Research has been mounting on hair loss treatment, as interest in this field of study is growing. Lathering the hair and scalp in one earthy oil could lead to less sparsity and more hair strands.
A team of researchers investigated the effects of rosemary essential oil – an earthy and woody herb – on androgenetic alopecia.
What’s androgenetic alopecia?
Affecting both sexes, androgenetic alopecia is a hair loss condition, which can affect men in their teens and early 20s, said WebMD.
Also known as male pattern baldness, in men it’s characterised by a receding hairline and gradual disappearance of hair from the crown and frontal scalp.
Known as female pattern baldness for women, this condition can arise from the age of 40.
For women, they experience a general thinning over the entire scalp, particularly at the crown.
The scientists wanted to compare the effectiveness of rosemary oil compared to minoxidil – a well-known medication created to treat hair loss.
In the experiment, patients suffering from hair loss were randomly assigned to rosemary oil or two percent minoxidil treatment for a period of six months.
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However, by the end of the trial (at month six), both groups experienced “a significant increase in hair count”.
Interestingly, the results demonstrated that rosemary oil worked as effectively as minoxidil.
Notably, the only difference was that the minoxidil group reported more scalp itching than the rosemary oil group.
From this, the researchers concluded that the trial “provided evidence” that rosemary oil is an effective treatment for andoagenetic alopecia.
How to use rosemary oil
If you’d like to try reaping the rewards of hair-boosting effects from rosemary oil, you need to know how to make use of it.
As instructed by Healthline, you’ll need to mix several drops of rosemary oil with olive or coconut oil.
Once the essential oil has been diluted by a carrier oil (in this case olive or coconut oil), then you can apply it to your scalp.
It’s advised to leave in the rosemary oil mix for at least 10 minutes before washing it out with shampoo.
In order for the treatment to work, it’s recommended to apply the mixture twice a week, every week.
As with minoxidil, the hair growth benefits of either is only maintained through long-term and continued use.
Other hair-boosting essential oils to try include peppermint, cedar wood, and lemongrass.
Should irritation occur, do stop treatment, although slight itching is a likely outcome.