Last Updated on January 3, 2019 by Robert Price
Viviscal is Hollywood’s Hair Regrowth Formula of Choice…
But Does it Really Work?
Gwyneth Paltrow is perhaps the most pretentious, insufferable actress in Hollywood. But she has amazing hair!
Gwyneth’s secret is Viviscal, the hair health and regrowth supplement of choice among celebrities. It’s endorsed by Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Lambert, and many more. But will it work for you? Keep reading to find out!
Here’s the deal. Like you, I’m extremely skeptical of all hair loss treatments. The overwhelming majority of them are useless; some are dangerous, too. Viviscal appears to be one of the exceptions.
Studies show that Viviscal is an effective hair revitalizing and regrowth option for both women and men. In this post I’ll review the medical studies on Viviscal, compare it to other treatments, and hopefully, help you determine if it’s the right product for you. Let’s get started.
Viviscal for Hair Loss and Regrowth – The Basics
- What is Viviscal? According to their website, Viviscal is “dual action hair care system” which promotes growth and yields thicker-looking hair. I’ll be reviewing the hair growth supplements, their most popular products. But Viviscal also sells shampoos, conditioners, etc.
- What are the ingredients? Viviscal’s key ingredient is AminoMar, their proprietary marine protein oil which contains shark and mollusk powders. Yes, you heard right, it’s got shark in it! Supposedly the ingredients comes from sustainable sources, so that’s good. AminoMar has been clinically proven to promote hair growth from within. Viviscal also contains a variety of other vitamins that are essential for hair health, like biotin, vitamin C, and zinc.
- How does it work? So there are 4 stages to the human hair growth cycle: growing, regression, resting, and shedding. Viviscal helps prolong the growth stage, by supplying your hair with nutrients.
- Other Benefits – Viviscal may also improve your nail and skin health.
3 Viviscal Studies Reviewed – Just the Data, No Jargon
Skip ahead if you just want to hear more about the celebrity endorsements. Don’t worry, I’ll get back to those. But for the rest of you, here are five pertinent Viviscal studies that I believe are worth evaluating (or skimming, at least). I’ll try to avoid using medical jargon and keep this as concise as possible. Let’s get to it.
Study 1 – 1993
This looks to be the earliest, peer-reviewed study on Viviscal. It involved 40 young men with androgenic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, and lasted for 6 months. Half received Viviscal, the other half were given a placebo.
At the six month mark, patients on Viviscal saw a 38% increase in non-vellus hair (those are the long, terminal hairs, not “peach fuzz”). The placebo group saw only a 2% increase in hair. Keep in mind, this study was done way back in 1993, well before Propecia was available. And at that time, researchers concluded that Viviscal was the “first highly active treatment for androgenic alopecia in young males” (1).
Study 2 – 1996
This year-long study was conducted by the Swedish Alopecia Association. 97 patients enrolled. All of them had some form of alopecia areata, which causes hair loss on the scalp, face, and/or entire body. Results were self-reported by the participants via questionnaires.
The lifetime risk of developing alopecia areata is 2.1%, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (2). So it’s a rare affliction, but it’s known to cause severe and complete baldness. Hair loss may also be reversible for some patients.
Results
- A “complete cure” (100% scalp regrowth) was observed in 7 (14%) of the patients with alopecia areata. 54% had good to excellent results (70 – 95% regrowth). 12% had poor results (50% or less regrowth).
- The alopecia totalis consisted of 12 patients, and this group also responded well to the treatment. Symptoms of alopecia totalis can include a total loss of hair on the scalp. 25% in this group were reportedly cured, 32% had excellent results, and the remaining 24% deemed their treatment a failure.
- Alopecia universalis can lead to the complete loss of hair on the scalp, face, and body. This 20-person group had the worst results by far. Only 5% reported a cure, 23% had excellent results, and the remaining 72% deemed the treatment a failure.
Researchers concluded that ViviScal® “effectively induces regrowth of hair in patients with alopecia areata and alopecia totalis.”
