you’re also taking other drugs). So if you get the same side effects with Folexin, that’s probably the reason.
Hi I want to buy Nutrafol but they don’t want send in Iceland, what can I buy to supply this? I have hair loss and want grow my hair back again. Everything I buy from another country costs me very much because I have to pay another tax when it arrives in my country. I want something like Nutrafol that costs little so I don’t have many country taxes…this is too expensive for me.
Hi Olafur, I totally understand what you mean. I know many products don’t ship outside the US – and if they do, they cost way more than usual, due to custom taxes that add. So for a $20 product you may end up paying an extra $30 in the custom. That’s more than the product itself, but it happens many times.
I know Nutrafol mostly ships in the US, but even so I think it’s very pricey.
I can actually recommend you the supplement I use, which happens to ship in Iceland. It’s called Folexin and it costs so little (compared to most products) – around $24 per bottle, but you can buy it with $18 if you buy more bottles together. I actually recommend you to do that, because it’s much cheaper overall.
This shipping costs around $4 in the US, but it’s pricier outside (around $14 I believe). But even so, it’s a decent price for a shipping outside US.
Now – I can’t guarantee that you won’t pay any other taxes, because that depends from country to country. And I don’t live in Iceland so I can’t tell. But considering you’re paying for the shipping, they might not request you anything in the custom.
Sorry I can’t give you a clear answer but that’s the product I would choose, if I were you. Hope this helps.
Hi Olly, glad I tired Nutrafol. I had a stressful period last year and I started losing lots of hairs since December. I didn’t really look into the case because I’m sure it’s due to stress, I’m otherwise healthy. Just wanted to say that 2 months with Nutrafol and my hair is back as it used to be, thick and healthy. I paid a lot of money on this thing but it was so worth it.
There was just something I’ve been meaning to ask you. My boyfriend has some early sings of balding, his hair is thinning and the scalp is already visible (he’s just 27). I had him take Nutrafol together with me, but the effect seems totally opposite in him, there’s no change. Do you have any idea why this happens? He was taking the male version and I was taking the women one, do you think I should also get him the women form (though it would be weird)?!
We’re not living in the US so we paid a lot of getting Nutrafol internationally. That’s why we can’t buy every product available, because many ship just in the US.
Hi Natasha, thanks for letting me know how Nutrafol worked for you guys.
First of all, as far as I know – Nutrafol doesn’t regrow new hair. Or actually – it doesn’t have such good results at this chapter. So maybe that’s why it didn’t help your boyfriend.
But if he still has enough hair and it didn’t improve with Nutrafol, I can’t really explain. Nutrafol has a pretty good formula, so I can’t blame its ingredients for a weak effect. Sorry, but I can’t give you a proper answer – if that’s the case.
Regarding your question, I would recommend another supplement for your boyfriend. It’s called Follixin and it’s designed for male baldness especially.
I tried it myself and it worked for my female hair loss. But I also found lots of positive reviews about it. So that’s what makes me convinced that it’s effective.
Now – it’s a bit pricier than the products I usually recommend (about $49 per bottle + $25 shipping). But the shipping fees are the same, no matter where you buy it from.
So the final price is pretty good if you’re outside the US.
Also, if you buy more bottles together – they will offer you a discount. So it would be much cheaper.
This supplement should really help your boyfriend. I know it’s quite pricey, but it’s still cheaper than Nutrafol. So I hope you can afford buying it. If you get it, please let me know how it works for your boyfriend. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your review, I’m looking forward to purchase this. I have hair loss, do you know any herbs that could help? I will only take 1 supplement max, I don’t like pills.
Hello Marlo. If you buy Nutrafol, please let me know how it works for you. Also, make sure you use it for at least 1-2 months, as it won’t start working overnight. Hair supplements usually require time and patience.
Regarding your question – I actually know several herbs that can help hair loss.
So here’s what might help:
1) Turmeric is excellent for hair loss caused by DHT excess (the main cause in most cases of male hair loss). It can be used as powder, pills or spray. But as you don’t want another pills (and I don’t even recommend taking lots of them), applying it as a spray is the best choice.
2) Green Tea is also great for male hair loss, as it blocks DHT receptors. Rinsing your hair with this solution can really help – a lot better than using it just as a drink.
3) Apple Cider Vinegar is another remedy against hair loss. It’s cheap, easy to use and lots of people praise it. You can use it as a rinse or in several treatments, combined with other remedies.
4) Using Henna can also help strengthen and thicken your hair – even though it doesn’t affect DHT level at all. You can use it just for its benefits, without changing your hair color (unless you want to). Just make sure you choose a shade that is really close to your hair color and things should be fine.
Hope this helps.
Nutrafol is a scam, it made absolutely no difference in my hair! I took almost 3 bottles and I could see no change, no baby hairs not even longer hair. My own hair grows naturally as much as it grows with Nutrafol. It just hurts me when I think I spent so much money on it without any results… Very disappointed!
Hello Becca, thanks for your feedback on Nutrafol. I’m sorry to hear it had absolutely no effect on your hair – and I’m also surprised. It has a really good formula and it also helped me, plus that it worked so fast (less than 2 months I think).
But I do agree with you that it’s so expensive – for me it’s too expensive to afford monthly. That’s why I wouldn’t actually recommend it. If it doesn’t work, you end up losing so much money (which was your case actually).
In case you have any unopened bottles, you can try to contact their customer service and see if they’re willing to refund you. Otherwise I doubt they will.
Once again, sorry to hear about you had such experience with Nutrafol. I will definitely think twice before I say something good about it. I will also try to see more opinions of unsatisfied customers and what they have in common. Maybe this supplement is less effective for certain people.
If you manage to get a refund, please let me know.
