No matter your hair type or texture, chances are you’ve experienced hair loss or thinning at some point in your life. But integrating the best hair-growth products into your routine can help you achieve fuller, thicker, and even longer hair, if that’s a concern for you.

What is a hair-growth product?

While you may already have a shampoo, conditioner, or leave-in serum that you love, Miami-based board-certified dermatologist Anna Chacon, MD, encourages people who are looking to treat hair loss to get topical products or supplements that specifically cater to hair growth, and then be patient with the results. “It’s fair to give products six months before assessing effects,” she says.

There are a range of products on the market—some more efficacious than others—but certain formulas, depending on your needs, can really work, says Dr. Chacon. They’re broken down into topical formulas and supplements, and she says that both types of products are specifically catered toward the hair-growth cycle, consisting of the anagen, catagen, and telogen stages. Of course, most experts say the over-the-counter stuff can’t hurt to try but might not yield the results you want; Rogaine (the brand name of the FDA-approved Minoxidil) for now is the only one with research backing up its efficacy.