Aromatherapy and Alopecia

Petra · Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 313

My friend was diagnosed with Alopecia. I read in some magazine that aromatherapy helps dealing with alopecia. Is anyone more familiar with aromatherapy treatment in alopecia?
I appreciate every response!

lily · Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 148

You are right- aromatherapy is proved to be a successful alternative treatment for alopecia.

An experiment was made, in which patients diagnosed with alopecia were divided in two groups. Experimental group received combination of essential oils (rosemary- 3 drops, thyme- 2 drops, lavender- 3 drops, cedarwood- 2 drops) and they massaged their scalp with them.
It is important to notice here that essential oils must be combined with carried oil as they might cause an allergic reaction if they are applied directly to the skin/ scalp. In the experiment jojoba oil (3 ml- 1/2 teaspoon) and grapeseed oil (20 ml- 4 teaspoons) were used. The experiment lasted for 7 months, and the group using essential oils showed significant results in alopecia areata treatment: more than half of the experimental group showed improvement, while in control group (not using essential oils but just carrier oils, which are also beneficial against alopecia aromatherapy treatment, but showed not be as successful as essential oils) improvement showed only 15% of the patients.

Here is a list of essential oils that are considered to be beneficial in alopecia treatment:
jojoba oil, rosemary (avoid if having high blood pressure), thyme, bay, cedarwood, grapefruit (avoid if having sensitive skin as it may cause skin irritation), lavender, lemon (avoid if having sensitive skin as it may cause skin irritation), Roman Chamomile, ylang ylang.
Important! Always mix one or two drops essential oil with 5 ml carrier oil (1 teaspoon). Best carrier oils are light, especially if using on scalp: use grapeseed oil or jojoba oil.

I guess it is best if your friend uses the combination used in experiment, but has to make sure all essential oils are organic and not synthetic. First mix all essential oils and then add carrier oils. Mix and massage into scalp for at leas two minutes- massage slowly, fast, gently, and then wrap head into warm towel.

I hope this helps your friend. However it would be definitely wise to consult doctor first. Remember that experiment lasted 7 months, so do not expect quick results. If your friend decides for the treatment, let us know whether there was any success!