Thank you for such an in-depth review of Nutrafol, Olly. I was considering this supplement for my thinning hair but it’s the price that I was not sure about. Is it worth so much? Aren’t there other less expensive products that are also successful? I really appreciate your giving a less pricey alternative which seems more appealing to me.
I was also curious if you know a supplement called Viviscal… I read that it’s similar to Nutrafol but costs a few dollars less. Maybe you can give out an opinion on that, thanks.
Hi Victoria. First of all, I would need more info on your problem. How bad is your hair thinning out? When did it start? Is it also falling out – or just thinning? Do you have any medical conditions or taking any drugs/supplements?
If your problem isn’t very severe, I wouldn’t advise you to start with Nutrafol. Even though it’s a great product, it’s super expensive – and a cheaper supplement might work well enough for your problem. That’s why there’s no point paying $80 on Nutrafol from the start.
You might want to start with Folexin, as it’s pretty effective for thinning hair. Even if it doesn’t work, you wouldn’t waste a lot of money on it (as would happen with Nutrafol).
Regarding your question – I know Viviscal pretty well, as it’s one of my favorite products. But I’m also not recommending it frequently because it’s expensive. Not as much as Nutrafol, but it still cost very much.
I made a direct comparison review between them, so maybe that would help more. But shortly, their effect is pretty similar. Viviscal has a slight advantage when it comes to price, so it would be a better choice for you.
But still, my advice is to start with something less pricey (like Folexin), use it for 2-3 months at least and if there’s no change, switch for a pricier product like Viviscal. If this one doesn’t work either, only then move on to Nutrafol.
(Anyway, it’s pretty impossible that no products works – so I’m quite sure you won’t end up to Nutrafol.)
There’s a also a product designed specially for thinning hair (Nioxin). But it’s similar to Viviscal in terms of price, so it’s not something I would recommend you to buy.
Hope this helps.
I think there’s so much hype around Nutrafol! I’m a previous customer and can’t argue that it works BUT buying the ingredients separately would cost so much less. Also note that it will not grow new hairs, only help with growing existing ones. I think it’s just making emotional promises to impress potential customers, otherwise who would pay all these money for one bottle?!
Hi Jen, thanks for sharing your experience with Nutrafol. Even though it’s a supplement I liked, most of the things you said were true in my case as well.
Nutrafol doesn’t regrow new hairs, but as far as I know – it doesn’t even claim this. Yes, it claims to be the best hair growth formula and so on, but it doesn’t say anything about bald scalps. It might work even for this (as it’s still a potent formula), but it’s going to take way more than 3 months.
Other than that, I agree that it’s really overpriced – that’s actually why I don’t recommend it.
Maybe the brand uses emotional promises to make customers buy Nutrafol – but most do that. So I don’t necessarily see it as a bad thing, it’s just part of marketing. And it’s something every brand does, so I’m already used to it.
Thanks again for letting me know how Nutrafol worked for you, it’s really helpful to hear any new opinion.
Hi Olly
I have my sister who is suffering from alopecia. She is losing hair and does not seem to find anything to help her. She’s not very fond of supplements and preferred natural remedies… I can recall avocado hair masks, green tea rinse and even rice water but nothing helped more than 1 month, then the shedding returns just like before. I think nutrafol can be a good solution for her. But she’s never tried any supplement so I’m not sure if it could work. There’s a ton of money to pay from the first time… I would look into Folexin instead. I read some other good ratings about it, but do you think that’s available in the case of alopecia as well? Thank you.
Hi Adnyss, I’m sorry to hear about your sister. Alopecia is one of the top causes of hair loss – and it’s one of the most severe, because it’s caused by an auto-immune problem. So there aren’t many things to do against it.
Natural remedies are pretty weak in this case. Even though I recommend home-made masks and scalp oils – when it comes to alopecia, they’re not strong enough. On the other hand, I do recommend supplements because they have a more powerful effect overall.
Now, coming back to Nutrafol – I think it’s a great product for hair loss, including alopecia. I’m not saying it can stop the hair loss, completely – but it can decrease it and make the hair grow much faster than before.
However – I do agree that Nutrafol is extremely expensive. And considering there aren’t too many reviews about its effect in alopecia, it’s probably not a good first choice. I’m speaking in terms of price.
I actually think Folexin is a better option – at least for the beginning. If you sister sees an improvement in her symptoms and wants to try a more expensive product, she can then switch to Nutrafol. But Folexin is a much better choice in terms of money.
In my case, Nutrafol and Folexin had about the same results. I don’t have alopecia, but I think they still work about the same even in this case. So my advice is to start with Folexin, see how it works for your sister and then decide if you want a more expensive supplement (like Nutrafol). Hope this helps.
My dermatologist recommended this product, so I ordered it from Amazon. I’m in my 60’s and hair has started thinning out in the past years. I used to have thick, voluminous hair so this is hard to deal with. Even though I’m taking this product for over 3 months, I’m not getting the expected results. Hair is still falling out, not as bad as it used to, but it’s still shedding. I do seem to have some better volume, but it’s still far from how my hair used to be. Considering I’m paying almost $90 for every bottle, I don’t know how long I should continue to use it, since I’m not seeing real results. I can see it’s a certified supplement but this no longer means anything for me. I’m thinking about going for a non-certified supplement with a better price, like the one you recommended. Just wondering, did you have real results with it or it just seems effective as a formula? Thanks!
Hi Cindy, I appreciate your sharing the experience you had with Nutrafol. I really want to hear every negative experience with the products I recommend, as I know so well that they’re not perfect.
Hair supplement usually take time to work, but Nutrafol seemed faster to me than others. That’s why I’m surprised it didn’t work better for you, by this time. My advice is to continue to use it for at least 1-2 months, but only if you afford it.
