If you read my post on Excessive Shedding yesterday, you know that I’ve been on a quest to get my shedding under control for a while now. Last year, in a search for solutions, I came across this great post on MopTopMaven’s website that provided an essential oil (EO) blend to address shedding and stimulate growth. I’d been applying a modified version to my scalp a couple days a week as I didn’t have thyme oil and didn’t feel like buying it online.
However, a couple of months ago, I finally tracked down thyme EO at a local health food store in a neighboring town. So, I did some additional internet research to locate the recipe again. I came across this article from Men’s Health Magazine that indicated that there was a limited study (84 participants) that showed 44% of the participants in the treatment group had new hair growth versus only 15% in the control group after 7 months of continuous use of the EO blend. On a daily basis, each participant in the treatment group massaged the EO mix into their scalp for 2 minutes, then wrapped their head in a warm towel to allow the oil to penetrate more fully into the scalp.
The recipe from the later post is below and was slightly different from the version on MopTopMaven’s site. If you google the mix, you’ll find lots of links on it. A couple of months ago, I made the Men’s Health version below and began using it 2-3 days a week:
Hair Oil Recipe
3 drops of essential oil of thyme
3 drops of essential oil of lavender
3 drops of essential oil of rosemary
3 drops of essential oil of cedarwood
1/8 cup of grapeseed oil
1/8 cup of jojoba oil
The first picture below is of my nape area in July 2010 and the second is the same area in May 2011. I think that there is some improvement, though my hair is still a lot finer and less dense in this area. However, the thinness doesn’t look as if it goes as far up my head as it did last year.
(Yes, I just applied the EO mix, so my nape is a bit oily. *lol*)
What do you think? I’ve never been a big scalp “greaser/oiler,” but I like massaging this oil blend into my scalp a few times a week and believe that, even if it’s not promoting new growth, it’s not causing any harm.
Have any of you used this Essential Oil Mix? If so, how often and what was your experience with it?
I’ve never used it. People always swear by Castor Oil for hair growth, especially around the edges (front and back). *whisper* I’ve even heard that people use Monistat!!! *gasp*
MONISTAT?!??! What the … ?!?! JBCO on my scalp makes it itch, so I couldn’t use that. This mixture is light and doesn’t bother my scalp at all.
Yes, the moninstat and castor oil blend actually works! l used it to grow my bald edges post-partum and I was shocked at the results. Gonna try this EO mix for sure
To each their own, but hte monistat made my hair fall worse! I wore a weave and my hair grew back and then it is now breaking again because I did not know not to use a Hard Hat Hairdryer which was too much heat on the crown of my head. So starting all over again, depressing!
Monistate, like rogaine, only really works while you use it. There is a video on YouTube by a white girl who,does a good job of explaining it.
LOL at monistat. Lord!
My scalp is itching a lot lately and not sure why. What I did notice however (and this is unrelated) was that I did a scalp massage with a mix of olive/jam. black castor oil and developed a sore spot. What’s that about??? That was last night and it’s gone as fast as it came. No scabs or cuts. Just a sore spot. Weird.
but back to the itching. i cant’ figure out the culprit. that’s where using too many products is bad. its now hard to single out what’s causing the itching!
Michelle,
My scalp was itching a lot last year too! But, again, I think it was related to amla and castor oil on my scalp. Try simplifying your products on your next wash day to no more than 3 or 4 (shampoo, conditioner, DC, styler) and keep the last off of your scalp. See if it continues to itch. Do you use any type of oil or grease on your scalp other than what you indicated above? Again, castor oil made my scalp itch a lot. It stopped itching once I stopped using that and amla. Some say itching can be good though if you don’t scratch and there is no dryness/flakiness. They say that it means your scalp is stimulated and blood is flowing, which means new cells & growth. Yeah, I never had an itchy scalp before and always had good growth, so I wasn’t buying it for myself;-).
Ive heard of the monistat thing on the scalp and throughout the hair. I have two friends who swear by it but they also wear perms. I would be nervous becuase its not a natural product but she says it grew her hair tremendously
I saw that same post and just started doing this process not too long ago. I’m hoping to see a significant difference, but not holding my breath. Who know! Like you said, I don’t think it’s hurting.
lol and ‘oh gross’ at Monistat.
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Very good product and very high efficienciable oil. Iam satisfied from them.