By Daniel Markey

(Men’s Health) - As time goes on, many men find themselves facing the unsettling reality of thinning hair and receding hairlines. The impact of these changes can be truly disheartening, and it's a sentiment I'm all too familiar with. Over the years, I've witnessed my hair lose its vitality, and it's a journey shared by many of us who have walked this path.

But let's talk about something specific that might have contributed to these changes: smoking. Smoking isn't just a habit; it can become a culprit behind hair damage that's often overlooked. While the relaxation of a perfectly-timed smoke break may be appealing, its consequences on your hair are far from glamorous.

Fortunately, recent developments have led to the creation of innovative shampoos and conditioners that specialize in nourishing damaged hair, combating the visible impact of smoking, and promoting hair's natural strength.

However, in a world saturated with hair care solutions, it's easy to feel uncertain about which products truly deliver on their promises. 

That's why we've taken it upon ourselves to investigate and uncover the solutions that genuinely restore and revitalize hair without resorting to drastic measures or prescriptions.

So without further ado, let's get into it.

Effectiveness: 95% 

Safety: 100%

Price: $

Overall Value: A+

This is by far our favorite shampoo for activating hair follicles and strengthening hair damaged by smoking. Mane’s Root Activator Shampoouses a special formula of nutrients and peptides to condition thinning hair strands to become thicker and stronger, while also boosting blood circulation to the scalp to reactivate root hairs for additional growth. We found out about Mane when they offered us a secret 50% discount code SECRET50.We tried it for three weeks, using it every day along with their companion conditioner. Several of our reviewers noticed significant growth in patchy areas of their hair and thicker follicles. This really is our top recommendation, and encourage anyone who wants a fuller head of hair to order this immediately!

SAVE 50% with CODE SECRET50

Effectiveness: 80% 

Safety: 100%

Price: $$$$

Overall Value: B+

Zain is an Italian luxury brand of hair growth and hair treatment products for men and women. While they provide a great shampoo that can help hydrate and help regrow hair, they provide exactly what luxury brands tend to provide: the same results as more affordable brands. While we love the feel of Zain and the essential oils and nutrients in the shampoo do show results, it’s nothing better than Mane’s Root Activator Shampoo, expect about double the price.

Effectiveness: 80% 

Safety: 85%

Price: $$

Overall Value: B+

To be fair, Dr. Groot does not guarantee hair growth, only prevention from hair loss. However, it’s so nice, that if you’re more concerned with thickening your thinning hair and keeping what you have on your head healthy… this is a great choice. Plant-based and natural, it feels great and keeps your hair from looking dried out and thin. Definitely a recommendation for anyone looking to keep rather than grow.

Effectiveness: 75% 

Safety: 80%

Price: $$$

Overall Value: C

Believe it or not, Onion Shampoo isn't the worst idea! Onion is a natural source of biotin which is great for hair growth. To be honest, it's not the best smelling shampoo, so maybe only use it when you're staying in for the night. But it definitely can help!

Effectiveness: 85% 

Safety: 85%

Price: $$

Overall Value: B

Just like onion, ginger is a great natural ingredient for hair growth. This odd bottle of shampoo, Ginger Wang, is surprisingly good! It's fresh and helps stimulate blood flow to the scalp. We'd give this one a shot if you can find it. If you can't, Mane has similar ingredients, plus more for best results.

While we believe we recommended some great shampoos to help stimulate hair growth while helping protect your hair and lock in hydration, we believe Mane’s Root Activator Shampoo is the absolute best option. We wanted to talk further with our investigative reporter Mark Herring who helped create the rankings list and how he discovered the greatness that is Mane.

"I have a busy schedule thanks to my job and smoking is one of my stress relievers. But I never fully grasped the impact of this habit on my hair. It's easy to overlook something intangible. However, witnessing a friend's transformation opened my eyes.

My friend is a heavy smoker too and also suffered from the same hair problems caused by smoking. Yet, he appeared one day with hair that radiated vitality. From battling thin, damaged hair to flaunting a vibrant, strong mane – his change was remarkable. And his secret? Mane’s Root Activator Shampoo."

So I did my own research. Mane’s Root Activator Shampoo isn't your average cleanser; it's a defense against the daily assault of pollutants. Airborne toxins and particles often wreak havoc, leading to weakened strands, breakage, and hair loss. Mane's innovation directly addresses these concerns.

Mane’s Root Activator Shampoo boasts a fusion of powerful ingredients to fortify hair against environmental challenges. Infused with essential oils and enriching nutrients, it nurtures strands back to health, revitalizes follicles, and constructs a robust shield against the detrimental effects of smoking and other pollutants."

“I asked him to let me borrow his Root Activator Shampoo, but instead, he told me to buy my own like a real adult LOL. Luckily, he gave me the secret 50% discount code SECRET50. So I ordered two bottles immediately.“

“I received the package two days later and used it as instructed. Use about a quarter-sized amount of shampoo and work into your hair. Make sure to scrub onto your scalp and the root activation happens on the skin vs. the hair.”

“Of course, I looked into the mirror and expected immediate results, but with products like this, you got to use them every day for about three weeks before you notice anything. In the meantime, I wanted to know what made Mane’s Root Activator Shampoo do what it did.

A combination of essential oils and nutrients helped not only strengthen hair but activate roots that have stopped growing or never had the energy to grow.”

Just as our bodies experience changes with age, so does our hair (think back to those vibrant nights in your 20s when energy seemed endless). As hair naturally sheds, new roots should trigger, channeling energy to cultivate fresh hair follicles. Yet, as time goes on, this energy distribution to the roots gradually diminishes. This often culminates in thinning and hair loss.

On top of that, smoking and other pollutants silently cause immense damage to our hair follicles. This damage disrupts the delicate balance in our hair, leading to thinning, breakage, and ultimately hair loss.

Acknowledging this dual reality – the natural aging process and the damaging effects of smoking – inspired our journey to discover a transformative solution that addresses both…

Root activation - this process involves the stimulation of hair follicles through various nutrients to awaken dormant follicles and promote hair growth. It also aims to counter the effects of factors like aging and pollutants like smoking that can lead to thinning, breakage, and hair loss.

The key to a fuller head of hair starts with activating your roots, and that’s exactly what Mane’s Root Activator Shampoo aims to do. Mane uses a “Hair Growth Complex” that’s filled with amazing ingredients to stimulate blood flow to the skin while strengthening hair follicles. Some of those essential ingredients include:

Licorice Root Extract

This is a super powerful growth extract that many forget about. If the mission is to stimulate the scalp to activate growth, this is the ingredient to do it. It brings blood flow and oxygen to the scalp to help thicken while introducing new hair to your head.

Sesame Seed Extract

To help strengthen and nourish the hair, Mane uses Sesame Extract. It’s filled with nutrients and peptides that keep your hair healthy while protecting it from outside toxins and free radicals. 

Citric Acid 

Of course, you also need some elements that work like shampoo! Citric Acid is great for bringing the pH balance of your hair down while reducing frizz and tangles. 

The Root Activator Shampoo also includes Propylene Glycol, Ginger Root Powder, Ginger Root Oil, and about 10 other natural ingredients that help retain moisture and stimulate growth. It’s pretty wild how many amazing ingredients are loaded into this shampoo.

So, finally, after 4 weeks, I decided to check if could see results… and wow! The areas of my hair that were previously patchy and thin began to fill out. Plus, my hair felt fuller and stronger. I was simply amazed at how good it looked and felt.