If you don’t, switch to a cheaper alternative like Folexin, my top recommended product. In my case, it had about the same results as Nutrafol – but its price was almost 4 times lower. That’s why I prefer Folexin to Nutrafol, as I couldn’t afford paying $90 on a supplement every month.
So it’s up to you what you decide to use.
PS: Your hair loss could be caused by aging, but there are some other possible causes. Try to investigate because finding the actual cause is the first step to get your hair back. Hope this helps.
My husband used Nutrafol without any results. He’s got a bald scalp and the hair left is really thin. He’s been on Nutrafol for several months, which was an extra expense for us, but we chose it because it looked the best one. We have contacted the company and have been told that the product does not grow new hair! It was kind of frustrating, since this isn’t mentioned anywhere, they only give out lots of promises. Given that hair loss is a very emotional issue, no wonder they have so many buyers…
I’m just disappointed at their lack of honesty. If you’re looking for a supplements that actually GROWS hair, don’t buy Nutrafol, it’s not effective. Maybe you have some better recommendations on that, something me and my husband can afford.
Hey Meg, thanks for this experience with Nutrafol. You’re right – this supplement doesn’t grow new hair, but it doesn’t even claim to. I just checked the official website once again and there’s no sign of this kind of promises. Maybe you bought it from a different place, but I couldn’t read anything about growing new hair.
It actually promises 2 things:
– to stop thinning hair and promote thickness
– to increase hair growth
I think that if you also search the FAQs, you can find a question about growing new hairs. Most official websites have this kind of page, and you can find an answer to all these questions there.
So my advice is to take a better look and deeply research a product you plan to buy. Sometimes this can save you a lot of money.
Regarding to your question – I have 2 recommendations when it comes to growing new hairs.
1) Procerin
2) Follixin
Both are designed for male hair loss, have a lot of positive reviews online and about the same price. The only difference is that Procerin costs $50 for foam + pills, while Follixin costs $50 just for the pills. Also, Follixin charges $25 for shipping even in the US, so the overall expenses are higher.
So if you’re looking for the cheaper alternative, I recommend Procerin. You can actually get just the pills, which is about $27 per bottle (pretty cheap).
I haven’t tried this product myself, as I never deal with bald spots. Plus, it’s designed for male hair loss – so I don’t know how relevant it would have been. But as I said, I found a lot of praises about it online – and its formula is really good too.
So I think one of these 2 products should help your husband.
Hi there and many thanks for this honest review. I’ve been following your blog because I have a temporary hair loss due to stress. I researched several products and finally decided to buy Nutrafol. I was also looking into Viviscal and Folexin, but I decided to see what Nutrafol can do since it’s the priciest. I’m just in need of an advice about the exact type I should buy. I’m 27 and my dermatologist says my hair is falling out because of my stressful lifestyle both at home and at work and that’s 100% possible. Well do you think I should go for the regular female version or the plus one (for menopause)? You say you used the plus one even though you’re not at menopause, just because it has some higher dosages. Do you think there’s any risk if I buy that one too? I’m thinking about side effects or maybe hormonal issues?
Hello Nancy. Nutrafol is an excellent option for hair loss caused by stress. If your hair is also thinning, these pills will probably solve this problem as well.
However, just because it’s pricier than Viviscal, Folexin and others – that doesn’t mean it’s also better. In my opinion, they’re about the same in terms of effects. At least that was in my case. So I don’t normally recommend Nutrafol because it’s more expensive than these 2 products and it does the same.
Anyways, I’m not saying it’s a bad choice – far from that. If you afford buying it, go for it. Just make sure you afford the next 2-3 monthly supplies, as you’re not going to see a huge change in one month.
Now let’s get to your question. In my opinion, you should also get the women plus version as well. The only difference is that the women plus version has a higher dosage in the Synergen complex (1875 ms vs 1680 mg). Also, it has a lower dosage of biotin (2500 mcg vs 3000 mcg) – which is again good, because high quantities of biotin are believed to cause acne.
Their price is the same, so you’re not saving any money with the regular women version.
Regarding the possible side effects/risks you’re talking about, there isn’t any. In fact, I actually think the women plus is a bit safer, because of its lower dosage in biotin. But don’t worry, there’s no risk of hormonal imbalances or anything of this kind – Nutrafol is mostly focused on herbs and natural complexes, so it doesn’t involve hormones.
I really hope this can answer your questions and fears.
Nutrafol work is confirmed. A friend of mine told me about this hair growth product a couple of months ago. He told how effective it was in growing hair. I haven’t use it because I needed more recommendation about the product. I don’t want to waste that huge amount of money on a fake product. That’s while am taking my time. This review is also saying thesame thing about it’s effective work. I like the fact that each gender have their own version. Too high price is really not a red flag for someone looking for a desperate way to regrow her hair to stabilize her self-esteem.
Hello Stella, thanks for sharing your opinion on Nutrafol. It’s definitely not a scam or a fake product – and in terms of effect, it’s really potent. If you’re willing to pay the high price, it’s awesome – I really advise you to go for Nutrafol.
Just make sure you afford buying it for at least 2-3 months, as it takes more than 1 month to start seeing results. There’s also a similar product called Viviscal, which also has a powerful brand behind. It’s a bit cheaper than Nutrafol, so if you’re interested, you should check it out.
Hope this helps.
Hey Olly, great review! I’m actually in love with Nutrafol ever since going through menopause, it made my hair silkier and there was considerably less shedding in less than 2 months. I just think it’s highly-overpriced for the components inside the formula. There’s all this fuss around it so the producers are willing to ask so much since the buyers are willing to offer this.
Luckily I’m over menopause so my hair started getting better on its own, that’s why I don’t need Nutrafol anymore. But if I did, I would probably give it a second thought, as I’m quite sure you can find most of its ingredients separately for less. Anyway, thanks for your alternative recommendation, it looks a lot cheaper which is what I would be looking for if I needed another hair product right now. Excellent blog, I will surely be getting back to check your latest tips!
