The 15 Best Hair Growth Oils, Tested And Recommended By Experts
Doctors and other experts get right to the point.
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Hair oils are capable of more than moisturizing and imparting shine to the lengths of your hair. Apply the fatty acid-rich ingredients to your scalp and they may help promote hair growth.
That said, the natural hair oils you’re already using on the ends of your hair won’t necessarily offer hair growth benefits, and they may even throw off your scalp’s microbiome. “Those who experience thinning hair generally have oil-loving microbes growing in excess on their scalp,” says Sanjay Batra, PhD, regenerative medicine expert and founder of WeThrivv. “When applying an oil to the scalp, it must be an oil that microbes don’t eat, or a mixture that contains microbe-minimizing ingredients." He offers an example: "Microbes don’t like castor oil because it contains an ingredient called ricinoleic acid, which has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.”
Shop some of the best oils for hair growth here:
The bottom line: You want to opt for a scalp-friendly formula—ideally one that contains oils that have been linked to hair growth benefits. “Take bhringraj oil for example, which is used traditionally in eastern countries to support hair health,” says Dr. Batra. The oil is infused with the bringraj plant, which is thought to reduce harmful microbes, reduce inflammation, and support hair health, he says.
Some essential oils have been associated with hair growth benefits, either independently or when combined with other ingredients, including rosemary, peppermint, and lavender oils, adds Dr. Batra. Worth noting: There’s a lack of research on humans exploring the hair growth benefits of the aforementioned ingredients, with the exception of rosemary oil.
Reading through ingredients will only get you so far. You also want to choose a formula that’ll suit your specific hair/scalp type, sensitivities, and budget, from a company with positive reviews. That’s where this detailed guide to the best oils for hair growth comes in.
Renee Cherry is a New York-based writer and editor specializing in beauty, health, fitness, and nutrition. She earned a B.S. in journalism with a specialization in fashion in beauty communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She completed internships at Cosmopolitan and Shape.com before taking a full time position at Shape as a digital writer/producer. Renee spent the next six years working at Shape.com, most recently as the brand's associate editor, before transitioning to freelance work.
Danielle is the senior beauty editor at Women's Health. Her apartment is currently littered with beauty products, but when she's not testing them all out, you can find her watching facial ASMR videos on YouTube, binge-watching The Golden Girls on Hulu, and reading rom-coms.
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