Used by many as a spice, ginger has over the years been used for its medicinal properties. Most people use it for curing and controlling sore throat. I have come across anecdotal evidence of ginger being able to grow hair. I did some research to find out whether there is scientific evidence to support these claims.
So, is ginger good for hair growth? Yes, anecdotally, ginger for hair growth can be a good idea. That said, ginger will only help you grow hair if the underlying problem of hair loss is caused by a condition that ginger can treat. There are some scalp conditions that cause hair loss that ginger cannot treat. In such a situation ginger for hair growth won’t work.
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Ginger for hair growth
When you conduct a google search, you will find tons of anecdotal evidence of people who claim to have been able to grow hair or beard
using ginger.
We will take a deeper look into both anecdotal and scientific evidence of whether ginger can really help you with your beard and hair growth.
Scientifically, ginger has been proven to be a bad option to grow hair based on research published (see study) In the study, the researchers used mice and human hair follicles in vitro and gingerol a compound found in ginger. Gingerol was found to inhibit hair growth in samples used.
However, research in this subject is limited and more research is needed to completely understand the effects of gingerol on hair follicles. That said, anecdotal evidence proofs otherwise. Let’s take a look at some scientific evidence that can support the anecdotal evidence.
Can ginger actually promote hair growth?
Based on anecdotal evidence ginger can help with hair growth. Some of the properties of ginger can be attributed to this claim such as…
Improved blood circulation
Several studies published (here and here) have revealed that ginger can indeed improve blood circulation. Lack of proper blood flow in the scalp can lead to hair loss while improved blood flow can lead to improved hair growth as shown in this study.
Given that ginger increases blood circulation if low blood circulation in your scalp is causing hair loss. So, it goes without saying that ginger will help you grow your hair back.
Ginger treats inflammation
Based on research published here, one of the causes of hair loss in women is the scalp inflammation.
Ginger has been proven without a doubt by science to help treat inflammation as backed up by research published here. This means that if inflammation is causing you to lose hair then using ginger both topically and orally will help you stop hair loss and treat your hair loss problem.
Ginger for treating dandruff
Dandruff on its own will not cause hair loss, however, severe cases of dandruff will cause scratching which will eventually lead to hair loss and scalp inflammation.
Ginger combined with coconut oil can help prevent and treat severe cases of dandruff. Mix ginger with coconut oil and apply it to your scalp to fight off dandruff.
How to use ginger for hair growth?
Given that topical application is the easiest way to deliver ginger into the hair follicles, you can apply ginger oil to your scalp or use products such as shampoos that have been formulated using ginger.
Conclusion
The lack of enough scientific evidence to prove that ginger can actually be used for hair growth does not mean that using ginger for hair growth is a bad idea.
However, we should not also assume the fact that the limited scientific advice available shows that ginger is not a good alternative for hair growth.
I would advise you to use other alternatives such as peppermint and rosemary oil which have been proven to help grow hair without controversies.
