Best Oils and Herbs for Hair Loss and Thinning Hair

Preface: I share a lot of ideas and recipes below. Products do not contain themselves without preservatives and it’s dangerous to use products that are moldy, let them fester, etc. Discard products after so many uses and refrigerate certain product for longer shelf life. I recommend making enough for 1 use if it’s a tonic then cleansing it for instance. Preservation is necessary for not forming the “bad stuff”! Some of these herbs are new to me, so please do your own research with this data and also implement them into your routine. I am happy to give advice on essential oils. Thanks!

Hair growth is something that we all wish to achieve during our hair journeys. However — hair loss is something that’s a persisting issue for many. It can exist for a magnitude of reasons: health issues, stress, menopause, hormonal, and or simply be hereditary. 

Before you continue to read: I want to stress that 1) I am not a dermatologist, 2) a medical professional, and 3) lastly even if I were a licensed medical practitioner that I would not be qualified to diagnose your hair loss issue(s) without examining your follicles, physically examining you and or doing routine lab work if you’re experiencing unusual shed hair. 

I often read of people chalking up their excessive shed hair to to their CGM. I also read of people discussing and it being dismissed due to “ your hair adjusting,” or other passive commentaries. e.g. “it looks “like more hair.” Whereas that it does have some truth that often look like more hair due to washing in intervals vs. daily cycles: you alone know when you’re excessively shedding and if your body is not in alignment. I find these comments really concerning as someone who cares because people are not all alike. Our hair is all different, as are our scalps and we should keep that in mind. There is logic in the sense of hair that’s been washed in 3-4 days intervals should have more shedding than daily cycles, but it’s not a solidified answer to every person’s shedding.

Thyroid issues (hypothyroidism or autoimmune hypothyroidism especially), autoimmune conditions, and hormonal conditions (like lupus or MS) and hormonal conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome really impact our hair’s health. If you notice balding, patchiness, etc. than please go to the doctor — if you have insurance which I understand is a privilege for many. 

If you feel like you’re experiencing intensive hair loss after co-washing (which is real) than you may be suffering from other issues like clogged follicles because your hair isn’t being cleaned if you never clarify and or use heavy products. Co-washing can irritate prior scalp conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis which may not be diagnosed or be irritated by the  CGM method due to ‘cutting out sulfates’ for instance. You may be wondering, “What  does this have to do with your titling? I thought you’re writing about hair growth? Talk about going off tangent!” Aha! Gotcha’! I am on topic!

If you’re experiencing hair loss: you need to know what is the cause of your hair loss because excessive shedding and or balding, etc., can signify greater issues in your body. 

If you already know why you’re shedding excessively — due to an under active or overactive thyroid — or simply due to an unspecified reason but everything else is all well (confirmed by by tests) than keep on reading! 

If you’ve recently began to notice it than I genuinely am going to recommend you to head to your primary care provider (if you’re insured), discuss your issues, and get a referral to a dermatologist as well. Don’t discount what you’re experiencing or try to fix the issues without understanding the root cause. If you don’t have an insurance provider: there are some really great links on what you can do. 

Once again: I am not a dermatologist, but I would try to limit anything that can clog follicles, so I would implement more frequent cleansing and lighter ingredients; e.g. limit heavy butters, look for polyquats that won’t build up, and try to implement natural astringents like aloe in your regimen. Record a hair log with photos with your shedding (leave your shed hair in the shower) and see if it lessens with different product(s)/routines. Try to also cut out comb/brushes and treat your hair extremely gentle. I generally would try to limit any type of irritants too, as well as focus on scalp health mainly.  Here are some good articles with features with trichologists, dermatologists, and doctors: one, two, and three. The  great part about these articles is that even if you’re not insured: you can get some well-grounded advice on what route to take. Have you had iron, Vitamin D, etc. checked lately too — as mentioned in the last article? Wendy of Science-y Hair Blog discusses the effects of nutrients (a major contributor to hair loss) on the body. I recommend to click this master post link which also has links on seasonal shedding. 

People often forget what an important aspect that these vital nutrients have upon our hair. These are all important to the waves, curls and coils on our head. Even if you are not experiencing hair loss:  I recommend getting your Vitamin D checked (as a science nerd) because majority of people are deficient!

After you’re assessed and or you glazed over the above: we can move onto the fun part below.  

Maybe you’re simply looking for essential oils which encourage hair growth or are looking for EOs to add into your mixtures. The term “hair growth boosting,” is often used a lot whether by reliable sources or not which is what inspired me to do some digging into journals after a longtime friend from the curl community expressed her concerned about her hair loss and thinning issues. She had been struggling to find reliable data besides from Science-y Hair Blog. 

This has been an extremely interesting post for me to write up. I’m an unabashed lover of essential oils — as many of you know. I think they’re an excellent source of medicinal properties, as well as have fantastic properties for the body including the scalp. I don’t recommend many brands because I have stringent standards fr what I personally will buy. Please remember that the quality of your oil(s) are reflected in the product. There are multiple brands out there who market fake oils or who are subpar quality. They’re laced with coconut, vegetable, or corn oil. Don’t be afraid to test your oil(s), ask the company questions, and do oil tests. If you’re unfamiliar how to test if is an oil is pure: here (go reach for a favorite pre-poo blend to test it out) and a great article on what’s the difference between organic and non-organic oils. If you can’t afford organic oils: just buy from reputable companies. Do your own research vs. trusting reviews. 

