I’m gonna be honest with you, I was skeptical about Nutrafol at first. Traditional ads, influencer partnerships, you name it, it was everywhere this spring. Even one of my best friends wouldn’t stop talking about it.
So I bought it with my own money and put it to the test for this Nutrafol review. As someone who makes content for a living, I don’t take supplement hype at face value, so when I noticed my own hair growth had stalled out (plus I fried my ends on a trip to the Maldives last year, more salt and sun than my hair could handle), I figured it was time to actually test one of these hair growth supplements myself instead of scrolling past every ad.
Quick verdict up front because I know that’s what you’re here for: yes, it works. I took it from May through September and saw a real difference starting around the 30 day mark. Then I stopped, and I watched some of those results slip away within a few weeks. I’ll get into all of it below.
My Nutrafol review at a glance:
- Formula: Nutrafol Women and Women’s Vegan, bought with my own money
- How long I took it: four months, May through September
- When I saw results: around 30 days in, starting at my crown
- Side effects: none, and I took my capsules right after eating
- After I stopped: my eyelashes stopped growing and my nails got brittle again
- Cost: $79 a month on subscription, which works out to about $2.63 a day
Nutrafol Ingredients (What’s Actually Inside)
Nutrafol is a hair growth supplement brand that markets itself as the number one dermatologist recommended option in the category (that claim is based on an IQVIA ProVoice survey). It’s a nutraceutical, meaning it’s a supplement designed to work from the inside out rather than a topical product you rub on your scalp.
The whole pitch is that hair thinning has root causes, and if you don’t address those, you’re just treating symptoms. Nutrafol’s ingredients are meant to promote hair growth from within.
There’s Sensoril ashwagandha for stress, saw palmetto to help with DHT (that’s the hormone responsible for shrinking hair follicles as we age), a tocotrienol complex for antioxidant support, and hydrolyzed marine collagen and collagen peptides that are supposed to strengthen the hair shaft and hydrate your scalp.
There’s also curcumin, kelp minerals, resveratrol, horsetail, and keratin rounding things out, plus your standard vitamin and mineral support like biotin, zinc, and selenium.
The main study behind the women’s formula was published in 2018 in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (you’ll see it abbreviated as J Drugs Dermatol if you go looking at the citations yourself). It was a six month, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with 40 women who felt their hair was thinning. The women taking Nutrafol saw a significant increase in hair count at both 90 and 180 days compared to the placebo group, and the researchers reported no adverse events.
Two things worth knowing: it’s a small study, and one of the authors works for the company behind Nutrafol. I’m not a doctor, so I’m not going to pretend I can evaluate the science for you, but the fact that there’s published research behind this made me feel better about spending the money on Nutrafol instead of a supplement brand riding a trend.
My Nutrafol Before and After Results (4 Months In)
Here’s my actual experience, no fluff. For context, I have long, thick, wavy hair that holds its shape, and I dye it myself at home with box dye.
You have to take four capsules a day, and they’re on the large side. If you hate swallowing pills, that’s where you tap out. I don’t mind pills, so it wasn’t an issue for me, and they don’t taste like anything weird.
Nutrafol tells you to give it 90 days before expecting results. I started noticing a difference sooner than that, around 30 days in, and the growth along my crown is where I saw it first. My baby hairs, which are usually just a couple centimeters long, started growing in noticeably longer within a month.
By the time I hit that four month mark, those same baby hairs were a couple inches long.
My haircuts became proof too. I usually go three to four months between cuts. With Nutrafol, I needed a trim within six weeks because my hair was growing so fast. I had to touch up my roots with box dye way more often for the same reason. It also gave my nails a little boost, though the hair growth was the main event.
When I went back in for a cut in late August, my stylist was raving. He kept saying my hair finally felt healthy again, and that it felt so soft and thick. It had gotten long, too. That was the first time in a while someone who touches my hair for a living had anything nice to say about my ends.
If you’re wondering whether Nutrafol works for hair loss that’s more significant than slow growth, I can’t speak to that personally since my issue was more about growth speed and damage than actual loss.
That’s exactly why I wanted to include my friend Jen’s experience too, because hers was a real hair loss situation.
Nutrafol Side Effects (What I Actually Experienced)
I was expecting some kind of side effect. I had none. I took my capsules right after eating and never had a single issue in four months.
That lines up with the 2018 study, which reported no adverse events. Still, ingredients like saw palmetto and ashwagandha are active ingredients. Talk to your doctor before you start, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, or on other medications.
What Happened When I Stopped Taking Nutrafol
I stopped in September because I was curious what would happen. The answer came fast.
My eyelashes stopped growing almost immediately, and now they’re short again. My nails have gotten more brittle (which makes sense, since biotin and the other vitamins in there support your nails too), and my hair doesn’t grow as fast as it did a month ago.
Pro-tip: if you love your results, budget for Nutrafol as an ongoing cost. In my experience, the benefits don’t stick around once you stop.
My Friend Jen’s Nutrafol Postpartum Experience
I use the Nutrafol Women’s formula (I’ve cycled between the regular women’s version and the vegan version, and honestly, they gave me the same results). My friend Jen, though, has three kids and used the postpartum formula, and her situation was a lot more serious than mine.
Postpartum hormones hit hard, and she was really struggling with hair loss after her third baby. She’s been taking it for a while now, and she raves about it.
Her exact words: “It’s expensive, but worth every single penny.” Her baby hairs are producing new growth, and her hair keeps getting visibly thicker over time. She’s told me it’s helped her feel like herself again after her body didn’t feel like her own postpartum.
Between the two of us, one using it for pretty low stakes vanity reasons and one using it to actually get her hair back after childbirth, Nutrafol delivered for both of us. That range is what convinced me this isn’t a marketing gimmick.
