Bosley Shampoo Side Effects | Is It Good for Hair Loss?
Since the introduction of the first commercial shampoo in 1914, shampoo has undergone a myriad of inventions.
Bosley, known as America’s top hair restoration expert has incorporated the most recent technologies, inventions, and approaches in their range of shampoos aimed at:
- providing the best cleansing properties
- maintain healthy hair,
- prevent and treat hair loss
- and treat scalp conditions.
About Bosley Shampoo
Bosley shampoo is a sulfate-free and paraben-safe shampoo. Sulfates are salts. When used in shampoos may strip hair of its natural oils and fade color-treated hair.
As it comes without sulfate, the Bosley shampoo becomes Ideal for maintaining moisture balance, softness, and luster in your hair. And it is gentle enough to retain color on color-treated hair.
Parabens are chemicals used in hair products as preservatives. The downside is that other than posing risks to your health, parabens may cause scalp irritation.
Bosley’s paraben-free shampoo is formulated to:
- Help cleanse the scalp
- remove toxins from the scalp
- create a conducive environment for hair growth
- and restore visibly thinning hair without causing scalp irritation or other paraben-associated health risks
The shampoo comes in two forms:
- Bosley Pro BosDefense Nourishing Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair.
- Bosley Pro BosRevive Nourishing Shampoo for Non-Color-Treated Hair.
Is Bosley Shampoo Good for Hair Loss?
Bosley shampoo is good for hair loss.
Bosley shampoo’s active ingredients not only help to clean hair, but also combat hair loss in various ways.
Active ingredient | Function |
Saw palmetto | Block the enzyme 5-alpha reductase and lower the DHT levels on the scalp. |
Menthol | A vasodilator that results in improved blood circulation around the hair follicles and promotes hair growth. It is also an antipruritic that counteracts scalp itching and inflammation that could cause hair loss. |
Pumpkin seed extract | Contain zinc, copper, potassium, magnesium, and amino acids that resolve inflammation, itching, and hair loss. The elements in pumpkin seeds also prevent thinning, encourage healthy hair growth, and contain antibacterial properties that curb scalp infections. |
Rosemary extracts | Its anti-inflammatory properties help suppress hair loss. Rosemary extracts are also known to stimulate circulation and prevent flaky scalp. |
Soy amino acids | The amino acids in soy protein help form the hair’s building blocks and promote keratin formation. They also reduce hair follicle cell damage and boost hair follicle immunity. |
Vegetable derived proteins | These proteins add to other amino acids in keratin formation and maintain the strength and flexibility of the hair. |
Sunflower seed oil | Its high moisturizing properties curb hair loss caused by breakage and dry hair. Oleic acid in sunflower seed oil help repair damaged hair and promote faster growth. |
Celery seed extract | The antioxidant properties prevent hair follicle cell damage from free radicals. Its antiseptic properties help inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms on the scalp that could cause hair loss. |
Vitamins and minerals | Promote healthy hair cell formation and boost hair follicle immunity. |
Witch-hazel extract | Reduce scalp oiliness and inflammation. Controls scalp irritation and prevents flaky scalp. |
Badderlocks seaweed | The fatty acids and amino acids help form the hair structure- keratin. It also stimulates circulation, nourishing the hair follicle cells with optimum nutrients. |
Marula seed oil | Contain hydrating and moisturizing properties that help prevent hair breakage and dry scalp. |
Bosley Shampoo Side Effects
Undesirable and unwanted effects that may result from using Bosley shampoo are:
Contact Dermatitis
Though rare, active and inactive ingredients in Bosley shampoo may irritate the scalp causing an allergic reaction in some people. When a substance you are allergic to comes into contact with your scalp, it provokes an immunological response causing itchiness, redness, and flaking.
DHT Blockers Effects
Mild effects such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, and constipation are associated with DHT inhibition using saw palmetto. The symptoms are uncommon because saw palmetto in the shampoo is topically applied during shampooing and not ingested.
Is Bosley Shampoo Good for Thinning Hair?
Bosley shampoo is good for thinning hair. Active ingredients in saw palmetto extract blocks the conversion of DHT stopping further thinning.
Other ingredients in the shampoo help boost the volume and the health of the hair giving thinning hair a fuller, healthier look.
How Fast Does Bosley Shampoo Work?
It takes four months for Bosley shampoo to work. During this period, the hair increases in density, and the quality of hair improves. Any previous excessive shedding gradually decreases. There is noticeably less shedding on regular use of Bosely shampoo. New hair growth may be evident from 8-12 weeks of usage.

How often you use Bosley shampoo to see results depends on your hair type. People with curly and wavy hair should wash their hair at least once or twice a week. 3-4 times a week is ideal for straight and fine hair.
Even with an average of four months, every hair and scalp responds differently to regular use of Bosley shampoo.
New growth and less thinning are apparent in three months in people with hair thinning in its early stages.
Fine and thin hair shows improvement in 3-4 months of using Bosley shampoo. The hair feels and looks fuller as the shampoo not only thickens the hair but boosts volume and appearance.
Excessive hair shedding, known as telogen effluvium starts to resolve in a month’s usage. Excessive hair shedding happens when the hair sheds more than 50-100 strands of normal daily shedding.
On using Bosley shampoo, the hair shows improvement from shedding handfuls of hair during wash days to just a few hair strands.
My Thoughts as A Trichologist
Shampoo like Bosley designed to stop hair thinning is good to use when experiencing androgenetic hair loss. However, any hair regrowth product will work on areas of the scalp that have active hair follicles. Areas of the scalp with lost or destroyed hair follicles will not regrow hair with the use of Bosley shampoo or any other hair regrowth product.
Other hair-thinning cases may not be a result of DHT. Conditions such as telogen effluvium caused by deficiencies, postpartum hair loss, and hormonal fluctuations may present with hair thinning. Other scalp conditions like traction alopecia and some autoimmune responses may cause reduced hair density on the scalp.
I recommend you consider a hair and scalp assessment by a hair and scalp specialist before using a hair regrowth product. A scalp assessment will help establish the extent of the thinning and address the root cause in case the hair loss is of a different etiology.