Aromatherapy and Hair Loss

A study now shows the connection of aromatherapy and hair Loss, that aromatherapy oils can help when it comes to baldness. However, you don't simply inhale the oils, but massage them into the scalp. While the use of certain oils follows common practices more than 100 years old, it wasn't until the study by a Scottish dermatologist that anyone put the theory to test.

The study,on aromatherapy and hair Loss found in the November 1998 Archives of Dermatology focused on alopecia areata, a less common condition that causes a patchy baldness and often thought related to an immune disorder.

Isabelle C Hay led the team of researchers from the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland. The team used 86 subjects with a known diagnosis of alopecia areata.

Before the study began, all subjects ceased using oral medications for the alopecia areata and prescription topical drugs. This meant it isolated any improvement strictly to the use of aromatherapy oils.

The study was a double blind, study with some subjects in a control group receiving placebo carrier oils to rub into their scalp and the other receiving a recipe of oils. Both groups massaged the oil into the scalp for a minimum of two minutes then wrapped a warm towel around their head as an aid for absorption.

The subjects used the same technique every night several seven months. Of those in the placebo group, only fifteen percent of them saw an increase in hair growth. Of those using the mixture of aromatherapy oils, forty-four percent saw increased hair growth.

The mixture was a combination of oils. It contained three drops of Lavandula angustifolia, two drops of Thyme vulgaris, two drops of Cedrus atlantica and three drops of Rosmarinus officinalis. While the mixture has been used for over a 100 years, this is the first time anyone subjected it to scientific testing.

The amount of surface area for hair regrowth was 104 square centimeters for the group using the aromatherapy oils. The placebo group had insignificant amounts of growth.

One photograph the researchers included was the amount of regrowth in a male patient fighting both alopecia areata and severe male pattern balding. He showed signs of significant growth despite the combination of the two problems.

Besides the remarkable results found in the study, there were also other indications that made the treatment beneficial for patients with hair loss. There were no side effects from the essential oils. The treatment was not only effective, but also extremely safe. In addition, the cost of the treatment was significantly lower than many of the prescribed medications for this condition.

You can use the same method at home. Simply mix the aromatherapy oils with vegetable oil or put it in your rinse water. Wrap your hair in plastic first, and then place a warm towel over the plastic. For the maximum benefit, leave the mixture on at least three hours or overnight if possible. In the morning, use a mild shampoo, avoiding medicated shampoos, to wash the hair as usual.

Other aromatherapy and hair Loss essential oils that can help grow hair are those that improve the health of the hair shaft and those that improve circulation. The combination of bay and lavender helps improve circulation while a combination of thyme, lavender, Atlas cedarwood, rosemary, grapeseed oil and jojoba oil can help improve the growth of healthy hairs.

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