Viviscal Vitamins & Supplements FAQs

If you’ve got a question about Viviscal’s hair products , you’re in the right place.

In our 20 years of being the UK’s most clinically-researched hair supplement brand, we’ve been asked thousands of questions, with the same few recurring questions popping up again and again.

So, we've gathered the answers here so our customers can easily access all the information they need to feel confident when taking care of their hair with Viviscal.

For ease, use the menu at the top to navigate to the section of questions most relevant to your query.

FAQ topics

  1. About Viviscal
  2. Taking Viviscal’s Hair Growth Supplements
  3. Who can take Viviscal’s Hair Growth Supplements?
  4. Growing healthy hair
  5. Ingredients & testing
  6. Viviscal™ for men
  7. Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Topicals FAQ’s
  8. Adverse event management & medical-related questions

About Viviscal

How long has Viviscal™ been on the market?
Viviscal™ has been on the market for over 25 years.
How should Viviscal™ supplements be stored?

We advise that Viviscal™ supplements are stored in a cool, dry place.

Where is Viviscal™ manufactured?

Viviscal™ is manufactured in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) approved facility in Europe.

Taking Viviscal’s Hair Growth Supplements

How will Viviscal™ help me?
The Viviscal™ Hair Growth Programmes have been specifically developed to nourish thinning hair and promote existing hair growth from within. Viviscal™ contains the exclusive Amino Mar®, a marine complex that supplies vital nutrients needed to help maintain normal healthy hair growth. The efficacy of Viviscal™ is supported by 10 clinical trials conducted over 25 years. Viviscal™ is sold globally across several countries. * Find out what the public and professionals have to say about Viviscal™ on our Testimonials page
How does Viviscal™ work?

Viviscal™ normally works in four stages over a 6-month period, but most users can start to see an improvement after only 3-4 months. To help hair grow healthily, hair follicles need to be nourished from the inside. The nutrients provided by Viviscal™ benefit your hair during the Anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. The hair follicle receives the nutrients from the bloodstream as it is attached to the dermal papilla deep in the dermal layer of the scalp.

  • Stage 1 (up to month 2): Viviscal™ works to nourish the hair follicles from within (as hair and nails are both made of keratin, users may first notice that their nails are stronger and growing faster after 3-4 weeks).

  • Stage 2 (months 2 & 3): Viviscal™ strengthens and promotes the growth of existing hair.

  • Stage 3 (months 4 & 5): Promotes growth of hair where it has temporarily slowed down or stopped. These hairs may be thin or wispy at first, like baby hair. Users may notice fine baby hairs growing, initially these may look like broken hairs, they are not, they are new growth. In the 6th month the hair becomes stronger, thicker, healthier and more vibrant.

Very often users do not notice the results themselves; it is their hairdresser or a friend that comments on the improvements.

Will I need to take Viviscal™ forever?

We recommend taking the supplement for 6 months. Once the course is over, we suggest that you continue to take 1 supplement a day for 2-3 months and observe if the hair quality stays the same or if the shedding starts again. If the shedding restarts, we recommend you see your doctor to check if there is an underlying cause at play; very often if the underlying reason for your hair thinning is not being managed the excess shedding will continue.

Many Viviscal™ customers continue to take the supplement for their overall hair health.

Who can take Viviscal’s Hair Growth Supplements?

Can everyone take Viviscal™ supplements?
  1. Viviscal™ is not suitable for those with an allergy to seafood (fish and shellfish).

  2. Viviscal™ is not suitable for pregnant/breastfeeding women. (Note: This is because it has not been tested on pregnant or breastfeeding women)

  3. Is not suitable for Vegans, Vegetarians, or those on a Kosher diet.

Are Viviscal™ supplements Halal and suitable for use for a Muslim person?

Viviscal™ is unfortunately not Halal.

Is Viviscal™ suitable for coeliacs?

Viviscal™ does not contain Dairy, Soya, Nuts, Eggs, Wheat. However, we cannot confirm that the manufacturing site is free of all of these ingredients.

