Article by Lindsay Colameo, Byrdie, December 4, 2020

Here Are My Honest Thoughts After Using Harklinikken for 8 Full Months
The results were pretty mind-blowing. My hair has always been my “thing.” There was no product or treatment I wouldn’t try if it promised me longer, straighter, thicker, glossier hair. From Japanese straightening to Brazilian blowouts to every deep conditioning scalp treatment under the sun (and let’s not forget those three years of tape-in hair extensions), I've pretty much tried it all; my quest to gorgeous hair was never-ending. However, it’s my most recent hair escapade that has stopped me dead in my tracks. On Tuesday, June 4, 2019, I checked myself into a hair rehab of sorts at the flagship Harklinikken Clinic in New York City and it has since been my most eye-opening and—dare I say—life-changing hair experience to date.

Keep reading to find out what Harklinikken is all about and my experience.

FAST FACTS - HARKLINIKKEN SYSTEM
PROS: Personalized experience, consults available via Skype or FaceTime, reverses hair loss, and soothes scalp and nourishes hair.
CONS: Must follow regimen strictly and results take time.
BEST FOR: Thinning hair, edges, temples
USES: Heals the scalp, treats hair loss
STAR RATING: 5/5
POTENTIAL ALLERGENS: None
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Burdock root, organic oats, aloe vera, mustard seeds
CLEAN?: Yes
PRICE: $54 for Balancing Shampoo, $49 for Daily Conditioner, $56 for Hair Hydrating Creme, $88 for Extract
ABOUT THE BRAND: Harklinikken (which, fun fact, translates directly to “hair clinic” in Danish), is a Danish hair care brand that specializes in hair loss treatments and scalp care.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The Harklinikken hair system is pricey, but the consultation, custom formula, hands on approach to hair loss, and, of course, the results makes it worth your money (and time).

What Is Harklinikken?
As a quick background, Harklinikken is a Scandinavian brand dedicated to being a safe haven for those dealing with hair thinning, loss, or other hair issues. While it’s hardly the first company to help in the hair loss fight—brands like Rogaine and Nioxin have been serving up fan favorite over-the-counter minoxidil formulas for decades—the Harklinikken difference lies in the education, and personalized experience built off of 27 years of clinical research. Think of it as the personal trainers of hair treatments, with a custom regimen for each client and a loyal support system behind it all to keep you on track for results. While it’s not a hard process, it is a process and one that requires a daily change in your typical rinse-repeat hair regimen you’re likely currently following. The brand notes the success of the program is fully rooted in the customized process and compliance, applying a custom plant- and cow’s milk-derived extract twice daily to your scalp, and washing with specific Harklinikken products (more on that below). The results speak for themselves, and also the reason the brand relies solely on word of mouth advertising, a tactic that has successfully led to over 100,000 referrals-turned-satisfied-clients.

This wasn’t the first I had heard about the brand—however, my knowledge of their hair loss treatments was limited even though my interest on the topic was high, despite having what I previously thought was a long, full head of relatively healthy hair. The immaculate flagship space on Fifth Avenue felt special from the minute I entered, and the before and after photos were equally as impressive and intriguing. I’m no stranger to striking results photos—I suppose it comes with the territory of being a beauty editor and brands desperately trying to prove their point of difference via visual evidence— but something about these particular hair regrowth case studies resonated with me on a more personal level. The wispy thinness along the top of my hairline closely mimicked the “before” photos of one patient, and was an area I was secretly (and now not so secretly) self-conscious about.

About My Hair
I have to admit: leading up to this day, I was an advocate for the twice, even once, per week shampoo schedule. A regular use of dry shampoo and other instant hair refreshing products helped me skip daily washing. I was so dedicated to my fool-proof, lazy-girl system, I proudly published articles about my strategic haircare routine and how I’d expertly stretch a blowout to last me seven full days. My hair was long with the typical split ends that come from occasionally sandwiching your hair between two 400 degree hot plates. And while from an outsider’s glance, my hair appeared relatively healthy, I was admittedly experiencing regular dry, flaky patches on my scalp and was becoming increasingly self-conscious about the fine, cowlick-y patches I had along my hairline by my temples. I also felt that despite my best efforts, the length of my hair was halted at that medium-long-but-not-long-long length, which I was so desperately working to move past.

