Sure, thinning hair can be a headache, but a certain amount of hair loss is normal, especially with post-pregnancy or age (just another perk of getting older!). If you’re concerned about an excessive amount of hair loss, consult with a medical professional to diagnose the root problem. Otherwise, if you just want to give your hair a volume boost, the best shampoos for thinning hair can add density to your locks. The key is choosing the right ingredients. We spoke with several hair pros to get the lowdown, and nearly all the products below come recommended by experts.

It’s important to use hair care products that not only provide volume, but also promote circulation and growth of the hair follicles, says Melanie Palm, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Art of Skin MD. She recommends looking for formulations with amino acids and biotin, which can help strengthen hair and promote growth. Other bonus ingredients to look for include antioxidants like vitamin E, which help counteract free radicals from sun exposure, styling, and other stressors. She adds that for aesthetic purposes, keratin, which coats the strands, can also help hair look more hydrated, and thus, fuller. And because one thing you don’t want is to add additional weight to already thin hair, Dr. Palm says to avoid shampoos with silicones, which can cause buildup and weigh down your tresses.

Ahead, eight shampoos for thinning hair — all recommended by dermatologists, hair stylists, and more, to help you achieve a thicker-looking ‘do.

Board-certified dermatologist Erum N. Ilyas says she recommends volumizing shampoos, like Biolage VolumeBloom, for thinning hair. Although volumizing shampoos do not directly cause more hair growth, they hydrate and coat each hair follicle, which gives each hair strand a fuller barrel and the appearance of more volume. The lightweight, vegan, and paraben-free formula is a fan-favorite on Amazon — it’s earned nearly 6,000 perfect five-star reviews (and counting).One Amazon reviewer raved, “Im not usually big on shampoos but this one made my fine/thin head of hair explode with volume and made it look and feel like i had thick full head of hair. Confidence is back.”

This shampoo from R+Co is designed to help thicken thin or fine hair. It has a formula that contains biotin to promote hair growth, and moringa seed extract, a powerful antioxidant, to hydrate, and polymers to add volume to your strands, says Dr. Palm. And it’s another popular choice on Amazon, having earned more than 2,600 positive reviews.One Amazon shopper noted, “This thickening shampoo is amazing and smells wonderful. It makes your hair so clean, thick, and lustrous. Yes, it’s expensive, but you only need a quarter size in your hand to get a full use. Lathers easily and fills the whole bathroom with a beautiful scent. It makes my hair shiny and bouncy. My hair stays clean and full-looking for up to three days.”

The entire ISDIN line is a dermatologist’s favorite,” says Dr. Palm. The hair density shampoo can be used daily to help nourish thinning hair without leaving it feeling greasy. Dr. Palm says she likes this shampoo because it contains biotin, zinc, B vitamins, and serenoa serrulata fruit extract, which “all work together to promote the growth of hair follicles while providing the appearance of thicker, fuller hair.”The thickening shampoo had one Amazon reviewer gushing, “This shampoo does exactly what is says. Makes hair feel fuller and my hair is so shiny! It definitely nourishes my hair. My hair has never looked and felt better.”

Keranique’s scalp stimulating shampoo deep cleans the scalp to encourage healthy hair, and it has ingredients like biotin and hydrolyzed keratin to protect the hair cuticle and decrease breakage. It’s a sulfate- and paraben-free product that contains an amino acid complex to help strengthen and fortify the hair, says Dr. Michelle Henry, a NY-based dermatologist and founder of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan.Another well-loved shampoo on Amazon, it comes backed by more than 1,900 positive ratings, with one reviewer writing, “I could not believe it but my thinning hair became thicker and the top of my hair looks like a curly carpet. Really I am not lying but it is like a miracle. I lost so much hair and now my hair feels and looks thicker. I wash my hair twice a week. On a 1 to 10 I say 12.”

