How Good is CBD Oil For Hair Growth?
Many people ask, does CBD oil for hair growth work? CBD, also known as Cannabidiol, is an all-natural compound found within the hemp plant. Like Hemp Seed Oil, CBD oil is extracted from the hemp plant and has many benefits for our bodies, including hair care and growth. A study from 2021 demonstrated that people who applied CBD oil to their scalp and hair for 6 months experienced successful hair regrowth (1). The effects were more prominent in men than women but showed that when used routinely, CBD oil is able to help hair growth.
You may have seen some shampoos containing hemp oil or other carrier oils and wondered how that can help your hair. Well, as it turns out, using natural oils and shampoos can help reduce the damage we do to our hair when we use synthetic shampoos and even help reverse hair thinning and loss when possible.
What Causes Hair Loss and Thinning?
We commonly lose hair daily, from about 50-100 hairs. Acute hair loss is different however and has many potential causes.
Thinning hair and receding hairlines can have numerous causes:
- Genetics
- Hormone fluctuations
- Medical conditions such as Alopecia
- Physical and/or emotional trauma
- Age
- Hair care routine
With so many causes, diagnosing which is causing your hair to thin or recede ranges from improbable to nearly impossible. There are many ways to help promote hair growth:
- Vitamin supplements
- Incorporating certain foods into your diet
- Reducing stress/trauma
- Analyzing your hair care routine
How Often Does Hair Grow?
The average scalp can grow hair at quite an amazing rate. When not deterred, hair can grow an average of about 1/2 inch per month, or about 6 inches a year. As we age, some follicles stop producing hair which is how we baldness or hair thinning occurs. As many know, there is no standard way to reverse hair loss, but there are ways to promote its growth and thickness. Understanding how follicles stop producing hair is key to understanding how you can help your hairlines.
The Issues with Modern Shampoos
Store bought shampoos typically fall under 3 categories – synthetic, hybrid natural and all-natural. Synthetic shampoos use harsh chemicals and compounds like sulfur to create the lathering effect as well as oil stripping compounds. While we typically think of this as good, the opposite is actually the case. Our bodies naturally produce oils to help keep our scalp moisturized and protected. When we introduce harsh chemicals, those natural oils are stripped away and then we are forced to rely on the shampoo or conditioner to replenish the oil. While this may make your hair feel good when you exit the shower, it can lead to many other outcomes.
What Synthetic and Hybrid Shampoos Actually Do To Your Hair
You may have heard about how shampoos can actually be bad for your hair. They are filled with unnatural compounds and harsh chemicals that can damage your hair and follicle. The purpose of shampoos is to ‘clean’ your hair, but the cleaning can actually create the conditions that cause hair loss in some cases. A famous case is the Tresemme law suit. While not all users experienced hair loss, the products did indeed cause temporary and possibly permanent hair loss for many resulting in the lawsuit. Using shampoos daily may help temporarily remove excess oils from your scalp and hair, but it can actually have the opposite effect causing your body to produce more oils than needed to account for the lost oils resulting in that look and feeling of greasy hair.
Greasy hair is a condition not many desire as it helps to weigh down hair, give it a shine and of course, feels greasy to the touch. This is your body’s natural reaction to a daily stripping of the oils it produces to help your scalp stay moisturized and protect the follicles. Greasy hair can lead to other issues such as clogging the follicles and trapping inflammation causing dirt and toxins inside the follicle – reducing the ability of the follicle to produce healthy hair. On the opposite end, lack of any oils in the hair can lead to dry scalp with carries its own issues.
Dry scalp is often relegated to dandruff and flaking. The flaking is actually a sign that your scalp is unhealthy and in need to additional moisture and nourishment. Dry scalp can once again lead to inflamed follicles, thinner hairs and dead follicles.
So what about all-natural shampoos?
Benefits of Natural Shampoos
An all-natural shampoo is one typically formulated with carrier oils, natural Castille soap and essential oils and other naturally derived compounds that carry beneficial fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and much more that help to naturally balance the oils in your hair. Like most natural products, it does require some time and patience to see the results but as your body adapts, your body begins to produce less oils leading to less greasiness and can help restore follicles.
Boosting Natural Shampoos with CBD Hair Growth Oil
An all-natural shampoo is one typically formulated with carrier oils, natural Castille soap and essential oils and other naturally derived compounds that carry beneficial fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and much more that help to naturally balance the oils in your hair. Like most natural products, it does require some time and patience to see the results but as your body adapts, your body begins to produce less oils leading to less greasiness and can help restore follicles. The optimal ratio of CBD for a hair topical according to the 2012 hair study is about 100 mg of CBD per 2oz of base ingredients.
Hair Topical Ointments with CBD Hair Growth Oil
Using a topical leave in ointment can be used as an alternative to a CBD infused shampoo, however, user should still seek out products in their hair care routine that can prohibit the efficacy of the topical ointment such as harsh shampoos which can lead to clogging of the hair follicles or damage to them.