There are also a lot posts and claims of multiple products for hair growth. Some with and without scientific claims. Due to the nature of my blog: I will not be citing anything without scientific credibility . 

I will be linking to another great post by Wendy of Science-y Hair Blog here about hair loss such as her coffee DIY which has become really popular! Wendy (as always) has so much great info on this post and also links to some products, as well. The link is here. (And yes — these are all scientifically backed up! You didn’t really even need to ask!) 

Before I also begin this, I want to address something too that people often discuss rapidly online and recommend: black castor oil. My dear friend  and I were just chatting the other day about this. Does it work? Well — subjectively, it may for you, but why it works is a bit complex.There is no data. Castor oil is castor oil in my opinion. You can buy organic castor oil, but not organic black castor oil (if you’ve noticed) which is a big flag risk for me as someone who cares about oil purities. ’m not a fan of castor oil due to the fact that it’s so thick and can clog follicles. Hair that is thinning, experiencing hair loss, etc., needs something that can keep the scalp happy, has proven scientific data, and has anti-microbial properties. While it’s undeniable to me (at least) that people experiencing good successes with castor oil massages, I wouldn’t deny that part of is also stimulation. Anything can grow with stimulation. If you garden: think of the soil stimulation. As always: I believe in science objectivity vs. a product claims without anything to back it up. In my honest opinion: castor oil is a myth. Black castor oil is a big myth and can be dangerous if you’re really experiencing rapid hair loss because it can clog pores because of how thick it is. Please be careful because clogged follicles and thickened oils require more stringent cleansing agents, as well. Castor oil does have proven effectivity — such as laxative usages — but in terms of hair loss? I’d look somewhere else. 

ROSEMARY:

Rosemary has a lot of usages, but one of the reasons why it’s so excellent is because  it’s a natural astringent and anti-fungal. It has been proven repeated in its ability to help and promote hair growth properties. Here are some recipes that I personally make that you can implement.

My leave in and or rinses recipe in of rosemary consists of: seeping 1-4 tablespoons sprigs of rosemary over hot water or boil hot water then pour it over 3-4 rosemary. Fill container of choice with distilled liquid. Let rest 24-hours. Please note: rosemary can darken hair. 

Add botanicals of choice such as lavender (another hair helper) or sage (proven to also help with hair grow) if desired. You can DIY this to your likening. Make sure the rosemary sprigs are clean before boiling. I find it easiest to make the rosemary leave-in like tea by boiling my water, putting my rosemary sprigs in a glass container (I use an old milk carton), then filling it with hot water and letting it stay. Your rinse will not need to sit 24 hours, bu a leave-in will too absorb the  rosemary benefits. 

  

What else can we do with rosemary? You can add it to tea rinsing (more on this below) or also by accompanying it with other products. Rosemary plays with everything! A person with rapid loss may find that using a fresh rosemary leave-in is having positive effects and can implement adding rosemary oil to a pre-conditioning treatment.Rosemary oil is pretty great and plays well with every type of oil. I like adding rosemary oil to my deep conditioner treatment with a carrier oil, pre-pooing with it, etc. There are multiple rosemary oil blends if you Google rosemary oil blends. I love adding in rosemary oil to my blends for its hair growth properties, but mainly because it’s excellent for its astringent and anti-final properties. You can also add in rosemary oil to your vinegar rinse, as well, too. However — please do be wary if your hair is greasy naturally and the pH of the ACV. There is a recipe for a hair thickening oil blend as well attached below too involving rosemary, as well as other essential oils that we’ll be discussing more. Below we can learn more about rosemary:

“Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a medicinal plant with diverse activities including enhancement microcapillary perfusion. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of rosemary oil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and compare its effects with minoxidil 2%. Patients with AGA were randomly assigned to rosemary oil (n = 50) or minoxidil 2% (n = 50) for a period of 6 months. After a baseline visit, patients returned to the clinic for efficacy and safety evaluations every 3 months. A standardized professional microphotographic assessment of each volunteer was taken at the initial interview and after 3 and 6 months of the trial. No significant change was observed in the mean hair count at the 3-month endpoint, neither in the rosemary nor in the minoxidil group (P > .05). In contrast, both groups experienced a significant increase in hair count at the 6-month endpoint compared with the baseline and 3-month endpoint (P < .05). No significant difference was found between the study groups regarding hair count either at month 3 or month 6 (> .05). The frequencies of dry hair, greasy hair, and dandruff were not found to be significantly different from baseline at either month 3 or month 6 trial in the groups (P > .05). The frequency of scalp itching at the 3- and 6-month trial points was significantly higher compared with baseline in both groups (P < .05). Scalp itching, however, was more frequent in the minoxidil group at both assessed endpoints (P < .05). The findings of the present trial provided evidence with respect to the efficacy of rosemary oil in the treatment of AGA.” Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. Panahi & Taghizadeh & Marzony & Sahebkar [Link to source.]

