Here will look at the most effective oils for hair care -- both essential oils (like Lavender and Rosemary) and carrier oils (like Evening Primrose and Jojoba) -- with details about each so you can create a specific formula to suit your personal hair type. The recipes are easy to make, and you can even just add a few of the oils to conditioners or shampoos you may already be using. And though easy to make, these can be profoundly effective herbal treatment formulas for stimulating hair growth, both for those with healthy hair and those experiencing some hair loss.
The essential oils used for healthy hair and hair growth fall into four main categories relating to how they affect they affect the dermis if the scalp and the hair follicles. These are: Stimulating, nutritive, balancing, and antibacterial/immune enhancing. Stimulating oils often contain ketones -- natural chemical 'signalers' that step up cellular metabolism. (Certain oils containing ketones have important safety guidelines, which we'll cover with each oil's description) Nutritive oils include vitamins, growth co-factors and/or fatty acids necessary for healthy growth. Balancing essential oils balance sebum (natural skin oil) and hormones on the cellular level. They can also reduce inflammation and be cooling to follicles (overheated follicles are thought to be the cause of some hair loss). Antibacterial and immune enhancing oils can help a variety of conditions where infections or auto-immune disease may be the source of hair loss or diminished hair growth.
To make a basic scalp treatment blend, the essential oils are based in carrier oils--these are long-chain 'fixed' oils, in the families of cooking oils we're familiar with. The term 'carrier oil' is used as these oils 'carry' the essential oils into the skin and scalp. The also provide nutritive co-factors, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that are very important for healthy hair. The essential oils are added to the carriers (one or more carrier can be blended together to make the formula's 'base') at what seems to be very low dilutions--on the order of 1% each essential oil in the overall formula. It is really best not to use higher amounts of most of the essential oils (a couple may be increased, and we'll note these specifically). Essential oils are VERY concentrated plant extracts, and many of their therapeutic actions result from signaling cells what to do. Like sending a text message, it only needs to happen once to get the point across--repeating the message over and over doesn't help and can be irritating. This really is like how certain essential oils function, so remember, in most cases with pure essential oils: less is more!
We'll start with the stimulating essential oils. These essential oils are used in skin and hair care to stimulate cellular metabolism (increasing the oxygen and nutrients used by the cell) or stimulate the growth of new cells. Specifically for hair growth, we'd like to stimulate the activity of the hair follicles and grow more hair, thicker and faster. Two essential oils are used most often for this: Rosemary and Sage. Both of these herbs have a long history in hair care, with teas made from their leaves being used as a stimulating hair rinse for hundreds of years. Of all the Rosemary essential oil varieties available, you should find the specialty-oil for skin and hair: Rosemary c.t. verbenone. The verbenone 'chemotype' has unique molecules in it that tells the scalp cells to speed up their activity and even produce new cells. Rosemary verbenone is the safest and most commonly-used of the stimulating oils (though it should be avoided by expectant mothers, children, and those with nervous system conditions -- check with your doctor if you're unsure about the safety of essential oils for yourself just in case).
Sage essential oil, like Rosemary, is also highly regarded for hair care and stimulating hair growth. It is considered the most potent of the regenerative oils, though also the one with the most cautions. While the opinions of professional aromatherapists vary, it's generally agreed that this oil should also not be used when pregnant, or those with any other contra-indicated condition (same as Rosemary). If you chose to use Sage, keep the dilution very low, somewhere between two and four drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil -- these low doses are found in the aromatherapy literature for skin and hair care, and should produce the regenerative signaling you're looking for.
Nutritive essential oils supply vitamins and vitamin-like molecules which enhance cell functions, including hair growth. Vitamin A co-factors have been found particularly beneficial to the follicles. The most nutritive essential oils supplying these co-factors are Sea Buckthorn Berry and Helio-Carrot (or Carrot Root). Both these essential oils are actually made by a high-tech process called carbon-dioxide extraction, at a lower temperature than the steam distillation used for most essential oils. This process preserves the nutrients in the oils, and brings a broader spectrum of the therapeutic plant molecules into the oil. Both these oils should be used at about 1% of the overall blend.