Potential Problems – It doesn’t appear that this study was peer-reviewed. The National Alopecia Areata doesn’t list Viviscal as one of the primary alopecia areata treatments on their website. And, most significantly,the results were all self-reported by the patients.
Study 3 – 1997
Title: Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia with a Marine-Based Extract of Proteins and Polysaccarides.
This Brazilian study included 200 men with male pattern baldness. 178 of those men completed the study. Whoever wrote the English study synopsis should be incarcerated. That said, it appears to be a fairly extensive and, accordingly, worth reviewing.
Methods: I’ll go over the methods to the best of my ability. They were convoluted and hard to follow. So, two areas of the scalp were evaluated on a five-point scale, from no hair loss to baldness. Tricogram analyses, where hairs are pulled and examined under a microscope, were performed as well. Photographs were also taken at the beginning and end of the study.
Results: The results were positive, but lacked clarity. I couldn’t tell whether certain evaluations were assessed by the patients or the researchers. But here’s what they found, or at least what they found as far as I could tell:
- 131 subjects, or 73.5% said they had reduced hair loss.
- 36.5% noted thicker hair.
- 15 claimed their bald areas increased in size.
- The mean daily hair growth rate also increased in 75% of the subjects, from .39 to .44 mms per day. That part of the study was done via the tricogram analysis, so it’s obviously much more objective than the patient self-evaluations.
- It also appeared that the percentage of resting, or telogenic hairs, decreased in close to 75% of the patients. I’m not sure if the percentage of growing hair increased, but I would imagine that’s likely.
Potential Problems – There are many. For starters there was no placebo group involved in the study. So some patients perhaps experienced some degree of the famous placebo effect, which could have improved the overall results. The methods weren’t clearly defined, either, as I noted multiple times.
Conclusion – this is the largest Viviscal study I came across, and despite its issues, it showed that Viviscal has significant potential as a treatment for male pattern baldness.
7 Viviscal Advantages
- Drug Free – Viviscal states on its website that their supplements are drug free. They’re also largely made of natural ingredients, like marine protein oil, zinc, and biotin.
- Doctor Approved – That’s a big one in my book. Viviscal is one of the few hair regrowth supplements that doctors and hair loss specialists recommend to their patients.
- 25 Years in the Market – That’s big, too. Viviscal is one of the oldest hair loss and rejuvenation remedies available.
- Clinically Proven – The trials have shown that it is effective, to varying degrees.
- Can be Used with Other Treatments – Check with your doctor first. But Viviscal is versatile and could make a nice addition to your hair care or loss treatment program. It can likely be used with a wide variety of other internal and external hair growth remedies.
- Celebrity Approved – We worship our celebrities. And if they say they take and get good results from Viviscal, I imagine they’re probably telling the truth. But who knows.
- Well-Tolerated – They boast of an excellent safety profile on their site. Side effects aren’t discussed much in the studies I reviewed, but most people don’t seem to have issues taking it. More on the side effects in a bit.
The 2 Major Downsides
Viviscal has way more positives than negatives. And that’s another Viviscal advantage. I’ve done many pro-con rundowns on this site. And usually the negatives win the war, but that’s not the case with Viviscal. So that’s a positive. Still, the two strikes against Viviscal are significant. They are:
- It’s Expensive – This is really the biggest negative on Viviscal. The approximate cost of the extra-strength formula is $27 to $40 (the cost appears to be highest on the Viviscal website, FYI). That makes it one of the most expensive hair loss solutions out there. More than generic finasteride, and almost as much as brand-name Propecia.
- Results will Vary – This hasn’t really been studied long-term as far as I can tell. And while it certainly appears to promote hair health, I’m not how well the results will hold up over time among those suffering from hair thinning or pattern hair loss, especially.
