 Toppik Hair Building Fibers are reportedly said to be “Hollywood’s best kept secret.” Their publicity advertisement in the National Enquirer that shows a before-and-after photo of Matt Lauer is nothing short of a miracle promise. The maker of Toppik claims that their product can give any person with thinning hair a thicker head of hair, and they have the before and after photos to prove it. How much of these results are the effects of Photoshop rather than Toppik’s doing? Since we would like to know how much of the Toppik rave is true, a review of Toppik is necessary.
Toppik Review: A Hair Thickener Revisit
Toppik Review: What is Toppik made of?
Toppik fibers are composed of “pure organic keratin proteins,” the ingredient found in human hair. Here, we were not sure if the word “organic” refered to actual human kratin proteins or those harvested from another source (horns, nails, claws and hooves of mammals). Further research showed that Toppik's "organic keratin protein" is a wool source and is perfectly safe for long-term exposure.
Here is the list of ingredients in Toppik:
Keratin, Ammonium Chloride, Silica, DMDM Hydantion, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate. and may contain (depending on shade): FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5, D&C Red #22, D&C Red #33, FD&C Blue #1, D&C Green #5, FD&C Green #3, D&C Green #6, D&C Orange #4.
Toppik Review: How does Toppik work?
 The keratin proteins are electrostatically energized to cause them to be attracted to hair shafts, which are naturally negatively charged. Thus, as the protein fibers bind to the hair shafts, the hair appears thicker. Click here to learn more about how hair thickeners work.
Be aware that Toppik does not effect hair growth. There’s two sides to this - First, Toppik will not interfere with your natural hair growth (i.e., it will not increase your thining); Second, it will not stimulate hair re-growth. Rather, Toppik is a cosmetic enhancement and its effect will go away once you stop using it. That being said, it is important to address that Toppik will not give you the same head of hair as you had before the thinning occurred. Regardless of the level of thickness a product can create with your hair, the fact that there is less hair means full coverage cannot always be achieved. Especially in individuals with substantial thinning.
Does Toppik Work?
Toppik Review: The Advantage
A survey of Toppik users reveals that Toppik is truely "Hollywood's best kept secret" for those battling a slight case of hair loss. The majority of reviewers rate the product as "the best." For example, in a survey of 36 viewers, 20 rated it as “the best” while only 5 users gave it “poor” markings. The majority of users claim it is a “miracle” powder and are "amazed" by the results for the following reasons:
- Not as messy: compared to competitors, Toppik fibers are easier to handle.
- Holds better than competitors whether you use their adhesive spray or not. Though expect to get a little fibers on your fingers if you are running them through your hair.
- It rarely runs. Users claims that Toppik stays on better than competitors.
- Makes hair look fuller than competitors.
- We love that you can use Toppik to coverup thinning spots while using minoxidil (Provillus or Rogaine) to stimulate hair regrowth.
- Several shades of color to choose from
Toppik Review: Disadvantage
 First and foremost, you must have some hair to see results. If you are completely bald or excessively balding in some regions, that means there will be no hair for the fibers to grab onto and Toppik will not work for you. Toppik can only create the illusion of thicker hair if it has some existing hair to work with.
Makers of Toppik claim that “The fibers are 100% colorfast and cannot possibly run or stain.” We found that this statement was false. Several reviewers (users) have found that if worn to bed, Toppik will stain your pillow. There are rumors on the internet that Toppik causes balding. However, no data exist to support this claim. But subjecting your hair to any form of excessive stress may cause hair loss. This includes brushing rigorously when hair is wet or subjecting hair to heat stress. The application of hair thickener fibers does not harm the hair and should not cause balding. Other than the occasional pillow staining, the product works great; just be sure to give your scalp some breather time.
