Viviscal

Going bald may be thought of as a men’s problem, but more than half of all women will experience noticeable hair loss at some point in their lives.

Despite its prevalence, thinning hair is a psychological struggle for many women, and there is an enormous market of products and supplements that claim to combat it.

Viviscal is a brand of haircare products designed to combat the effects of thinning hair. It promises to give you the nutrition you need for thicker, healthier hair for as long as you take them.

The company offers a range of shampoos, conditioners, and styling products, but this article will focus on its hair growth supplements for women. Read through our analysis of this product’s purported benefits, ingredients, and customer reviews to learn whether you should consider taking it.

How Viviscal Hair Growth Supplement Works

Female hair loss is more common than many people think. Daily stress, a poor diet, post-pregnancy hormonal shifts, menopause, medications, and your genetics all impact the amount of hair on your head at any given time.

Viviscal approaches hair loss from a nutritional standpoint. These supplements claim to help you foster a healthy scalp and supply each hair follicle with what it needs to stay in the anagen (growing) phase longer.

The supplement’s proprietary blend is the key to its effectiveness, says Dr. Peterson Pierre, a board-certified dermatologist.

“This drug-free nutritional supplement addresses hair growth from multiple different angles to maximize your results,” he told us. “It nourishes the follicles, strengthens and promotes the growth of existing hair. The resulting hair is noticeably stronger, healthier, and more vibrant.”

The main idea is that certain nutritional deficiencies can affect the strength and condition of your hair.

“The primary active ingredient in Viviscal is the proprietary AminoMar marine complex, Dr. Pierre elaborated. “This is made of fish protein molecules and essential fatty acids derived from the Inuit’s diet because they have great skin and hair, presumably as a result of their fish and protein-rich diet.”

Ingredients

Viviscal hair supplements contain a mix of nutrients and a proprietary blend of marine-based material, and horsetail and millet seed extract.

AminoMar®

Viviscal’s proprietary blend contains a marine complex made from shark cartilage and oyster extract powder. Beyond calcium, collagen, proteins, and other nutrients, these extracts contain glucosamine, all of which will purportedly stimulate the growth of hair tissue.

There’s little clinical research available to prove these benefits beyond a double-blind study from 2012 that looked specifically at Viviscal. This study assessed the effectiveness of the supplements compared to a placebo and found that it significantly increased hair growth after 90 and 180 days, based on the subjects’ self-perceived results.

This study didn’t uncover any adverse effects in participants who took the supplement.

Biotin

Also known as vitamin B7, biotin helps the body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids. Biotin supports both hair and growth, and it has gained attention in recent years as a supplemental ingredient to improve them.

One study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, found that participants who took 10,000mcg of biotin a day experienced improvements in the strength and growth rate of their nails. However, participants didn’t experience any noticeable improvements in their hair.

There isn’t much clinical evidence available to support the idea that biotin can cause improvements in hair for people who aren’t already deficient in the nutrient.

Vitamin C

This versatile vitamin is a powerful antioxidant. It builds up your collagen levels and helps your blood absorb iron, which can promote hair growth.

Again, there’s minimal evidence that vitamin C can improve hair health in those who aren’t deficient. And, as vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, your system will flush out any excess you ingest each day.

This means that there’s little benefit to taking large doses of the vitamin for your hair.

Iron

This essential mineral is critical for dozens of biological processes, including red blood cell functioning. Thinning hair is often one of the first visible symptoms of iron deficiency, as your hair follicles depend on blood cells to carry oxygen to their shaft.

Those with a deficiency will benefit from additional iron, but supplementing your levels beyond this amount likely won’t make much difference.

Horsetail Herb

Long used for its anti-inflammatory effects, horsetail herb is valued in traditional medicine. It’s often included in cosmetics and shampoos as a treatment for balding and hair loss. Taken as a supplement, the herb gives your system silica, which Viviscal claims will promote the structural integrity of your hair while adding shine.

Key Takeaways

All of the ingredients in Viviscal supplements are important for maintaining good health and show evidence of supporting healthy hair.

Though there’s clinical evidence that the supplement as a whole can make a difference in hair growth rates and slowing down hair loss, the research for each individual ingredient is less robust unless you are deficient in one of them.

Possible Side Effects

The clinical study that looked at Viviscal’s effectiveness didn’t find any side effects associated with using the supplement.

However, the company website specifies that the supplement isn’t suitable for anyone with a fish or shellfish allergy and that it might be manufactured in facilities that process dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, or wheat.

Some people believe that taking excessive amounts of biotin can lead to breakouts, though the science doesn’t back up this association. Viviscal states that no correlation has been found between taking the supplement and increased acne.

A few Viviscal customers state that the supplement caused issues like nausea and stomach pain. We couldn’t find any connections between the supplement’s ingredients and these side effects, though it’s common for some people’s systems to take a while to adjust when they first take a dietary supplement.

If you notice these symptoms, there’s a good chance they will disappear after a few weeks if you continue to take the supplement.

Cost and Buying Options

The cost for Viviscal Advanced Hair Growth supplements depends on the amount you purchase. A one-month supply (60 tablets) costs $49.99, while a three-month supply (180 tablets) is $119.97 on the company website.

You can also sign up for an auto-ship program that gives you a three-month supply of supplements four times a year, for the price of $39.99 per month ($119.97 per delivery).

You’ll pay $6.95 in shipping costs for a one-month supply of Viviscal. A purchase of a three-month supply will qualify for free shipping.

All purchases from Viviscal qualify for a 90-day money-back guarantee. This means that you can return any purchase you find unsatisfactory to the company within 90 days of receipt for a full refund, including shipping charges.

Viviscal Supplements are also sold at various retail locations, including CVS, Walgreens, Target, Walmart, Rite Aid, and others. The return policy will vary based on the retailer.

You can contact Viviscal directly at (888) 444-9073 or info@viviscal.com with any questions related to the company’s products or thinning hair in general.

Analysis of Customer Reviews

• Supplements Lead to Real Hair Growth
• May Cause Problems for Allergy Sufferers
• Effective But Pricy
• Nail Improvements
• Unpleasant Side Effects
• Not Effective for Everyone

Despite that most reviews for this hair care supplement seem positive, some wrote that they didn’t notice any improvements or changes after taking the supplement for several months. Most of these users wrote that they eventually discontinued taking it.

Viviscal vs. Hairfinity and SugarBearHair

The following chart compares Viviscal supplements to two other hair supplement brands, Hairfinity and SugarBearHair.

Key Takeaways

Deciding which type of hair supplement to take depends on your price point and preferred delivery method. SugarBearHair gummies are cute and taste like candy, but they will cost you $1 a day and likely won’t do much for you if you aren’t nutritional deficient in their key ingredients.

Viviscal supplements are more expensive and must be taken as a regular supplement. But for that inconvenience, you’re getting a supplement that seems to make a clinically significant difference in the hair loss and overall thickness—so long as you commit to taking them.

The Bottom Line

If your hair is thinning and it’s not due to an underlying medical issue, taking Viviscal Advanced Hair Health Supplements may make your hair thicker and slow down hair loss.

However, any hair improvements are likely to be subtle. You may also need to commit to taking the supplements for the long term, as many reviewers wrote that they lost their hair progress when they stopped taking them.

Viviscal is best for anyone dealing with subtle hair loss or thinning hair and who is willing to take these supplements daily for several months.

They aren’t ideal for anyone looking for a quick fix or anyone who is suffering from hair loss due to hormonal imbalances or other medical problems not related to nutrition.