The balancing oils bring about a natural balance of the skin's own oils (sebum is the term for the oil produced by the hair follicle--and sometimes it is over-produced, slowing or preventing hair growth). Theses essential oils can also restore balance of hormones on a cellular level--an imbalance of estrogen can slow hair growth for women particularly, and sometimes for men. The most common and effective balancing oil is Lavender essential oil. Lavender oil is sort of the Grand-daddy of therapeutic essential oils, with an amazing array of effects. Lavender is thought to be cooling, soothing, anti-inflammatory, and helps the skin heal. Clary Sage is another balancing oil, thought to modulate pro-inflammatory prostaglandins implicated in hair loss. It is also known to be beneficial for oily scalps and dandruff control. Clary sage may support hair regrowth for women with thinning hair related to a decline of natural hormone production. Myrtle is also a lovely balancing oil, reducing over-oily conditions, and is both gently antiseptic and regenerative. These oils can be used at 1% concentration.
For some folks, slow hair growth is due to mild infections of the scalp and follicles. Others, in the case of Alopecia Areata, may even have subtle immune disorders that lead to patchy hair loss. If the scalp is over-oily and irritated, with general thinning or slow hair growth, a gentle antiseptic oil should be included in your formula. This may be as simple as a small amount of Tea Tree, Myrtle or Cedar. Alopecia Areata has been treated specifically with a combination of Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender and Cedar (wood) essential oils in Jojoba and Grapeseed carriers. Each essential oil was effective at approximately one-quarter of one percent concentration.
On to the carrier oils -- the carrier oils we'll look at have distinct therapeutic properties themselves. First is Evening Primrose, a very therapeutic oil for skin and hair care having two main actions: It is nutritive in that it has generous helpings of vitamins for hair growth, and offers a very significant amounts of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. This should be exceptional for any scalp and hair condition where growth is limited by inflammation (use at up to 100% of the base). Next is Rosehip Seed: this oil has been lauded for its anti-aging effects, smoothing scar and wrinkles, along with excellent regenerative results (use at up to 30% of the base). Jojoba oil has a long history of use in hair care, particularly for dry hair, or where one would like their hair to be more shiny and lustrous (use at up to 100% of the base). Coconut oil is highly regarded in cases of hair loss, being nutritive and anti-inflammatory at the same time. Both Coconut and Sesame (also anti-inflammatory and nutritive) are used in Ayurvedic medicine to arouse hair growth (use Coconut at up to 50% and Sesame at up to 100%).
To make and use your personal hair growth formula, select a group of essential oils, and choose the base oils you'd like to use. Add the essential oils at the recommended concentrations (1% is 8 drops of essential oil per ounce of your total mixture). DON'T overdo it, as too much essential oil can possibly irritate the scalp; smaller amounts tend to have the most beneficial effects, and keep the cost of your blend very reasonable. Once you've inverted or lightly shaken the mixture, it's ready to use: you can apply about an eye-dropper full to your scalp, and massage-in. You can do this before going to bed (though cover your bedding to prevent stains from the oils) or wrap your head in a moist towel for a while to maximize absorption. A light scalp massage with the oils will also increase circulation and absorption by the hair roots, perhaps increasing the efficacy of your blend even further.
So there you have a beginner's guide to making a hair-growth stimulating, hair loss preventing aromatherapy formula. This concludes a basic review of the therapeutic use of the best essential oils for hair growth, and how to prepare and use your own personal formula. It's so easy to make your own blend, and finally gives you control over the particular active ingredients in your hair growth products -- plus you can make them using completely natural, and even all-organic essential oils and carrier oils. With careful selection and dedicated use, you're almost certain to see a dramatic change in the health and growth of your hair.