Nutrafol Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Real, visible results within 30 to 90 days
- Backed by a published, placebo-controlled clinical study
- Formulas tailored to your specific stage (women, women’s vegan, postpartum, men, and a balance formula for 45+)
- NSF Certified for Sport, so it’s tested for banned substances and quality
- No side effects for me, even taking it daily for four months
- Comes with a results guarantee if you stick with a 6 month subscription
Cons:
- Four large capsules a day is a lot if you’re pill-averse
- It’s pricey, especially once you’re several months in
- Results fade when you stop (my lashes and nails went back within a few weeks)
- If you’re doing laser hair removal at the same time, expect to need extra sessions since Nutrafol makes hair grow faster everywhere, not just your scalp
- You have to commit to months of consistent use before you see anything
That laser hair removal note is a real one from my own life. I do a mix of at-home treatments with a NOOD device and professional sessions, and I already know I’ll need extra rounds because I was on Nutrafol at the same time. It’s a pick your poison situation. You can’t really have faster hair growth on your head without it affecting hair growth everywhere else too.
Nutrafol Women vs Vegan vs Postpartum vs Men (Which Formula to Pick)
Nutrafol isn’t a one-size-fits-all product, which I actually appreciate. Here’s how the formulas break down and where to find each one:
Nutrafol Women is built for women 18 to 44 dealing with hair thinning, focusing on stress, lifestyle, and nutrition as the main root causes. This is the one I used most.
Nutrafol Women’s Vegan is the plant-based version of the same formula, same targets, just without animal-derived ingredients like the marine collagen. I alternated between this and the regular women’s formula and didn’t notice a difference in results.
Nutrafol Postpartum is OBGYN developed for the first year after giving birth or while breastfeeding. This is the one Jen uses, and it’s specifically formulated around postpartum hormone shifts and nutrient depletion.
Nutrafol Men targets DHT-related thinning in men without messing with sexual performance, which is apparently a common complaint with other hair loss products on the market.
There’s also a Women’s Balance formula for women 45 and up dealing with menopause-related thinning, though I haven’t personally tried that one.
Pricing across formulas is the same. A monthly subscription runs $79 (you save 10% off the $88 one-time price), a 3 month supply is $224, and a 6 month supply is $422. On the monthly subscription, that’s about $2.63 a day.
The 6 month option is the one tied to Nutrafol’s Real Growth Guarantee. To qualify, you have to buy six bottles on a subscription within 180 days, take four capsules daily, and log monthly progress photos in the myNutrafol app. If you’re serious about giving it a real shot, that’s the route I’d take.
Is Nutrafol Worth It?
Here’s my honest take on whether Nutrafol is worth it. It’s not cheap, and you have to be consistent for months before you see anything worth writing home about. And since my results started fading within weeks of stopping, think of it as a monthly bill, not a one-time fix. Compared to a lot of other supplements on the market that don’t have any research behind them, though, I think this one earns its price tag.
Worth it if your hair thinning is tied to stress or hormones, or you’re in a specific life stage like postpartum or menopause.
Skip it if you’re looking for an overnight fix, or if you can’t commit to taking four pills every single day without fail. Consistency is the whole game with this product.
Nutrafol FAQ
Does Nutrafol work?
In my experience, yes. I saw visible growth around my crown within 30 days, needed haircuts and root touch-ups far more often than usual, and my stylist said my hair felt healthier than it had in a long time. My friend Jen, using the postpartum formula for actual hair loss, has also seen real thickening over time.
Is Nutrafol legit?
Yes. It’s dermatologist recommended, and it was the first hair growth supplement brand to earn NSF Certified for Sport (meaning it’s tested against banned substances and held to strict manufacturing standards). The women’s formula is also backed by a published, placebo-controlled clinical study.
How long until you see results with Nutrafol?
Nutrafol says to expect visible change within 3 to 6 months, with some people noticing less shedding and shinier hair as early as month one. I personally started seeing a real difference around the 30 day mark, though everyone’s timeline will vary.
Does Nutrafol have side effects?
I had zero side effects in four months of daily use, and the 2018 clinical study reported no adverse events. I took my capsules right after eating. Check with your doctor before starting, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, or on other medications.
What happens when you stop taking Nutrafol?
For me, the results faded fast. Within a few weeks of stopping in September, my eyelashes stopped growing, my nails got brittle again, and my hair growth slowed back down.
How do you take Nutrafol?
You take four capsules every day. I took mine right after a meal and never had any stomach issues.
Can you take Nutrafol if you’re also doing laser hair removal?
You can, but keep in mind that Nutrafol speeds up hair growth everywhere, not just your scalp. If you’re doing laser treatments at the same time, expect to need a few extra sessions since the hair keeps regenerating faster than it normally would.
Does Nutrafol work for postpartum hair loss?
Yes, and there’s a formula specifically built for it. Nutrafol Postpartum is OBGYN developed for women in their first year after giving birth or while breastfeeding, targeting the hormonal shifts and nutrient depletion that cause postpartum shedding.
My Final Nutrafol Review Verdict
I went into this expecting another overhyped supplement, and I came out of it a believer, at least for my own hair and for what I watched happen with Jen. It’s not a miracle in a bottle. You have to take it every day and stay patient, and it isn’t cheap, so you have to be willing to spend the money (for as long as you want the results).
But if you’re dealing with thinning hair, slow growth, or postpartum shedding and you want something backed by actual research instead of a good Instagram ad, I’d say it’s worth the investment.
Have you tried Nutrafol? I want to hear about your results, good or bad. Drop a comment below and let me know which formula you’re using.
These statements haven’t been evaluated by the FDA. This product isn’t intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. As always, talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement.
