Index / Nizoral / Ketoconazole 1% Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Nizoral

Ketoconazole 1% Anti-Dandruff Shampoo.

Nizoral Ketoconazole 1% Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
Haircare

About this product

A 1% ketoconazole antifungal shampoo designed to treat dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and scalp itching by targeting malassezia yeast overgrowth.

Haircare

The Guru Index verdict

82%

Approved

Approved · 82%
14Reviewers
12Approved
1Mixed
1Skip
#3 in Best Haircare

What the gurus are saying

Dermatologists strongly endorse Nizoral as an effective antifungal that tackles dandruff and may help with hair loss by blocking DHT and reducing scalp inflammation. Consistent guidance emphasizes using it two to three times weekly and letting it sit on the scalp for contact time. The main drawback is dryness: most note it can be drying and recommend following with conditioner, while one reviewer reported severe hair breakage and permanent damage with fine or fragile hair. The split hinges on hair type and tolerance to drying effects.
Synthesized from 14 expert reviews

Key actives & flags

Alcohol-free

Full ingredients

Ketoconazole, Benzyl Alcohol, BHT, Blue 1, Citric Acid, Cocamide MEA, Fragrance, Glycol Distearate, Hydrochloric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Water

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Approved
"You get a 19 fluid oz bottle of ketoconazole 1% shampoo aka Nizoral. This is, as far as I'm aware, the only over-the-counter ketoconazole shampoo. Ketoconazole actually shows promise for helping with androgenetic alopecia, may work somehow at the level of DHT interference, dihydrotestosterone which is responsible for follicle miniaturization, plus it targets malassezia yeast, ultimately it cuts down inflammation, reducing the burden of malassezia yeast really does help out with androgenetic alopecia. If you have androgenetic alopecia or you're just looking to support scalp health, whatever you do, don't go on one of those no shampoo kicks because that will aggravate your scalp."
All 5 takes from Dr Dray
Hair Loss Shampoo That Actually Works?
"I often prescribe 2% ketoconazol shampoo for people who are dealing with dandruff. In my experience the 1% can be helpful; a lot of people observe improvement with the 1% that they buy over the counter. If ketoconazol is going to be your ticket item for hair growth, hair density, for improving your androgenetic alopecia, I would set very realistic expectations with this. You're probably not going to see a huge difference, to be frank. It's definitely not going to be as effective as if you stick to using minoxidil. You're going to see more of an effect with minoxidil than you're likely to see with ketoconazol shampoo alone. That being said, I do think using them together, if you're motivated to, I really think that's where it's going to shine the most for you. I look at ketoconazol shampoo as playing a supporting role for scalp health and for helping maintain the health of the follicle. It's safe to use; it's safe to use in pregnancy, although of course always discuss with your treating healthcare provider."
Skincare For Redness Around Nose | Dermatologist Tips
"There is ketoconazol found in Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo."
FUNGAL ACNE "SAFE" SKINCARE EXPLAINED | Dermatologist
"There's an over-the-counter anti-fungal shampoo called Nizoral Ketoconazole 1% Anti-Dandruff Shampoo that is another option. Lather it to the affected area, leave it on the skin for a few minutes, and then rinse it off. Do that every night for a couple of weeks and then do it weekly as maintenance. That will help control things."
BEST SHAMPOOS FOR HAIR GROWTH
"Ketoconazol shampoo is a prescription at 2% strength but you can actually buy it over the counter without a prescription at 1% strength sold under the brand name Nizoral. The antifungal may help reduce the burden of yeast on the scalp that can create some inflammation, but more specific to androgenetic alopecia, ketoconazol has anti-androgen properties. Specifically, it can inhibit an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which takes the androgen hormone testosterone and converts it to dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is a very potent form of androgen and it is what is responsible for driving the hair miniaturization process. Applying something to the scalp that could inhibit that enzyme just in the scalp is very desirable for slowing down the miniaturization process and potentially getting you some regrowth. This has been examined in clinical studies, and in fact patients who use ketoconazol shampoo get better results."
Dermatologist Shops Costco Skincare: What's Worth Buying?
"You get a 19 fluid oz bottle of ketoconazole 1% shampoo aka Nizoral. This is, as far as I'm aware, the only over-the-counter ketoconazole shampoo. Ketoconazole actually shows promise for helping with androgenetic alopecia, may work somehow at the level of DHT interference, dihydrotestosterone which is responsible for follicle miniaturization, plus it targets malassezia yeast, ultimately it cuts down inflammation, reducing the burden of malassezia yeast really does help out with androgenetic alopecia. If you have androgenetic alopecia or you're just looking to support scalp health, whatever you do, don't go on one of those no shampoo kicks because that will aggravate your scalp."
