Why you are losing your hair: DHT, the androgen receptor, and what actually stops it
Not stress, not your shampoo, not the hard water - in the overwhelming majority of men, one androgen acting on follicles that...
Folliva Labs
Ketoconazole Shampoo
- An antifungal wash for the scalp, at 1%
- It is not a blocker and it does not grow hair
- For flaking, itch and the irritation underneath
- The thinnest evidence base of anything we sell
Batch and date on every bottle
Discreet, tracked shipping
Shipped from the EU
Support before you order
Sold for exactly what it is
A wash that looks after the condition of your scalp — not a treatment for hair loss, and we will not sell it as one. Questions before you order? Write to us. We answer first, you buy second.
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What this is
An antifungal shampoo at 1%, used two or three times a week. Its job is the condition of the scalp you already have: flaking, itch, and the low-grade irritation that sits underneath a lot of shedding.
It is a wash. It is not a hair-loss treatment, and it is not a substitute for one.
How it works — and what it does not do
Antifungal shampoos work on the scalp, not on the hormone. This one does nothing meaningful to DHT, to the enzyme that makes it, or to the receptor it binds. At best this class of ingredient is described as weakly antiandrogenic, and we are not going to build a product on "at best".
What it does do is keep the skin your follicles grow out of in reasonable condition. That is worth something on its own merits. It is not the thing holding your hairline.
What the evidence actually is
Thin, and you should hear it from us rather than find out later. In hair specifically there are only a handful of small studies, and no placebo-controlled trial of a shampoo on its own that would settle the question.
That is the whole honest picture. It is in the range as scalp housekeeping alongside a blocker — not as something that regrows hair.
How to use it
Two or three times a week. Wet the hair, work it into the scalp rather than the hair, leave it for three to five minutes, then rinse it out. Use whatever shampoo you like on the other days.
It is a rinse-off product. Nothing stays on the scalp, and the routine only works if you keep it up.
Where it fits
Alongside a receptor blocker — RU-58841, pyrilutamide or CB-03-01 — which is the part that addresses the cause. This is the wash that keeps the scalp comfortable while that happens.
Used on its own it is the mildest thing in the range, and the flaking comes back when you stop.
Suitability & safety
For external use on the scalp, rinsed off. Patch-test first, keep it out of your eyes, and stop if you react. Regular use can dry the scalp — if it does, drop to twice a week.
Speak to a professional if you are unsure, particularly if your scalp is already broken or inflamed.
Batch & storage
Every bottle carries its batch number, blend date and expiry. Store it cool and dry, out of direct light.
WHAT IT DOES
It looks after the scalp — not the hair loss.
Most of this site is about blocking DHT, the hormone behind male-pattern hair loss. A shampoo does not do that. It is worth being exact about what this is for, and what it is not.
- 01
An antifungal, at 1%
The scalp carries yeast as a matter of course. When it gets out of hand you get flaking, itch and an irritated scalp — and an antifungal wash is the ordinary way to bring that back down.
- 02
Flaking and irritation are their own problem
An inflamed, flaking scalp is worth fixing whether or not it is costing you hair. It is also the thing people most often mistake for a reaction to their blocker or their minoxidil.
- 03
It does not touch the cause
This is the honest part. It is not a receptor blocker. DHT keeps arriving at the follicle exactly as before, and the loss runs on untouched. Anything you read about shampoos being weakly antiandrogenic is not enough to build a routine on.
- 04
So it is housekeeping, not treatment
Keep it in the routine for what it actually does: a scalp in better condition, and one fewer variable when you are trying to work out what your blocker is doing.
Where the evidence stands
In hair specifically it is a handful of small studies and no placebo-controlled trial of a shampoo alone. Compared with what sits behind minoxidil, that is very little. We list it here rather than hope you do not check.
Who it is for
Anyone whose scalp flakes, itches or feels irritated — especially alongside a blocker or minoxidil, where an unhappy scalp is easy to blame on the wrong thing. If your scalp is fine, this does nothing for you.
What we can be held to
That it is what the label says it is, that its batch number and date are on the bottle, and that we describe it as a wash rather than a treatment. We will not claim regrowth for a shampoo.
