Essential Oils Can Help Regrow Hair
So much importance is placed on appearance in this society that
retaining one's hair borders on obsession. Regardless of the cause—be
it genes, hormones, drugs or illness—hair loss can cause anxiety and
stress. The number of national television ads for hair-growth drugs
speaks volumes about the market for regrowth remedies. Thus, a
treatment that offers moderate hair growth and no significant side
effects could be a boon. Enter four promising essential oils.
Isabelle C. Hay and colleagues from the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in
Scotland saw several cases of alopecia areata, a type of hair loss that
causes patchy baldness, improve after patients used herbal treatments.
Unlike male pattern baldness or hair brittleness, alopecia is a
condition that affects men and women of all ages, and is most likely
caused by an immune system inflammation that affects areas of the
scalp. Stress often precedes an alopecia outbreak. Standard medical
therapies, including corticosteroid injections, are only modestly
helpful. Most, but not all, patients eventually improve or recover.
External application of various herbal essences is believed to
benefit those who suffer hair loss due to alopecia. Among these are
cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris),
all of which have been used to treat alopecia for more than a century.
However, no double-blind studies have been conducted to evaluate the
efficacy of these herbs until now.
Hay and researchers recruited 84 people with diagnosed alopecia
areata. During the seven-month trial, participants suspended use of
topical or oral alopecia medications. Instead, half used a blend of
cedarwood (2 drops, 94 mg), lavender (3 drops, 108 mg), rosemary (3
drops, 114 mg) and thyme (2 drops, 88 mg) in a carrier oil mix of
jojoba (3 mL) and grapeseed (20 mL). The placebo group used just the
carrier oils. Subjects were taught to rub the oil into the bare areas
of their scalp for two minutes each evening and then to wrap a warm
towel around their head to enhance absorption.
Professional photographs of each patients' scalp were taken at
baseline, three and seven months. Changes as seen in the photographs
served as the primary outcome measure. Outcomes were also measured by
mapping bald patches and measuring severity of alopecia with a
four-point scale. Of the 84 patients who entered the trial, only 63
completed it—35 from the active group and 28 from the control group.
Of those receiving active treatment, 44 percent (16 of 35 patients)
significantly improved, while 15 percent (6 of 28 patients) using
placebo improved. The essential oils had a statistically significant
advantage (P = 0.008). The average area of hair regrowth with
the essential oils was 104 square cm compared with nearly zero for
those using placebo.1
One male patient with alopecia areata as well as severe male pattern
hair loss saw improvement in both areas after using the essential oil
blend.
These results suggest that one or more of the essential oils are
biologically able to promote hair growth. While promising, confirming
studies are needed before we can be sure. However, is a 44 percent
response rate worth the effort? According to the authors, this is about
the same response rate dermatologists expect with standard medical
therapies. To the herbs' benefit, however, they are less expensive,
require fewer doctor visits and have a low risk of side effects.
Future research must explore which of the four herbs had the most
effect or if they work in tandem. Also open for exploration is whether
increasing the concentration of the most active constituents would
increase response rates. Dose is also worth researching. Perhaps twice
daily treatment would be more effective than once daily.
While this type of research on herbal remedies is encouraging, only
one of five dermatologists I unofficially surveyed could remember
seeing this study, although all five read the American Medical
Association-sponsored journal that was open-minded enough to publish it.
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