Nizoral AD 1% shampoo is an over-the-counter shampoo which has been formulated to control and reduce dandruff.

However, its active ingredient is 1% ketoconazole. It is this ingredient that is believed to decrease the rate of hair loss and improve hair thickness. Other anti-dandruff shampoos on the market where the active ingredient is 1% zinc pyrithione have been shown to have the opposite effect.

If there is one thing about their appearance that concerns men, it is usually the onset of hair loss and male pattern baldness. For some, this is accepted as being unavoidable. For others, particularly younger men, it may be cause for concern. It can mean a search for a treatment to stop the problem and help with re-growth.

There has been an increase in the number of products on the market which are intended to deal with this problem. However, there is also a product which isn’t specifically designed to deal with the problem of male pattern baldness, has been shown in tests to provide a useful remedy.

A group of scientists employed by  McNeil pharmaceuticals, the company that makes Nizoral, presented results to the American Academy of Dermatology. The results appeared to show that this was the case, however, this was only a preliminary study. Despite this, the way in which the tests were conducted followed the accepted standards of research. This means it can be regarded as a fair indication that the findings were accurate.

The research that was undertaken to show that Nizoral AD 1% shampoo may prevent male pattern baldness compared Nizoral AD 1% shampoo and a zinc pyrithione shampoo.

This was a double-blinded and random study meaning that neither the participants or the researchers knew who was using which shampoo until the conclusion of the study. Additionally, the process to decide who would use which shampoo was a random one.

At the start of the study, the hair and scalp of each of the 87 participants were examined by the scientists and measurements were taken. This exercise was repeated after one month, three months, and six months.

Over the course of the six-month study, the men, who all had the same hair type, used either Nizoral AD 1% shampoo or zinc pyrithione shampoo two or three times a week.

For those using the zinc pyrithione shampoo, the evidence showed that their hair growth was less thick and they shed more hair. This contrasted those who used Nizoral AD 1% shampoo who demonstrated a reduced level of hair loss in a 24 hour period as well as an increased hair thickness of approximately 8%.

This research is extremely useful; the best results invariably come from tests that are conducted in this manner (i.e. double-blinded and random), as well as being placebo-controlled and conducted among a wider group of people.

Further tests will be required if Nizoral AD 1% shampoo is to be officially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in reducing male pattern baldness.

However, the initial research certainly suggests that it might be useful for this purpose, as well as containing ingredients which are clinically proven to prevent dandruff.