Hair loss is more common in men due to male pattern baldness, but it’s a condition that affects a large number of women as well. Around 50% of women experience hair loss at some point in their life according to a medical review, and Keranique claims to have products that can help. The brand describes itself as "America's #1 Hair Regrowth System for Women."
But do Keranique products contain ingredients proven in medical studies to cause hair regrowth or is this just a marketing claim? Does Keranique contain any potentially harmful additives? Why was Keranique sued by a customer? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Keranique?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Keranique's Hair Regrowth System (including all four products) based on clinical studies to give our take on whether the products are likely to be effective or if they're a waste of money.
We'll also highlight a lawsuit initiated by a customer of the brand, and share real, unsponsored Keranique user reviews.
Hair Regrowth Treatment Review
Minoxidil at a concentration of 2% is the active ingredient in Keranique's Hair Regrowth Treatment. This is an FDA-approved hair loss ingredient, but it's not unique to Keranique. It's also the active ingredient in Rogaine and many other hair loss products.
The 2% concentration may be underdosed if the goal is maximizing hair growth.
A clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 5% minoxidil was more effective than 2% minoxidil for treating hair loss in women. Total hair count was 18% higher after 48 weeks of treatment in women using 5% minoxidil compared with 2%.
As we referenced in our Nioxin shampoo review article, minoxidil 5% is also clinically shown to be just as safe as minoxidil 2%, and is unlikely to cause more side effects.
Overall we consider Keranique Hair Regrowth Treatment to be likely effective for treating hair loss in women given that it contains an effective dose of minoxidil. We do not currently recommend the product because we consider 5% minoxidil to be a superior treatment option with no greater risk of side effects.
One good thing about this product is that it does not contain any questionable additive ingredients.
Can Minoxidil Cause Wrinkles?
While medical research has established minoxidil to be effective for hair loss and relatively free of concerning side effects from a health perspective, some early research suggests that it may have negative effects on skin.
Collagen is the core structural protein in skin responsible for much of its appearance. Young children naturally have higher collagen levels in their skin than older adults, which explains the difference in facial skin appearance.
A clinical trial found that minoxidil inhibited collagen production in human cells. This is probably one reason it can be effective for hair loss, because pattern baldness stems in part from increased local collagen production.
But since collagen is responsible for youthful skin, reducing its levels may accelerate skin aging.
Another clinical trial published in the Dermatologica journal found that minoxidil inhibited a collagen precursor.
Both of these trials were in vitro (test tube) studies, so the theory of minoxidil causing facial wrinkles is certainly not conclusively proven. We believe that the compound may have negative effects on skin aging but will reserve judgment until trials emerge with real human participants.
Real, Unsponsored Keranique User Reviews
A TikTok creator named Dayana Ramirez claims that Keranique helped reverse her postpartum hair loss and includes before-and-after images:
@deedawgxo Keranique & taking vitamins was key! I can’t wait to continue to see improvement. Any mama going through this just know it’s temporary 💛 #fyp #closedeyes #IntuitTouchdownDance #hairloss #postpartum ♬ Home - Edith Whiskers
A YouTube creator named "BudgetGlam Babe" claims not to have had a good experience with Keranique products:
Why Was Keranique Sued?
A woman sued Keranique in 2020 and claims the brand made her "virtually bald" according to the West Virginia Record.
The plaintiff, a woman by the name of Esther Abrams, claims to have called Keranique's customer service line and to have been assured that the product would regrow her hair.
After purchasing four Keranique products and using them according to the manufacturer's directions, she claims to have begun experiencing hair loss and to have developed scarring alopecia.
At the time of updating this article, we can't find any new information about this lawsuit so Keranique may have settled out of court with the plaintiff.
Are Keranique's Other Products Effective?
The Hair Regrowth Treatment spray sold by Keranique is only one of four products in the brand's Regrowth System. The other products are a Scalp Stimulating Shampoo, a Volumizing Keratin Conditioner and a Lift & Repair Treatment Spray.
Below is our review of each product:
Scalp Stimulating Shampoo
Panthenol is clinically shown to improve skin hydration, which suggests it may benefit scalp health.
Methylisothiazolinone is a preservative which is banned in Canada for use in leave-in products due to concerns about skin irritation. Contains three other questionable preservative ingredients.
We do not recommend this product due to the preservatives.
Volumizing Keratin Conditioner
Keratin is a structural protein in hair, and using it topically has been shown in research studies to prevent hair damage, as we documented in our Nexxus Shampoo and Conditioner review article.
Unfortunately, this product contains more than five different preservatives.
We do not recommend this product due to the preservatives.
Lift & Repair Treatment Spray
Keratin is included in this product as well. The active ingredients in all Keranique's formulations overlap so much that using all of them may be redundant.
Like the other products, this one contains a large number of preservatives. One of them, chlorphenesin, was shown in a 2020 clinical trial to be toxic to human cells.
We do not recommend this product due to the preservatives.
Where to Buy Keranique for the Best Price
Keranique is sold at a wide variety of online retailers. Here's the price breakdown at the time of updating this article:
Keranique Hair Regrowth System Cost
Amazon: $54.97
Walmart: $49.97
Brand website: $49.95
Not only is Keranique Hair Regrowth System cheaper on the brand's website, it also comes with two free products: Hair Detangling Tool and Hair Defense Brush.
Keranique Hair Regrowth Treatment Cost
Ulta: $29 (plus shipping)
Brand website: $29
Walmart: $28.97 (free shipping)
Amazon: $28.97 (free shipping)
Our Clean Hair Growth Picks
Happy Head Topical is our top hair growth solution.
This formulation uses FDA-approved hair loss ingredients like minoxidil which is clinically shown to increase hair count by 11%.
The brand also publishes the percentage concentration of each active ingredient, which is a sign of quality and transparency.
Interested consumers can check out Happy Head Topical Finasteride & Minoxidil at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
Nutrafol Hair Serum is our top over-the-counter (OTC) hair growth and hair quality promoter.
This product contains Lactobacillus probiotics which were shown to promote hair growth in a medical review published in the Molecules journal.
Niacinamide is included, and a 2021 clinical trial concluded that "Our data demonstrate that niacinamide could enhance hair growth."
Interested consumers can check out Nutrafol Hair Serum at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.
Pros and Cons of Keranique
Here are the pros and cons of Keranique as a brand in our opinion:
Pros:
- Hair loss treatment likely effective
- Some users online report hair regrowth
Cons:
- Shampoo and conditioner contain questionable additives
- Some products contain five or more preservatives
- Can get minoxidil cheaper elsewhere
- Sued over claims it caused hair loss