“Topical administration of Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract (RO‐ext, 2 mg/day/mouse) improved hair regrowth in C57BL/6NCrSlc mice that experienced hair regrowth interruption induced by testosterone treatment. In addition, RO‐ext promoted hair growth in C3H/He mice that had their dorsal areas shaved. To investigate the antiandrogenic activity mechanism of RO‐ext, we focused on inhibition of testosterone 5α‐reductase, which is well recognized as one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of androgenic alopecia. RO‐ext showed inhibitory activity of 82.4% and 94.6% at 200 and 500 µg/mL, respectively. As an active constituent of 5α‐reductase inhibition, 12‐methoxycarnosic acid was identified with activity‐guided fractionation. In addition, the extract of R. officinalis and 12‐methoxycarnosic acid inhibited androgen‐dependent proliferation of LNCaP cells as 64.5% and 66.7% at 5 µg/mL and 5 μM, respectively. These results suggest that they inhibit the binding of dihydrotestosterone to androgen receptors. Consequently, RO‐ext is a promising crude drug for hair growth. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.” Promotion of Hair Growth by Rosmarinus officinalis Leaf Extract — Murata & Noguchi & Kondo & Onishi & Watanabe & Okamura & Matsuda

“Excellent skin tonic properties, a soothing, positive effect on menstrual cramps, for hair growth are some of the other important properties of this oil. The other benefits of rosemary include a stimulant for the scalp encouraging hair growth and providing treatment for dandruff and greasy hair [66].” Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review 

“PARTICIPANTS:  Eighty-six patients diagnosed as having alopecia areata. INTERVENTION: Eighty-six patients were randomized into 2 groups. 

The active group massaged essential oils (thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood) in a mixture of carrier oils (jojoba and grapeseed) into their scalp daily. The control group used only carrier oils for their massage, also daily. 

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Treatment success was evaluated on sequential photographs by 2 dermatologists (I.C.H. and A.D.O.) independently. Similarly, the degree of improvement was measured by 2 methods: a 6-point scale and computerized analysis of traced areas of alopecia.

RESULTS: Nineteen (44%) of 43 patients in the active group showed improvement compared with 6 (15%) of 41 patients in the control group (P = .008). An alopecia scale was applied by blinded observers on sequential photographs and was shown to be reproducible with good interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.84). The degree of improvement on photographic assessment was significant (P = .05). Demographic analysis showed that the 2 groups were well matched for prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS: The results show aromatherapy to be a safe and effective treatment for alopecia areata. Treatment with these essential oils was significantly more effective than treatment with the carrier oil alone (P = .008 for the primary outcome measure). We also successfully applied an evidence-based method to an alternative therapy.” Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata. Hay & Jamieson & Ormerodn [I am using this study for lavender despite putting it in rosemary’s bracket!]

PEPPERMINT:

Peppermint has been known to help condition dry hair, as well as dry scalp for a long time. It’s also a great smelling oil too! 

A few things you can do with peppermint are: use fresh fresh peppermint leaves (clean them first) in your apple cider vinegar rinse. Boil distilled water and steep fresh peppermint leaves. Cool then mix in ACV. 1/4th to 1/3rd cup ACV to 1 quart distilled water. 1-2 tablespoons of fresh peppermint. I prefer to let this sit a bit as well for a few minute to let the mixture ‘take’ then rinse. You can also add in peppermint oil to your deep conditioning treatments, pre-poo regimens, and to your spray bottles to get that fresh ‘smell’ again. Much like rosemary: it will help to have topical applications of these oils. 

“Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a plant native to Europe and has been widely used as a carminative and gastric stimulant worldwide. This plant also has been used in cosmetic formulations as a fragrance component and skin conditioning agent. This study investigated the effect of peppermint oil on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. The animals were randomized into 4 groups based on different topical applications: saline (SA), jojoba oil (JO), 3% minoxidil (MXD), and 3% peppermint oil (PEO). The hair growth effects of the 4-week topical applications were evaluated in terms of hair growth, histological analysis, enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), known bio-markers for the enhanced hair growth. Of the 4 experimental groups, PEO group showed the most prominent hair growth effects; a significant increase in dermal thickness, follicle number, and follicle depth. The aim of this study was to address the therapeutic potential of PEO for hair loss via the comparative analysis between PEO and minoxidil.The only products sanctioned by the US FDA for hair loss treatment are oral finasteride (Proscar®) and topical minoxidil (Rogaine®).  

Materials. This study used peppermint oil (Sanoflore®, France) certified as 100% pure and natural essential oil by an organic product certification organization (ECOCERT-F- 32600) and jojoba oil (Desert Whale, USA). The chemical compositions of peppermint oil and jojoba oil used are listed in Table 1. The 3% minoxidil was obtained from Hyundai Pharmacia (Korea).

In our study, we found that PEO induced very thick and long hair after 4-week topical application and promoted the elongation of hair follicles from the epidermis down to the subcutis in a vertical section (Fig. 3), showing in the stage of anagen III. Application of MXD caused similar results. We observed that this increase in hair follicle length was not associated with any loss of hair follicle architecture and that the increase in hair follicle length was associated with an increase in the length of the keratinized hair shaft. In conclusion, our experimental data suggest that 3% PEO facilitates hair growth by promoting the conservation of vascularization of hair dermal papilla, which may contribute to the induction of early anagen stage. In addition, PEO effectively stimulated hair growth in an animal model via several mechanisms and thus could be used as a therapeutic or preventive alternative medicine for hair loss in humans.” Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs — Ji Young Oh, Min Ah Park, and Young Chul Kim

JUJUBE:

Zizyphus jujuba (commonly known as ‘jujube’) are prominently located in the Mediterranean area in Western Asia, especially in India. This was especially interesting in terms of the study because you can also ingest the capsules too. It does not seem like that the oil is being extracted (yet), but there are supplements being formulated which isn’t surprising based off the research here. Like all supplements: take at your own research, with your doctor and or naturopath’s approval, and do your own research too. You can find these supplements readily on Amazon, but be wary off of on handed brands. It seems like they’re becoming more popular in the counties of which these plants are most bountiful. 

