The site
The Growth Check
A score out of 100 for supplements, shampoos, minoxidil, oils, lasers, rollers and massagers. Built from what is published, not from using the product.
The Growth Check scores each product out of 100 from published evidence, the labelled spec and the UK price. Evidence is worth 30, dose match 20, value 20, honesty 15, and everyday use and safety 15. We have not used the products, and we do not take payment, free products or affiliate commission.
On this page
On this page
The Growth Check is how this site scores a product you can buy. It is not a hands-on review. Two people using the same rules on the same published facts should land on the same marks. The one-line reason for each mark is stored with the score, so it can be checked later.
Prices and scores are rechecked monthly. Last checked 18 October 2026. We don’t accept payment, free products or affiliate commission.
The red light hat comparison uses a different read of published specs, on how we review. Those hats are not given a Growth Check score on this site.
What are the five marks?
| Mark | Out of | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence | 30 | Sham-controlled trials and meta-analyses score highest. A single small or uncontrolled study, or a brand claim with no human data, scores lowest. |
| Dose match | 20 | Does the bottle, foam or device deliver the strength, dose, wavelength or needle length the trials used? |
| Value | 20 | The real cost per month at that dose, from the UK price checked on 18 Oct 2026. |
| Honesty | 15 | Full ingredients and specs, no cure or guaranteed-regrowth claim in the material we checked, and a clear UK sale status. |
| Everyday use and safety | 15 | How easy the routine is, how common the side effects are, and warranty, returns and UK availability. |
How does the evidence grade work?
The letter is a reading of the research, not a star rating.
| Grade | The research looks like |
|---|---|
| A | More than one controlled trial, or a meta-analysis. |
| B | At least one controlled trial. |
| C | A small study, or an uncontrolled one. |
| D | Brand claims, or no human data. A mouse study sits here. |
A grade A for a whole class, such as minoxidil or low-level laser, does not mean every bottle and every cap was the device in the trial. When the product is a different format, the dose-match mark carries that gap, and the card says so.
How is a month of use priced?
| Monthly cost | Value mark |
|---|---|
| Up to £5 | 20 |
| Up to £15 | 17 |
| Up to £30 | 14 |
| Up to £50 | 11 |
| Up to £80 | 8 |
| Up to £120 | 5 |
| Above £120 | 2 |
| Price not stated | 4 |
A capsule pack uses the labelled dose to turn the pack into months. A shampoo bottle’s number of washes is often missing, and then the bottle price is treated as one month, which is the stricter reading. A laser or a massager is divided by the warranty. No warranty means 12 months. A price range uses the higher figure.
What does a card show?
The total out of 100, the evidence grade, the five marks with a one-line reason each, and a line on what would change our mind. The price is still the shelf price, with the date. The button goes to the retailer. It is not an affiliate link.
If a field in the research was not stated, the card says “Not stated” and that criterion is marked down. We do not fill the gap with a guess.
Where is it used?
On the supplement, shampoo, minoxidil, rosemary, peppermint, pumpkin seed, saw palmetto, laser, microneedling and scalp-massager pages. Prescription-only medicines are not scored and are not linked to a shop. The law limits how those can be described to the public. The routes to a prescriber are on the medical pages.
Common questions
Do you test the products?
No. The score uses published trials, the spec on the seller’s page and the UK price. We do not claim to have tried, worn or swallowed anything on these pages.
What is an evidence grade?
A means a meta-analysis or more than one controlled trial. B means at least one controlled trial. C means a small or uncontrolled study. D means brand claims or no human data. The grade sits next to the mark out of 30.
How is the monthly cost worked out?
Tablets and bottles use the labelled pack length. If that length is not stated, the pack price is treated as one month. A device is the price divided by the warranty. If the warranty is not stated, it is divided by 12.
Why is one product above another when the label says best for someone else?
Cards are ordered by the score. A best-for label describes who it suits. It does not move a lower score up the list. Ties go to the higher evidence mark, then the higher dose match, then the lower monthly cost.
Sources
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