The 5 Best Scalp Serums for Thicker, Younger-Looking Hair

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.Nécessaire/Patricks/SickscienceNécessaire’s scalp serum is one of the best things you can use to not only improve the density and strength of your hair but also support your overall scalp health. The serum’s active ingredient is a peptide called Capixyl, which helps your hair grow thicker and more dense, and it also has a bit of hyaluronic acid in there to help keep your scalp hydrated. Plus, vitamins B3 (niacinamide) and B5 help strengthen the scalp’s protective barrier by locking in moisture, reducing irritation, and repairing damage to the skin’s outer layer.While this serum can’t actually revive dead or dormant hair follicles, meaning it won’t help with hair regrowth, it can successfully reduce shedding and strengthen existing strands. But if you combine this serum with a hair-regrowth treatment, it can make for a successful holistic approach.Like I mentioned earlier, many hair growth supplements and other treatments are formulated to block the formation of DHT, the potent androgen hormone that causes hair loss from shrinking hair follicles over time, causing the hair growth cycle to shorten and eventually leading to hair loss. This Anti Hair Loss Spray from Patricks is designed to block DHT, improve hair anchoring, and add nutrition to the hair and scalp using active ingredients redensyl, capixyl, caffeine, and more.It also works as a styler or pre-styler for other hair styling products and adds texture to your hair, so it’s a really useful product that truly multitasks. Use it in tandem with the brand’s RD2 Anti-Hair Loss Serum to really boost hair density and even target your hair follicles to restart growth pathways. Together, they make a great team.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowIf going gray (or the prospect of it) is what’s giving you grief, there’s actually a scalp serum that helps prevent—and even partially reverse—graying. Arey’s To The Root serum uses peptides that help with repigmentation, antioxidants that help reduce stress in the hair bulb, and natural extracts that nourish your roots and promote cell turnover. Still skeptical? Arey’s clinical study found that 88 percent of participants who used the serum had less gray hair growth after six months, and three times more people saw fuller, thicker hair who used the serum than those who didn’t.Like I mentioned earlier, many scalp serums work hand in hand with other products or supplements, and that’s especially true with Arey. In fact, Arey has its own anti-graying hair growth supplement that works with the scalp serum to boost hair growth and combat graying. (And if you’re already taking a different hair-growth supplement, Arey’s serum doesn’t counteract any DHT-blocking properties your supplements may have.) You can even complete the set with the brand’s Good Night, Grey overnight peptide scalp serum that promotes hair growth overnight.Act + Acre’s Stem Cell Scalp Serum uses some pretty amazing science to help revitalize your hair. It uses apple stem cells to help activate scalp cell regeneration and hair growth by protecting hair follicles from environmental stressors, and its active ingredients are retained with Cold Processing so they don’t get destroyed by heat over time. This serum also uses aloe vera and bamboo extracts to hydrate and soothe the scalp, and it’s also rich in phytonutrients that both revitalize hair stem cells and protect the overall scalp microbiome. A hydrated scalp can provide a better environment for hair follicles, which can lead to thicker hairs and less shedding. So if you have issues with both hair loss and an irritated scalp, this serum could be your new best friend.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowOur favorite new scalp serum from the past year—awarded in our 2026 Grooming Awards—is this one from Sick Science. It’s a lightweight, non-greasy serum that hydrates the scalp (again, helping provide a better environment for all your hair follicles) and is packed with NX35 Growth Technology plant exosomes that improve overall hair health. Not only does it help with hair thickness and density, but it even has the potential to increase hair volume by reactivating dormant hair follicles. Its main ingredients include niacinamide, caffeine, rosemary leaf extract, sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, biotin, and panthenol, which work together to work on your hair at the molecular level.