Alternatives for Wellbel for Hair Growth & Thickness

If you’re experiencing hair loss — whether it’s because of hormonal fluctuations during menopause or post-pregnancy, stress, sickness, diet, genetics, or any other reason — you’ve no doubt come across a myriad of products claiming to create fuller, shinier, and all around more magnificent hair. 

One product on the market, Wellbel®, is a vegan supplement that is designed to support healthier hair, skin and nails. It’s made from vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and comes in capsule form. 

However, Wellbel can be expensive at $204 for a three-month supply, and it only comes in oral form, with no topical gel or cream.¹

So today we’ll look at some Wellbel alternatives. 

Understanding Hair Growth and Loss

In order to understand how these products work, it’s important to first understand what causes hair growth and hair loss in the first place. Hair grows in a cycle that has three phases: anagen, catagen, and telogen²: 

• Anagen: The active growth phase, which can last for years. 
• Catagen: The transition phase, when hair stops growing and separates from its follicle. This phase lasts about 10 days. 
• Telogen: The resting phase, when the follicle rests for two to three months before the hair falls out.

Most people lose 50 to 100 hairs per day as part of this natural cycle.² If the cycle is disrupted or a follicle is damaged, hair will fall out more quickly than it is regenerated and can lead to thinning hair.² This can be due to genetics, disease, hormones, lifestyle, stress, and other factors.³

Fortunately, there are things you can do to help control hair loss. 

Vitamins & Minerals 

According to Harvard Health, some of the most important vitamins and minerals to support hair growth include⁴: 

• vitamin A
• vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
• vitamin B3 (niacin)
• vitamin B7 (biotin)
• vitamin B9 (folate)
• vitamin B12
• vitamin C
• vitamin D
• vitamin E
• iron
• selenium
• Zinc

Wellbel contains vitamins A, D, B12, selenium, folate, and biotin. It also contains MSM, horsetail powder, saw palmetto fruit extract, stinging nettle leaf, PABA, and Betaine HCI. 

Let’s compare that to Foundation Skincare’s Untangled supplement. It has some similar ingredients: 

• Vitamin A: 1,500 mcg in Wellbel / 900 mcg in Untangled
• Vitamin D: 25 mcg in Wellbel / 20 mcg in Untangled
• Selenium: 25 mcg in Wellbel / 55 mcg in Untangled
• Folate: 667 mcg in Wellbel / 400 mcg in Untangled
• Biotin: 500 mcg in Wellbel / 30 mcg in Untangled

Additionally both have proprietary blends, including things like saw palmetto powder and horsetail powder. 

However, the two also have some notable differences: 

Unlike Wellbel, Untangled also contains zinc, iron, Pantothenic Acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, collagen, L-Arginine, L-Cysteine, L-Methionine, and L-Tyrosine — other ingredients proven to boost hair health.4,5,6,7  Also, the amount of each ingredient in UnTangled is scientifically chosen based on the optimal levels that help promote best results. It is also very important to be careful of the amount of biotin consumed daily as too much biotin can have its own undesirable side effects. And finally, where a two month supply of Wellbel costs $136, a two month supply of Untangled is just $65.¹ It’s also notable that the serving size is three capsules per day for Wellbel, but just two capsules per day for Untangled, which may be easier for some who have difficulty taking supplements.  

Topical Treatments 

In addition to oral supplements, topical treatments, applied directly to the scalp can help hair growth. Like supplements, these products often contain vitamins, minerals, herbs, and acids. These products stimulate hair follicles directly, and can be a great addition to supplements to help boost results. 

Wellbel does not offer a topical treatment. 

However, Foundation Skincare’s Hair Serum is a great complement to Foundation’s Untangled supplements. This serum contains similar ingredients to the supplement including saw palmetto. Additionally it contains Capixyl, a biomimetic peptide that helps minimize hair follicles, apple stem cells to promote regeneration, and capsicum extract to stimulate blood flow to the scalp.

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications

Aside from supplements and topical treatments, there are prescription and over-the-counter medications. Some of the most well-known hair growth medications include Rogaine® and ketoconazole. 

Rogaine is the brand name for the medication minoxidil. This was originally formulated as a blood pressure medicine and works as a vasodilator (it expands blood vessels.) Because of this it can encourage hair growth by increasing blood flow to the scalp when applied topically. Side effects may include scalp irritation or hair shedding when you first start using the product. At high doses, it may cause irregular heart rate and flushing, which is why it’s a prescription medication and needs to be used with caution.⁸ 

Likewise, ketoconazole is a medication. It was originally used to treat fungal infections, but when applied topically or in a shampoo, it is thought that ketoconazole blocks the actions of DHT, a hormone that causes hair follicles to shrink when there is too much of it in the body. ^9,10 This is a similar function of saw palmetto — the plant-based ingredient in both Wellbel and UnTangled. 

Lifestyle Adjustments

In addition to taking supplements, medications, or using topical treatments, there are certain lifestyle modifications that may improve your hair health. Research shows that low-calorie, crash diets can cause excess hair loss, as can over-working out. Excess stress, too much alcohol consumption, and an unhealthy diet can also lead to hair loss, as can certain hair care habits.¹¹ 

For example, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends washing oily hair more frequently and washing dyed hair less frequently; concentrating shampoo on the scalp and conditioner on the tips; choosing a shampoo and conditioner for your particular hair type; and protecting your hair when swimming.¹²All of these can have an impactful effect on the health and growth of your hair, and should be part of your new routine, as addressing these lifestyle changes can greatly help improve your overall results. 

When to Consult a Professional

If your hair loss is sudden, patchy, or more than usual, you may want to consult a doctor. Sudden hair loss can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical condition that needs treatment. 

As we mentioned, losing about 50 to 100 hairs per day is considered normal — it’s all a part of your hair’s natural growth and shedding cycle.² But if you’re feeling self conscious about hair thinning or you just want more luxurious locks, there’s no shame in getting a little supplemental support. 

Wellbel is a great product with excellent ingredients, but it may be a bit expensive for some people and it doesn’t offer a topical option. To tackle hair loss from the inside as well as the outside, we recommend combining Foundation Skincare’s UnTangled supplement and hair serum, for just $124 for a two-month supply, or even less if you love it and decide to subscribe. 

Find more tips and resources on maintaining healthy hair and skin in the FS Blog.

Learn more about how to care for your hair and skin from the inside out in the FS Journal.

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References:

1. https://wellbel.com/products/wellbel-women

2. https://nyulangone.org/conditions/hair-loss/types 

3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hair-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20372926 

4. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/vitamins-minerals-and-hair-loss-is-there-a-connection 

5. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vitamin-b5-for-skin-hair 

6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142941822003439 

7. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/amino-acid--containing-supplement-may-improve-clinical-efficacy-of-hair-loss-treatments 

8. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/18238-minoxidil-topical-solution-or-foam 

9. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/ketoconazole/ 

10. https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/hair-loss/ketoconazole-hair-loss 

11. https://www.healthline.com/health/tricks-healthier-fuller-hair#groom-correctly 

12. https://www.aad.org/tips-healthy-hair