The Science
The insanely knowledgeable team at Harklinikken broke things down quite simply. They explained how strong, healthy hairs are deeply rooted in your scalp and take up 100 percent of their root surface area. Over time, as hair goes through its normal seven year life cycle and sheds, the hair that grows back in its place is often not as deeply rooted and takes up only a fraction of the surface area of the original strand. Imagine this process, known as miniaturization, multiplied over your entire head and re-occurring over several hair life cycles with each new hair coming back as a fraction of what it once was. This means the hairs on your head are either a sad, wispy excuse for what was once growing from that root (called diffused thinning), or they’re not growing back at all, which is the cause of female pattern balding.

Over time, as hair goes through its normal seven year life cycle and sheds, the hair that grows back in its place is often not as deeply rooted and takes up only a fraction of the surface area of the original strand.

One simple question from the Harklinikken team set the lighbulb off in my brain: “Why do you treat the lower half of your head (your face) wildly different from the top half your head (your scalp)?” I couldn’t imagine going even two days without washing my face—yet with my hair and scalp, I was washing only one to two times per week. My practice made no sense. The team explained how the Harklinikken treatment aimed to reverse the miniaturization process by boosting the quality of the hair follicles currently on your head and helping to activate dormant hair follicles that had shrunken to nothingness. It was at this point the cold, hard truth cut deep. They revealed to me that I was experiencing 60 percent thinning—and it was in this exact moment that I vowed my commitment to treatment.

The Consultation
The first step was a scalp analysis, which can also be booked as an online consultation using Facetime or Skype if you’re not conveniently located near one of the brand's three locations (New York, Tampa, and Los Angeles). This was where I met the man I can only refer to as a hair magician: Harklinikken founder and head of research and development, Lars Skjoth. One look under the microscope and Lars informed me that my scalp health was out of whack. It turns out, my lack of washing and excessive dry shampoo usage left me with a minor bacterial skin condition on my scalp that needed to be addressed before I could even begin the extract treatment. The truth hit hard yet again. I was horrified, but also instantly impressed. I knew something was up with my scalp, but because I had enough hair to disguise the flakes and irritations, it was a reality I had ignored for a long while. Had those flaky patches been on my face, I would have addressed them immediately before I even stepped foot out in public. 

The Detox Regimen
This was when I began the “pre-tox detox.” My product arsenal consisted of Harklinikken Balancing Shampoo and Daily Conditioner for my ends, and Nizoral— an over the counter anti-dandruff shampoo—for my roots. For four weeks, I was to wash my hair every day—which, for the record, was a major life change for me. The real catch was that the Nizoral shampoo was to be applied only to my roots, massaged for 30 seconds, then left to sit for 10 minutes—which, in shower time, feels like eternity. I had to carefully rinse out the shampoo, tilting my head just right so that the Nizoral went straight down the drain without running through the ends of my hair, which were being washed with a more hydrating formula. It was hardly the most glamorous step in this hair rehab process, but a necessary reset before I could begin treatment. I was committed.

When I returned to the Harklinikken Clinic four weeks later, I received a glowing checkup from Lars and was cleared to begin treatment. (I will admit I knew after two weeks into pre-tox that the tedious process I was so diligently following was working like a charm: I experienced no flakes, no itch...just a clean, healthy scalp.) But first, I needed some before photos. The “photo cubby” I took my photos in helped to ensure all photos captured throughout the process remained consistent in terms of lights, surroundings, and camera angles. The attention to detail at this place is no joke.

Lars then walked me through my new hair rehab process. While my scalp health had improved dramatically during pre-tox, he explained that the luster, thickness, and regrowth could be improved by 60 to 75 percent if I committed to the treatment. Say what? The concept of nearly doubling my hair's thickness seemed impossible. I’m the first to admit it wasn’t nearly as thick as it once was during college, but I’d hardly ever consider myself thinning. Nonetheless, the promise of living out my real life Blake Lively hair dreams was enough to make me commit and follow everything this hair genius told me.