Hi Angella, thanks for your kind words! I’m really happy to hear my website is helpful for people like you.
Nutrafol is a good choice as a menopause supplement, since they also have a special version for this issue. But I’m just glad to hear you started using a hair supplement in that period. Many women don’t – and this affects their hair terribly, leading sometimes to hair loss.
Back to Nutrafol – I will have to disagree with you on something. Even though I 100% agree it’s an overpriced product – you couldn’t really find its ingredients separately. Or at least, not the most important ones:
1) There’s a mix called “Nutrafol Blend” which contains several trademark ingredients. You can’t find this blend either alone or in another product, as it’s a specific ingredient.
2) Then there’s “Synergen Complex” which also contains several original ingredients, that you can’t find alone.
The vitamins can indeed be found in other products or as multivitamins. But you would have to take several different pills, which isn’t worth the shot.
So even though it’s really overpriced for what it contains – Nutrafol has a lot of ingredients you can’t find too easily elsewhere. That in case you were interesed in purchasing the compounds separately, which I doubt.
Anyway – if you ever want a hair supplement and can’t afford going to Nutrafol again, I seriously recommend you Folexin. It did the same thing to my hair (it actually worked a bit better) and 3 months supply cost me about the same as 1 bottle of Nutrafol. So I saved a lot of money.
Thanks a lot for your nice words and I hope you can still find useful tips on my website!
I’m very glad I found your site, Olly! I have been using Nutrafol for over a year, I’ve experienced at times faster growth speed and stronger nails, that’s all. I’ve begun to have more hair loss in the last few months (we all shed in the summer/change of seasons?) and now realize from reading your blog that maybe the 50 Plus formula (or maybe not since the dosage is a little bit higher) might’ve been in order? Very disappointed since at this point the expense is horrendous vs. the results for me (I purchase directly from them). I’m going to cancel and I appreciate your recommendation of Folexin. I’ve read a lot of negative reviews in the last year also but kept on hoping it would improve. Nature’s Bounty Extra Strength Hair Skin & Nails has been very highly recommended, have you or anyone else here had positive results with it? Just wondering, thanks again & take care.
Hi Janie. First of all, Nutrafol doesn’t seem to be very helpful for your hair. In one year, you should have seen big improvements if it really worked. But as I said in my review, there are some people who don’t react too well to Nutrafol – and this could be your case too.
The weird part is that you say it sometimes helped (in terms of growth), but then your hair started shedding again. I’m thinking that Nutrafol can’t really fight the cause behind your hair loss, it can only accelerate growth. So the question is – what’s the cause behind your hair loss? I’m personally thinking about DHT excess, as this appears in many women of all ages. I’ve suffered from it myself and it’s quite easy to treat with the right products.
1. Start using a supplement based on herbs like Saw Palmetto, Horsetail and Nettle. They are great against hair loss caused by DHT excess (especially Saw Palmetto).
Nutrafol does contain Saw Palmetto, but not in a high quantity. Plus, most of the other herbs it contains promote hair growth – they don’t fight against shedding and DHT excess.
So I recommend you a supplement like Folexin or Kerotin Hair Growth. They both have the exact same formula, but Folexin costs half, so I think it’s a better deal. But I think this kind of formula would be a lot more helpful, since it has more varied herbs/ingredients and also pretty high dosages. When it comes to DHT excess, it’s a lot better than Nutrafol.
2. Rinse your hair with green tea after every wash. This herb is a great DHT blocker, so using the tea as a simple rinse can help a lot.
3. Turmeric spray can also help with shedding, as this spice also blocks DHT. It’s not as strong as green tea, but it can have results.
Getting back to your questions – I doubt the 50 Plus formula would make a huge difference compared to the regular Women’s formula. Basically – I recommend the Plus version for best results. Women’s formula also works, but about 90% of the Plus formula. Since the first one had no effect on you, I doubt the other would. So I don’t think it’s worth spending extra money, especially since you said Nutrafol is hard to afford by now (which I totally agree with).
Regarding Nature Bounty’s supplement, I plan to write a review about it soon. It’s a supplement with a great price, but I don’t like that it has a very high dosage of biotin (5000 mcg if I’m not wrong). Thing is – some voices claim that huge dosages of biotin can cause acne and breakouts. There are no studies yet, but many users of hair vitamins with a lot of biotin complain about acne (HairFinity is the best example of a similar product).
The regular dose of biotin per day is 1000 mcg. Since there are 5000 mcg in Nature Bounty’s supplement, I’m not really sure if it’s very safe. In terms of hair effect, I assume it’s really good – since it has a lot of positive reviews. But in terms of side effects, I can’t guarantee it’s safe.
Also, if the cause behind your hair loss is DHT excess, vitamins aren’t going to help too much. In this case, you still need DHT blockers – and herbs have better results with that. But anyway – you can try what supplement you want, see how it works and then move on to another one if you don’t get the expected results. Either Folexin or Nature Bounty are a lot cheaper, so they shouldn’t be a hole in your budget as Nutrafol was.
If there’s any other question you have, write me back. Hope this helps.
Thanks for this post, super informative. I suffer from very high prolactin levels due to a prolactinoma, which keeps my hair super thin and brittle. No matter how much I struggle to grow it out, once it gets below my shoulders it starts thinning out so badly that I have to cut it again. I keep it in a short bob usually, it’s the only option I have left.
