The 10 best hair growth serums in India

Decoding what works and what to use

In a world where ghanne kaale baal is more coveted than Alphonso mangoes, hair growth serums are emerging as the shining stars of the beauty industry. Many are touted as magical elixirs that have captured the hearts (and scalps) of countless users, promising to solve their haircare woes. Whether that be hair loss, hair thinning, or even premature greying.

While hair loss can be widespread across your scalp, it isn’t the same as hair thinning. Hair loss can be temporary, and hair thinning happens at the level of the hair follicle. Think of hair follicles like little sacks embedded in our scalp from where the hairs grow.

Thinning can give the appearance of sparse hair, but it doesn’t necessarily cause baldness.

“Hair thinning happens when over time, the roots of the hair begin to shrink, which in turn leads to a decrease not only in the length of the hair shaft but also the thickness of individual hair. When many roots and hair follicles go through this, there is an increased space created between the roots. As these roots keep shrinking, the gap between follicles keeps increasing. This is how hair thins, and we see a reduction in volume or increased gaps,” explains Dr Khushboo Thakker Garodia, a trichologist, nutrition and stress management expert.

It is the diameter of the hair that is decreasing, says Dr Amrendra Kumar, consultant dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon, Director of DermaClinix. “The most common cause for hair thinning in males is androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) and in females, due to female androgenetic alopecia. Another important cause is chronic telogen effluvium.” Telogen effluvium occurs when a stressful experience causes a lot of hair follicles to go into a dormant phase at once, effectively shutting them down temporarily.

The experts concur that the ability to regrow hair is complicated to deduce and can require medical intervention and supervision. The extent to which hair growth serums will work for you will depend on the cause of your hair loss. “If the follicle is dormant, then a lot of natural techniques can help stimulate the follicle and lead to regrowth. But if the follicle has shrunk completely, closed or scarred, or simply disappeared, then it is not possible to regrow hair,” says Garodia.

Hair growth serums are packed with a potent blend of scientifically formulated ingredients and are designed to nourish the hair follicles, stimulate growth, and improve overall hair health. However, it’s important to note that not all hair growth serums are created equal.

With the market flooded with options, experts say the star ingredient to look out for is redenysl which promotes hair growth by reactivating hair follicles. While redensyl is up there close to the gold standard of treatment – minoxidil – there are other fantastic ingredients like capixyl, a DHT blocker, procapil to strengthen the hair follicles, aminexil which reinforces root anchorage, baicapil which extends the anagen or growth phase of the hair cycle, and anagain, which works on reducing hair loss by root stimulation. Most hair growth serums work with a blend of these ingredients in different combinations.

In easy-to-use dropper bottles and pump packaging that you can keep by your washbasin, hair growth serums have made scalp care and treatments for hair fall a lot more accessible. When we think of hair fall treatments, we’d either fall back on hot oil champi or DIY hair masks. But when your hair loss is driven by a medical condition, these won’t make much of a difference for treatment. Hair growth serums, compared to in-clinic treatments, are a lot easier on the pocket and can be used when convenient.

Seeing hair growth serums in action requires consistency and patience. With time and use, you can watch your hairline start to change. Some are leave-in treatments, and others require being rinsed out after a certain period of time, so read the instructions carefully and consult a dermatologist before you dive in.

The best hair growth serums in India

Minimalist Hair Growth Actives 18%, ₹795

Ustraa Hair Growth Vitalizer, ₹699

L’Oreal Professionnel Anti-Hair Loss Activator Programme,₹1,950

The Derma Co Multi-Peptide Hair Serum with Caffeine and 3% Procapil, ₹599

ThriveCo Hair Growth Serum, starting at ₹999

Kérastase Genesis Anti Hair Fall Fortifying Serum, ₹4,800

BeBodywise Hair Growth Concentrate, ₹699

Plum ProNexᵀᴹ Hair Growth Serum, ₹1,099

Earth Rhythm Reactivating Phyto Peptide Complex, ₹675

Matrix Biolage Aminexil Hair Treatment Tonic,₹990

A note of caution: This story is for educational purposes and contains inputs from trained medical experts. Please consult your healthcare provider to find what works best for your needs.