Can CBD Oil Treat Thinning Hair and Hair Loss?'

Name: Jools

Question: Can CBD oil treat hair loss? I have thinning hair and heard this is good for regrowth.

Answer: Hi, Jools. You haven't mentioned the cause of your hair loss but, regardless, there is no clinical evidence that suggests CBD oil can treat thinning hair.

Cannabiniol oil - also known as cannabis oil and CBD oil - comes in a range of strengths and strains, depending on the type of hemp leaves it is produced from.

There are around 113 active chemicals in the cannabis sativa plant, known as cannabinoids. The two key components are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Whilst THC is the banned psychoactive known for getting people high, CBD is considered an anti-psychotic and makes up approximately 40 per cent of cannabis extracts.

Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis sativa plants, but differ in that hemp plants tend to be farmed for their non-psychoactive CBD benefits, whilst marijuana plants have often been modified to ensure high levels of THC.

Studies are still underway but CBD has already been found to be beneficial to a range of health problems including epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety and inflammation. Furthermore, it has a low side-effect profile, being largely well-tolerated with the main complaint in users being tiredness.  In August 2016 it was reported in The Independent that the NHS is developing a CBD vape pen, known as the MediPen vaporiser, to help people deal with a range of health issues. Despite this, it is not presently MHRA licensed, nor FDA approved for the treatment of any condition.

Cannabiniol use for medical purposes is legal in many countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Italy and Germany, whilst in America the law varies by state to state. Though cannabis use is illegal in the UK, carrying potential penalties for possession of up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, the use of CBD is legal.

In some cases the NHS is actually able to prescribe CBD, commonly referred to as medical marijuana, though this is generally for pain management when other options have been exhausted, and not for issues considered to be 'cosmetic' and where its effects are unproven, such as hairloss.

One reason CBD oil appears to have been widely touted on the internet as a potential hair loss solution, is due to its nutritional properties. It is rich in the fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6 - something researchers at the University of Seville found to be present in the '1/4 ratio' considered optimal for health. It is also understood to contain good levels of linoleic and gamma linoleic acid (GLA) - essential fatty acids which promote the maintenance of normal hair growth - as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. Additionally, cannabiniol oil is said to be high in vitamin E.

As such, it may help to improve the condition of the hair in the same way following a balanced, healthy diet would. However, CBD oil is highly unlikely to treat a medical hair loss condition, especially if this is a genetic complaint - namely Male Pattern Baldness or Female Pattern Hair Loss, both of which cause thinning hair anywhere in the vertex area from the crown to the hairline, in those affected.

Despite it usually being taken orally, we are aware of CBD oil being used as a topical treatment for scalp conditions such as eczema and seborrhoeic dermatitis, though the evidence to support this type of therapy is currently solely anecdotal.

Discovering an effective, natural treatment or cure for hair loss would be fantastic but, to date, there are none that have been proven to work in regrowing hair or preventing baldness. There are, however, clinically-proven pharmaceutical hair loss treatments available, which - at Belgravia - are offered alongside additional supporting products and therapies tailored towards maximising hair growth and condition.

These include FDA-cleared low-level laser therapy (LLLT) devices, such as the LaserBand products, and premium Hair Vitalics food supplements, in highly-targeted Men's and Women's formulations, comprising a range of beneficial vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanical extracts including selenium, zinc and biotin to promote normal, healthy hair growth.

The first step we would recommend you take, however, is to establish the precise reason your hair is thinning. There are a number of reasons that this can happen and a professional diagnosis is usually the best way to ensure you know exactly what is happening, why and how to address it.