THE ROUTINE
A wash, two or three times a week.
It goes on wet hair, works into the scalp, sits for a few minutes and rinses out. On the other days, use whatever shampoo you normally use.
-
01
Two or three times a week
More is not better here. Regular use can dry the scalp — if yours gets tight or itchy, drop to twice a week.
-
02
Work it into the scalp, not the hair
Part it and massage it into the skin over the areas that flake. The hair is just what is in the way.
-
03
Leave it three to five minutes
It needs contact time. Rinsing it straight off is the most common way to get nothing out of it.
-
04
Rinse, and keep it up
Rinse thoroughly. This is maintenance — stop and the flaking comes back, because nothing about it is permanent.
For external use. Batch number, blend date and expiry are printed on the bottle.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Set your expectations honestly.
This is a shampoo. What follows is what is reasonable to expect from one — no more.
-
WEEKS 1–2
Flaking and itch settle first
If the yeast side of things was part of your problem, this is where you notice it: less flaking, less itch. Nothing about your hairline has changed.
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WEEKS 2–6
A calmer scalp, and a cleaner read
A settled scalp makes it far easier to tell what your blocker or your minoxidil is actually doing, instead of blaming them for irritation this was causing.
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MONTHS 2+
No regrowth to judge
Do not measure this one in hair counts. If you want regrowth, that job belongs to the blocker you pair it with — this is the wash.
-
ONGOING
Stop, and it comes back
The effect lasts as long as the routine does. Keep it as the maintenance layer and let the rest of the range do the work on the cause.
MECHANISM COMPARISON
The options, side by side.
The common ways men treat male-pattern hair loss, compared on mechanism, side effects, evidence and cost.
| Feature | RU-58841Topical antiandrogen | CB-03-01Clascoterone, topical antiandrogen | PyrilutamideKX-826, topical antiandrogen | MinoxidilTopical growth stimulant | Oral finasterideSystemic DHT blocker | Ketoconazole shampooTopical antifungal | GHK-CuCopper peptide, scalp support | Natural topicalsCaffeine, rosemary, saw palmetto | Doing nothingBaseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | |||||||||
| What it acts on | The androgen receptor | The androgen receptor | The androgen receptor | Potassium channels, blood flow | 5-alpha-reductase. Lowers DHT | Fungus. Mildly, the receptor | The scalp skin itself. Not the hormone | Several weak effects. None well mapped | |
| Where it acts | Scalp | Scalp. Broken down there by design, but measurable amounts still reach the blood | Scalp, by design | Scalp. Some absorption | Whole body | Scalp | Scalp | Scalp | |
| Side effects | |||||||||
| No systemic or sexual side effects | PartlyDesigned to break down before it reaches the blood. No human data proves that it does. | PartlyBuilt to break down in the skin, but blood levels measured for their scalp solution are similar to the acne cream's, so a smaller treated area is not a safety argument. In the acne studies 3 of 42 had brief adrenal suppression that cleared after stopping. | PartlyBuilt to act locally. In the trials, safety was no different from placebo. The data is still thin. | YesNot a hormonal drug. Rare heart-rate effects at high doses. | NoLower libido and erectile problems in a minority of men. Most recover after stopping. Some report that they did not. | YesTopical, barely absorbed | YesA topical peptide. It does nothing to hormones, for better or worse. | YesNothing here reaches your bloodstream in any amount that matters | Yes |
| No scalp irritation | PartlyThe alcohol carrier can dry or sting. That is the vehicle, not the compound. | PartlyIn the hair trials local reactions matched the placebo liquid, but the placebo was the same carrier without the drug. The carrier is glycol-heavy and can dry the skin. | PartlyUsually mild, but it does not suit everyone | NoItching and flaking are common. Mostly the propylene glycol. | YesIt never touches your scalp | PartlyCan dry the scalp with regular use | YesGenerally well tolerated on skin. Patch-test anyway. | YesIn the rosemary trial, less itching than minoxidil. | Yes |
| What it does | |||||||||