“This study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of essential oil from seeds of Zizyphus jujuba for its potential role on hair growth by in vivo method. Essential oil was applied at different concentrations (0.1%, 1% and 10%) over the shaved skin onto the backs of BALB/c mice and monitored for 21 days. After 21 days, mice treated with 1% and 10% of oil produced a greater effect on the length of hair which were measured to be 9.96 and 10.02 mm, respectively, as compared to the control (8.94 mm). We measured the weight of hair/cm2 area of dorsal skin and also evaluated hair thickness and hair follicles microscopically after plucking the hair immediately from the shaved area of mice and found the best results for 1% of essential oil-treated mice. From this study, it is concluded that Z. jujuba essential oil possesseso hair growth promoting activity.” Hair growth promoting effect of Zizyphus jujuba essential oil

OREGANO, BASIL, BERAGMOT and PERILLA:

While the study that I have attached below is not necessarily a hair related study, I believe there’s something important in topical essential oils with efficacy. There’s proven anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties. These oils all have unique characteristics of their own, but I find it integral to implement these types of oils vs. oils like JCBO which can easily clog follicles and there’s actual no scientific data performed to prove its efficacy. As to what oils below are best:

Perilla is known to be rich in fatty acids and is similar to linseed oil. Oregano is very similar to rosemary oil in its capabilities and is rich in antioxidants. Basil can help with oilier hair, as well as dry hair and hair growth. Bergamot is an essential oil that’s in the citrus family that’s known for being hyper fragrant, as well as having a lot of medicinal properties. Please note that citrus 

oil — so be careful of a citrus reaction. As above: the se are great in deep conditioners, conditioners, pre-poos, etc.! Experiment. Go for it! I love when people experiment. Google recipes and test stuff out. (Bergamot also smells super good!)

“We evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of ten essential oils. Oregano, basil, bergamot and perilla essential oils show high activity. Four kinds of essential oil combinations are selected by synergism testing. We find that essential oil combinations destroy the integrity of cell membrane.” In vitro antimicrobial effects and mechanism of action of selected plant essential oil combinations against four food-related microorganisms

GARLIC:

It’s an affordable herb known for it’s strong anti-fungal properties against infections. You can rub it directly on the scalp, let it soak with mixtures, or apply a gelly mixture. There’s a lot of topical mixtures. I also believe they’re selling garlic extracts — if you’re like a vampire and cannot bare to smell like a piece of garlic bread until your next hair washing. There are a lot of videos and links online of numerous people experimenting and sharing stories of their experiments with garlic. 

“AIMS:

To determine the efficacy of topical garlic gel in the treatment of alopecia areata.

RESULTS:

Forty patients met the inclusion criteria and enrolled for the study. The first group (garlic treated) consisted of 20 patients (12 males, 60% and eight females, 40%). The second group (control) consisted of 20 patients (10 males, 50% and 10 females, 50%). At the end of the treatment, good and moderate responses were observed in 19 (95%) and one (5%) patients of the case group respectively, which was significantly better than the control group (P = 0.001). No complication was observed in the patients under study. 

CONCLUSION:

The present study showed that the use of garlic gel significantly added to the therapeutic efficacy of topical betamethasone valerate in alopecia areata and that it can be an effective adjunctive topical therapy for alopecia areata.” Combination of topical garlic gel and betamethasone valerate cream in the treatment of localized alopecia areata: a double-blind randomized controlled study.

Hajheydari et al.

ONION JUICE: 

If you’re of the brave of heart (which I am not of) than you can go ahead and try out this onion juice which is quite popular beyond this scientific journal below for hair growth. It is quite the craze! I think I will leave this to you ladies who can handle the tears. I would recommend to pH test this (if you can) and or go in on diluting because onions make you cry. Literally. That makes me believe it’s a bit more on the acidic side. You could try blending the onion, applying the onion topically like garlic, or juicing it. I’d use distilled water for this.

“The first group [onion juice treated] consisted of 23 patients, 16 males (69.5%) and 7 females (30.5%). Their ages ranged between 5-42 years with a mean of 22.7 years. The second group [control; tap-water-treated] consisted of 15 patients, 8 males (53.3%) and 7 females (46.6%). Their ages ranged between 3-35 years with a mean of 18.3 years. The two groups were advised to apply the treatment twice daily for two months. Re-growth of terminal coarse hairs started after two weeks of treatment with crude onion juice. At four weeks, hair re-growth was seen in 17 patients (73.9%), and, at six weeks, the hair re-growth was observed in 20 patients (86.9%) and was significantly higher among males (93.7%) compared to females (71.4%) P<0.0001. In the tap-water treated-control group, hair re-growth was apparent in only 2 patients (13%) at 8 weeks of treatment with no sex difference. The present study showed that the use of crude onion juice gave significantly higher results with regard to hair re-growth than did tap water (P<0.0001), and that it can be an effective topical therapy for patchy alopecia areata.” Onion juice (Allium cepa L.), a new topical treatment for alopecia areata.

