Aromatherapy for hair loss.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to achieve therapeutic health benefits. Itis thought to date back thousands of years to the time of Cleopatra. Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts which are derived from the flowers, leaves, bark and roots of various plants.

They contain the plant’s active “lifelike” properties and are said to be the “blood” of the plant. Among these essential oils are cedarwood, lavender, rosemary and thyme, all of which have been used to treat alopecia for over a hundred years. However, no scientific study has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of these substances until now.

A revolutionary aromatherapy study was recently published in the Archives of Dermatology. Isabelle C.Hay and co-researchers from the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland studied 86 people with diagnosed alopecia areata.  The trial lasted seven months and while the trial took place, the participants stopped using topical (skin) and oral alopecia medications. 

At the beginning of the study, and again after three and seven months, professional photographs were taken of each patient’s scalp. Changes as seen in the photographs served as the primary outcome measure.  Mapping and measuring of the bald patches was also done to determine results.

An impressive 44 percent of the group using the essential oils significantly improved.  The average area of hair regrowth with the essential oils was 104 square centimeters, compared with nearly zero for those using the placebo.  According to one intriguing photograph provided by the researchers, considerable hair regrowth occurred with one male patient who had both alopecia areata and severe male pattern hair loss.

These results show aromatherapy to be a safe and effective treatment for alopecia areata.  The researchers were proud to have successfully applied an evidence-based method to an alternative therapy. Evidently, one or more of the essential oils is able to promote hair regrowth. And unlike standard medical therapies, the essential oils have a very low risk of side effects and are not nearly as costly.

How To Use Essential Oils for Hair Loss:

Add 2 drops of the essential oil either to the rinse water or to a good vegetable oil. Massage it well into the scalp. Wrap the hair in plastic wrap; place a warm towel around it. Leave it for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight. Shampoo the hair as usual, using a mild shampoo (avoid medicated shampoo), so that you do not damage the sebum balance.

Essential Oils for Stimulating Circulation and Improving the Hair Health

A blend of bay and lavender essential oils stimulates the scalp and helps hair health. Add six drops of each oil to four ounces of a warm carrier oil such as almond, soybean or sesame oil. Massage the mixture into the scalp and allow it to absorb for 20 minutes. Add three drops of bay essential oil to the shampoo you regularly uses and wash the hair with this shampoo.

Essential Oil Blend for Hair Growth - As described above.

1. Thyme essential oil - 2 drops
2. Atlas cedarwood essential oil - 2 drops
3. Lavender essential oil -3 drops
4. Rosemary essential oil -3 drops
5. Jojoba oil - ½ teaspoon
6. Grapeseed oil - 4 teaspoons

Add the first four ingredients into a small glass jar. Mix well. Now add the remaining two ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Massage this mixture into your scalp for at least two minutes every night. Wrap your head in a warm towel after treatment.
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Oils of arnica, lavender, rosemary or calamus stimulate healthy hair growth. Rub into hair before washing.

Caution:

Avoid rosemary oil if you have high blood pressure. Keep lemon and grapefruit doses low if you have sensitive skin, as they may be slightly irritating.

Read news story:   Essential oils and low-intensity electromagnetic pulses in the treatment of androgen-dependent alopecia.

Aromatherapy for hair loss.