JBCO will solve the following: Dry brittle hair, hair breakages, dandruff, dry itchy scalp, eczema, thinning hair, alopecia, bald spots, and will rapidly increase hair growth including eyebrows and eyelashes. In short, JBCO is a holy grail in the hair community and synonymous with healthy hair growth.
The tl;dr: no. "Castor oil will not grow hair," says Perry Romanowski, a cosmetic chemist and the author of Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry. "There is no evidence for it and no scientific theory supporting that it would work. So yes, it's a total myth."
If you use castor oil consistently once or twice every week, you will see hair growth in 3-4 months.
Rosemary oil has been found to stimulate new hair growth and can even be used to treat androgenetic alopecia. Mix a few drops of rosemary oil into a carrier oil, like argan oil or jojoba oil, and massage it into your hair and scalp before rinsing. You can do this a few times per week.
One of the most widely used and proven treatments is minoxidil (Rogaine and various generic products). It's available in liquid, foam, or shampoo options. Stronger forms of minoxidil are also available by prescription. Minoxidil may cause side effects like skin irritation or unwanted hair growth on skin near the scalp.
Most bald spots are treatable, there are hair products for bald spots, either using medication, by making changes to your lifestyle or by undergoing surgery to transplant hair to the area that's affected by hair loss.
Also known as camouflaging products, topical concealers are cosmetic ways of hiding the bald spot without actually growing hair. The most commonly used camouflages include hair building fibers (a keratin based product in a shaker jar) which increase density when applied to the scalp near bald spots.
In most people, new hair eventually grows back in the affected areas, although this process can take months. Approximately 50 percent of people with mild alopecia areata recover within a year; however, most people will experience more than one episode during their lifetime.
Unfortunately, male and female pattern baldness is not reversible without surgical intervention. However, if detected early enough, certain medications, such as minoxidil, finasteride, and Dutasteride can help halt the progression of thinning hair.
A common side effect of using castor oil on hair is acute hair felting. This is a serious condition, where the hair twists and entangles and turns into hard mass like a stone that resembles a bird's nest. This condition, if started once, is hard to get rid of.
The omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids in Jamaican black castor oil can both do wonders for thin and easily breakable hair. These acids will nourish the scalp and strengthen the hair roots as well as improve blood flow to the scalp, which in turn encourages new hair growth, helping to treat thinning hair.
Does castor oil cause side effects like hair loss or damage? While castor oil can cause side effects, it's usually related to the scalp and should not cause hair to fall out. "Some people may have a skin sensitivity to castor oil, and this can cause problems when it's rubbed into the scalp," Kingsley says.
After you shower, while your pores are still open, applying a moisturizing oil will further hydrate a bald head, according to our experts, who say it's especially imperative to use one before you shave your scalp.
Oils and dirt can build up on a bald scalp, so be sure to use a dab of shampoo when you shower and follow up with a moisturizing conditioner to keep that head flake-free. And while soap or body wash may seem like an easy option, they can have a drying effect. It's best to stick with products made for hair.
The underlying principle is that scalp massage stimulates blood circulation of the scalp. This in turn stimulates the hair follicles into a growth cycle. Done consistently, this can help lead to hair regrowth, even in thinning or bald patches of the scalp.
After hair stops shedding, the hair will slowly grow back. This can take 6 to 8 months for all the hair to grow back. The whole cycle takes about 12 months. This type of hair loss is called telogen effluvium.
While there is scientific proof that coconut oil can reduce protein loss in hair, there's no scientific evidence to show that coconut oil has any effect on preventing male pattern baldness caused by DHT. However, this hasn't stopped people from making claims about coconut oil's “ability” to prevent hair loss.
Bald spots of the scalp, brow, or beard are commonly caused by a medical condition called alopecia areata. It is also commonly called spot baldness, and it is believed to be an autoimmune disorder that causes the body's immune system to mistake hair follicles for foreign invaders, and then, attack them as such.
Many hair care experts recommend using castor oil no more than once a week. Using it more frequently than that can cause buildup and lead to issues like matting.
It's important to remember that even if castor oil has the potential to improve the condition of your hair and scalp, it isn't a medically proven treatment for hair loss. If you're looking for a solution backed by science (and by the FDA), we recommend looking into finasteride or minoxidil.
"For people who will benefit, I have seen positive results typically after six to eight weeks of use," he says. Still, it's important to note that results won't last forever. Ongoing use is required to maintain the benefits of castor oil, Gaunitz adds.
It is recommended that you leave castor oil in your hair for at least thirty minutes to allow for full absorption. Some treatments direct users to leave castor oil in overnight for maximum absorption. If you have oily hair, a shorter period before washing may be necessary to avoid oily build up.