Nioxin Review – What are the side effects? [2024]

If you’re on the internet looking at Nioxin, then the likelihood is that you’re experiencing some form of hair loss. But how can you really trust what random people are saying on the internet? They’ve probably not even used the product.

Here though, we only deal in real reviews of products. As you can see if you look around the site, I’m a happily bald guy. So, I can really talk about products like Nioxin and give you guys an honest review. So, I reached out online to see if I could get someone to give us an honest Nioxin Shampoo Review and luckily, I managed to find someone! Here, you’re going to read a real review of Nioxin by someone who actually used it!

Nioxin Review

Nioxin Scalp + Hair Thickening System 2 Shampoo, For Natural Hair with Progressed Thinning, 10.1 fl oz (Packaging May Vary)

• Professional hair and scalp cleanser shampoo for natural hair with progressed thinning. Award: Behind the Chair Stylist Choice Winner Favorite Thinning Haircare, 16 consecutive years
• Derma purifying shampoo deeply cleanses the scalp and provides thicker, fuller looking hair
• Activ renewal technology helps remove sebum, fatty acids and other environmental residue from the scalp and hair

Check Current Price

What is Nioxin?

First, let’s have a quick look at what Nioxin is. You might have heard of Nioxin before, you may not have. But you’ve undoubtedly heard of Proctor & Gamble (or P & G), who you may known are the corporation behind Gillette and other massive brands.

Why am I telling you this? Well, Nioxin wasn’t always owned by P & G. It was developed in the 80s by mother Eva Graham to help with the loss of her thinning hair after she had her child. This in itself helps us to understand one of the best use cases for Nioxin; temporary hair loss.

I say this because I see people confusing Nioxin with use for MPB (Male Pattern Baldness), and it just isn’t how it works unfortunately! Nioxin is more like a special shampoo that you’re likely to splurge a little extra on as opposed to a magical hair loss treatment growth system like Minoxidil or Finasteride.

Nioxin User Review

So, I used Nioxin for a while and I have to say, I did notice a difference in the thickness of my hair. It wasn’t breathtakingly world changing, but it was pretty substantially thicker than it was previously. This isn’t to say that it will work for everyone however.

I used Nioxin 2, which is deliberately made for thinning hair (I’d just given birth to my first son, like the founder!). This means that I personally can’t speak on the other 2-5 Nioxin treatments, but if you want to find out a little more about them and which one is right for you, just click here.

I used my Nioxin for a few months, but I not longer continue to use it as I saw all the regrowth that was necessary for me. Now, Nioxin usually say that you need to keep using it to ensure that it works properly, but this wasn’t really the case for me. I found that my hair grew back pretty quickly and once I stopped using Nioxin, I didn’t lose any hair from there. I’d have no trouble recommending Nioxin to a friend.

Usually I would say “just try it!”, but there are a few reported side effects that I’ve read about online that you might experience if you’re using Nioxin (I didn’t experience any of them, however).

Nioxin Side Effects

There are a few commonly known side effects of using Nioxin, which are pretty much part and parcel of using this type of product. The main issues that you’re likely to experience are;

• An itchy, red scalp – Probably the most common side effect that I’ve seen people experience when using Nioxin is issues with their scalp. Most commonly is that they find their scalp to be super itchy a few hours after they use the product. Not ideal, but it isn’t the end of the world and your scalp is likely to get used to this after using it for a prolonged period of time. An itchy scalp is pretty common when you start to use a new hair shampoo, anyways.
• Flakes – As someone who experienced a lot of dandruff when they were younger, the idea of a flaky scalp makes me cringe. This is unfortunately one of the side effects that you’re likely to experience if you’re using Nioxin.
• Dry Hair – As we know, Nioxin works best for those that still have some of their hair remaining. For this reason, it’s pretty likely that you’re going to have a significant amount of hair on your head when you’re using Nioxin. It can often leave your hair dry, which can be super annoying.

These are the main side effects of Nioxin, though they say on their website that there are no major side effects to using their product (I don’t know about you, but a flaky head is pretty major to me!).

Nioxin and Dandruff

I’ve read a few people online that have dealt with dandruff after using Nioxin for a few weeks. This makes sense, when you read that some of the most common side effects of Nioxin are a flaky scalp and an itchy head.

To combat this, you either have two options; Avoid using Nioxin altogether, or try it and see. The likelihood is that you’re not going to experience this, as Nioxin has many great reviews online with minimal reviews concerning dandruff. But if you’re prone to a flaky scalp, I thought that I had better mention it just in case (I like to give an impartial take on things, even if the product worked for me!).

You do have the option to use this with another anti dandruff product, such as Nizoral. Nizoral, or ketoconazole as it’s referred to if we’re talking it’s proper name, is designed to combat dandruff. Many people have reported using Nizoral in conjunction with other shampoos and products and seeing a decrease in the amount of dandruff, with the majority of users getting rid of their dandruff completely after prolonged use.