I have had my tests done and the results are always the same, it’s the PRL that messes my hair up. I’m on drugs that control my symptoms but they don’t seem to be helping my hair. I have also tried various supplements including Nutrafol. Honestly I have to tell that it helps my hair as long as I am on it (takes a couple of months to see a change, though) but a few weeks after I stop my thinning returns. My doc recommended that I do not take a supplement for more than 6 months or it might seriously interfere with my PRL medication. I have also tried Folexin, which you recommend and it helped as much as Nutrafol. I had the feeling that the effect on my hair persisted for a bit longer but it still went away on the long term. Next time I will try to take one month break and the restart the supplement, it should be a short enough break to prevent the further thinning.
Thank you for reviewing Nutrafol so thoroughly and I must confirm it is a great supplement, the same as Folexin. There’s a price difference between them but both work.
Hello Rhonda, thanks for sharing your experience on Nutrafol and Folexin.
High prolactin levels can be a real cause of hair thinning – they don’t affect the follicles but thin out the hair ends instead. So your ends probably get really fragile and break easily. Unfortunately, there’s no treatment that can cure that. Even though prolactinoma can be kept under control, it cannot be treated (unless through surgery, if I’m not wrong). So it’s hard to keep your prolactin levels to normal constantly. Though the medication you take probably works, the levels still raise at certain times – so that’s why your hair thins out.
Supplements like Nutrafol and Folexin should help – since they’re both meant to help thinning hair (besides hair growth). But their exact effect depends from person to person. In your case, it seems like Folexin is slightly better (due to its longer effect). I don’t know if price really matters for you – but it’s also significantly cheaper (that’s a major issue for me). So I think it’s a better choice, at least in your case.
Please let me know if you continue using Folexin or Nutrafol in the future and whether your hair starts thinning again, once you take a break from the pills.
Thanks for the information on your webpage! I was about ready to buy and try Nutrafol until I saw your website today. I have decided to try Folexin instead.
Where do you find the best prices? I’ve just found it for 31 dollars on amazon.
Thank you!
Hi there! Nutrafol is great but in my case it worked as well as Folexin, but it cost me almost $100 per bottle. So that’s a main reason why I don’t recommend it as a first choice (unless you have a large budget and you prefer a famous brand).
I know they sell Folexin on Amazon but it’s more expensive than on its official website. Just click on the buttons from my review and it will take you to its official website, where it costs around $25 per bottle if you use the 5% coupon on the top right. That’s $6 cheaper, so it’s worth the shot. I usually buy the largest pack so that I get the best price (around $18 per bottle), but that’s not a must if you’re using it for the first time. It’s up to you. But overall, I think it’s a better choice than Nutrafol as a first option.
When you start using it, please let me know if you see any improvements. Good luck!
Forget price. Which is the best product?
Hi Derek, medically speaking it’s Nutrafol. It has a lot of info behind (especially tests and studies), so the company focused a lot on proving that it’s a quality product. I personally had the same results with Folexin, but I have to admit that it doesn’t have so many proves of effectiveness (not actual study developed on it, only on its separate ingredients). So if you don’t care about price, I definitely recommend Nutrafol.
I hope this helps!
HI! My hair is thinning out a lot and it was getting worse in the last year. I’ve been using Nutrafol and I can see a difference but it probably takes time (I’ve been using it for like 5 months). The only issue is that I expected some better results at this point, I feel like my hair is not breaking that easily but it is still thin enough. I started with the women version which I took religiously for 3 months and then I saw review and that you recommend the women plus version instead. So I switched to that one, since it had higher dosages. Do you think I made a mistake? Maybe I should have stayed with the women version I started for more time and only switch to the women plus afterwards… I’ve seen you recommend people not to switch supplements once they already started taking one because you say it might take more time. Do you think this applies to my case too? And what should I do know, continue using the women plus or get back to the women again? I feel so lost…
Hello Claire, thanks for sharing your experience with Nutrafol, it’s really helpful. So let’s start with the beginning.
1) Nutrafol typically takes about 3-4 months to start working (it depends from case to case but that’s an average). So from what I understood, you are seeing some results but not the ones you were expecting. Well – it might be that your body doesn’t react amazingly to Nutrafol, which is completely possible. But since you can see a change, it does react partially to it.
2) The fact that you went from Nutrafol Women to Nutrafol Women Plus doesn’t really matter (in this case). In fact, it should only help you.
Yes – it’s true that I don’t recommend people to switch to another supplement after 1-2 months of usage. But in your case, you switched to another version of Nutrafol. That other version contains the exact same formula (but it has some higher dosages). So basically, you didn’t switch to a formula with other active ingredients. That’s actually the point. The fact that you switched to a stronger formula of Nutrafol could only help. So the fact that you didn’t see the expected results doesn’t have anything to do with this.
3) At this point, the best choice would be to continue using Nutrafol (at least for another 2-3 months). I recommend you to continue with the Women Plus formula, as it’s stronger than the other one.
So overall – you didn’t make any mistake switching to a stronger formula of Nutrafol (because it’s the same supplement with the same active ingredients). You wouldn’t have got better results if you had stayed with the regular version, keep this in mind and stop worrying about it.
Another tip you can try it rinsing your hair with horsetail infusion. This herb is great against thinning hair, so it might help on the long term. I personally used this remedy and I can tell it works (but not alone, only if it’s associated with the right products – Nutrafol in this case).
I really hope this helps you and please keep me updated in the future.
Thank you Olly for your fast response, I feel a lot better to know it didn’t affect my hair.
I will continue using Nutrafol, I just wanted to ask you if you know a way to get a better price? $90 per month isn’t very affordable at this point but I will make an effort to buy it for a few months. I know I shouldn’t have chosen it when I knew it was so pricey but it seemed the best supplement out there so I just gave in.
Also have you heard of Viviscal? How does it compare to Nutrafol? I have seen a lot of people talking about it on forums and it’s considerably cheaper, so I think I could afford that. I would have normally chosen Folexin, you seem to love and it has the best price among the supplements I checked out but they wouldn’t ship to UK at this point (I emailed them and said in a few months they might ship).
