Can Pomegranate Seed Oil Make Hair Grow Quicker?
In the search for natural hair loss solutions, it is common for people to turn to what they find in their home - particularly fruit, vegetables and spices, with onions, garlic and ginger leading the way.
There are many myths regarding home hair growth remedies, which - largely thanks to the internet - refuse to die, despite being dis-proven by experts.
The latest addition to this list appears to be pomegranate seed oil, which some companies - notably those selling it - are claiming can make hair grow quicker.
Pomegranate seeds, known as arils, are rich in vitamins C and K. The fruit is renowned for its antioxidant profile, but also has beneficial quantities of potassium, folate and fibre, though it is also high in naturally-occurring sugars.
Vitamin C aids collagen production, helping to produce strong, healthy hair, whilst vitamin K contributes to heart and bone health as well as supporting the immune system. Folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, is a B vitamin involved in the production of red blood cells, with good circulation being important for hair growth.
Being potassium deficient can cause hairloss, The potassium channels in the body are also thought to be linked to hair growth; minoxidil, the only clinically-proven unisex genetic hair loss treatment that is both MHRA licensed and FDA approved, and which has been shown to accelerate regrowth, is thought to work by stimulating the potassium channels. This is currently the only treatment established for encouraging hair growth, though there are FDA cleared low level laser therapy devices, such as the LaserComb, which are also proven for this purpose.
The two key antioxidants found in pomegranates are highly-potent unicalagins and punicic acid which is found in pomegranate seed oil. These are essentially forms of conjugated linoleic acid and are the source of many of the claims regarding how good pomegranates are for you. These fatty, omega-rich acids are considered advantageous for both scalp and hair health, plus punicic acid is thought to be anti-inflammatory.
So, given each of these nutrients can contributes to healthy hair growth, eating the seeds and/or drinking the juice as part of a generally balanced diet and lifestyle, it could be said that pomegranates may be useful in this regard. However, on their own, and certainly when applied topically, they are unlikely to make hair grow faster.
Various research projects have studied whether there are any real benefits to taking supplements of pomegranate seed oil; you can find a summary of these studies, here, however, there is no mention of hair growth in any of the findings.
Whilst natural remedies, including common foods such as fruits, are often thought of as safe to consume, this is not always the case. For example, in the case of pomegranate, some people can be allergic to the berry whilst others may have a sensitivity to pomegranate extract. Furthermore, pomegranates' skin, root and peel all contain poisons and are widely considered unsafe to consume in large quantities. Therefore, if you wish to try taking pomegranate seed oil to see if it has any effect on your hair growth, we would recommend taking it in supplement form from a reputable brand and retailer. Also ensure you read and follow the instructions and, if you have any concerns or queries, ask the provider to answer these before taking any.
One word of caution we would offer is to be wary of any products touted as 'quick fix' solutions for making hair grow quicker, especially those promising results within weeks as this is simply unrealistic.
Each phase of the hair growth cycle takes a certain length of time to complete and there are no natural methods known for extending the active growth (anagen) stage, at present. As such, whilst some food supplements, such as Belgravia's exclusive Hair Vitalics, may promote the maintenance of normal healthy hair growth as part of a balanced diet, they are intended as a nutritional support rather than a treatment designed to alter the natural rhythm and timeline of this function.
There are many myths regarding home hair growth remedies, which - largely thanks to the internet - refuse to die, despite being dis-proven by experts.
The latest addition to this list appears to be pomegranate seed oil, which some companies - notably those selling it - are claiming can make hair grow quicker.
Full of nutrients and antioxidants
Pomegranate seeds, known as arils, are rich in vitamins C and K. The fruit is renowned for its antioxidant profile, but also has beneficial quantities of potassium, folate and fibre, though it is also high in naturally-occurring sugars.
Vitamin C aids collagen production, helping to produce strong, healthy hair, whilst vitamin K contributes to heart and bone health as well as supporting the immune system. Folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, is a B vitamin involved in the production of red blood cells, with good circulation being important for hair growth.
Being potassium deficient can cause hairloss, The potassium channels in the body are also thought to be linked to hair growth; minoxidil, the only clinically-proven unisex genetic hair loss treatment that is both MHRA licensed and FDA approved, and which has been shown to accelerate regrowth, is thought to work by stimulating the potassium channels. This is currently the only treatment established for encouraging hair growth, though there are FDA cleared low level laser therapy devices, such as the LaserComb, which are also proven for this purpose.
The two key antioxidants found in pomegranates are highly-potent unicalagins and punicic acid which is found in pomegranate seed oil. These are essentially forms of conjugated linoleic acid and are the source of many of the claims regarding how good pomegranates are for you. These fatty, omega-rich acids are considered advantageous for both scalp and hair health, plus punicic acid is thought to be anti-inflammatory.
Effects on hair growth
So, given each of these nutrients can contributes to healthy hair growth, eating the seeds and/or drinking the juice as part of a generally balanced diet and lifestyle, it could be said that pomegranates may be useful in this regard. However, on their own, and certainly when applied topically, they are unlikely to make hair grow faster.
Whilst natural remedies, including common foods such as fruits, are often thought of as safe to consume, this is not always the case. For example, in the case of pomegranate, some people can be allergic to the berry whilst others may have a sensitivity to pomegranate extract. Furthermore, pomegranates' skin, root and peel all contain poisons and are widely considered unsafe to consume in large quantities. Therefore, if you wish to try taking pomegranate seed oil to see if it has any effect on your hair growth, we would recommend taking it in supplement form from a reputable brand and retailer. Also ensure you read and follow the instructions and, if you have any concerns or queries, ask the provider to answer these before taking any.
One word of caution we would offer is to be wary of any products touted as 'quick fix' solutions for making hair grow quicker, especially those promising results within weeks as this is simply unrealistic.
Each phase of the hair growth cycle takes a certain length of time to complete and there are no natural methods known for extending the active growth (anagen) stage, at present. As such, whilst some food supplements, such as Belgravia's exclusive Hair Vitalics, may promote the maintenance of normal healthy hair growth as part of a balanced diet, they are intended as a nutritional support rather than a treatment designed to alter the natural rhythm and timeline of this function.
The Belgravia Centre
The Belgravia Centre is a world-renowned group of a hair loss clinic in Central London, UK. If you are worried about hair loss you can arrange a free consultation with a hair loss expert or complete our Online Consultation from anywhere in the world for home-use treatment.
View our Hair Loss Success Stories, which includes the world's largest gallery of hair growth photos and demonstrates the level of success that so many of Belgravia's patients achieve.
