Rosemary Oil: The Secret Ingredient for Hair Growth with Shilpi Khetarpal, MD

Podcast Transcript

John Horton:

Hey there, and welcome to another Health Essentials podcast. I'm John Horton, your host. Today we're going to chat about rosemary, but not in the way you might think. Forget about using the herb as a savory seasoning, we're looking to put it on your head. Some believe that rosemary oil might be the secret ingredient for growing hair that is longer and healthier. Is there any truth to that claim? That's what we're going to find out today from dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal. Dr. Khetarpal is one of the many experts at Cleveland Clinic who pops into our weekly podcast to share information that you can trust. Now, let's start combing through what's fact or fiction when it comes to putting a few dashes of rosemary on your noggin. Dr. Khetarpal, thank you so much for joining us today. Thanks for making some time.

Dr. Khetarpal:

Thank you for having me.

John Horton:

So today we're talking about hair and in your practice, how important is hair when people come in? I'd imagine it's something that's just really big for people as far as their who they are and just how they present themselves.

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yeah, absolutely. I think hair is something that defines us by our culture, especially women more than men. And I would say in an average week, we probably address people's concerns about their hair, maybe 25, 30 times a week or that many patients. So definitely very common and I feel like it's on the rise with all of us doing things virtually and being on Zoom. It seems to be kind of at the center of people's focus these days.

John Horton:

Well, I know I've agonized over a couple cowlicks I have for my entire life, so I guess it is just part of being human.

Dr. Khetarpal:

Absolutely.

John Horton:

So, jumping into today's topic, we're talking about rosemary oil and whether it can help you grow longer, thicker hair. Let's just kind of jump right into it and does it work?

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yeah, so I think it all kind of started back in 2015. There was a study comparing the application of rosemary oil to 2 percent minoxidil, which is the generic for Rogaine. And after about six months, they found that it was similar efficacy in terms of hair growth. So, I think that's what prompted people to start talking about it and for it to be showing up in some over-the-counter products. So, I think the bottom line is yes, it does work. It does need to be applied to the scalp every day. It is oil. So, if you have thin or fine or already oily hair, you might not like the look and feel of it. But certainly, when used every day, and if you're using the right strength without all this other additive stuff, it can be of benefit.

John Horton:

So, what does it do? Does it have to do with blood circulation or is it just like miracle growth?

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yeah. So, it comes from the plant, it's the oil from the plant, and it has a few different ingredients and different properties based on that. So, this Carnosic acid has been known for over time to kind of heal damaged nerves, it heals tissue, and it can improve cell turnover. They believe that has to do with helping circulation. So, if you increase blood flow to the scalp, then you can certainly give the hair all the nutrients it needs. To shed less, to be a little bit healthier and to grow. It also had some anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. So, I think all of that together is why it can be beneficial not only to preserve the hair you have, but also to decrease hair loss and potentially stimulate hair growth.

John Horton:

Well, and that kind of leads into the next question where we're talking about it helping hair grow a little better. Will it actually help restore hair? If you have a little bald patch, can you put a little rosemary on it and maybe get some new sprouts?

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yeah. So, I think in, like I said, in that study, they did show that it helped. I think it's going to be limited. It's not going to be, 'oh, my hair is 90 percent better', but could it certainly be used either by itself or in addition to medical therapy? Absolutely. I think the key is making sure that it's used as a leave on product, so you don't want to put it on and then wash your hair right away. Perhaps putting it on at nighttime and then maybe washing it off in the morning if you don't like the feel of it. And the key is applying it to the scalp. It doesn't really matter if you put it on the ends or on the hair itself. You just want to apply it to the scalp as a treatment. So yes, it can certainly help, but I think the extent of improvement is variable.

John Horton:

So, you're not going to go from bald to a full head of hair just by rubbing a little rosemary oil on your head.

Dr. Khetarpal:

Exactly. But can it certainly give the hair a boost? Absolutely. Can it potentially decrease some inflammation and just get, like I said, be used as an adjunctive therapy? Absolutely.