Bain Densite by Kerastase is the shampoo that Fabio Scalia of Fabio Scalia salons recommends to his clients who lack density. The key ingredient is hyaluronic acid, which acts as a strengthening agent. By strengthening the hair and preventing breakage, your hair can look and become fuller over time. It also adds body without weighing the hair down.One satisfied shopper reported, “Omg I Love this shampoo. It’s worth every penny. My hair is thin and very fine and is damaged and color treated. It always felt like straw and difficult to brush. After the first time using this shampoo my hair is so soft and full of body and I can actually brush my hair without all the knots. So far I’ve had great results. I would definitely recommend this product!”

This shampoo from PHYTO is another recommendation from Scalia, who says the brand has a bit of a cult following because of their efficacy in treating specific scalp and hair problems. PHYTO products are majority plant-based and don’t contain parabens, silicones, or synthetic alcohols, and this fortifying shampoo can be used up to three times a week to help strengthen hair. The shampoo has a botanical extract designed to combat temporary hair thinning from stress, medication, or recent lifestyle changes, says Scalia.One Amazon fan commented, “I have switched hair products many times and every time I go back to phyto, I am reminded why I love it so much. my hair feels and looks better with this product than any others I have tried.”

Regardless if your hair is colored or chemically treated, you can use this lightweight shampoo. The highly rated shampoo uses s a proprietary formula to maximize hair fullness with thickening “dots”. It’s cruelty-, phthalate- and sulfate-free, and not only cleans your hair but helps keep it clean for longer — it repels dirt and oil so your hair stays fuller looking in between washes.One shopper raved about how it helped her limp hair, “Living Proof shampoo is absolutely the best shampoo. My fine hair looks & feels so much fuller than ever and it stays clean, never greasy or heavy even after 2 days. It’s worth every penny.” 

Nioxin shampoos come in six different formulas for different hair types (natural, colored, chemically-treated) and levels of thinning (light and progressed). This shampoo is dermatologically-tested and formulated to remove excess dirt, oil, and other residue from the scalp. Says hairstylist Michelle Cleveland, Nioxin’s products are designed to keep the scalp environment at its healthiest so that natural hair growth can successfully take place. They also use peppermint as a natural cleansing agent to avoid stripping the hair and scalp of essential oils.One fan reported, “This shampoo has been a true game changer for me. […] This shampoo has definitely helped my hair to grow. My hairdresser has been able to see the change as well. It has totally changed the texture of my hair. It smells a bit medicated when you are using it but it does not make your hair smell bad at all. […] I waited for a couple of months of using this shampoo before I wrote this review.”

Board-certified dermatologist Erum N. Ilyas says she recommends volumizing shampoos, like Biolage VolumeBloom, for thinning hair. Although volumizing shampoos do not directly cause more hair growth, they hydrate and coat each hair follicle, which gives each hair strand a fuller barrel and the appearance of more volume. The lightweight, vegan, and paraben-free formula is a fan-favorite on Amazon — it’s earned nearly 6,000 perfect five-star reviews (and counting). One Amazon reviewer raved, “Im not usually big on shampoos but this one made my fine/thin head of hair explode with volume and made it look and feel like i had thick full head of hair. Confidence is back.”

This shampoo from R+Co is designed to help thicken thin or fine hair. It has a formula that contains biotin to promote hair growth, and moringa seed extract, a powerful antioxidant, to hydrate, and polymers to add volume to your strands, says Dr. Palm. And it’s another popular choice on Amazon, having earned more than 2,600 positive reviews. One Amazon shopper noted, “This thickening shampoo is amazing and smells wonderful. It makes your hair so clean, thick, and lustrous. Yes, it’s expensive, but you only need a quarter size in your hand to get a full use. Lathers easily and fills the whole bathroom with a beautiful scent. It makes my hair shiny and bouncy. My hair stays clean and full-looking for up to three days.”