Approved
"If you want another anti-dandruff option, there's Nizoral with 1% ketoconazole that goes directly after that yeast like zinc pyrithione."
All 2 takes from Dr. Daniel Sugai
After the World’s Largest Dermatology Conference… These ‘Boring’ Products Still Win
"If you want another anti-dandruff option, there's Nizoral with 1% ketoconazole that goes directly after that yeast like zinc pyrithione."
Fine Lines, Clogged Pores & Dandruff: What Dermatologists Really Recommend
"There's ketoconazole 1% shampoo by Nizoral. I prescribe 2% ketoconazole shampoo to my patients but they have it available over the counter as 1%. So that's another option you can consider for scalp itch and the flaking. You can do it every other day to every day to stay on top of the yeast. If you decrease the frequency of showering and washing your scalp, you're actually going to have more yeast buildup and the problem will worsen. You actually have to increase the frequency of cleansing your scalp to clear that yeast many times."
Approved
"My recommendation for this is the Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo. This is the antifungal formula that helps reduce the malassezia overgrowth. It targets the dandruff, scalp flaking, itchy, inflamed skin. It's really helpful for seborrheic dermatitis for the scalp and the face. And if you use it consistently, which is like two to three times a week, it can really help reduce inflammation, redness, and flaking. The key ingredient is ketoconazole. Also, a small tip. If you're somebody like me who suffers from early androgenetic alopecia or genetically inherited hair loss and you're starting to thin at the top, using ketoconazole shampoo a couple times a week on your scalp can slow down this type of hair loss."
All 3 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown
10 Simple Skincare Hacks Backed by a Dermatologist | Dr. Aleksandra Brown
"My recommendation for this is the Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo. This is the antifungal formula that helps reduce the malassezia overgrowth. It targets the dandruff, scalp flaking, itchy, inflamed skin. It's really helpful for seborrheic dermatitis for the scalp and the face. And if you use it consistently, which is like two to three times a week, it can really help reduce inflammation, redness, and flaking. The key ingredient is ketoconazole. Also, a small tip. If you're somebody like me who suffers from early androgenetic alopecia or genetically inherited hair loss and you're starting to thin at the top, using ketoconazole shampoo a couple times a week on your scalp can slow down this type of hair loss."
Drugstore Haircare That Actually Works According to a Dermatologist
"It has the most potent over-the-counter antifungal that reduces the malassezia overgrowth. It targets fungal dandruff and itchy inflamed scalp. It's really good for that seborrheic dermatitis and stubborn dandruff. It can also help with scalp redness and irritation. The active ingredient here is ketoconazole, which is also a mild DHT blocker. So if you're somebody in your 40s suffering from early hair thinning and you have dandruff, this would be two birds with one stone because it can help with some of the hair loss and it will help with dandruff, keeping your scalp healthy."
Dermatologist’s Haircare Routine For Healthy Scalp & Strong Hair | Dr. Aleksandra Brown
"The over-the-counter Nizoral is perfect. It does have strong fragrance which I don't mind at all. It smells very clean. It does leave my scalp feeling really really clean and none of these shampoos over the counter anti-dandruff shampoos really irritate my hair itself. I will use the anti-dandruff shampoo probably two nights a week."
Approved
"Nizoral Ketoconazole 1% is an anti-dandruff shampoo, but I recommend it because it has anti-androgen and anti-inflammatory properties that may help with hair loss. Studies actually show that it can reduce shedding and improve hair thickness. While 2%, which is a prescription, has the most evidence, even the 1% over-the-counter Nizoral has shown benefits in these studies. I recommend using it two to three times per week. It's a low-risk addition that may boost your current hair loss routine, and the ketoconazole is going to be giving you long-term benefits."
All 2 takes from The Budget Dermatologist
How to Reverse Hair Loss! | Derm Explains Hormonal Hair Thinning + Proven Treatments
"Nizoral Ketoconazole 1% is an anti-dandruff shampoo, but I recommend it because it has anti-androgen and anti-inflammatory properties that may help with hair loss. Studies actually show that it can reduce shedding and improve hair thickness. While 2%, which is a prescription, has the most evidence, even the 1% over-the-counter Nizoral has shown benefits in these studies. I recommend using it two to three times per week. It's a low-risk addition that may boost your current hair loss routine, and the ketoconazole is going to be giving you long-term benefits."
