This Supplement Has Actually Changed My Dry, Fine Hair for the Better

Let me preface this by saying I’ve never had naturally voluminous hair. I’m not here to complain: I’ve learned how to manage and tame my fine, fragile hair, accepting my mane for what it is without giving up my highlights. (Yes, there is a way to have healthy highlighted hair.) As an expert in testing out beauty products, I’ve tried every hair supplement on the market, from pure collagen powder and prenatal pills to biotin-infused everything.

But I only recently discovered a true miracle worker. Unfortunately, due to the numerous attempts—and fails—to find a suitable supplement, I became a bit of a skeptic when familiarizing myself with new products. In fact, I essentially gave up testing new products and justified it by using fewer hot tools and stripping myself of all bad hair habits. It’s hard to decipher why I gravitated toward Nutrafol supplements—I guess my last attempt proved to be the most effective.

“My business partners and I took almost a year of research, involving other doctors in the process, to dive deep into unhealthy hair follicles at the root and how botanicals can work to achieve healthy hair,” Sophia Kogan, MD, chief medical officer of Nutrafol, explains. “It was especially important to understand the scientific basis to be able to bring Nutrafol and its science to Western medical doctors.”

Here’s the truth: It’s not going to happen overnight. If you opt for instantly gratifying products, this is not for you. You don’t take one capsule and wake up as Rapunzel the next day—although, I did notice results within the first month.

Let me break down the regimen: After taking the hair wellness evaluation, which assesses stress, diet, and your wellness routine, Nutrafol recommends one core solution (the pills) and two targeted boosters (ranging from liver support to digestive enzymes and vitamin B). I was prescribed the core Nutrafol Women’s Supplement, as well as the Vitamin B Booster and Liver Support Supplement. I took four core capsules, two liver support capsules, and a droplet of vitamin B once a day with food.

What did I notice? Do I suddenly have hair down to my heels? No. But finally, my hair has grown past my collarbone (a milestone I never foresaw), and the once-dead ends are no longer broken and scrappy. My hair has remained fine, but it’s now much denser. I’m currently on my third bottle, and I’m eager to see the improvement as I remain committed to this plan.

When it comes to whether or not hair supplements or hair masks are better, I remain convinced that supplements are the real game changer. Kogan confirmed my suspicions, saying, “The living portion of the hair, the follicle, is a sensitive mini organ that’s impacted by everything that happens within the body. Its health is reflective of the internal environment and should be treated from within. That’s where botanicals and Nutrafol come in.”

While these supplements promote hair growth from within, I’m mindful of the other products I’m using. Scroll below to see which products, in use with Nutrafol, enhance my hair health.

This piece was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.