The entire ISDIN line is a dermatologist’s favorite,” says Dr. Palm. The hair density shampoo can be used daily to help nourish thinning hair without leaving it feeling greasy. Dr. Palm says she likes this shampoo because it contains biotin, zinc, B vitamins, and serenoa serrulata fruit extract, which “all work together to promote the growth of hair follicles while providing the appearance of thicker, fuller hair.” The thickening shampoo had one Amazon reviewer gushing, “This shampoo does exactly what is says. Makes hair feel fuller and my hair is so shiny! It definitely nourishes my hair. My hair has never looked and felt better.”

Bain Densite by Kerastase is the shampoo that Fabio Scalia of Fabio Scalia salons recommends to his clients who lack density. The key ingredient is hyaluronic acid, which acts as a strengthening agent. By strengthening the hair and preventing breakage, your hair can look and become fuller over time. It also adds body without weighing the hair down. One satisfied shopper reported, “Omg I Love this shampoo. It’s worth every penny. My hair is thin and very fine and is damaged and color treated. It always felt like straw and difficult to brush. After the first time using this shampoo my hair is so soft and full of body and I can actually brush my hair without all the knots. So far I’ve had great results. I would definitely recommend this product!”

This shampoo from PHYTO is another recommendation from Scalia, who says the brand has a bit of a cult following because of their efficacy in treating specific scalp and hair problems. PHYTO products are majority plant-based and don’t contain parabens, silicones, or synthetic alcohols, and this fortifying shampoo can be used up to three times a week to help strengthen hair. The shampoo has a botanical extract designed to combat temporary hair thinning from stress, medication, or recent lifestyle changes, says Scalia. One Amazon fan commented, “I have switched hair products many times and every time I go back to phyto, I am reminded why I love it so much. my hair feels and looks better with this product than any others I have tried.”

Nioxin shampoos come in six different formulas for different hair types (natural, colored, chemically-treated) and levels of thinning (light and progressed). This shampoo is dermatologically-tested and formulated to remove excess dirt, oil, and other residue from the scalp. Says hairstylist Michelle Cleveland, Nioxin’s products are designed to keep the scalp environment at its healthiest so that natural hair growth can successfully take place. They also use peppermint as a natural cleansing agent to avoid stripping the hair and scalp of essential oils. One fan reported, “This shampoo has been a true game changer for me. […] This shampoo has definitely helped my hair to grow. My hairdresser has been able to see the change as well. It has totally changed the texture of my hair. It smells a bit medicated when you are using it but it does not make your hair smell bad at all. […] I waited for a couple of months of using this shampoo before I wrote this review.”

Keranique’s scalp stimulating shampoo deep cleans the scalp to encourage healthy hair, and it has ingredients like biotin and hydrolyzed keratin to protect the hair cuticle and decrease breakage. It’s a sulfate- and paraben-free product that contains an amino acid complex to help strengthen and fortify the hair, says Dr. Michelle Henry, a NY-based dermatologist and founder of Skin & Aesthetic Surgery of Manhattan. Another well-loved shampoo on Amazon, it comes backed by more than 1,900 positive ratings, with one reviewer writing, “I could not believe it but my thinning hair became thicker and the top of my hair looks like a curly carpet. Really I am not lying but it is like a miracle. I lost so much hair and now my hair feels and looks thicker. I wash my hair twice a week. On a 1 to 10 I say 12.”

Regardless if your hair is colored or chemically treated, you can use this lightweight shampoo. The highly rated shampoo uses s a proprietary formula to maximize hair fullness with thickening “dots”. It’s cruelty-, phthalate- and sulfate-free, and not only cleans your hair but helps keep it clean for longer — it repels dirt and oil so your hair stays fuller looking in between washes. One shopper raved about how it helped her limp hair, “Living Proof shampoo is absolutely the best shampoo. My fine hair looks & feels so much fuller than ever and it stays clean, never greasy or heavy even after 2 days. It’s worth every penny.”