Sharquie & Al-Obaidi 

LAVENDER: 

Lavender is anti-fungal, moisturizing and a multi-faceted oil with so many uses that are endless. I love adding lavender leaves to my apple cider vinegar rinse, lavender oil to my pre-poo, and adding in herbs to my recipes. A few great recipes with lavender are:

 You can combine it with other essential oils to encourage hair growth, for scent (refreshing spray), etc. and try to incorporate into your pre-poo, etc. too. I love adding fresh lavender to my apple cider vinegar rinse, doing lavender rinses (same directions as above), doing tea rinses with lavender, and also adding essential oil of lavender to my products like FSG or ACV. Lavender is really good .The other study has a great recipe for a pre-poo — and it’s especially awesome if you love hot oil treatments! 

“The purpose of this study was to determine the hair growth effects of lavender oil (LO) in female C57BL/6 mice. In this study, hair growth was not observed morphologically after topical application of LO to the back skin for 1 week. Hair growth was clearly visible on the back skin in the order of PC > E2 > E1 > VC > N groups after application of the test compounds for 3 weeks. At week 4, a marked hair growth-promoting effect was observed in the PC, E1, and E2 groups, as compared to the N and VC groups. Taken together, the results of this study show the marked hair growth-promoting effect of LO, as evidenced by morphological and histological observations.” Hair Growth-Promoting Effects of Lavender Oil in C57BL/6 Mice Lee et. all. 

ALOE VERA:

Aloe is a natural moisturizer, astringent, humectant, and full of amino acids. Whereas I don’t have a journal to link to: I do have a scientific journal on the anti-microbial properties of aloe vera. Just like the properties of rosemary, perilla, basil, etc., which are oils having great success with people: they’re anti-fungal based. Aloe is also conditioning too. I have found a few studies of aloe increasing hair growth, but they’re not English and the data (even then) is limited. However — as mentioned above — there’s no doubt that an ingredient with cleansing properties will help with hair growth. Aloe does have an acidic base, so do not apply direct aloe to your hair as I’ve seen some take to. Dilute. I also recommend buying pH testers. too. Aloe gel can be used as a moisturizing agent and cleansing agent to the scalp (to keep fungus away and to promote a clean scalp), to pre-poo, and as a conditioner if your hair is prone to being weighed down. If your hair hates aloe: try it on your scalp on your ‘gunky’ days as a natural astringent that isn’t a surfactant and will help your follicles from clogging. 

“It provides 20 of the 22 human required amino acids and 7 of the 8 essential amino acids. It also contains salicylic acid that possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Lignin, an inert substance, when included in topical preparations, enhances penetrative effect of the other ingredients into the skin. Saponins that are the soapy substances form about 3% of the gel and have cleansing and antiseptic properties.” Aloe Vera Surjushe et al.

GREEN TEA: 

Green tea is known for multiple of things, but especially its rich antioxidant and nutrients. I briefly mentioned the term “tea rinsing,” above in the rosemary brackets. Some curly girls like to add in herbs, but it’s the tea that makes it effective. Green tea (unlike a lot of the popular teas used) has been proved to help increase hair growth, as well as decrease sebum (which proves it        cleansing properties properties) as well! There are a lot of ways that you can incorporate green tea in your recipes. You can green tea rinse for example. You can use 1-2 bags of organic green tea (to make sure it’s pure), 1 quart of boiling distilled or filtered water, and let it seep like the rosemary for 20 minutes. Some people like combining their green tea with essential oils such as rosemary oil, peppermint, etc. as ell as adding it to their ACV. You can also create a green tea leave-in too like mentioned below, but check the pH because this is a bit unfamiliar territory for me. Google recipes for “green tea hair organic,” and I suspect a lot of recipes will come up. Seeping the green tea will help encourage the benefits. I recommend 1-2 bags for 1 cup of water and gradually upping it. Experiment with it. I marine this is a good botanical leave in it too like the rosemary one.

“Green tea is a popular worldwide beverage, and its potential beneficial effects such as anti-cancer and anti-oxidant properties are believed to be mediated by epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of polyphenols. Recently, it was reported that EGCG might be useful in the prevention or treatment of androgenetic alopecia by selectively inhibiting 5alpha-reductase activity. However, no report has been issued to date on the effect of EGCG on human hair growth. This study was undertaken to measure the effect of EGCG on hair growth in vitro and to investigate its effect on human dermal papilla cells (DPCs) in vivo and in vitro. EGCG promoted hair growth in hair follicles ex vivo culture and the proliferation of cultured DPCs. The growth stimulation of DPCs by EGCG in vitro may be mediated through the upregulations of phosphorylated Erk and Akt and by an increase in the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax ratio. Similar results were also obtained in in vivo dermal papillae of human scalps. Thus, we suggest that EGCG stimulates human hair growth through these dual proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects on DPCs.” Human hair growth enhancement in vitro by green tea Kwon et al.

“Green tea has cosmetic benefits that include activities against androgen disorders. A hair tonic containing green tea for reduction of scalp sebum was developed and clinically evaluated. Stable green tea hair tonics were closed-patch tested and clinically evaluated in 20 volunteers for 28 days by using a Sebumerer (R). Hair tonic base with glycerin and butylene glycol (total 4%) gained the highest consumers' preference was incorporated with green tea extract. All of the products were stable and none caused skin irritation. Green tea hair tonic (2%) significantly (p <= 0.024) lowered scalp sebum for 21 and 28 days following the application, suggesting that this topical therapy of scalp greasiness is safe and efficient.” Development and clinical evaluation of green tea hair tonic for greasy scalp treatment. Nualrsi et al. 