Nioxin Ingredients

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a stickler for the ingredients. I mean, you’re putting these products on your hair and your skin, you should know what’s in them right?! Anyways, there’s nothing particularly alarming to me when I read the ingredients list for Nioxin.

The main ingredient in Nioxin is Ensulizole, which is pretty commonly found in the shampoos and other products, namely sunscreen. Yup that’s right – the main ingredient in Nioxin is primarily found in sunscreens, which kinda makes sense – Nioxin will protect your scalp as well as helping to thicken your hair.

Another ingredient you’re going to find in Nioxin is Sulisobenzone – another commonly found sunscreen agent! Whilst the guys at Nioxin don’t give you a full analysis of how their product really works, it’s safe to say that taking care of your scalp and hair follicles leads to the health of your hair in the long term.

Aside from these ingredients, you’re going to find a lot of the usual suspects in Nioxin – things like Biotin and a wide array of other B vitamins. These are to help the strength of your hair and help it grow thickly. It also contains Saw Palmetto, which is another one of those that helps to prevent hair loss. It does this by helping decrease the amount of DHT that you produce, which is one of the main causes of male pattern baldness.

How to use Nioxin to get the best results.

Sale

Nioxin Hair Booster Serum - Advanced Leave-In Hair Treatment, 3.4 fl oz (Packaging May Vary)

• The ultra-concentrated formula, with coZyme-10 vitamin complex
• Targets areas of advanced thin-looking hair such as the hairline or crown
• Keratin helps protect against cuticle damage and boost fragile hair

Check Current Price

After you’ve determined which scale of Nioxin is best for you, you can then proceed to use the product as it was intended. In fact, i think that this is one of the best things about Nioxin compared to other shampoos and hair loss products. You really don’t have to change anything about your current hair routine.

This is something that made me decide to use Nioxin in the first place! I hate the idea of holding my head over the sink for 45 minutes to let it sink in, or having to apply 6 drops of whatever to my scalp 24 times a day. Okay, that’s an exaggeration but you get my point.

So, Nioxin is for thinning hair?

Yes, exactly. If you take anything from this, I hope that this is it! It was designed for people with thinning hair, so it is understandable that this is it’s primary use.

So, can I use Nioxin for Genetic Hair Loss?

Whilst you’re likely to find some reports on the internet of people using Nioxin for genetic hair loss, this isn’t what it is intended for and the brand have made no such claims. You can try it if you’re experiencing this, but you’re likely better going for a stronger solution like Minoxidil.

The Reality of Nioxin

Many people look at Nioxin as if it’s a saving grace and going to turn them from George Costanza to Danny Zuko. I can promise you, this really isn’t the case.

If you’re experiencing temporary hair loss – whether that be post pregnancy, alopecia or hypothyroidism – Nioxin can help you in this type of scenario (I mean come on, it’s what the original creator made it for!). It’s incomparable with other hair loss treatments, because it isn’t meant to reverse your genetics. But if you’re looking for a good solution to thinning hair, then it’s worth giving Nioxin a pop.

Pros and Cons of Nioxin

 Ease of Use – I like that this shampoo is pretty easy to apply and use, I couldn’t be bothered with something that takes ages to apply and use. 

 Majority of people found it effective (including me) – If you look at the amount of people that have found Nioxin effective, it far outweighs those that did not. Sounds good to me.

 Different options – Whether you naturally have thin hair or coarse hair, the different options give you an alternative that fits for you.

 It’s not a miracle cure – Many people look at these hair loss products like they’re a miracle cure, and they’re going to magnificently help you grow your hair back. This isn’t the case! Unless you’re using something stronger, just expect this shampoo to help your hair appear thicker.

 Kinda Expensive – I see some people saying how cheap it is, but to me it’s kinda expensive. If you add up the cost of the shampoo over the year, it’ll probably end up between $100-200, which to me isn’t that cheap. But then, I’ve spent more than that in a few salon sessions, so maybe I’m being picky. If you want a cheaper option, you could opt for Nutri Ox.

My Conclusion (My Personal Opinion)

I can only speak for myself, so here’s my personal opinion on Nioxin. I’m not entirely sure whether Nioxin helped my hair grow back, as my hair loss was only temporary and I guess it may have grown back for other reasons.

I do think that using this shampoo gave my scalp a pretty clean and healthy environment to help enable my hair to grow back, however. So if this is you experiencing temporary hair loss, then it would probably be a good option for you to opt for Nioxin for a few months and see how it goes.

It isn’t going to help you grow any hair back if you’re experiencing permanent hair loss, though it is going to make your hair look thicker and full – so if you’re starting to bald at a young age and want to extend the lifespan of your hair, then this might also be a great option for you.