| Blocks DHT | YesAt the receptor. A non-steroidal molecule. | YesAt the receptor. Same target, a steroidal molecule. | YesAt the receptor. Same target, non-steroidal like RU-58841. | NoIt grows hair by a different route entirely | YesLowers DHT at the source | PartlyA weak antiandrogen at best | NoNot an antiandrogen. It does nothing to DHT. | PartlySaw palmetto is a weak 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor | No |
| An antiandrogen you apply, not swallow | Yes | Yes | Yes | NoTopical, but not an antiandrogen | NoAn antiandrogen, but a tablet | PartlyTopical, weakly antiandrogenic | NoTopical, but not an antiandrogen at all | PartlyTopical. Weakly, and only through saw palmetto. | |
| Stimulates new growth on its own | NoIt takes the brake off. It adds nothing. | NoIt takes the brake off. It adds nothing of its own. | NoSame route. It removes suppression. | YesThis is the one thing it is for | NoSame idea: it removes suppression | No | NoIt looks after the scalp. It does not push growth. | PartlyA little, in small trials. Nothing like minoxidil. | |
| Also works on the scalp itself | No | No | No | No | No | YesClears the flaking and inflammation. The only antifungal here. | YesThis is the whole job of it: the condition of the skin your follicles grow from | PartlySome anti-inflammatory effect. It is not an antifungal. | |
| Evidence and approval | |||||||||
| An approved medicine for hair loss | NoA research compound. No approved human use, anywhere. | NoThe same molecule has been an approved 1% acne cream in the US since 2020, but nothing containing it is approved for hair loss anywhere. Another company is expected to file in 2027. | NoA research compound. No approved use, anywhere. The manufacturer is heading for a filing in China. | YesApproved for male-pattern hair loss | YesApproved, on prescription | PartlyApproved as an antifungal, not for hair loss | NoA peptide sold in cosmetics. No medicine containing it is approved anywhere. | NoCosmetics. Nobody has taken them through approval. | |
| Human evidence behind it | NoNo completed human trials. None. | YesTwo Phase 3 studies, 1,465 men, twelve months. Run by the company taking it through approval, on their formulation, not ours. | PartlyPhase 3 trial data at 0.5% and 1.0%, which puts it ahead of most topicals. The results are the manufacturer's and are not yet published. | YesDecades of randomised trials | YesDecades of randomised trials, and the longest evidence base of anything on this table | PartlyA handful of small studies | PartlyReal human data, but in skin and wound healing. What exists for hair is thin. | PartlyOne small trial matched rosemary oil to 2% minoxidil. Caffeine has a few. That is all of it. | |
| Available without a prescription | YesOnly because there is no approved use to prescribe | YesNo approved hair-loss version to prescribe. The acne cream made from the same molecule is prescription only. | YesSame reason again. There is no approved version to prescribe, anywhere. | YesOver the counter | NoPrescription only. A doctor has to agree. | Partly1% over the counter. 2% is usually a prescription. | YesNo approved medicine here to prescribe | YesAny shop, any time | |
| Living with it | |||||||||
| If you stop | Loss resumes | Loss resumes | Loss resumes | Shedding within weeks | Loss resumes | The flaking comes back | The scalp goes back to how it was | Back to baseline | |
| Daily effort | Once a day | Twice a day | Once a day | Once or twice a day | One tablet | Two or three times a week | Once a day | Daily, or every wash | None |
| Cost per month, roughly | €40–50 | €145 at 2.5%, €230 at 5% | €60–90 | €20–60 | €10–20 | €5–10 | €90 | €10–25 | €0 |
A comparison of mechanisms, not medical advice. Minoxidil and finasteride are approved medicines with decades of randomised trials behind them, and finasteride has the longest evidence base of anything here. RU-58841, CB-03-01 and pyrilutamide are research compounds: none of them is an approved hair-loss medicine today. The Phase 3 figures quoted for clascoterone come from the formulation another company is taking through approval, not from ours, and no cortisol data from those hair trials has been published. The pyrilutamide trial results come from the manufacturer and are not yet published. GHK-Cu is a copper peptide included here as scalp support, not as a regrowth treatment. The natural column covers topical caffeine, rosemary oil and saw palmetto, where the human data is real but thin. Prices are rough monthly estimates and vary by dose, bottle size and brand, and each assumes the routine on that product's own page. Speak to a doctor before you start or stop anything.