Vegan

No

Fair Trade

No

Suitable for Vegetarians & Vegans

No

Mollusc Free

No

Kosher

No

Can I take Viviscal™ at the same time as another hair recovery product? (eg Rogaine)

We have not conducted any clinical studies on the efficacy of Viviscal™ Maximum Strength or Viviscal™ Man when used in conjunction with another hair recovery product.

Are the Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Shampoo and Conditioner gluten free?
Are the Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Shampoo and Conditioner suitable for vegans?

The Densifying range contains Keratin, which is derived from sheep’s wool and therefore not suitable for vegans.

Growing healthy hair

What factors affect healthy hair growth?

Many factors affect healthy hair growth. These include: Post-pregnancy, menopause, hereditary factors, stress, medication, poor nutrition, over-styling, hair extensions, bleaching, and heat treatments.

What else can I do to grow my hair in addition to taking Viviscal™ supplements?

Hair thrives on a plentiful supply of specific nutrients, vitamins and minerals - foods which supply these include meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts & pulses. Having a well-balanced diet is essential. If a person’s diet is lacking in specific nutrients, it may be reflected in the condition of their hair.

Ingredients & testing

Do you test on animals?

Our finished products are not tested on animals.

What is AminoMar C™?

AminoMar C™, the key active ingredient in Viviscal, is a groundbreaking, proprietary compound of marine extracts. Within Viviscal, AminoMar C™ is blended with horsetail extract, which contains naturally occurring silica. It is further fortified with Vitamin C, Iron, Niacin, Zinc and Biotin.

What are the origins of AminoMar C™?

A Professor from Scandinavia discovered from his study of the Inuits in the 1980’s that their great hair and skin was as a result of their fish and protein rich diet. He isolated the key protein molecules from the Inuits’ diet and it was from these origins that AminoMar C™ was created.

Does the AminoMar C™ contain Vitamin B12?

We do not include Vitamin B12 as a separate ingredient within Viviscal™. There may be naturally occurring Vitamin B12 within Viviscal™, sourced from other ingredients (mollusc in particular), but we have not tested vitamin B12 levels in the finished product.

Why is there Iron in Viviscal™ Maximum Strength?

Viviscal™ is constantly seeking to enhance and improve their Hair Growth Programmes based on new research findings and customer feedback. For this reason, the formulation was further enhanced with the inclusion of Iron and other known healthy hair ingredients such as Biotin and Zinc.

Iron is an essential mineral that has several important roles in the body. It helps to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body to all the cells. The amount of iron in Viviscal™ Maximum Strength (2 tablets) is 13.6 mg providing 97% of the EC Nutrient Reference Value. Thinning hair can be one of the visible symptoms of anaemia (iron deficiency).

If you are suffering from thinning hair, and you feel it may be related to the levels of iron within your body, we recommend that you visit your doctor to have your bloods tested. Discuss your lifestyle and diet to help them identify what the underlying causes might be. You can then check with your doctor if, having ascertained your overall health, it is suitable for you to take Viviscal.

**Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

What function has the Vitamin C?

Vitamin C helps to absorb more iron into the blood, which, in turn, promotes better hair growth. There are 38.5 mg of Vitamin C per tablet in Viviscal™ Maximum Strength, 30mg of Vitamin C per tablet in Viviscal™ Man.

What function has the Silica?

Hair is collagen-based and silica is absolutely essential for the body to create and maintain collagen. Silica is essential for healthy connective tissue. As we age, scientific measurements have shown that the human body retains less and less silica. Silica does not occur in sufficient amounts in a wide variety of foodstuffs. It is primarily found in natural oats, millet, barley, wheat and potatoes. Most of which are normally refined to a point where all the silica has been removed.

What function has the Biotin?

Biotin (also known as Vitamin H), is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin (vitamin B7). Biotin helps the body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids which are important as the building blocks of protein. In summary, Biotin plays an essential role in the growth of healthy hair.

Is there Selenium in Viviscal™?

Testing for Selenium levels has recorded the following results:

  • Viviscal™ Maximum Strength - 0.606 mg/kg

  • Viviscal™ Man – 0.441 mg/kg

  • Viviscal™ Professional – 0.276 mg/kg

Which of the ingredients make up the coating on Viviscal™ supplements?

