Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia is a tough condition to have.
You love your hair and it says a lot about your beauty, right?
Losing it and watching hair fall from your scalp can be daunting.
However, there are things you can start doing today.
One home remedy for CCCA includes essential oils.
This compressed version of different plants and flowers offers the health benefits of them in a super-condensed form.
Scientific studies, which we’ll be touching on ahead, have shown that the following oils are effective at promoting hair growth among other scalp related benefits.
Keep reading to see what I mean.
1. Peppermint oil
Peppermint is a mint plant that is a mix between watermint and spearmint indigenous to Europe.
It has many uses including helping with stomach aches to insomnia and has been included in many different cosmetic products.
A scientific study from the journal of Toxicological Research set out to determine how effective peppermint oil was at promoting hair growth while gauging adverse effects.
The study took four groups of mice and randomized them with topical applications of saline, jojoba oil, minoxidil, and peppermint oil. They studied the hair growth effects over a four week period along with other factors.
The researchers found that peppermint oil grew hair faster than the saline and jojoba oil groups at week 2, remarkably more during week 3, and a rate of 92% during week 4. It being more potent than minoxidil is an incredible discovery because that’s one of the go-to hair loss drugs.
2. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is an essential oil derived from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant which is native to Australia.
This essential oil has many different beneficial properties such as being antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory. This makes it excellent for hair loss conditions like CCCA because it can soothe the skin and lubricate follicles.
Furthermore, tea tree contains special polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants. One study from the Journal of The National Medical Association looked at polyphenol’s ability to improve hair growth.
60 mice that had developed hair loss on their head, neck, or dorsal areas were used for the study. Separated into two groups, Group A received drinking water containing polyphenol extract and Group B had regular water.
Researchers found that mice in the first group experienced significant growth in hairs during six months of treatment while the control group saw no improvements.
3. Lavender oil
Lavender oil, as you can guess, is an essential oil derived from the lavender plant. Lavender itself offers many health benefits including improved sleep, treating skin blemishes, reduced blood pressure, and most importantly hair growth.
Another study that can be found in the journal of Toxicological Research was done on lavender oil and its effect on hair growth.
Groups of female mice were separated into groups for saline, jojoba oil, minoxidil, 3% lavender oil, and 5% lavender oil.
The solutions for each of these products were applied to the back of the mice every day, five times per week for a total of four weeks. Researchers measured metrics like the number of hair follicles, thickness, and depth among other important elements.
The groups of mice which received minoxidil, 3% lavender oil, and 5% lavender oil, all experienced a significantly increased number of follicles, depth, mast cells, and dermal layer thickness.
If you’re looking for an effective oil for CCCA alopecia, you will definitely want to consider mixing lavender oil of any concentration into your routine.
4. Jojoba
Jojoba oil is one of the most popular carrier oils available on the market. It is an ester of wax, meaning that it carries a lot of moisture and helps to restore the hydration of follicles and the scalp when used topically. A lot of other essential oils are already mixed with jojoba or can be afterward. I would recommend this because it adds more moisture and positive hair benefits when used with others we’ve covered.
It’s easy to see why jojoba is so great, too. It’s packed with omega-9’s, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, and other nutrients that make it incredible for hair.
It is also capable of breaking down buildup on the scalp that can be causing symptoms of CCCA like itchiness, irritation, and inflammation.
Final thoughts on the best essentials oils for CCCA
If you’re interested in treating your CCCA naturally, you’d be crazy not to try essential oils because of their cost-effectiveness. Many of them you can purchase on websites like Amazon or at healthfood stores.
The most effective according to the studies we looked at today are lavender oil and peppermint oil. However, jojoba and tea tree oil still have great potential.
There’s nothing to say that you can’t mix CCCA hair regrowth oils, too. This will give you many more benefits and chances for regrowth in some cases.
