Every Product Experts Recommend for Restoring Thinning Edges Fast
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The most stunning hairstyles often come with a painful truth: Your hair will thin—or worse, edges will gradually disappear. You do it anyway, because sometimes a slicked-back bun is as polished as your hair will look. As someone who morphs her hair into a bevy of styles weekly—from wigs, to silk presses, to ponytails, to braids—I’ve come to this realization many times. My edges aren’t as full as they once were, leaving me to reach for black-tinted pomades and hair-thickening formulas to conceal the aftermath of too-tight hairstyles. This type of hair loss is common among most women, and it has a name: traction alopecia.
“Edges tend to thin for a variety of reasons, but the most frequent is traction alopecia, which occurs when repeated tension from tight braids, ponytails, extensions, weaves, or even hats stresses the hair follicle. Over time, this can lead to inflammation and follicle miniaturization if not addressed early,” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, M.D., FACMS, FASDS, FAAD, a board-certified and nationally-acclaimed dermatologic surgeon. Of course, high ponytails and braids aren’t the only factors that contribute to hair shedding; often, it’s what’s happening internally.
“Other contributors include hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, stress, and even underlying genetic thinning patterns that may first appear subtly along the hairline. Also, when the scalp isn’t properly cleansed, or the hair care routine is overly harsh, follicle health can suffer, which may exacerbate edge thinning,” she explains.
Chances are you’re on the hunt for quick-fix products that can restore your edges in time for your next appointment. It’s important to remember that there’s no such thing as a magical potion for hair regrowth, as each scalp has its own growth cycle, and results take time. However, after polling Dr. Engleman and personally testing several formulas, I landed on five of the best edge regrowth products that come pretty close to magical.
Very few brands immediately come to mind as often as Nutrafol when hair growth is the topic of conversation. The brand’s cult-favorite vitamins are a great way to support hair growth internally, while this serum offers an extra boost of strength topically.
Key ingredients: Lactic acid, ashwagandha exosomes, Irish moss peptides, sea buckthorn
Our expert says: “When used as a complement to oral supplementation or other therapies, this serum can help deliver botanicals and supportive ingredients directly to the scalp to encourage a favorable growth environment.”—Dr. Dendy Engelman
The hair regrowth process isn’t one-size-fits-all, and requires a multi-pronged approach to see long-lasting results. Topicals help, but supplements can help expedite the results with consistent use. A favorite of Dr. Engelman, the Viviscal Hair Growth Supplement combines common hair-boosting ingredients, like biotin, with apple extract and vitamin C to fortify weakened strands and follicles.
Key ingredients: Biotin, vitamin C, apple extract, glycerin
Our expert says: “Viviscal’s marine-derived AminoMar complex and essential vitamins have clinical evidence supporting improved hair thickness and hair growth in people experiencing shedding and thinning.”—Dr. Dendy Engelman
Let the popularity of the Cécred Edge Drops be a testament to the power of social media. After a few testimonials of the serum’s effects on edges and bald spots, it was impossible to get your hands on a bottle. Inside its metallic casing is a formula packed with density-boosting ingredients, including peptides, biotin, ginger extract, and rice powder that revitalize the scalp with each use.
Key ingredients: Biotin, peptides, Cécred Bioactive Keratin Ferment, ginger extract, rice powder
An ELLE editor says: “I fell for the hype after watching a man’s testimonial video about this serum restoring his baldness over a few months. I applied the serum to my scalp and strands a few times a week (consistency is important!). After two months, my baby hair swirls were longer than I remembered and didn’t break off as easily anymore.”—Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor
Minoxidil is perhaps one of the most common treatments for restoring hair, and it can be found right in the aisles of your local drugstore. This isn’t a typical hair serum you can use intermittently; minoxidil requires consistency and long-term use to maintain growth, but the results are well worth the wait.
Our expert says: “This remains an important first-line option for many forms of pattern thinning and edge density loss because it directly stimulates follicles to stay in the growth phase longer.”—Dr. Dendy Engelman
If you’re looking to start your regrowth journey but can’t quite commit to expensive formulas, The Ordinary’s iteration is primed for beginners. While peptides are hotly touted for their anti-aging properties in skin care, The Ordinary uses a peptide-rich formula to boost density from root to ends, allowing hair to feel and look thicker.
An ELLE editor says: “This is the first scalp serum I tried, per a recommendation from a colleague. I bought it specifically for a bald spot I noticed at the crown of my head from ponytail tension, and applied it multiple times a day for weeks. It only took two months for the bald spot to disappear behind tiny hairs sprouting up. It’s been my go-to for scalp maintenance when I opt for protective styles.”—Nerisha Penrose
First, it’s important to determine what type of hair loss you’re experiencing. “The most common type we see in women is androgenetic alopecia (female pattern hair loss), which presents as diffuse thinning over the crown and frontal scalp, influenced by genetics and hormone sensitivity,” Dr. Dendy Engelman explains. The other kind is called telogen effluvium, “a temporary shedding phase triggered by stress, illness, surgery, or hormonal shifts that pushes a large number of hairs into the resting phase of the hair cycle. Less commonly, autoimmune conditions, such as alopecia areata, cause patchy hair loss, and traction alopecia results from chronic tension on the follicles from styling practices,” she adds.
Of course, treating hair loss requires intentional care—both internally and topically. “Because the drivers and optimal treatments differ so much, it’s important to consult a professional, like a board-certified dermatologist, to create a customized plan and explore in-office options such as PRP, microneedling, or prescription therapies,” Dr. Engelman suggests.
“When targeting edge regrowth, I look for multi-mechanistic support. Minoxidil is the most studied topical growth stimulant we have, as it increases blood flow and prolongs the hair growth phase,” Dr. Engelman shares. In recent years, other skin care ingredients have moved into hair care, promising impressive results for growth and strengthening topically.
“Peptides, antioxidants, and growth factor complexes help fortify follicles and improve the scalp environment. Saw palmetto and phyto-actives can help modulate hormonal contributors to follicle miniaturization. Marine-derived peptides and collagen can offer structural support. Combining topical support with oral nutraceuticals and a clean, low-tension styling routine often delivers the best results,” she explains.
Dr. Dendy Engelman is a board-certified dermatologic surgeon in New York.
As a leading publisher of fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content, ELLE is committed to highlighting the best products in various categories by personally testing the latest and most innovative products, interviewing countless experts, and vetting customer-loved items. For this piece, beauty commerce editor Nerisha Penrose consulted a dermatologist to determine the best treatments for restoring thining edges.
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