There is evidence backed by science that rosemary oil or extract does help in hair growth especially when androgenic (DHT) hair loss is involved. I was wondering how it would affect beards since they are androgenic hairs.
So, is rosemary oil good for beard growth? Rosemary oil for beard growth is not a good idea since it is a DHT blocker. DHT blockers like rosemary oil and amla oil hinder facial hair growth by preventing DHT from binding with beard growth genes. Therefore, you should not apply rosemary oil to your facial hair to promote its growth.
Read on to find out why you should stop using rosemary oil if you do, and stay away from it if you are looking to start using it for beard growth.
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Rosemary oil for beard growth
When you conduct a google search for the best natural essential oils for beard growth, I bet you, you will find some beard oil companies recommending rosemary oil as one of the best beard growth oil.
In this post, we will cover why most companies and people think that rosemary oil is good for beard growth, and help you understand why you should avoid it at all costs.
The growth of hair and beard is completely different, we are born with hair but our beards will not grow until we hit puberty.
The reason why the growth of beard and other pubic hair normally begins at puberty is that during puberty the production of testosterone and androgen responsible for the development of masculine characters becomes heightened and androgen receptors become more receptive to the androgens.
Testosterone androgen associated with beard growth has a completely different effect on the growth of hair in the scalp. The same hormone that causes beard growth causes hair loss in the scalp a condition called androgenic alopecia.
Rosemary can comfortably treat androgenic alopecia. By reversing the effect of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone based on this research published here
, rosemary extract should improved hair growth on hair loss caused by androgens.
Rosemary extracts inhibit the binding of dihydrotestosterone to the androgen receptors (beard growth genes).
How does rosemary oil affect beard growth negatively
As explained above, beard growth is stimulated by testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Testosterone primes facial hair follicles while dihydrotestosterone promotes linear growth of facial hair.
These two hormones stimulate beard growth by binding into the androgen receptors. And as already established rosemary extract inhibits the binding of beard growth hormone to the androgen receptors which are the genes that control beard growth.
Therefore, anyone selling you any product that promises you to grow beard and has rosemary is misinformed.
Can rosemary oil promote hair growth?
Does rosemary oil for hair growth actually work? Rosemary oil for hair growth actually works supported by both scientific and anecdotal evidence. The effectiveness of Rosemary oil for hair growth is highly dependant on the cause of hair loss. There are some hair loss conditions that rosemary oil can’t treat, but it is quite effective against androgenic alopecia and other common causes of hair loss.
Read on to find out how to use rosemary oil for hair growth and regrowth.
Rosemary oil for hair growth
At 50 years of age approximately half of the women and 85% of men experience hair loss according to the report published here, and here, respectively.
Hair loss can effectively affect one’s self-esteem. Most people have sought natural and even artificial ways to help control hair loss or regrow hair.
Anecdotal evidence shows that people in the Mediterranean region have used rosemary oil for the growth of hair. Well, what about science is there scientific evidence that rosemary oil can help grow hair. Let get into that.
Evidence of using rosemary oil for hair growth
The most common form of hair loss is caused by androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone). These androgens cause miniaturization of the hair follicles and cut off blood supply to the hair follicles resulting in thinning of hair and eventually balding.
Other causes of hair loss include alopecia areata, dandruff, and inflammation among others.
The ability of rosemary extract to treat hair loss is largely dependent on the cause of hair loss.
Based on this study published here, conducted on rats, the researchers found that when rosemary was topically applied on mice with androgenic-related hair loss. They experienced hair regrowth, this led the researchers to conclude that rosemary oil promotes regrowth of hair by preventing the binding of the androgens to the androgen receptors which causes hair loss.
In yet another study published here, researchers sought to compare the effectiveness of rosemary oil with minoxidil one of the drugs that have been approved by the FDA against the treatment of hair loss.
Well, Minoxidil also known as rogaine comes with side effects. A more effective hair loss treatment that would not cause side effects would be welcomed with open arms by people suffering from hair loss.
When rosemary oil and minoxidil hair growth potentials were compared, people who were suffering from androgenic alopecia (hair loss caused by testosterone and DHT) were given minoxidil or rosemary extract for a period of six months.