EMU OIL:

This is an often a forgotten carrier oil in the world of essential oils despite its fantastic ability to penetrate and its high fatty acids. It is NOT vegan because it is made from emu bird. A company (quoted below from their patent and research) has already began. to work on the efficacy on emu’s penetrating properties. A lot of folklore also exists in its origination (Australia) of hair growth. Like the other hair growth oils here — unsurprisingly — it also has a lot of anti-fungal and anti-viral properties too! You can use emu with other hair growth oils to create an ultimate hair blend to help the blend penetrate easier since it’s a carrier oil. For those of you who may not be an essential oil lover (aka obsessed): you can add in the other oils which cannot be used topically without a non-carrier oil such as rosemary. I have never used emu oil due to it not being vegan, but I’d imagine because of its makeup that it’s similar to using fish oil in a sense.

“Emu Oil's Ability to Penetrate the Scalp and Reach the Hair Folicle [0039]
In addition to studies on emu oil's ability to penetrate the skin, successful studies have shown emu oil's specific ability to penetrate the scalp and reach the hair follicles below. Dr. Michael Holick (Professor of Medicine, Physiology, and Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine) received U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,128 in 1998 for the topical “Use of emu oil for stimulating skin and hair growth.”

[0040] According to the patent abstract, “ . . . emu oil is useful to treating  disorders relating to disturbances in hair cycling such as alopecia, male pattern baldness, female baldness, and chemotherapy-induced alopecia.” Human hair root stimulator using emu oil to deliver specific therapeutic grade essential oils to the follicle Bahney 

“Unfortunately, because of high cost and other technical problems neither liposome nor iontophorisis are now widely used in either cosmetic or dermatological topical preparations3,4. If indeed, as we report in this paper, emu oil has superb skin penetrating properties, as judged subjectively by participants in this study, and because of relatively low cost, emu oil should be of major interest to dermatologists and cosmetic scientists as a transcutaneous carrier system. 

It would not be unreasonable to try to combine emu oil with topical antifungals, steroids, retinoids, antihistamines, anesthetics, antiangrogen, and immunosuppressive drugs to see if emu oil improves cutaneous bioavailability.

Even prior to completion of this study a number of investigators became aware of apparent penetrating properties emu oil. As was noted in the methods section of this article, the composition of emu oil was studied by Dr. Craig-Schmidt utilizing gas chromatography. The findings were that emu oil is predominately composed of short chain monounsaturated fatty acids slowing it to easily penetrate the stratum corneum. Another investigator utilizing thin layer chromatography (TLC) found that emu oil is essentially free of phospholipids thus enabling it to penetrate readily through skin.” Emu Oil Research: Moisturizing and Cosmetic Properties of Emu Oil

GINGKO:

Gingko is a species native to China with a lot of medicinal properties. The data is limited here, but there was a study done with topical melatonin (not being added due to the firsthand cases of issues with ingestion and side effects but please look into it) as well as its proven ability to assist with blood flow. I wanted to include this because I think it’s genuinely worth incorporating. However — if you start supplants than 1) get clearance from a doctor, 2) don’t overwhelm yourself, and 3) also look up statistical evidence. I’d find the effects of Gingko from what I read to be most effective while applied topically. You can apply it like any other herbs to tonics, rinses, and directly to the scalp. It also comes in supplemental forms too. I’d be really wary of ingesting supplements of gingko without approval and or proper research, so be please do your own research besides what is presented here!

“In addition to melatonin, this formulation also included ginkgo biloba, which also has pronounced anti-oxidative properties and a positive impact on hair growth by providing the hair roots with better nutrients, as well as biotin, which is an important micronutrient to support cellular functions.” Topical Melatonin for Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia Fischer et al. 

“Green tea (Camellia sinensis) and Ginkgo biloba extracts in cosmetic formulations have been suggested to protect the skin against UV-induced damage and skin ageing. Thus, it is very important to assess the human skin penetration of their major flavonoids to verify if they penetrate and remain in the skin to exert their proposed effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human skin penetration of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and quercetin from green tea and G. biloba extracts vehiculated in cosmetic formulations. This study was conducted with fresh dermatomed human Caucasian skin from abdominal surgery mounted on static Franz diffusion cells. Skin samples were mounted between two diffusion half-cells and 10 mg/cm2 of formulations supplemented with 6% of green tea or G. biloba extract were applied on the skin surface. The receptor fluid was removed after 6 and 24 h and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for the quantification of the flavonoids. The stratum corneum was removed by tape stripping and immersed in methanol and the epidermis was mechanically separated from the dermis and triturated in methanol to extract EGCG and quercetin. The results showed that the flavonoids under study penetrated into the skin, without reaching the receptor fluid. The majority of EGCG was quantified in the stratum corneum (0.87 μg/cm2), which was statistically higher than the EGCG concentrations found in viable epidermis (0.54 μg/cm2) and in the dermis (0.38 μg/cm2). The majority of quercetin was quantified in the viable epidermis (0.23 μg/cm2), which was statistically higher than the EGCG concentration found in the stratum corneum layer (0.17 μg/cm2). Finally, it can be concluded that EGCG and quercetin from green tea and G. biloba extracts vehiculated in cosmetic formulations presented good skin penetration and retention, which can favor their skin effects.” Skin Penetration of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate and Quercetin from Green Tea and Ginkgo biloba Extracts Vehiculated in Cosmetic Formulations Belo et al. 

