Can CBD Help With Hair Loss?

Does this sound like you: You're experiencing some hair loss or thinning, stressing out about it, then having even more hair loss due to your stress. It's a hair-raising (and then falling out) cycle!

Don't worry, you're not alone. Hair thinning or loss is very common among both men and women. It can happen for many reasons — from genetics to diet or stress levels.

Unfortunately, there aren't many solutions out there. Many are looking to natural solutions like CBD to help stimulate the scalp and save or restore their tresses. Could CBD be the key to transforming your locks from limp to lustrous, or from lost to lots?

CBD Untangled

First, let's make sure we're all on the same page. Let’s break down what CBD is and what it isn’t. There are a lot of terms flying around in the cannabis world and it can get confusing.

First, CBD is not a medication. It's simply one of more than 100 compounds found in the cannabis plant. When ingested or applied to our skin, CBD interacts with the body's endocannabinoid system and can then kick off a variety of results.

CBD doesn't produce any psychoactive effects. This means that CBD products don't make people high, and are instead used to help relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and promote general wellness.

CBD's federally legal across the United States — so long as it contains less than 0.03% THC.

How Can CBD Help Your Hair Health?

CBD is rising in the ranks as an overall wellness supplement, but how does it fare as a haircare product?

Here's what we know when it comes to using CBD to support hair health.

CBD & Hair Growth

We don't know much about how CBD can help prevent hair loss, because there have been so few studies on the  topic. One study found that low concentrations of CBD promoted hair growth, while the higher concentrations suppressed hair growth.(1) The jury is still out on whether CBD supplements can be used to help stimulate hair growth. 

What is better known is CBD's anti-inflammatory qualities that CBD help soothe the scalp.

An Anti-Inflammatory Marvel

Chronic inflammation is hard on your body. CBD is well known to be an anti-inflammatory.(2) Its ability to reduce inflammation may help with hair health because it might prevent the inflammation of scalp and follicles associated with skin conditions. There's some research to suggest that CBD may help with skin conditions like psoriasis — which often flares up on the scalp.(3,4)

If you struggle with a condition that leads to a dry and itchy scalp, CBD might help soothe the skin. This, in turn, helps to prevent irritation of the scalp — a common cause for hair loss.

Stress & Hair Health

If you're experiencing some hair loss, stress or anxiety could be playing an integral role in accelerating it. Severe stress can disrupt your hair cycle and cause hair loss.(5)

Numerous studies have shown that CBD has anti-anxiety effects, and that it may help you sleep and manage your stress better.(6)

Can CBD Prevent Or Treat Hair Loss?

There's just not enough research out there for us to definitely claim that CBD can help prevent or treat hair loss. But there is enough evidence to suggest that it might be helpful for those who’re looking into natural ways of coping with hair loss related to stress. It may also help reduce psoriasis symptoms, which often lead to hair loss.

There's also some research to show that targeting CB1 receptors may help regulate and encourage hair growth.(7) But, we need to learn more.

Perhaps one day, targeted treatments using cannabinoids — like CBD — can help prevent or treat hair loss.

Types Of Products That Contain CBD

CBD comes in all kinds of products. When using CBD for a healthy hair care regimen, you have two options. You can directly apply the CBD to your hair and scalp, or you can consume the CBD with ingestible products. Different types include:

• CBD oil
• CBD capsules and CBD softgels
• CBD edibles like CBD gummies
• CBD topical creams
• CBD body washes
• CBD shampoos, conditioners, and other haircare product
• CBD beauty serums
• CBD vapes
• CBD-infused drinks

Using CBD In A Hair Care Routine

Since there are no FDA-approved CBD hair treatments out there, you'll have to decide which options make the most sense for you. Different kinds and causes of hair issues may respond better to different formulations and applications of CBD. It may take some trial and error to find an approach that works for your specific needs.

Here are some how-to ideas:

• You'll likely find lots of beauty and personal care products out there that have CBD in them. These could be one option for your hair care routine.
• Another common way to incorporate CBD into your hair care plan is to add CBD oil to your favorite hair care products. That way you can keep using the products you love and find a super high-quality CBD oil to complement your current routine.
• You can also combine CBD oil with a nutrient-rich carrier oil like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or argan oil for a DIY hair oil. These oils are full of good-for-you compounds like vitamin E and nourishing fatty acids.(8) Research has shown that vitamin E may help promote hair growth.(9)
• Consider ingestible CBD. For instance, if stress is causing you to pull your hair out — maybe a daily CBD softgel supplement to support your overall mental wellbeing will help.

CBD For Hair: The Mane Takeaways

Some research suggests that CBD might help promote hair growth and regulate the cycle of your hair follicles. Right now, though, the data on exactly how CBD supplements affect hair loss is pretty thin.

But there are a few ways CBD may be able to help support your hair health:

• Reducing inflammation in the scalp and follicles
• Combating skin conditions like psoriasis, which can lead to hair loss
• Calming you, which could lessen stress-related hair loss

If you’re looking to give CBD for your hair a try, be sure to use a high-quality CBD oil for optimal wellness.

SHOP HIGH QUALITY CBD OIL

References

1. Szabó, IL, et al. (2020). The Phytocannabinoid (-)-Cannabidiol Operates as a Complex, Differential Modulator of Human Hair Growth: Anti-Inflammatory Submicromolar versus Hair Growth Inhibitory Micromolar Effects. The Journal of investigative dermatology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2019.07.690
2. Atalay, S, et al. (2019). Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol. Antioxidants. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9010021
3. Baswan, SM, et al. (2020). Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol (CBD) for Skin Health and Disorders. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S286411
4. Wilkinson, JD, et al. (2007). Cannabinoids inhibit human keratinocyte proliferation through a non-CB1/CB2 mechanism and have a potential therapeutic value in the treatment of psoriasis. Journal of dermatological science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdermsci.2006.10.009
5. Malkud, S. (2015). Telogen Effluvium: A Review. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2015/15219.6492
6. Blessing, EM, et al. (2015). Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-015-0387-1
7. Telek, A, et al. (2007). Inhibition of human hair follicle growth by endo- and exocannabinoids. FASEB journal: official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.06-7689com
8. Gallagher, G. (2020). The Best Oils for Treating Dry Hair. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/oil-for-dry-hair
9. Beoy, LA, et al. (2010). Effects of tocotrienol supplementation on hair growth in human volunteers. Tropical life sciences research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3819075/