Sorry for all the questions but I want to make sure I’m not wasting my money on something that doesn’t work.
Thanks for all the help you provide on this website, you’re great!
Hey Claire, so let’s take them by turn:
1) Nutrafol is one of the priciest hair supplements I know. Unfortunately, there’s no way to get a better price – if there was, I would probably be recommending this supplement more often. But in this case, it’s too expensive for me to buy it and probably too expensive for most people. So I don’t really recommend it.
I’m really sorry I can’t help you with any coupon or discount, but I don’t think they have that in Nutrafol.
2) I know Viviscal pretty well, both versions of it actually. Compared to Nutrafol, it’s significantly cheaper (though it’s still expensive compared to other supplements, if you ask me). Anyway, I tried both and Nutrafol worked better for me overall. Viviscal did help my hair loss but it didn’t seem to make my hair grow faster. That’s the main downside I found about it.
However, many users claim it helped them a lot with hair growth – so it probably depends from person to person.
Anyway, Viviscal is cheaper than Nutrafol that’s why I prefer it among these 2. If you want to see the whole story, here’s a comparison review of Nutrafol versus Viviscal.
3) I know Folexin doesn’t ship to all countries so unfortunately UK is one of those as well. They did ship in the UK in the past, but apparently they don’t anymore. Hopefully things will change. But until then, you won’t be able to order the product (it doesn’t sell in stores, just online). Anyway, I created a list of my top favorite hair supplements, so maybe that helps you see more options besides Nutrafol and Viviscal.
But either one you choose, you should still see results.
My advice is to continue using Nutrafol at least for a few months, until you see the results you wanted. Once you’re satisfied with how your hair looks, you can take a break from it and then go for another product (in case you still need anything else). I hope this helps.
Honestly, I’m in love with this supplement. I went from dark brown to platinum and ended up with damaged hair, it literally looked like a mess. It used to be up to my waist before and I was so proud of it, but I had it cut close to shoulder length. It was honestly a disaster for me, I totally hated the look but I had no choice.
So I was looking for something that would help my hair grow out faster. Out of all products I checked out Nutrafol looked like it was the most professional. I’m not questioning the fact that it’s very expensive but I always thought quality had a price and I’m not sorry for buying it.
Long story short, my hair is now close to my bra line and it’s been like 4 months. It’s true that mine grows fast in general (I can compare myself with some of my girl friends). But I still feel like it’s a big progress.
So folks, Nutrafol really works, don’t question it! Many people will say it’s useless and expensive but it’s definitely not. I admit it’s not cheap but it’s so worth the money. If you can afford it, it’s the best hair supplement ever.
Hello Katrina, thanks for your feedback on Nutrafol, I’m really happy to hear you had great results with it.
Nutrafol is a supplement I personally like – as I also had positive results with it. That’s why I included it in my top recommended hair supplements for 2019.
However, it’s not a product I recommend as a first alternative for one reason: price. I’m not saying it has a low quality or anything like this – it’s actually extremely professional, that’s for sure. But paying $90 per month is way too expensive, if you ask me.
If you afford that, it’s great – keep using Nutrafol. But most of us could not afford such a high price for month (because you have to use it at least 3 months, not just 1). That’s why I don’t really recommend Nutrafol (unless to people who want a famous brand and are willing to pay for it).
My top recommended supplement is called Folexin and it costs $25 per bottle normally. I used it as well as Nutrafol and had about the same results with each. Since there’s a $60 difference between them and about the same effect, I couldn’t possibly recommend Nutrafol.
I also know a lot of people compare it with Viviscal, which is another famous hair brand. Viviscal is also fine, especially since it’s a bit cheaper. But it’s still expensive for a hair supplement, at least in my view. So I would still prefer Folexin to both. But that’s just a personal choice, it’s up to you what you choose. If you had such great results with Nutrafol, I think it’s best to keep using it (especially if you afford it).
Thanks a lot for sharing your opinion with it.
Olly, just a couple of quick questions.
Would you recommend Nutrafol as your top pick if it was cheaper (say 40 bucks)? What is the difference between it and Viviscal (which I know is cheaper)? And do you think that if I use Nutrafol for women, regular version, I would see weaker results than if I used the menopause version? Thank you in advance and I hope I did not bother you.
Hello Jennie, don’t worry, there’s no bothering. Thank you for asking those questions actually, there might be some other people interested in them but they simply don’t have enough courage to ask them.
So let’s take them by turn.
1) Nutrafol has a strong formula, a clinical trial behind and it’s produced by a brand with a great reputation. These are the main reasons why I would recommend it. As you already know, price is the main reason why I would not.
So if it cost $40/bottle, I would still not recommend it. It would be a better alternative, that’s for sure – but it would still be too pricey compared to my top choice (Folexin, which costs up to $18/bottle). Since I had about the same results with both, I would go for the cheapest option, which is Folexin. And the difference would be quite significant even so (more than $20).
However, I might recommend Nutrafol more often to people who want a supplement made by a famous brand. But as it’s quite expensive, I prefer to recommend Viviscal in those cases.
2) Regarding Viviscal – it’s a pretty similar supplement in terms of clinical evidence and producer reputation. It’s been on the market for longer than Nutrafol, so it has an even longer (and more trustworthy) reputation. Viviscal is considerably cheaper at around $40/month.
However, its formula isn’t as strong as Nutrafol’s. Viviscal is mostly based on a marine compound, which doesn’t have a lot of clinical evidence behind. Actually, it’s not used in any other hair product (not even in a different form). That’s what makes me question its quality. It surely works – but I doubt it has a great effect (as the main ingredients from Nutrafol or Folexin – Saw Palmetto, Horsetail, etc.).
Now – between the 2, I would probably pick Viviscal, because it costs half (but only the Extra Strength version). But Nutrafol clearly has a better formula and a stronger effect (in my case).
