Basil vs. Peppermint Oil for Hair Growth

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the average person has 100,000 hairs on their head and loses about 100 hairs daily. Hair loss can quickly become a concern, however, when that rate of loss increases and bald spots begin to appear. While a gradual loss of hair is normal as you age, other conditions and considerations may speed up the process. There are many commercially available treatments that claim to slow down, stop and even reverse hair loss. The essential oils of basil and peppermint are both natural remedies that have been touted to encourage hair growth and slow hair loss.

Basil leaves have been historically used in the traditional medicine and diet of many cultures. The essential oils contain the same compounds as the leaves in a convenient form and have been touted to have a wide variety of benefits. According to herbal reference website Esoteric Oils, basil oil has stimulant properties and can be applied topically to increase blood flow. The increased blood flow is theorized to help hair growth.

The essential oil made from peppermint leaves has been used by alternative medicine practitioners to treat a wide array of conditions. The alternative medicine website Organic Facts, says that peppermint oil has a cooling effect which relaxes the hair follicles to encourage hair growth and can remove obstructions such as dandruff from the scalp to ease new growth.

There is a lack of clinical studies to support the claims that peppermint or basil oil encourage hair growth. The claims are largely based on the established cleansing effects of the menthol in peppermint and stimulants contained in basil. The evidence as to the efficacy of these treatments is largely anecdotal.

Both basil and peppermint oils have properties that may stimulate hair growth by increasing blood circulation. Essential oils website Taruna Oils recommends combining peppermint and basil oils to stimulant hair growth and encourage healthy hair.