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"In order to treat this one, you need antifungals. This typically can be cleared up with a topical antifungal cream or even a shampoo that you are using as a face wash or a body wash such as Nizoral 1% shampoo that contains ketoconazole which is the active ingredient in it. That's the antifungal. This is available over the counter, but you can get it in prescription form in a higher concentration and that may be needed for more stubborn cases."
Approved
"At the tippy top of my list is ketoconazol shampoo. You can get this in a 2% formulation via a prescription or you can buy it over the counter. It's usually branded under Nizoral. And this is best known as an antifungal shampoo. We use it to treat seborrheic dermatitis, also known as dandruff. But there is some evidence to show that it helps with female and male pattern alopecia by blocking DHT and reducing overall inflammation on the scalp. So I will typically recommend that my patients do this at least a few times a week, really focusing the lather up on the scalp, leaving it there for at least 2 minutes and then rinsing out. Now ketoconazol shampoos tend to be quite drying. So it's also really important that after you wash with those, you're going in with a good conditioner to refortify your hair."
Top Pick: ketoconazole shampoo
Approved
"My second pick is Nizoral Ketoconazole 1% shampoo. It's not sexy but it works. It's a powerful antifungal treatment that targets the root cause of dandruff. This helps to reduce inflammation, scaling, and flaking. And it is clinically proven to help treat dandruff and even the medical form of dandruff, which we call seborrheic dermatitis. Nizoral or anti-dandruff shampoos can also help with hair loss that's tied to inflammation and really bad seborrheic dermatitis."
Skip
"It decreases dandruff, it actually reinforces the role of sebum and it disrupts some of the fungal growth, but the side effect is dry, brittle hair. I would say my hair turned to straw and that broke my hair off and has had me start all over again. I will never use it again because it broke my hair off. If you've got fine, fragile, dry hair in addition to hair loss, don't do it. You're not only stripping your hair, but you're damaging it in the process, and that's the last thing you want when your hair is already falling out."
All 2 takes from Darnell Cox | 50+ Healthy Aging Expert
Over 50 and struggling with hairloss?😰 I know first-hand how that feels
"It decreases dandruff, it actually reinforces the role of sebum and it disrupts some of the fungal growth, but the side effect is dry, brittle hair. I would say my hair turned to straw and that broke my hair off and has had me start all over again. I will never use it again because it broke my hair off. If you've got fine, fragile, dry hair in addition to hair loss, don't do it. You're not only stripping your hair, but you're damaging it in the process, and that's the last thing you want when your hair is already falling out."
Over 50 and struggling with hairloss?😰 I know first-hand how that feels
"When I tried Nizoral Ketoconazole 1% Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, it's an antifungal that works with the sebum stuff that could clog the pores and clog the shaft, and then you have it dying off. It decreases dandruff and disrupts some of the fungal growth, but the side effect is dry, brittle hair. My hair turned to straw and that broke my hair off and has had me start all over again. I will never use it again because it broke my hair off. So if you've got fine, fragile, dry hair in addition to hair loss, don't do it."
Approved
"I prescribe prescription ketoconazole 2% to my patients, but 1% Nizoral is great. It can be drying on hair, so you want to keep that in mind."
All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
Stop believing these hair loss myths! Dermatologist explains | Dr. Jenny Liu
"I prescribe prescription ketoconazole 2% to my patients, but 1% Nizoral is great. It can be drying on hair, so you want to keep that in mind."
Improve Hair Growth With These Scalp Care Must Do's | Dr. Jenny Liu
"If you have dandruff or are struggling with hair loss in general, you can find one percent Ketoconazole over the counter as Nizoral. Ketoconazole helps to reduce hair thinning and helps in particular with androgenetic hair loss because Ketoconazole itself has anti-dihydrotestosterone properties, so that hormone that really is the driver of male pattern and female pattern hair loss. Studies have shown that for those especially struggling with androgenetic hair loss, adding in an anti-dandruff shampoo has been shown to reduce hair thinning but also really help to boost the efficacy of minoxidil. I recommend using the anti-dandruff shampoo maybe one to two times a week."
Approved
"Nizoral is available over the counter at 1% whereas the prescription is at 2% and this one really does help to reduce inflammation and flakiness caused by the yeast itself. The added bonus of Nizoral is that it can also help if you're somebody struggling with hair loss or hair thinning because it can block your dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that contributes to hair loss, therefore allowing your hair to stay on your head longer. The most important thing when it comes to this shampoo is to let it get some quality time with your scalp, allowing it to sit on your scalp to do its thing before you rinse it off."
