Hair loss is a pathetic journey. But at a certain age, most of us have to suffer from this delicate situation. Like the other oils olive oil, coconut oil, almond or castor oil, pumpkin seed oil has seen to have some benefits for our hair health. So, how to use pumpkin seed oil for hair loss? How to incorporate it in your hair care regimen?
Along with these questions, what it does for our hair, scientific background of this oil everything is explained in this article below.
Let’s dive into it……………….
A lot of questions peep into your mind regarding pumpkin seed oil, right? Pumpkin seed oil helps in hair growth or not? How to use pumpkin seed oil for hair loss? What are the benefits of it? Or is there any side effect of using this oil?
Before answering all of these questions, let’s know about the oil and what it does for our hair first!
What is pumpkin seed oil?
From the hulled pumpkin seeds, this oil is made by expeller-pressing method. It is blessed with anti-oxidants, minerals, fatty acids etc vital nutrients.
Pumpkin is an edible plant with a nutty aroma in it. Again it has some medical properties like anti-inflammatory properties. The fun fact is, back in the seventeenth century, it had achieved a great value for its amazing healing properties.
What does pumpkin seed oil do for your hair?
Pumpkin seed oil has a lot of benefits in healing heart disease, depression or protecting from other diseases. But it has some certain benefits for hair. Here are the benefits:
- Mineral source for hair
No matter it is pumpkin seed, oil or pulp, it contains a lot of minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and irons.
It acts as a good source of minerals for hair in both the way- oral consumption supplements and the oil messaging on scalp.
- Anti-inflammatory properties
From pumpkin seed oil, fatty acids are separated and used in medicines for anti-inflammatory properties.
Pumpkin seed oil is used in India and Central America to treat herpes sores, venereal sores, acne vulgaris and stubborn leg ulcers that is very difficult to heal.
In some cases, it is seen that application of pumpkin leaves on pulled ligament and sprains shows good results.
- Provides anti-oxidants to hair
A wider range of anti-oxidants are seen in this oil. Different forms of vitamin E, mineral anti-oxidant, phenolic anti-oxidant and lignans are found in pumpkin seed oil.
These diversity of anti-oxidants found in pumpkin seed oil, helps in the re-growth of hair. Such a great combination of anti-oxidant is hardly found in other foods.
- Anti-microbial properties
This oil shows some anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties also.
- Androgenetic aloepecia treatment
Pumpkin seed oil is believed helpful for Androgenetic aloepecia, a male pattern baldness.
This oil ensures clean scalp with healthy hair follicles as it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. So, if you lose hair due to dead skin cells on scalp or clogged hair follicles, then it may be a good choice to treat your problem.
The scientific theory behind pumpkin seed oil: All you need to know!
In 2014, a research was carried out to determine the efficiency of pumpkin seed oil. Is it good for androgenetic aloepecia or not? A very positive result is shown after 24 weeks of experiment.
It was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study that was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital and was performed in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
76 males were selected who had mild to moderate Androgenetic aloepecia. Half of them were given 400 mg pumpkin seed oil per day whereas the rest half were given placebo. The evaluation of scalp hair growth with the time is then assessed.
Four assessments were carried out: clinical photos by blinded investigator, patient self-assessment score, scalp hair thickness and count.
The investigation showed a great result with a higher self-assessment score after 24 weeks. People saw a great change in their hair growth with the pumpkin seed oil. Their hair count increases by 40% with the intake of pumpkin seed oil. On the other hand this result was unsatisfactory for the placebo consumers.
The patients were given actually Octa-Sabal Plus. This contains pumpkin seed powder along with Octacosanol form vegetable powder, Gamma linoleic acid from evening primrose, lycopene from tomato powder.
Phototrichography process was used to take the photos of the patient’s scalp. At first photo was taken to set up as base line, then after 12 weeks photos were taken and again after 24 weeks photos were taken.
The study showed a significant increase in hair count though it had a negligible change in the thickness of hair.
After this study, the researcher came to a point that having pumpkin seed oil supplement for 24 weeks has a positive result in hair growth.