What else the lab makes.
RU58841 Topical Solution
4.9 (88)·5/8% · 30/50/100 ml
Occupies the androgen receptor so DHT cannot deliver its signal to the follicle.
This is the cause, not the symptom. On its own it will not push a dormant follicle back into growth.
From €39,99
View
Pyrilutamide 0.5% (KX-826)
4.6 (16)·0.5% w/v · 30 mL
A newer topical androgen-receptor antagonist. Different molecule, same target as RU-58841.
For people who do not tolerate RU. Run one blocker or the other, not both.
€90,00
Waitlist
CB-03-01 2.5/5% (Clascoterone)
2.5/5% · 50 ml
Blocks the androgen receptor at the follicle, then breaks down in the skin into an inactive form.
The only one here that finished phase 3. Clascoterone sold much cheaper elsewhere is usually weaker than the label says.
From €89,00
Waitlist
Minoxidil 5%
4.6 (25)·5% · 60 mL
Extends the growth phase so follicles stay active longer. It does nothing to the hormone driving the loss.
Pairs with a blocker, never replaces one. Stop it and the growth it borrowed goes back.
€60,00
Waitlist
Ketoconazole Shampoo
An antifungal wash that handles the flaking and irritation sitting underneath a lot of shedding.
Two or three washes a week, alongside a blocker. It is not a blocker itself.
€29,99
Waitlist
GHK-CU Copper Peptide Spray
4.5 (13)·Copper peptide · 30 mL
A copper peptide that works on the condition of the scalp itself. Not an antiandrogen; it does nothing to DHT.
For scalp quality. On its own it will not hold a receding hairline.
€50,00
Waitlist
Natural Hair Regrowth Serum
4.6 (13)·Topical · 50 mL
Caffeine, rosemary and botanical oils. Scalp support, and the mildest thing in the range.
A leg of the routine, not the whole table. It does not block DHT.
€60,00
Waitlist
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
We are not going to oversell a shampoo. Here is exactly what it is.
An antifungal wash at 1%, two or three times a week, for flaking, itch and an irritated scalp. It does not block DHT, it does not regrow hair, and the flaking returns when you stop. Kept in its place — alongside a blocker that deals with the cause — it earns its shelf space. Sold as anything more than that, it would be a lie.
- A wash, two or three times a week. Not a treatment for hair loss.
- Batch number, blend date and expiry printed on every bottle.
- Plain, unbranded packaging. Nothing on the outside says what is inside.
- Shipped from the EU, usually 2–5 working days.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is this shampoo?
An antifungal shampoo at 1%, used two or three times a week for the condition of the scalp — flaking, itch, irritation. It is a wash, not a hair-loss treatment.
Does it block DHT?
No. It does nothing meaningful to DHT, the enzyme that makes it, or the receptor it binds. The cause of pattern hair loss runs on untouched. If you want that addressed, you need a blocker — RU-58841, pyrilutamide or CB-03-01.
Will it regrow my hair?
No, and we will not pretend otherwise. The hair-specific evidence here is a handful of small studies with no placebo-controlled trial of a shampoo on its own. Its job is scalp housekeeping alongside a blocker.
How do I use it?
Two or three times a week. Wet the hair, work it into the scalp rather than the hair, leave it three to five minutes, rinse thoroughly. Use your normal shampoo on the other days.
Can I use it with RU-58841 or minoxidil?
Yes — that is the point of it. Wash and rinse first, let the scalp dry, then apply your topical as usual. A calmer scalp also makes it easier to tell what your blocker is actually doing.
Are there side effects?
Regular use can dry the scalp. If yours gets tight, itchy or flaky in a new way, drop to twice a week. Patch-test first, keep it out of your eyes, and stop if you react.
How often should I use it, honestly?
Two or three times a week is enough. More often is not better and is the quickest way to dry your scalp out. The effect lasts as long as the routine does — stop, and the flaking comes back.
Shipping and returns?
Shipped from the EU, usually 2–5 working days, in plain unbranded packaging. Unopened bottles can be returned within 14 days.
Science articles
Read before you start.
What the research actually says about hair loss, DHT, and the compounds people reach for.