After three months of using the two hair loss treatment options, the two groups of people had not experienced any substantial hair growth. However, at six months both groups had experienced hair growth with the group that used rosemary oil experiencing higher hair growth as compared to the minoxidil group.
The difference in hair growth was, however, statistically insignificant. From this study, it is safe to conclude that in the long run rosemary can promote hair regrowth.
In the same study, people who used minoxidil for hair growth experienced itching in their scalp a common side effect associated with minoxidil. However, the group that used rosemary oil did not experience scalp itching.
Consequently, we can conclude that rosemary oil is much better for treating androgenic alopecia (hair loss caused by testosterone and DHT) for people who are suffering from allergies when compared to minoxidil.
Fungi and bacteria infestation in the head can cause hair loss in the long run. Conditions such as dandruff which attack dry scalps can lead to hair loss when people keep on scratching their heads in the long run via inflammation of the scalp.
Based on this study, Rosemary was found to kill bacteria and fungi, so when hair loss is a result of such bacteria and fungi rosemary can act as a cure against such hair loss.
Finally, one of the lethal hair loss is known as Alopecia areata, this is a condition where the body’s immune system attacks your hair follicles leading to hair loss. While this condition has got no cure so far, your doctor can help you manage it.
Based on research published here, when rosemary oil was used as an alternative to help prevent hair loss among people who were suffering from alopecia areata. 44 percent of these people involved in the study experienced improved hair growth after 7 months of using rosemary extract as compared to a group that did not use any treatment.
Additionally, there is a lack of evidence whether using rosemary oil alongside other hair loss treatment methods can actually enhance hair growth.
Consult your doctor first before choosing to use minoxidil and rosemary at the same time for hair loss treatment.
Verdict of rosemary oil for hair growth
Well, based on the research above we can comfortably say that the claims behind rosemary being a good natural hair loss treatment alternative holds water. But there is no evidence that rosemary should replace the conventional hair loss treatments available. Before you decide to use rosemary to treat hair loss, please consult your doctor.
Does rosemary have side effects?
There s not much known about the side effects of using rosemary for treating hair loss.
But as a rule of thumb, never put any essential oil into your eyes. Secondly, unless advised by your doctor do not use rosemary extracts when you are pregnant.
There is no evidence that rosemary oil can be used on children’s hair loss, it is therefore not advisable to use rosemary oil on children.
How to use rosemary oil for hair loss
Below we share a list of tips on how to rosemary oil to treat hair loss or promote hair growth.
Massage it directly into your scalp
On its own rosemary oil is very volatile, hence you should mix it with a carrier oil such as jojoba oil or coconut oil. Then apply the mixture to your scalp evenly.
You can either rinse or leave it in your hair there will be no harm caused. If you decide to wash it make sure to leave it for about 30 minutes.
Mix rosemary oil into your shampoo
You can add a few drops of rosemary oil into your scalp or conditioner or any other hair product. You can then use the shampoo to clean your head.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is rosemary oil good for a patchy beard? Rosemary oil is not good for a patchy beard, being a DHT blocker, and given that DHT promotes facial hair growth, applying rosemary oil to fill in your patchy beard may lead to more beard loss. .If you are looking to fill in a patchy beard opt for rogaine/Minoxidil, derma roller, peppermint oil and lead a healthy life.
Is rosemary oil as effective as minoxidil? Based on the research quoted above, rosemary was found to be more effective in treating male pattern baldness as compared to minoxidil over the same period of time. But when used to grow a beard minoxidil will stand a better chance of promoting beard growth as compared to rosemary oil.
How do you use rosemary oil for beard growth? Research shows that rosemary oil will not help you grow facial hair. On the contrary, topical application of rosemary oil will inhibit beard hormones from biding into your facial follicles hence hinder beard growth. So, the next time you are shopping for the best natural oil for your beard be sure to avoid rosemary.
Conclusion
While rosemary oil is a bad option for beard growth due it DHT blocking properties. These properties make it a good hair growth oil especially for those who are losing hair as a result of DHT commonly called androgenic alopecia.
Well, both scientific and anecdotal evidence comes to a mutual agreement that Rosemary oil is an effective hair loss treatment. Therefore if you are suffering from hair loss and want to improve your hair growth, rosemary could be the magical ingredient you have been missing. But beforehand make sure to consult a physician to avoid detrimental side effects.