NETTLE:

It’s known commonly as stinging nettle and is indigenous to most of the MENA as well as United States. It’s favorable in most homeopathic medicine, as well as organic haircare for its amazing properties. Nettle has a lot of medicinal properties. Like the essential oils: it has a strong anti-fungal base, too, as well. (Are we sensing a common occurrence here?) While it’s commonly accepted in homeopathy and by naturopathic medicine to promote hair growth: the data is limited, but there are scientific journals to support it. Nettle can be used in tea rinsing, your flax seed gel, being used in your botanical tonic, etc. as well as strained. Nettle is a workhouse so to say!

“Telogen effluvium remains the most common diffuse hair loss in women which influences the quality of their life. Stinginag nettle leaves and stems contain a wide range of biologically active substances which stimulate the metabolism and trophic processes in hair follicle cells. The purpose of the research was to study the vasodilating effect and follicle-stimulating activity of the gel with nettle juice in rats under conditions of wool shedding induced by orally administered boric acid. Thus, conducted pharmacological studies indicated that the gel in comparison with the untreated animals accelerated the wool growth in rats, improved its quality by increasing the weight and reducing the percentage of dystrophic hairs. Histological studies confirmed that cutaneous application of the gel significantly dilated the vessels in the dermis reticular layer. The intensification of blood supply was confirmed by an increase in the number of mast cells and their active degranulation. Strengthening of blood circulation caused the increase of the hair follicle quantity in the active anagen phase.” Study of Vasodilating and Regenerative Effect of the Gel with Nettle Juice intended for Telogen Effluvium Treatment. Ivanivna et al. 

AMLA:

This plant is native to India and has an array of benefits via its oil form or in its raw form. Amla (Indian goosebery) is a super rich oil that has been used for thousands of years in India for its brilliant properties. One of the studies that I’ll be quoting be at the end of the blog due to it featuring a few herbs here. It also has anti-fungal properties, too, as well. Amla can be ingested as a supplement too, but please do your research and consult your physician too. Amla helps enriches your pre-poos and deep conditioning treatment. Be wary of the cheap Amla oils sold online because some aren’t pure and are diluted with either mineral oils or castor oils which are counterproductive to hair loss and or the rich nutrients of Amla. Amla can also be added to your hair rinse, hair tea, and your botanical leave-in.

“Emblica officinalis Gaertn. or Phyllanthus emblica Linn, commonly known as Indian gooseberry or amla, is arguably the most important medicinal plant in the Indian traditional system of medicine, the Ayurveda. Various parts of the plant are used to treat a range of diseases, but the most important is the fruit. The fruit is used either alone or in combination with other plants to treat many ailments such as common cold and fever; as a diuretic, laxative, liver tonic, refrigerant, stomachic, restorative, alterative, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, hair tonic; to prevent peptic ulcer and dyspepsia, and as a digestive. Preclinical studies have shown that amla possesses antipyretic, analgesic, antitussive, antiatherogenic, adaptogenic, cardioprotective, gastroprotective, antianemia, antihypercholesterolemia, wound healing, antidiarrheal, antiatherosclerotic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and neuroprotective properties. In addition, experimental studies have shown that amla and some of its phytochemicals such as gallic acid, ellagic acid, pyrogallol, some norsesquiterpenoids, corilagin, geraniin, elaeocarpusin, and prodelphinidins B1 and B2 also possess antineoplastic effects. Amla is also reported to possess radiomodulatory, chemomodulatory, chemopreventive effects, free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and immunomodulatory activities, properties that are efficacious in the treatment and prevention of cancer.” Amla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn), a wonder berry in the treatment and prevention of cancer Baliga DSouza

ASIAN KNOTWEED: 

This is native to East Asia and has been used in homeopathic East Asia folklore medicine for so long. It’s now been proven by a scientific sources to assist in hair loss. You can buy the herbs directly and use them in extractions (e.g. apply like you would above) and look up recipes. I do believe some companies in the United States (due to its popularity) are now marketing it as supplements and are not as pure. Please take caution in this because I’ve read already of people becoming ill from ingesting pills from dodgy companies. As always: don’t take things orally either without permission from a doctor and researching either. There’s a lot of folklore recipes online too of how to implement this in your regimen! 

“Two new compounds, gallic acid ester of torachrysone-8-O-β-D-glucoside (1) and (E)-2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-xyloside (4), along with eight known compounds (2, 3, 5-10) were isolated from a 70% ethanol extract of Polygonum multiflorum roots. The structures were determined by (1)H and (13)C NMR, HMQC, and HMBC spectrometry. Extracts of P. multiflorum have been reported to promote hair growth in vivo. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of isolated compounds from P. multiflorum on promoting hair growth using dermal papilla cells (DPCs), which play an important role in hair growth. When DPCs were treated with compounds (1-10) from P. multiflorum, compounds 1, 2, 3, 6, and 10 increased the proliferation of DPCs compared with the control. Specifically, compound 2 (10 and 20 μM) induced a greater increase in the proliferation of DPCs than minoxidil (10 μM). Additionally, treatment of vibrissa follicles with compound 2 for 21 days increased hair-fiber length significantly. On the basis of this result, further investigation and optimization of these derivatives might help in the development of therapeutic agents for the treatment of alopecia.” Sun, YN, Cui L, Li W, et al.