But the supplement used in this study contains other ingredients along with the pumpkin seed oil. So, it is actually difficult to say that whether the above result was just for pumpkin seed oil.
The whole experiment in a nutshell:
- Pumpkin seed oil was not the sole ingredient used for that experiment. So the other ingredients presented in the supplement might have contributed to the hair growth as well. There is no way to deny that.
- Again, this experiment was carried out only on 76 males. So, it seemed very limited investigation as no experiments were carried out on women. And the number of patients were very less also.
As the experiment shows a positive result that means pumpkin seed oil helps in hair growth. Might be its role was small or it played a great role in re-growing the hair. More studies are needed to clarify this.
There is also a scientific study that pumpkin seed works in hair re-growth as it has phytosterols in it.
Experiment shows hair growth after 24 weeks
Despite all of these, as pumpkin seed oil has certain health and hair benefits, they can be used for natural hair loss treatment.
How does it help in hair regrowth?
Phytosterols are natural DTH blocker. Androgenetic aloepecia is mainly triggered for this DTH. Enzymatic action of 5 alpha converts DTH from testosterone. As pumpkin seed oil has polysterols then it is helpful in re-growing hair.
It has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps in reducing the inflammation on the scalp. So, for the treatment of hair loss, pumpkin seed oil can be used as a natural hair loss remedy.
3 uses of Pumpkin seed oil
For hair loss pumpkin seed oil can be used in the following three ways.
Pumpkin seed oil supplements
You might get the pumpkin seed oil supplement in the form of oil gel capsule. Please follow the instructions on the label of your supplement bottle.
1000 mg can be taken orally once or twice after having a meal per day. If any stomach upset, an allergic reaction or digestive issue occurs stop continue this supplement and take advice from your doctor.
This is the supplement that was used for the experiment carried out at 2014 which provided a great result after 24 weeks. If you want, you can shop these supplements from their website.
This supplement is a better alternative of that octa-sabal plus supplement. Customers are highly satisfied with the result of this supplement. This is an herbal supplement with essential fatty acids, phytosterols, and pumpkin seed oils.
A great recovery in hair is seen with the intake of this supplement. The consumers also rated this product with five stars and claims that it works for them really well.
Intake of Pumpkin seed oil
Pumpkin seed oils can also be directly taken orally for hair loss purpose. You can take one teaspoon to one table spoon twice or thrice in a day.
Use Pumpkin seed oil in hair care regimen
Pumpkin seed oil can directly be used on the scalp. Hot oil treatment, hair mist, hair conditioning pack can be used for better benefits and regrowth of hair.
Use pumpkin seed oil in the following 3 ways:
- Hot oil treatment
- Take a glass jar, put 2 table spoon castor oil, 3 table spoon pumpkin seed oil, 2 table spoon coconut oil along with almond oil. Tightly close the lid of the jar.
- Now warm the oil using a double boiler method.
- Apply the warm oil onto the washed slightly wet hair and massage the scalp. You can follow the inversion method for massaging.
- Now wrap your scalp with a hot towel and keep for good half an hour. Then rinse with shampoo.
- Hair mist
- Take half glass of water, 2 table spoon pumpkin seed oil and 2 table spoon ginger juice into a glass.
- Shake it really well and your hair mist is ready to go with.
- Keep on the scalp for 20 minutes and then rinse it off.
- Hair conditioning pack
- Take 3 table spoon of pumpkin pulp, 2 table spoon of pumpkin seed oil, 1 table spoon of olive oil, 1 table spoon of coconut oil, 3 table spoon of Greek yogurt, 2 table spoon of honey.
- Now give it a good mix.
- Apply the mixture on the scalp for half an hour.
- Now rinse it off with shampoo.
This oil is enriched with anti-oxidants that strengthens hair follicles. It also reduces enzyme causing hair loss. It has anti-inflammatory properties that deeply nourishes your scalp. This oil is organic. Customers find this oil very good for their hair as well as skin.
You can also check out other pumpkin seed oils from the link below!
The last word
More researches are needed in case of pumpkin seed oil. But despite of all, it is a better natural treatment option for hair loss. Try our recommendations and let us know in the comment section below if they work for you or not.