Neutrogena T-Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, Extra Strength, 6 Ounce

by Neutrogena

Product Features

• 1% Coal Tar
• Available in Original, Stubborn Itch Control and Extra Strength formulas
• Starts working after just one use
• Controls redness
• New scent

Product Description

T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo Extra Strength effectively controls the most resistant scalp conditions with twice the amount of active ingredient. This dermatologist-recommended formula contains Neutar, a patented ingredient that is proven to deliver effective scalp therapy for hours after the shampoo is rinsed out. Its rich, amber formula gently cleanses and the added conditioners leave hair manageable and soft.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.4 x 7.4 inches ; 8.5 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000052XZQ
• UPC: 070501094501
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: T-Gel
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,716 in Beauty (See Top 100 in Beauty)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars works wonders!, December 17, 2003

By 

Shelley Gammon "Geek" (Kaufman, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Neutrogena T-Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, Extra Strength, 6 Ounce (Health and Beauty)

I have been a sufferer of dandruff ever since I was a child. When I was younger, my head would itch so bad, I would sometimes scratch to the point my scalp would bleed. As I got older, I learned to only wear light colored tops and buy light colored coats and jackets so that my flakes wouldn't be so overt.

One day I went to the doctor for a sinus infection and while I was there I asked him what he recommended for my dandruff - thinking he would write a prescription for radioactive kryptonite or something expensive that would turn my hair green. The doctor said, "Neutrogena T-Gel." I asked, "Is that a prescription?" "No," he replied. I was stunned. I had used Head and Shoulders, Selson Blue and just about everything else on the market - how would this be different? The doctor was persistent and emphasized that T-Gel should work, so I gave it a shot.

This stuff has been a life-saver. It's not very glamorous looking - brown, weird smelling shampoo - but just a dollup the size of a nickel is all I need to lather up my entire head - and I have very thick, curly hair. The longer you let it sit on your scalp, the better - 3 minutes is ideal. Despite the unusual smell from the bottle, your hair just smells fresh and clean.

Unlike other shampoos, I have never had to take a "vacation" and use another shampoo to "liven up" my hair. T-Gel is pretty basic stuff - no perfumes or weird chemicals - the active ingredient, Coal Tar, is a byproduct from the coal processing industry and this gives it its dark color. I have used T-Gel for almost 15 years now and I never have flakes and I probably scratch my head 3 times a year. About 30% of my hair is now white and silver and I have not had a problem with the shampoo discoloring it.

Once in a while I will get free shampoo samples in the mail and use other shampoos, but just after 2 hair washings w/o T-Gel, my scalp will start itching again. It seems expensive when you see the price, but one bottle usually lasts me for 3-4 months since you only need a little dab.

When I used to color my hair, I used a conditioner for colored hair and it didn't seem to cancel out the effects of T-Gel... and after my hair is dry, I use yet another brand of mousse and a hair serum to style my hair - and still, no itching.

If you have dandruff and haven't tried T-Gel, just give it a try - in one week, you should be symptom free!

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars T-Gel For African American Hair, February 11, 2009

By 

sayock - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Neutrogena T-Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, Extra Strength, 6 Ounce (Health and Beauty)

This review is from the perspective of a black user. As a black person, I use T-Gel once a week. I would actually disagree with some of the comments by the most popular review here (by Shelley), but the basic sentiment is the same, i.e. this works wonders.

I have tried seemingly everything for my scalp, and it seems I've had a variety of problems over the years--dry scalp, dandruff, scaling, etc. I had even been told by a hair stylist that I had ezcema, but then it seemed she told most of her customers that. My last problem has been, from as best as I can tell from my research, scaling, buildup and dandruff. My scalp would itch to the point of making it difficult to sleep at night for just feeling the urge to scratch. I had clumps of flakes in my scalp, and I could often feel them rising to the surface. It was an irritating sensation that made it seem as if something was crawling in my scalp. Usually, I'd put my fingers where the sensation was and feel either flakes forming (not completely above the surface, but I could feel them) or already there (i.e. could scratch them right off my scalp). It seemed like something always came out of my fingernails, whether it was flakes or white gunk.