All 2 takes from Dr. Shereene Idriss
Ultimate Shower Routine: Body Care for Acne, Body Odor + Hair Thinning! | Dr. Shereene Idriss
"Nizoral is available over the counter at 1% whereas the prescription is at 2% and this one really does help to reduce inflammation and flakiness caused by the yeast itself. The added bonus of Nizoral is that it can also help if you're somebody struggling with hair loss or hair thinning because it can block your dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that contributes to hair loss, therefore allowing your hair to stay on your head longer. The most important thing when it comes to this shampoo is to let it get some quality time with your scalp, allowing it to sit on your scalp to do its thing before you rinse it off."
Hair Loss Treatments That Actually Work for Women & Men! | Dr. Shereene Idriss
"Nizoral shampoo, which is known as Ketoconazole, is a great adjunct for you to be using if you are losing your hair and you do not know why. Ketoconazole is an anti-fungal medication available prescription at two percent, over the counter at one percent. Using this is a great adjunct if you're losing your hair because it helps by decreasing any sort of inflammation on your scalp, it kills any kind of fungus, the malassezia fungus which causes dandruff which may contribute to hair loss. It has been shown to basically block dihydrotestosterone, also known as DHT, which is in your hair and which leads to your hair staying small and short, the miniaturization of your hair that is one of the leading causes of female and male pattern hair loss. We're not 100 percent sure about that but we think that's how it works. And it also makes your hair appear fuller by making it appear thicker because it increases the diameter of your hair."
Approved
"I am a big fan of ketoconazol shampoo which you can get over the counter there's a Nizoral 1% shampoo there's a prescription 2% and that could be used as a face wash or body wash. If you are concerned that you're having fungal acne like your acne is not going away with traditional over-the-counter products consider using like a ketoconazol shampoo."
Approved
"My son Max had fungal acne, so it is a thing, but we have a name for it and we use an antifungal shampoo that you can buy in any CVS, wash your forehead with it, gone. It's Nizoral, not Head and Shoulders."
All 3 takes from Caroline Hirons
S2 Ep20: Nicolas Travis and Caroline Hirons Answer Your Questions
"There's a shampoo called Nizoral in the UK, I think you can get it everywhere else. It's more of an antifungal. It's recommended to massage the shampoo into your face to reduce yeast buildup twice a week, and that actually works. You can use Nizoral for fungal acne, which is especially a lot on teenage boys when they have tiny small red raised dots across their forehead and on their back and shoulders."
S2 Ep23: GLAD WE HAD THIS CHAT TAKES NEW YORK - 'Neo It Girl' Nykita Joy
"My son Max had fungal acne, so it is a thing, but we have a name for it and we use an antifungal shampoo that you can buy in any CVS, wash your forehead with it, gone. It's Nizoral, not Head and Shoulders."
Listener's Questions w/ Nicolas Travis!
"It needs to be like a Nizoral so it's antifungal. It's recommended to massage the shampoo into your face to reduce yeast build up twice a week and that actually works. There is a condition called fungal acne which especially happens to teenagers, a lot of teenage boys, when they have tiny small red raised dots across their forehead and on their back and shoulders. You can use Nizoral for that. I have that in the bathroom just in case."
~Mixed
"For some people that have fungal acne, they're still using the Nizoral shampoo, which is a dandruff shampoo made to treat fungus. Some companies believe that the fungus is the root of dandruff and if we treat that fungus that gets rid of the dandruff. Using these medicated shampoos that attack fungus help the skin. A lot of people use this medicated shampoo and they use it like as a face mask and leave it on for a couple minutes then rinse it off and it seems to help."
Approved
"The medication that I always prescribe and I find to be the most effective for fungal acne is ketoconazole. It's available as a cream based formulation in the UK and also a tablet based formulation as well. So if it's spread into areas such as the back, arms, which are also very common, chest area, I prescribe both topical ketoconazole as well as oral ketoconazole in the form of tablets."
Approved
"Nizoral is by far the best anti-dandruff shampoo that I have ever used. Sometimes I feel like I have to use it often and sometimes I feel like I can use it like once a month for just maintenance, but it's really easy to add into your hair care routine. It's technically safe for hair color, but what I tend to do is right before I'm about to get a touch up for my hair color I'll go ahead and use this on my scalp, then I'll go get my hair colored, and then for the rest of the month continue using the different hair products that I already have been using and then just kind of go through this cycle of using Nizoral basically like once a month."
Top Pick: anti-dandruff shampoo
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