The Harklinikken At-Home Regimen
The actual Harklinikken treatment consisted of more Harklinikken Balancing Shampoo and Daily Conditioner for daily washings, then the Harklinikken Leave-In Hair Hydrating Crème to apply to my lengths multiple times a day, followed with the custom extract, which is formulated with burdock root, marigold, and proprietary ingredients derived from cow’s milk that bring your hair back to life. In some select cases, a low-dose minoxidil may be added to the extract in concentrations lower than those currently available over the counter; however, this is rare and customized based on the needs of the client. The custom extract is individually tailored to serve your specific hair care needs and formulated by a Harklinikken specialist, who continually adjusts the blend throughout the program based on progress and ongoing evaluations.

This was the slightly tricky part: I was supposed to apply the topical extract twice a day on dry hair—the first and second application needed to be applied one hour apart and massaged into scalp for about 30 seconds once applied. Then, I was to leave it on for at least eight hours before washing it out. The extract comes with a plastic applicator syringe to help measure the four ml., twice-daily treatments, and has a fine tip that makes it easy to trace along your scalp to apply. I start at one side of my head, working my way over to the other, applying in straight lines from the hairline back.

The Feel
The Balancing Shampoo is a gel-texture shampoo that provides a gentle, non-stripping lather that's perfect for all hair types. The Daily Conditioner rounds out the formula with aloe vera and avocado oil, two ingredients that lend this product its creamy, yet lightweight feel. You only need one to two pumps to completely coat your strands. The Extract is the "messiest" of the bunch—its texture is slightly heavier than water, so you kind of need to tilt your head back to prevent it from dripping down your face.

The Results
It took a little strategizing to sync up the right washing and application routine but I became accustomed to packing my extract and syringe with me everywhere so I could always get the job done. I was insanely diligent the first six weeks of treatment. I completely eliminated the use of all hot tools, I washed every single day (with the exception for July 22, and yes I still feel a little guilty about it, and applied the leave in cream upwards of four times a day for added hydration). My six week check-up with Lars was the proof: The first set of before and after photos revealed noticeable improvement in hair density, fullness, and shine. If that’s not motivation to keep on keeping on, I don’t know what it.

"My six week check-up with Lars was the proof: The first set of before and after photos revealed noticeable improvement in hair density, fullness, and shine"

My Eight Month Update
Update time! It’s been eight months since I first committed to Harklinikken’s hair rehab clinic and traded in my once-a-week washings and flat-ironing for the promise of thicker, fuller, glossier, all-around better hair. I had some pretty lofty expectations for this experience after seeing the dramatic and impressive results of past clients (I’m including a few of the before-after results shared with me before I started, so you can see what my expectations were going into this adventure).

After eight months, I’m psyched to report my hair has never looked better. The texture has morphed to be noticeably softer, but also significantly stronger and less brittle. The color and shine have reached glossy levels I previously only knew possible after a salon visit. My split ends are practically non-existent and the sparse areas of thinning are slowing filling in. Despite the new growth still being itty bitty (only about one to two inches off my scalp), I can definitely feel the fullness of the new hairs filling in and have the pictures to prove it. While I haven’t noticed the subtle day to day (or even week to week) improvements, the side by side comparisons of my results over the last eight months can most definitely confirm some amazing things are happening behind the scenes.

However, first, I have a confession: I haven’t been as diligent with my regimen over the last six months as I was during the first two. But before you judge me, allow me explain—because there were some aspects of hair rehab that remained consistent for me from the start. For one thing, I have been incredibly loyal to my Harklinikken product lineup. With the exception of two “cheat” washes with a hotel shampoo and conditioner (simply because I was fresh out of my Harklinikken TSA-friendly minis), I have washed, conditioned, and styled my hair exclusively with my subscribed Harklinikken shampoo, conditioner, leave in cream and mask, (which I continue to use about once a week). Sure, this is probably the easiest part of the process to stick with, but it does take some self-discipline to remain monogamous to just one line of products, especially in today’s beauty market flooding with newness by the hour. But in the name of beauty research and the promised 60 percent thicker results, I stuck to the script.

