If you struggle with hair loss or hair thinning or want to promote healthier hair growth, you’ve probably come across Viviscal, one of the most popular hair growth supplements on the market. With more than 25 years of history and multiple published clinical trials, Viviscal is also one of the most popular hair growth supplements in our Care to Beauty community. It’s not uncommon for people to come and tell us that these supplements really work, but it’s also not uncommon for them to bring us questions about how to use it to its full potential.
If this sounds like you, then keep reading: we’re about the most frequently asked questions about the Viviscal supplemento, so you can decide whether it’s right for you.
On this post:
- What is Viviscal?
- How to take Viviscal
- Can anyone take Viviscal?
- Can you take Viviscal while pregnant or breastfeeding?
- Can you take Viviscal if you suffer from…?
- Is Viviscal vegan or gluten-free?
- Where can you buy Viviscal?
What is Viviscal?
Viviscal is a food supplement that promotes healthy hair growth from within, providing hair follicles with all the nutrients they need to produce strong, healthy hair.
How does Viviscal work?
Because it is a food supplement, Viviscal acts on hair follicles from the inside out, providing them with much-needed nutrients necessary for hair growth. In short: Viviscal helps your natural hair growth become even more effective and produce stronger, healthier hair.
What Viviscal cannot do, because it would be anatomically impossible, is to promote hair growth where it does not exist. (For example, if you are bald, Viviscal can’t bring your hair growth back.)
This is inconvenient, of course, but it happens due to the hair growth cycle, a continuous process where each strand of hair goes through four consecutive phases: Anagen, Catagen, Telogen, and Exogen. Incredible as it may sound, these phases have pre-defined durations, depending on each individual. Even more incredible is knowing that the hair is only actively growing during the Anagen phase–during the rest of the cycle, it is dormant, until it reaches the moment when it naturally detaches from the scalp and falls out, during the Exogen phase. Each hair on your head could be in a different phase of the cycle at any given point–and that’s just as well, or they would all reach the ends of their cycles and fall out at the same time.
Now that we understand the hair growth cycle, it is easy to understand how the Viviscal supplement works: it acts on the hair in the Anagen phase, ensuring that the hair grows as long as possible and as strong as possible during this active growth phase. If you don’t have any hair in the Anagen phase when you first begin taking Viviscal, you won’t notice much of a difference–but then again, that’s why hair loss supplements often take a little while to produce visible results.
What are the ingredients in Viviscal?
In addition to ingredients that are relatively common to find in hair loss supplements, such as biotin and zinc, Viviscal features a key ingredient: the proprietary marine protein complex AminoMar C™.
Let’s run through the ingredients you’ll find in this supplement, one by one, and see how they contribute to healthier hair growth:
- AminoMar C™ is a marine protein complex, originating from Scandinavian research, which is unique to Viviscal and not found in any other supplement. It provides the hair follices with minerals and proteins that are essential for hair growth;
- Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair (and nail!) growth;
- Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps absorb iron and, at the same time, contributes to collagen formation, which helps maintain the normal functioning of the skin, including, of course, the scalp;
- Biotin contributes to protein formation, which, in turn, helps maintain normal hair growth;
- Iron is essential for the normal functioning of red blood cells. In turn, adequate blood supply is essential for healthy hair growth.
These ingredients are available in different concentrations in the original supplements and the Viviscal Man supplements.
What are the differences between Viviscal & Viviscal Man?
The traditional Viviscal supplement was developed and optimized for women, whereas Viviscal Man is perfect for, well, men. What does this mean? In short, it means they have slightly different formulas.
The patented AminoMar C™ complex is present in different concentrations in each one, and they have different amounts of other vitamins, minerals and trace elements. However, it is completely acceptable for a man to take the traditional Viviscal supplement or for a woman to take Viviscal Man. In short, they’re just optimized versions of the same product:
| Ingredient | Amount per two tablets Viviscal |
Amount per two tablets Viviscal Man |
|---|---|---|
| AminoMar C™ | 600mg | 906mg |
| Vitamin C | 77mg | 60mg |
| Niacin | 16mg NE | n/a |
| Biotin | 167µg | n/a |
| Iron | 13.6mg | n/a |
| Zinc | 14.9mg | 15mg |
| Horsetail Extract | 49mg | 49mg |
| Millet Seed Extract | 10mg | n/a |
| Flax Seed Extract | n/a | 100mg |
Note: Please keep in mind that these values reflect the concentrations present in the European version of the supplement as of July 2024. They are subject to change.
How to take Viviscal
The Viviscal supplement is presented in the form of tablets, and you’re supposed to take two a day–one in the morning, and one in the evening. To make things easier, you can take each tablet with a glass of water after a meal.
How long does Viviscal take to work?
Usually, it’s recommended that you take the Viviscal supplement for three to six months. You will notice minor improvements after three months–however, only around the fourth month will those much-wanted baby hairs start appearing.
If you wish to, you can continue to take the supplement after the six-month period has ended–one tablet a day, as maintenance, should be enough to help you maintain your results.
Can anyone take Viviscal?
You should always exercise care and attention when you start taking dietary supplements–and Viviscal is no different. You should always make sure to consult your doctor before taking any dietary supplement, but there are some cases that demand particular attention:
Can you take Viviscal while pregnant or breastfeeding?
The Viviscal supplement hasn’t been tested on pregnant or breastfeeding individuals. As with any supplement, consult your doctor before starting to take it.
Can you take Viviscal if you suffer from…?
If you suffer from a specific illness or take other medications and supplements on a regular basis, you should always check with your doctor before starting a new supplement, such as Viviscal. Although supplements aren’t medication, you should introduce them into your routine with care. Even if you suffer from something that doesn’t require you to use medications, this supplement might interfere with some medical conditions. This is due to the fact that nutrients play an important role in our body, and you shouldn’t increment your daily intake without checking with your doctor first.
Is Viviscal vegan or gluten-free?
Viviscal is NOT:
- Halal;
- Kosher;
- Vegan;
- Suitable for people with fish/shelfish allergy.
Viviscal is manufactured without any soy, dairy, wheat, eggs, or nuts. However, it’s not possible to guarantee that the factory is free from residues from these ingredients.
Where can you buy Viviscal?
Here at Care to Beauty, we stock the European version of the Viviscal supplement, as well as its complementary hair care products: scalp serum, shampoo, and conditioner.
Why is your Viviscal supplement different from others I’ve seen for sale?
Different continents and countries have different legislations. As a result, the same product may have a slightly different appearance, or even a slightly different formula, depending on where it’s sold. The concentration of some ingredients may vary, and the color and shape of the tablets themselves may be different.
Here are Care to Beauty, we are based in Europe, so the version of Viviscal we offer in our store is the European version. If you’ve previously bought the American version of this supplement, you may notice some changes.
After this deep dive, do you still have questions about Viviscal? No worries–you can learn more about each Viviscal product in the shop, or send us your questions via email. We’re here to help!