Cheaper Alternatives (and Supplementary Treatment Options)
If you’re experiencing any degree of pattern hair loss, male or female, then you should aim to treat it both internally and externally. Viviscal is an internal treatment, obviously. Other, cheaper, internal treatments you could consider using instead of or with Viviscal include pumpkin seed oil, saw palmetto, and generic finasteride (for men only). All of those treatments are believed to lower DHT levels in the body, and DHT is the primary hormone responsible for pattern hair loss.
You could also supercharge your regrowth by using multiple treatments. Viviscal works differently than DHT-blocking and lowering treatments, so you could enjoy synergistic effects by combining multiple remedies. But check with your doctor first. Sorry, I know I’m a broken record!
You have plenty of options to thicken and beautify your hair from the outside, too. Minoxidl, commonly known as Rogaine, has been around for decades. And if you stick with it, there’s a good chance you’ll have positive results. Roughly 4/5 men keep or regrow hair with Rogaine, as do about 60% of women. Rosemary oil is a natural alternative of sorts to minoxidil, popular among both men and women. More doctors are starting to recommend laser therapy for hair loss as well, so that could be worth looking into.
Viviscal FAQs
What are the side effects of Viviscal?
It’s generally well-tolerated as I said earlier. Very few side effects were reported during the studies. I’ve seen a number of complaints and reviews online from Viviscal users complaining of increased acne. On their website Viviscal states that in their last five trials, which included 235 women, none reported skin issues. Weight gain and sleep issues have also been reported. It contains horset
What are the contraindications?
You shouldn’t take Viviscal if you’re allergic to fish or shell fish, or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Viviscal does not contain gluten, wheat, eggs, nuts, dairy, or soy, but they can’t confirm that their manufacturing facility is free of all those ingredients.
How long until I see results?
According to Dr. Alan Bauman of Bauman Medical, it typically takes about 4-6 months for hair to become markedly thicker and healthier with Viviscal. Breakage and thinning often start to decline in months 2 and 3 (source).
Will I continue to see results if I stop treatment?
Probably not. Though I can’t say that for certain. If your hair loss was of the temporary variety, then the regrowth could possibly be permanent.
What’s the difference between the male and female Viviscal products?
Not all that much. There’s a tiny bit more marine protein extract in the men’s formula. The male version doesn’t contain iron, which is probably good, given that men are often advised to avoid iron supplements (source). The male version also has flaxseed in it, which is high in Omega 3’s and can help nourish the hair.
Where to Buy Viviscal
Most of the top retailers sell Viviscal, both online and in their stores. You can also buy it on the Viviscal website of course. It looks like their healthy hair club has some good offers. But if you’re just looking to purchase a single unit of the Viviscal extra strength, you’ll probably find it for less money elsewhere.
The Verdict and Closing Thoughts
Whether or not you buy Viviscal is s ultimately your call. In my humble opinion, Viviscal is an option worth considering, at the very least, assuming it fits your budget. I like that doctors and hair loss specialists recommend it to their patients. To me, that’s a signal Viviscal is effective, at least to some degree. The studies showed favorable results, as well, in spite of their limitations.
More: it’s likely that Viviscal is the most effective women’s hair health and regrowth supplement on the market, and it appears that it can work for men, too. By combining Viviscal with other hair growth treatments, you may see improved results and enjoy synergistic benefits.
There are cheaper hair loss treatments available, no doubt — and you can learn about the best affordable hair loss treatments here. Will Viviscal work for you? I can’t say for certain. But if you can afford it and you have realistic expectations, Viviscal could certainly be worth a try. Remember, it will probably be a good 5-6 months before you start noticing any regrowth. And your positive results, if any, will probably cease if you discontinue the supplement. That concludes this Hair Loss Daily Viviscal review. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any thoughts or questions.
Robert Price is a writer, consumer advocate, and hair loss researcher with thousands of hours of experience in the field. His goal is to keep you out of the hair loss rabbit hole, underworld, or whatever you want to call it. He founded Hair Loss Daily, the unbiased hair loss blog, in 2016. You can learn more about Robert in the my story section of this website.