3) As for your last question, you should have about the same results no matter what version of Nutrafol you pick. I recommend going for the Women Plus one no matter what age you have, because its dosages are slightly higher. So the effect might be a bit faster (and better on the short term).
But anyway, the overall effect should be the same no matter what version you pick. If you feel more comfortable buying the Women form, go for that one.
I really hope my answers were good enough to meet your expectations. In case there’s something else you didn’t understand or if you need more explanations, just let me know.
Thanks for the article, very informative! I have one short question, do you think this would help my wife with ovarian problems? She has some extra hormones and the doctor said this is causing her several nasty symptoms, including hair thinning. She’s been on a treatment for some time and despite helping her other symptoms, it doesn’t seem effective for her hair. She might want to try this instead…
Hello Rick, thanks for your question and sorry to hear about your wife’s problems. She probably has PCOS, considering how you described her symptoms. That’s indeed a health condition that affects fertility and causes additional symptoms like hair loss or thinning.
Now – I’m glad to hear she’s following a prescription treatment. But unfortunately, this kind of treatment doesn’t always reduce all symptoms in everyone. She’s unlucky to have no change in her hair from the treatment, which is a shame. But if it’s helping with the other symptoms, it’s still fine.
So let me give you my suggestions.
First of all – no matter what supplement she decides to try, I recommend asking her doctor about it. Though hair supplements are generally quite safe and they rarely interact with medication, it’s better to be sure. You didn’t mention what exact drugs she’s taking, so I can’t really tell if there’s even a minor risk of interactions or not.
Regarding Nutrafol, I actually think it’s a good option for your wife. I can’t guarantee it’s going to work, because if she has PCOS, the cause behind her hair loss might be DHT excess (a hormone that affects follicles and strands). This is usually causing hair loss in men, but it’s also a common cause in women (especially those dealing with hormonal problems like PCOS).
For this reason, I’m in-between recommending her a general hair loss supplement (like Nutrafol) or a DHT blocker (like Profollica). The problem is that DHT blockers are normally designed for men, that’s why I usually recommend general hair loss supplements to women dealing with hormonal hair loss.
So my first suggestion would be to start with Nutrafol and see how things go. Make sure your wife uses it for at least 6 months (that’s a great period to see big results). Also, I would suggest going for the Women Plus version instead of the regular Women one, because the first has some slightly higher dosages (which could be useful, considering your wife’s problem).
You asked about Nutrafol precisely, that’s why I recommended it. But normally, this product isn’t among my top recommended supplements mostly because of its price. Despite being an excellent product, it’s extremely expensive compared to other alternatives that do the same thing. So if you prefer going for something cheaper (as I do), here are the best choices on the market.
Other than that – your wife can also start using herbal remedies. For instance, green tea blocks DHT receptors on the outside, so it can help with hair loss. Henna helps thicken the hair and makes it look more voluminous (it’s a hair dye but you don’t necessarily have to change your hair color if you want to use it). Horsetail is also very helpful against thinning.
In case your wife already developed some bald spots, she might want to use an aesthetic solution until the supplement she chooses starts working. I recommend Caboki’s fibers because they are the most professional from the market (for an excellent price as well).
Please keep me updated on the progress and feel free to get back to me with any other questions you or her might have.
Hi! I have had chronic hair loss ever since my teenage years and up till today I have not found a viable cure. All I can say is that I managed to keep the hair loss under control, but my hair wouldn’t grow past my shoulders as a consequence. Let’s just say that I got used to it…
I tried lots of products, including Nutrafol. This one belongs to the “most luxurious” category of hair supplements, because it costs a large part of some people’s monthly wage. Anyway, for me it didn’t prove to be better than the rest. My shedding got better in a couple of months but that’s it. I also spent a lot of money on it every month and it wasn’t worth it.
I checked out your website and you also seem to have tried lots of products. Out of the ones you reviewed, I used Hairfinity, Viviscal, Kerotin, etc. and even your long-recommended Folexin. None helped to the point where I could stop using it and get my hair back. So now I don’t believe in any supplement, drug or treatment anymore!
Hi Norah, thanks for your feedback on Nutrafol and all the other products you mentioned.
First of all, I think you should investigate more on the cause behind your hair loss. If it’s chronic, it’s surely caused by something more serious and that can be dangerous for your health. So I don’t know if you visited several doctors and had some tests done – but if you didn’t, I really advise you to do it as soon as possible. This might be the best treatment for your problem.
Since you weren’t satisfied with any of the products you tried, it’s obviously that there’s something behind your hair loss.
Now – none of these supplements are meant to cure hair loss, they only promise to help reduce it. But if you’re suffering from a certain condition, I doubt any of them will make your hair look better than ever and stay like this even if you quit that supplement. It just doesn’t happen in reality.
I personally was disappointed by many supplements. But on the other hand, I also had great results with many others (among those you mentioned, I would include here Kerotin, Viviscal and even Hairfinity). Obviously, if your hair has real problems behind, quitting the supplement that helped you will also affect your hair at one point. It can’t just remain in a great shape forever.
So I don’t really know what to recommend you, since you weren’t satisfied by any supplement. I think that the best thing you can do right now is to consult a doctor and investigate the actual problem of your hair.
I really hope this helps you.
Hello Olly! I’ve been dealing with thinning hair and loss since about 2006. Tried Keratin shampoos, Hair, Skin and Nails supplements (didn’t regrow or thicken hair I have but I did notice new arm hair growing in so stopped using it), and Nioxin. Didn’t like Nioxin at all. Seemed to make my hair more dry. The keratin shampoos and conditioners are nice (Keranique) but was wary of using the foam (really don’t want to have to use something with Rogaine). So I basically just use volumizing shampoos and conditioners and call it a day because I’m still wary about supplements causing more hair growth where I don’t want it. Would you still suggest Folexin or something else? I’m within range for my thyroid hormones but it’s low in that range. Don’t know if there’s another problem and haven’t had my scalp examined. I try to eat healthy but know that I’m not but do take vitamins. Just wondering what I should try if anything. On another silly note, my cat’s name was Ollie (female). Thanks in advance!
