If you’ve been losing hair each time you wash your hair, it’s worrisome! While ageing seems to be one of the most popular reasons, hair loss can also be caused by illness, medication, stress, diet and genes.

Vitamin or mineral deficiency such as inadequate iron, zinc and vitamins B12 and D can cause hair loss. Extreme dieting, menopause, medication and overexercising may also be culprits. Hormonal imbalances of the thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenals, pituitary and pineal gland can cause hair loss too.

Regardless of the reasons, thinning hair or extreme and sudden hair loss can cause men and women to become self-conscious about their appearance.

But all is not lost. Aromatherapy and essential oils can work in your favour. Essential oils known to promote hair growth include peppermint, bergamot, lavender, rosemary, thyme, cedarwood, ylang-ylang and lemon.

The lavender essential oil has been shown to promote hair growth when experiments were conducted using mice in the laboratory.

The usage of peppermint essential oil also showed prominent hair growth effects; a significant increase in dermal thickness, follicle number and follicle depth. This research states that peppermint essential oil effectively stimulated hair growth in mice and could be used as a therapeutic treatment for hair loss in humans. This is because peppermint essential oil contains around 40% menthol and menthol increases blood circulation in the scalp which increases the number and the depth of hair follicles.

Cedarwood essential oil regulates sebum secretion in the scalp while ylang-ylang essential oil supports healthy hair growth. Like cedarwood, ylang-ylang balances oil production to optimise hair growth. Another essential oil, lemon, has anti-oxidative and purifying properties to cleanse and revitalise hair follicles.

If you have normal hair, try lavender, rosemary, lemon, orange, geranium, eucalyptus lemon and carrot seed. If you have dry hair, you might want to try frankincense and sandalwood specifically in addition to lavender, rosemary and geranium. And if you have oily hair, your best bet would be lime, thyme, cypress, basil and grapefruit.

Massaging your scalp with essential oils in a carrier oil helps. This research found that alopecia areata patients whose scalps were massaged with thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood in a mixture of carrier oils such as jojoba and grapeseed for a period of 7 months showed visible hair regrowth. The oils were massaged into the scalp for a minimum of 2 minutes before the patient’s head was wrapped in a warm towel nightly.

Carrier oils like jojoba can speed up hair growth. Rub your scalp in circles, working your way from the front of your scalp to the back of your neck. This stimulates blood flow to the scalp. Leave the oils on overnight (wrap your head in a warm towel or wear a shower cap) or shampoo your hair after half an hour.

Besides uses as carrier oils, you may also use these oils on their own for hair conditioning – sweet almond oil, argan oil, avocado oil and camellia seed oil. Argan and avocado oil can be used on all hair types to protect, nourish and condition hair. Camellia seed oil is a balancing oil that conditions the scalp and promotes hair growth. Jojoba is a good balancing oil for all scalps especially itchy ones while Moringa oil strengthens hair and gives it a shiny gloss. Neem oil helps with dandruff, eczema and psoriasis. As we are in Malaysia, let’s not forget coconut oil which strengthens air and conditions the scalp.