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KilgourMD

The Prevention Scalp Serum

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • serum
  • Moisture-rich
Price$89seen at one store
Where to buy1 store

Manufacturer page: kilgourmd.com

Personal fit

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Not enough priced scalp treatments to place it

We have not priced enough scalp treatments to place this one.

Price and stores

Great for

Flaking scalpsthis carries an over-the-counter active
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front

Maybe skip if

Very dry or damaged hairit contains fast-drying alcohol
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
Non-medicated routinesthis is an over-the-counter drug as well as a cosmetic
Tight budgetsit sits in the upper price tiers
Picking it up locallywe have it recorded in one channel only

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Slip and detangling Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

Oils and butters None

No oils or butters in the list.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Hard-water defence Chelators present

Chelators are present — they bind hard-water and pool minerals.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
Water solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Propanediol humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Ascorbic Acid antioxidant Protects the oils from going off Stabilizes
Phospholipids emollient Softens and smooths the strand Softens
Ascorbyl Palmitate antioxidant Protects the formula Stabilizes
Butylene Glycol humectant Adds a little water-binding Moisturizes
Dextran — — Neutral
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3 — — Neutral
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 vitamin A trace vitamin addition Protein
Alcohol Denat.Alcohol drying alcohol A small amount, for fast drying Drying
Piroctone Olamine active A secondary active Active
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesCarries an over-the-counter scalp active (piroctone olamine). Hard-water chelators are present. Contains fast-drying alcohol.
Full ingredient list (36)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Water
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 Propanediol
    General function

    A corn-derived humectant and solvent, often chosen as a lighter-feeling alternative to propylene glycol.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 3 Ascorbic Acid
    General function

    Vitamin C, used as an antioxidant and, in some treatments, to help remove mineral build-up.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    PubChem
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 4 Phospholipids
    General function

    Fat-and-water-loving lipids that help conditioning ingredients bind evenly to the strand.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    • emollient
    • emulsifier
  • ▾Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 5 Ascorbyl Palmitate
    General function

    An oil-soluble form of vitamin C used to keep oils from going rancid.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    PubChem
    • antioxidant
  • 6 Butylene Glycol
    General function

    A light humectant and carrier that helps extracts dissolve.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Light and water-binding rather than oily, so it hydrates without contributing weight.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A small water-binding solvent. It holds moisture and helps the rest of the formula spread evenly over the strand.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A humectant follows the air: it holds water in humid conditions and can give it up in very dry ones. Climate decides what it does more than the label does.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • solvent
  • 7 Dextran
  • 8 Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
  • 9 Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 10 PPG-26-Buteth-26
    • emulsifier
    • solubilizer
  • 11 PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 12 Apigenin
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 13 Oleanolic Acid
    • botanical extract
  • 14 Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
    General function

    Biotin bonded to a short peptide, included in thinning-positioned products. Evidence for applied biotin changing hair growth is limited.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Unhydrolysed protein is too large to enter the strand. It sits on the surface, which is a coating effect rather than internal reinforcement.

    PubChem
    • vitamin
    • protein
  • 15 Glycerin
    General function

    A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 16 Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract
  • 17 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 18 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 19 Oryza Sativa Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 20 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 21 Ocimum Basilicum Hairy Root Culture Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 22 Alcohol Denat. · Alcohol
    General function

    Fast-drying alcohol used to make sprays set quickly. In leave-on products it can leave hair feeling dry, especially in high position on the list.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Evaporates on contact, which is how a spray sets almost instantly and leaves no weight behind it.

    PubChem
    • drying alcohol
    • solvent
  • 23 Dimethyl Isosorbide
    • solvent
  • 24 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 25 Tocopheryl Acetate
    • antioxidant
    • vitamin
  • 26 Bisabolol
    General function

    A chamomile-derived ingredient used for a soothing claim on the scalp.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    PubChem
    • conditioning agent
    • botanical extract
  • 27 Ferulic Acid
  • 28 Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
    General function

    A cross-linked thickener that gives gels a smooth, bouncy texture and light hold.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • thickener
    • polymer
    • film former
  • 29 Piroctone Olamine
    • active
  • 30 Sodium Phytate
    General function

    A rice-derived chelator that binds hard-water minerals without EDTA.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Binds the calcium and magnesium in hard water, which is what stops mineral deposits accumulating on the strand wash after wash.

    May suitGray, silver, or brass-prone hair

    Copper and iron carried in tap water deposit on the strand and read as a dull, warm cast on gray or light hair. A chelator holds those metals in solution so the wash carries them off.

    PubChem
    • hard-water chelator
  • 31 Resveratrol
  • 32 Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 33 Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 34 Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 35 Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
    • botanical extract
  • 36 Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
    • botanical extract

What the whole list adds up to

  • 11 botanical extracts
  • 5 solvents
  • 4 humectants
  • 4 antioxidants
  • 4 vitamins
  • 3 emulsifiers
  • 3 preservatives
  • 2 emollients
  • 2 solubilizers
  • 2 conditioning agents
  • 1 protein
  • 1 drying alcohol
  • 1 thickener
  • 1 polymer

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-08. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price

Seen at $89 1 store · checked Sep 8
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it1 listing · 1 store

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. Seen at $89 is the price we have observed for the this size. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.

Formula

Formula score
4 of 10

Too few comparable prices to place it in the range; the formula itself leaves out conditioning agents up front.

How the score is counted
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No slip for detangling either
  • Prestige tier, sold at Brand website
  • Prestige tier
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

Act+AcreClosest function Salicylic Acid Scalp Exfoliator $24.00/oz
Differs
  • Salon tier
Compare
Color WowClose function Youth Juice Collagen Scalp Serum $27.06/oz
  • Fragrance-free
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
Differs
  • Vegan
Compare
OribeLowest cost per oz Serene Scalp Densifying Treatment Spray $18.10/oz
  • Fragrance-free
  • Protein-free
  • Lightweight
· Close function
Differs
  • Cruelty-free
  • Sold at specialty beauty counters
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Depends on your hair — see who it suits
Best user

Flaking scalps — for an over-the-counter scalp active and moisture that stays in

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for very dry or high-damage hair, very dry or very humid climates, or anyone who does not want a medicated product

Best alternative if not

Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
2
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Reduce the appearance of thinning

Density and growth are cosmetic claims an ingredient list cannot settle.

  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
  • Apigenin
Stated by brand

Not something a label can show.

Fuller-looking hair

Density and growth are cosmetic claims an ingredient list cannot settle.

  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
  • Apigenin
Stated by brand

Not something a label can show.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

More from KilgourMD

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 3 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 0 retailer, 3 editorial), last checked 2026-09-08.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 9 of 11 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-08.

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