Hi Melanie, thanks a lot for your feedback on Nioxin and Keranique. I’m just wondering, did you discover your thyroid issues short after your hair started thinning? Or did you have any health issues/nutritional deficiencies in that time? In other words, do you know what made your hair fall out and get thinner? If your thyroid hormones are within the normal range now, you shouldn’t be having these problems anymore (if they were actually caused by the issues with your thyroid).
Getting to your questions, Folexin should normally helps these issues and I personally did not experience any body hair growth. Also, I didn’t have many complaints at this chapter from my readers, so I would say supplements are safe to use from this point of view (at least on paper). Yes, they might cause body hair growth in rare cases, but this should go away once you stop using the product, so I wouldn’t worry too much from this point of view. I also advise you to check this guide I made on making hair thicker naturally, it might help you a bit (even only aesthetically).
I’m waiting for your feedback to see if we can determine the actual cause behind your hair issues. Hope this helps.
I’m using Nutrafol for a month now just read your review which I found while searching for Nutrafol side effects.
I think I’m seeing some improvement, my hair is thinning not falling out, but I also think it’s giving me diarrhea 😑
Your comment about taking too many capsules a day being harmful for the liver has me slightly alarmed and my question is, does spacing them out make a difference on the livers ability to process them?
I’m taking 7 pills as I bought the three bottles recommended for post menopausal women.
I agree that the cost is an issue and may move to your suggested Folexin.
Tell me more about the liver issues please.
Thank you,
Mary Winn
Hi Mary, I’m glad to hear you’re seeing some positive changes with Nutrafol. I don’t recommend taking a large number of pills per day because all pills are mostly metabolized in the liver. Besides the active compounds, they all contain additives and various additional ingredients (not necessarily harmful) but taking a larger number of pills is not the best for your liver in the long run. Still, if you’re not taking any other pills, that’s not a reason to worry.
Regarding your question, spacing the pills out won’t make a very big difference, since you’re still taking 7/day. As I said, it’s not the end of the world, especially if you’re taking them for a short while. I suggest you to continue taking Nutrafol until your current supply runs out – and switch to a different product afterwards. I recommend Folexin, because it’s very similar but it requires a smaller number of pills per day. But it’s surely up to you.
Hey Olly. I’m using Nutrafol for more than half a year but my results are no what I expected. My hair is still thin, growing faster but falling out as badly as before. I’m not sick nor have any medical problems, I just had my hair bleached and I’m still suffering the consequences. Do you think I should continue with Nutrafol? I noticed you say it’s a good product but quite expensive, which I totally agree with. I simply found many good opinions about it so I decided to buy it despite the cost, but if it’s not helping me more than something cheaper, I would like to try something that costs less, what about Folexin, do you think it would help me? And can you recommend me some shampoo that worked for you? I’m still looking for a good one.
Hello Alicce, thanks a lot for your feedback on Nutrafol. Your hair loss and thinning and probably because of the bleaching, which is good because it means it’s only a matter of time until your hair gets back to normal.
I’m quite surprised Nutrafol doesn’t help you at all, since it’s a really potent supplement (especially for cases like yours). But we all react differently to various products, so it’s totally possible that your hair doesn’t respond properly to Nutrafol. In this case, I recommend you to try Folexin, it’s the supplement I have been counting on for many years, because it really helped my hair recover from its really bad condition. At this point, it’s the very best hair supplement I know, so I’m pretty confident it’s going to help you a lot. It’s also really affordable (compared to Nutrafol), so you will also save a high amount of money.
As for the shampoo, I actually have one that I consider much better than all the other alternatives I tried. It’s called Valotin Strengthening Shampoo and it’s effective for a bunch of issues (hair loss, thinning, faster growth). Just like Folexin, it’s also very affordable and it comes in a high quantity, so it’s an excellent choice. It’s the shampoo I’m still using (after a really long time), so I think it’s the best thing I can recommend you right now. Valotin also produces a supplement that contains the exact same ingredients as Folexin, and you can also buy it together with the shampoo and conditioner with a really big discount. So if you want to save some money, you can get the full package and use that supplement instead of Folexin (they contain the exact same formula, so the results should be the same as well).
Hope this helps!
I have suffered COVID-19 in the hospital for 19 days I have now three months out experienced extreme hair loss do you think the Folexin would work for me on this?
Hi Tess, I really hope your health is better now. If your hair loss didn’t appear before you were infected with COVID, then a general hair supplement should really help you. So Folexin should reduce your shedding and hair loss. Did you have any tests afterwards (vitamins, minerals, nutrient deficiencies)? I’m just trying to make sure that your hair loss isn’t cause by something else. But Folexin contains a bunch of nutrients and vitamins additional to its herbal-based formula, so I believe there are very high chances that it helps you. Good luck and best wishes!
All of these reviews are most helpful. I have tried Nutrafol and after 2 weeks noticed a difference in my hair. I did 2 months and decided to try something else, and did not get near the results I got with Nutrafol, even though it is expensive I’m worth it I am also results driven. I really appreciate however the information about Folexin. I never heard of this supplement and the price is very attractive as long as it does what Nutrafol does for the hair. There is nothing wrong with saving money I am just into what works. So thanks again!
Hey Tonya, thanks a lot for your feedback on Nutrafol. I also had a very positive experience with it, so it’s definitely a product that deserves all praises. In case you ever try Folexin, I would love to hear your opinion about it as well.