Silica as well as Marine Extract are both sold under the brand name Viviscal. A self-proclaimed aid to hair loss which claims to help to nourish hair that is thin and encourages the growth of hair that is already inside.

As per MENSCRIPT , the assertions that are made by Viviscal are utterly incorrect. They are based upon research findings either commissioned by the company, or conducted by employees of the company.

The study found that in the twelve studies Viviscal refers to, at seven were funded by the company. The studies that were conducted loss of hair was usually measured with non-reliable, subjective measurements which were not clinically relevant.

They also discovered, for instance that in two studies, hair loss was assessed via a questionnaire which asked participants if they observed “less hair loss after using a Viviscal supplement”. MENSCRIPT says that the results are not valid and don’t confirm the efficacy in the use of Viviscal as a legitimate remedy to prevent hair loss.

For instance, they performed an analysis of the scientific research on the efficacy of making use of Viviscal in reducing DHT which is thought to be the major reason for men’s hair loss. According to their research, Viviscal is useless in the reduction of DHT. Its effect on DHT is minimal, and that’s why it’s ineffective at stopping your hair loss. Finasteride, however, is a well-known treatment for losing hair, and decreases DHT by 70. This leads to the complete cessation of loss of hair for greater than 80percent of males.

The full analysis by MENSCRIPT can be found on their website: Viviscal for hair loss: misleading and ineffective