I've used Head & Shoulders, Selsun Blue, store Nizoral and prescription Nizoral (as well as other things I can't remember). I was using the new Selsun Blue (the greenish or blue see-through bottles with Aloe Vera/vitamins or whatever, 3% Salicylic Acid) before this and was having those problems mentioned above. T-Gel works better than all of those shampoos put together. I knew I had used T-Gel a long time ago but couldn't remember anything about how it worked except it smelled bad and dried my hair out (I also had different issues with my scalp back then). Still, I could see that everything in stores for dandruff/itch all had one of two or so active ingredients in them, which is partially why none of them would work for me. Neutrogena didn't have those ingredients, and I'd read so many people online say it worked for them. So I decided to try it again.

The first usage, I followed the instructions which say to apply twice, basically. I didn't find that only a small application would do, at least not the first application (and therefore, I wouldn't say one $10 bottle lasts months). I had read a review before buying that said T-Gel lathers a lot easier the second application in a row, and I found that to be true. The first application was not terribly lathery, and I squeezed T-Gel from the bottle into my palm multiple times so that I could work it into especially troubled spots (um, basically everywhere) good. It did smell bad, but honestly I didn't really care and still don't, if it's going to work. I didn't let it sit for 3 mins or anything like that, but I just rubbed it in as good as possible. Then I proceeded to use what I normally use in my hair--no other shampoos, just a moisturizer and a conditioner/moisturizer.

I did feel like the smell was following me around. I had my mother smell my hair and she said the only reason she noticed it was because I pointed it out. I kept trying to pinpoint what I smelled like, and I realized I just basically smelled like I had something medicated in my hair. If I remember correctly, Nizoral smelled similar to T-Gel, at least once my hair was done--not the smell in the shower.

Later that same night, I laid in bed and started feeling that sensation like something's crawling in my scalp. I did like always and placed my fingers where the sensations were and in some of those spots I did feel scaling and flakes or clumps, generally trying to come up but a couple times were already up. My scalp did feel so clean, though--I have not felt it this clean in years, probably. There was just no buildup. However, there was still itching, just not as much as usual. The flakes and itching were definitely cut down and the itching probably was more similar to what the average person goes through with their scalp.

The second time I used T-Gel, there were no flakes at all for that whole week, at least not from dandruff--probably more from dry scalp, i.e. T-Gel does make your hair/scalp drier. I hardly felt that crawling sensation at all and did not have any clumps/scaling, not even where I would feel the crawling sensation a little. The dry scalp is nowhere near that bad as far as the visibility of flakes. When I used T-Gel this second time, I did not apply it twice. I think this is the reason why I did not have that medicated smell that much like I did the first time. My hair also seemed less dry generally with just one application, basically like it used to look before I started using T-Gel. My scalp still felt amazingly clean that week, and the itching was down even more. Absolutely nothing comes up in my fingernails now. My scalp used to go crazy every time I wore a hat, and now I can wear hats without feeling like something's crawling all over my scalp.

Bottom line: I don't know why this works miracles, but it really does and does so pretty quickly. I'm not sure I'd recommend this for dry scalp issues, but I would for dandruff, buildup, eczema/dermatitis and those sorts of issues. If you've tried everything and none of it has worked, this is for you. You just need to make sure you have a good conditioner that moisturizes for use afterwards. It's also not as if I never get itches or any flakes whatsoever, but this has cut all that down dramatically.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars They changed the formula; now it doesn't work!, December 16, 2010

By 

DrDave - See all my reviews

This review is from: Neutrogena T-Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, Extra Strength, 6 Ounce (Health and Beauty)

I have used Neutrogena T-Gel Extra strenght shampoo for more than 15 years and have recommended it to other people. I liked it because it had 4% coal tar and no fragrance. It was darker than the regular strength T-Gel. Suddenly, sometime in the last year, the shampoo sold as Extra Strength became lighter and had a fragrance; it also started stinging my eyes. I suspected that they simply started making only one strength and put it in the two different bottles in order to keep from losing the market. I contacted one of their reps who called on my Dermatologist's office to push his products, and he denied that Neutrogena had changed its formula for the Extra Strength.

Then I noticed that my scalp psoriasis was getting worse and worse. I have now switched to Psoriatrax 5%. It has only been a week and my scalp is much better.

If you have used this and have noticed it is less effective than before, try Psoriatrax.