There are also claims on the internet stating that Toppik may cause cancer. This statement is not supported and is untrue. This statement is founded on the grounds that the illusion of hair will make detecting scalp cancer more difficult. This argument is weak as the same can be said about wearing shirts to coverup the tale-tell signs of skin cancer. It is advised that users of Toppik should remove the fibers by shampooing their hair and then inspecting their scalp for any possible changes in the skin pigment.
Every product has its drawbacks and here are Toppik’s, though all hair thickeners have some level of these defects:
- All hair thickeners will leave some degree of messiness in your bathroom. This is not an exception for Toppik.
- It is a temporary solution to a thinning problem.
 Speaking of temporary, you should not sleep with the fiber on. (Expect a dirty pillow). Give your calp some breathing time.
- Dependency. You may develop a dependency to the product. Some users claim that they won’t leave the house without it.
- It takes some practice to get the right color match and coverage.
- Despite what the manufacturer claims, the fibers do not hold as well as they advertise. While you have it on, try avoiding situations such as roller coaster rides, strong wind storms, speeding along in a convertible, etc.
- It has been rumored that Toppik does not work as well in the front region of the head than in regions towards the back.
Toppik Review: Cost
Compared to its competitors, Toppik’s price is slightly higher. However, there seems to be a consensus that it works better than its competitors. So it seems with hair thickeners you get what you pay for.
An automatic shipment plan is offered that is supposed to save you money. The word “automatic” means that they will charge your account without your direct consent every designated period. For example, every three months, they will charge your credit card and ship you more of the product. This can be convenient if you want to continue using the product; however, from our experiences with automatic shipments, it can be somewhat stressful if you end up not liking the product.
If you would rather not deal with the automatic shipping or with the company directly, you can also order Toppik off of SallyBeauty.com and Amazon.com. On average, a large bottle is $38.95 which contains 25 grams and is suppose to last for 75 days. The same bottle will cost roughly $43.95 on Toppik’s official website. A travel size bottle containing 10.3 grams costs an average of $21.00 (SallyBeauty.com and Amazon.com). Thus, you get a slightly better deal purchasing the larger bottle. We recommend that you order a small size for trial purposes and switch to a larger bottle if you like the product. We also recommend you make your purchase from either of these websites - SallyBeauty.com or Amazon.com - since they will save you a few bucks and allow you to avoid Toppik's automatic shipment plan.
Toppik Review: Application Tips
Several users complained about the mess that hair thickeners, in general, cause. To combat this, we suggest you peel back the paper lid only 1/3 of the way through. This will help reduce the amount of product delievered when you apply it.
Toppik Review: Conclusions
 Thinning hair can cause a difficult battle with self esteem for many individuals. People tend to be self-conscious and uncomfortable when others look at or comment on their thinning hair. This is especially true among females experiencing thinning hair or noticing that their part is getting a little wider. However, if you have mild thinning of the hair, there is no bigger miracle than Toppik. On the other hand, if you have bald or excessive thinning regions, you will be disappointed with the limited results Toppik can deliver. You may want to consider alternatives such as Minoxidil, but of course, consult with a professional before attempting any long term remedies. Often times, thinning hair (especially in females) is a sign of an underlying need for medical attention.
Here, we have presented a review of Toppik, a hair thickener product. Keep in mind that Toppik is a cosmetic enhancement for the head of hair that you currently possess. Any hair thickener that promises otherwise (hair re-growth) is a scam and should not be trusted. Recently, there have been many reports on Toppik scams. Many of these "findings" report that Toppik is a hair re-growth plan that fails to deliever when, in fact, this product has never claimed to promise such results in the first place. Toppik is not a scam, but like the nature of all cosmetic enhancement products, not all products will work with everyone. If Toppik sounds like it could work for you give it a try. After all, you have nothing to lose but that balding spot.
Other Recommended Hair Thickener Product: Nanogen Hair Building Fibers
Nanogen uses elecrostatically charged keratin fibers to bond with existing thinning hair, and create a thicker, fuller look just like Toppik.
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