My New Routine
I must also admit that my washing frequency has evolved over the months. I went from shampooing daily (as I did during the first eight weeks), to shampooing three or four times per week for the last five months. Some call it lazy, I call it life, but either way I was assured by the Harklinikken specialists that this was an acceptable adjustment that fit within the prescribed hair rehab compliance scope. Phew! My hot tool usage remained limited, although I did turn to the occasional blow dryer and heated paddle brush from time to time. I have, however, sworn off my flatiron all together (RIP). There’s just something about sandwiching my hair in-between two 400-degree hotplates that breaks my heart amidst my commitment to the whole hair rehabilitation process. Although in fairness, it has become easier and easier to accept my natural hair texture and wavy curl pattern, as it’s continued to evolve into glossier, shinier strands over the last eight months.

So, you might be thinking—where exactly did I fall short? The answer lies in the extract. While I was religious about getting the first application on my scalp daily, the second application, (which is supposed to be applied 30 to 60 minutes after the first) regularly posed a challenge for me. I was consistently skipping the second application about half the time, and no, I don’t have any good excuse why. Sometimes I forgot about it completely, sometimes I was straight up lazy. I don’t mean to beat myself up about this—after all, I’m only human and all things considered, I was doing a pretty good job with the process. However, a visit to Harklinikken for a checkup put matters into perspective for me. The Harklinikken specialists shared the following compliance chart with me, which mapped out the expected results based on how well you were sticking to the regimen.

In complying with the two extract applications only 50 percent of the time, my results percentage went from 90 percent, to a jaw-dropping 30 percent. Yikes! Here I was putting in almost all the work and reaping one third of the potential benefit. The reality was, the incredible results that people were experiencing with Harklinikken’s treatment were completely dependent on compliance. This is also a huge reason why their experience is so personalized and grounded in education and support, which empowers you to prioritize your commitment to the program in order to experience max potential improvements. In pursuit of the best results possible, I quickly found time to squeeze in that second 30-second application and have made it happen 100 percent of the time ever since that checkup (funny how that works).

The Value
One of the most popular questions I continue to get asked about is the cost, so let me break it down for you. It all starts with a consultation with a Harklinikken hair specialist, which ranges from $49 for an online live chat meeting, to $175 for an in-person appointment. If it’s determined that your hair loss concerns are aligned with their results-driven regimen, you are recommended a hair treatment system consisting of two to five products. A typical hair regimen includes the basics, like shampoo ($54-$68 for large 400ml bottle) and conditioner ($49 for 290ml bottle), and a selection of hydrating and styling products including masks, leave-ins, gels, and sprays ($26-$56 per bottle) to best fit your haircare needs. Side note: my daily, can’t-live-without favorite product from the mix is the Harklinikken Leave-In Hair Hydrating Crème ($56 for 290ml). I apply it to wet hair post shower and to dry hair at least two to three times throughout the day for added conditioning and smoothing effects. I have relied on this bottle as my only styling product for the last eight months and I swear it’s helped to seal my once prominent split ends to the point that I can’t even find any to pick at anymore.

Favorites aide, the real star of the Harklinikken hair loss treatment system is the custom hair growth extract ($88 per bottle for about a one to two month supply). This extract is the secret sauce responsible for stimulating the dormant hair follicles and triggering all the impressive hair regrowth you see in the pictures. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: $100-$250+ every one to two months for your haircare products is an investment. But similar to your skincare regimen or gym membership, it’s a commitment to feeling your best self.



The Final Verdict
My first hair rehab feature stirred up tons of responses from family, friends, and readers. I was once again shocked by how many people—friends and strangers—were struggling with hair loss insecurities and in search of a solution or at the very least, a relatable set of ears to open up to about their frustrations and concerns. Prior to this experience I was quick to ignore my own hair thinning insecurities, often relying on a strategic hair flip or a good blowout to mask my lack of confidence. I am grateful to be able to share my experience using the Harklinikken Hair Loss Treatment and shed some light on the once-taboo topic of hair thinning and loss. Remember, you’re not alone. If my journey and results are any indication, there are solutions that work in helping you achieve the hair of your beauty dreams. All it takes it an investment in yourself. And a whole lot of patience.

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