John Horton:

Aside from hair growth, is there anything else that rosemary oil can do for your hair?

Dr. Khetarpal:

So, if people have dandruff or some inflammation of the scalp, it can certainly assist with that, helping calm it down. But I think most of the properties are more to grow hair, but certainly if it's what we call seborrheic dermatitis or the medical name for dandruff, it can certainly help with that.

John Horton:

I even saw one claim online, and we'll just say I'm asking for a friend here, where it can help with gray hair. I mean, any truth to that?

Dr. Khetarpal:

So, I have seen that the theory is that basically the hair grays due to stress from the environment and the rosemary oil can decrease that. I think in theory it can, I think more studies need to be done to determine its effect, but I think that's a potential benefit. But I don't think it's going to change someone who's 90 percent gray giving them all their color back, but certainly worth a try.

John Horton:

All right. Well, that is good to know on a personal note here. So, if someone wants to try using rosemary oil on their hair, how should they go about doing it? I mean, do you have any kind of actionable tips that people can use to get started?

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yeah. So, I would say avoid fragrances or what we call carrier oil. So, you just want something with 100 percent rosemary oil, none of the other stuff. So, you can certainly find those online or make sure it's a reputable source. Fragrances and things can certainly make things less effective or irritate the scalp. I would also say before you go ahead and just apply it to your whole scalp, I recommend people do what's called a use test or a patch test where you put a small amount maybe on a certain area of the scalp, make sure you don't react to it before putting it all over. So that's something easy and simple to do. But there's a lot of over-the-counter brands that have rosemary oil in their products, and I think many of them have some good clinical data supporting their use. So certainly, a good place to start.

John Horton:

Is it better for certain hair types? I know you hear about people with thin hair or thicker hair, or does it just work for everybody?

Dr. Khetarpal:

So, I mean, the ingredients should work for everyone. It's just a matter of how you incorporate it into your routine. So, people with very dry, coarse hair might be able to use it every day and actually use it as an oil to their scalp in their hair and not have to wash it out. They may still be able to wash their hair every week. But people with fine hair, it's going to make it look greasy and weigh it down, so they might need to wash it out every day. So, I think everyone can use it. It's just a matter of how you incorporate it into your regimen, whether you put it out at night, then wash it off in the morning or maybe just use it every other day. But certainly, I think a lot of people may not like the feel of the oil and they may feel like it weighs down their hair. It makes it look creasy.

John Horton:

So, it sounds like you can use it daily if it kind of works for you, or you can modify it and use it every other day or a couple times a week.

Dr. Khetarpal:

Right. So, I think the key is apply it to the scalp, leave it on for at least a few hours.

John Horton:

And how much should you use when you put it on? Is there an amount that's usually best, or do you just put it on and see how it goes?

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yeah. So, in the studies they did one ml or one milliliter, so I would say that's probably around a teaspoon, and then to cover the majority of the scalp.

John Horton:

Okay. So, it sounds like a little goes a long way.

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yes, absolutely.

John Horton:

Okay. Any other tips that you might have as far as used it or whether it's something people should go look for?

Dr. Khetarpal:

Yeah. I think it's one of those things where I think you want to be realistic. That hair that says you've like, if someone's maybe had hair loss for over 20 years, it may not work wonders, but if it's something more recent, it can. And the other big thing is just giving it time. So, in their studies it did take six months to see the effect. So, you do have to use it, I would say, at least two or three times a week for six months to see meaningful improvement. So, if you're going to go ahead and start it, just be consistent and give it time.

John Horton:

Well, thank you so much for being with us today, and I look forward to having you back on.

Dr. Khetarpal:

Great. Thank you.

John Horton:

So, there you have it. Rosemary Oil seems to be a pretty simple and safe way to boost hair growth. If you go that route though, definitely make sure to keep your kitchen and bathroom rosemary separate. Till next time, be well.

Speaker 3:

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