“RESULTS:

Polygonum multiflorum extract promoted hair growth by inducing anagen phase in telogenic C57BL6/N mice. 

In Polygonum multiflorum extract treated group, we observed increase in the number and the size of hair follicles that are considered as evidence for anagen phase induction. 

Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that earlier induction of β-catenin and Shh were observed in Polygonum multiflorum extract treated group compared to that in control group.

CONCLUSION:

These results suggest that Polygonum multiflorum extract promotes hair growth by inducing anagen phase in resting hair follicles.

RESULTS:

Polygonum multiflorum extract promoted hair growth by inducing anagen phase in telogenic C57BL6/N mice. 

In Polygonum multiflorum extract treated group, we observed increase in the number and the size of hair follicles that are considered as evidence for anagen phase induction. 

Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that earlier induction of β-catenin and Shh were observed in Polygonum multiflorum extract treated group compared to that in control group.

CONCLUSION:

These results suggest that Polygonum multiflorum extract promotes hair growth by inducing anagen phase in resting hair follicles.” Topical application of Polygonum multiflorum extract induces hair growth of resting hair follicles through upregulating Shh and β-catenin expression in C57BL/6 mice Park HJ, Zhang, Park D

 KUDZU:

This is a plant native to East and Southeast Asia. It has a lot of medicinal properties, as well. I would also be weary of taking supplements of this (do research) because I can’t find reliable brands like with Amla where there’s locally, organic sourced brands. This is a relatively new herb to the United States outside of Asia. You can Google for recipes. 

“Crude drugs expected to have an estrogenic effect were screened for their inhibitory activity on testosterone 5α-reductase. Testosterone 5α-reductase is an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which possesses high affinity for the androgen receptor. Among the crude drugs tested, we focused on Puerariae Flos (the flowers of Pueraria thomsonii) due to its potent inhibitory activity and suitability for commercial use. The 50% ethanolic extract of Puerariae Flos (PF-ext) showed inhibitory activity of 60.2% at 500 μg/ml against testosterone 5α-reductase. Interestingly, it was more potent than that of Puerariae Radix (roots of Pueraria lobata). PF-ext also showed in vivo anti-androgenic activity using a hair growth assay in testosterone-sensitive male C57Black/6NCrSlc strain mice. We demonstrated saponins, including soyasaponin I and kaikasaponin III, to be active components in PF-ext. In addition, hair growth promotion activity in C3H/He mice at 2 mg/mouse/day of the topical administration of PF-ext was demonstrated. Thus, Puerariae Flos is a promising crude drug for treating androgenic alopecia.” Inhibitory activities of Puerariae Flos against testosterone 5α-reductase and its hair growth promotion activities. Murata et al. 

Below is the hair journal for the above herbs as well as this: 

“Hair diameter and density tend to decrease with hair loss, suggesting that because DA-5512 treatment increased hair diameter and density, it may enhance hair growth or slow the progression of hair loss. Interestingly, the patient's self-assessment scores did not demonstrate a significant outcome for patterned hair loss. However, an overall improvement in hair growth or density, in scalp condition (horny skin, itching, excess sebum, and dandruff), and in satisfaction with 5% topical DA-5512 compared with placebo indicated a definite advantage of DA-5512 for treating patterned hair loss.

Several varieties of plants are used to prepare DA-5512 to prevent or treat hair loss, to nourish hair, and to improve the esthetic properties of hair. These plants produce inhibitors of 5α-reductase activity. Green tea is rich in the flavanol group of polyphenols called catechins, and green tea polyphenols positively affect hair growth and follicle health. Possible mechanisms of action include inhibition of apoptosis, radioprotection of follicle cells, antioxidant activity, and potential follicular inhibition of TGF-β1 [38]. Green tea is a popular herbal remedy that contains catechins that may inhibit 5α-reductase. EGCG, the most abundant catechin found in green tea, prevents or treats androgenetic alopecia by selectively inhibiting 5α-reductase activity [39]. P. emblica L. and Zingiber officinale promote hair growth by inhibiting 5α-reductase activity [19] in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Puerariae flos inhibits testosterone 5α-reductase in vitro and exhibits antiandrogenic activity that was detected using a hair-growth assay in testosterone-sensitive male C57Black/6NCrSlc mice [40]. 5α-Reductase catalyzes the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that combines with the same androgenic receptor to form a conjugate, which leads to hair-follicle miniaturization and then to telogen [41]. Thus, DA-5512 might influence hair growth by inhibiting 5α-reductase activity.

A preclinical study using a Pueraria thunbergiana (pine) needle extract revealed its role in the improvement of hair.” Preclinical and Clinical Studies Demonstrate That the Proprietary Herbal Extract DA-5512 Effectively Stimulates Hair Growth and Promotes Hair Health Yu et al. 

(Despite the above journal saying the ginger assisted: I did not include ginger in this article due to there being a scientific journal on ginger — despite its homeopathic usage in East Asian homeopathic medicine for hair growth — actually inhibiting hair growth! (Really!) After reading this data, I do not feel comfortable recommending it for those struggling with hair loss. There are no other claims of ginger assisting.)