The coatings used in Viviscal™ are Hydroxypropyl Cellulose and Glycerin.

Viviscal™ for men

What are the main differences between Viviscal™ Man and Viviscal™ Maximum Strength?

Viviscal™ Maximum Strength has been specifically developed for women while Viviscal™ Man has been specifically developed for men. Both formulations nourish thinning hair and promote existing hair growth from within.

  • Viviscal™ Man does not contain Iron, Biotin, Niacin, Millet Seed

  • Viviscal™ Man has different AminoMar C™ concentration (453mg per tablet vs 300mg in Viviscal™ Maximum Strength)

  • Viviscal™ Man does contain Flax Seed Extract which is not in Viviscal™ Maximum Strength

  • Both supplements contain Zinc, but Viviscal™ Maximum Strength has slightly less (14.9mg per tablet as opposed to 15mg in each Viviscal™ Man supplement)

Viviscal™ Man

  • Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) < 25 mg/100g

  • Calcium Pantothenate < 165 mg/100g

  • Vitamin B5 (pantotene) < 150 mg/100g

  • Folic Acid 80.0 mcg/100g

  • Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) 100µg/kg

  • Vitamin B1 (thiamin) < 25 mg/100g

  • Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) < 50 mg/100g

Viviscal™ Maximum Strength

  • B2 (riboflavin) < 25 mg/100g

  • Calcium Pantothenate < 165 mg/100g

  • B5 (pantotene) < 150 mg/100g

  • Folic Acid 25.2 mcg/100g

  • B12 (cyanocobalamin) 104µg/kg

  • B1 (thiamin) < 25 mg/100g

  • B6 (pyridoxine) < 50 mg/100g

Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Topicals FAQ’s

Are Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Shampoo, Conditioner & Elixir sulfate free?
Do Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Shampoo, Conditioner & Elixir contain parabens?

Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Shampoo, Conditioner & Elixir are paraben free.

Below is the % of naturally derived ingredients in the new Densifying range:

Densifying Elixir – 96%

Densifying Shampoo – 97%

Densifying Conditioner – 97%

Is there a best before date on Viviscal™ Gorgeous Growth Densifying Shampoo, Conditioner & Elixir?

From date of opening, use within 12 months.

Adverse event management & medical-related questions

Can I take Viviscal™ if I am on medication?

If you are taking any medication we would advise you to consult with your doctor before starting the programme. We can provide you with a list of the ingredients in Viviscal™ supplements to take with you.

Can Diabetics use Viviscal?

We would recommend that anyone with a pre-existing medical condition should consult with their doctor before starting the Viviscal™ programme.

I’ve had chemotherapy, when can I start to take Viviscal?

As the chemotherapy medication used from person to person can vary, we would recommend that you consult with your oncologist before you start the Viviscal™ programme.

I have been using Viviscal™ for X period of time and I now have a skin breakout – the only thing that has changed in my diet is that I started taking Viviscal.

At Viviscal™ we have consulted with our advising skin scientist who has reviewed the Viviscal™ formulation and has concluded that the components of the tablets themselves are unlikely to contribute to any adverse skin health issues.

In addition, research conducted by our skin scientist shows that there is no convincing evidence that diet is a factor in adult skin health issues. Breakouts in adults occur mainly during menstruation and at times of high stress in a person’s life.

Furthermore, our last 5 Viviscal™ Clinical Trials conducted with 235 women recorded no skin related issues

A consultation with your doctor may assist you further with identifying the reasons for your current experience. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

Does/could Viviscal™ result in the growth of excess facial/body hair?

Viviscal™ works in harmony with each individual’s natural hair growth pattern and hair cell cycle. The nourishment that Viviscal™ provides supports optimal growth, condition and hair health. Unwanted or unexpected hair growth patterns have not been reported to date.

Couldn’t find what you were looking for?

If you have a question about Viviscal’s products that you couldn’t find the answer to here, feel free to contact our team today and we can help you.