Does aloe vera help with hair growth? Whether you have alopecia or want fuller hair, this article is for you.
Aloe vera is a plant that is well known for its soothing and moisturizing properties and has become a popular ingredient in many skincare products. However, does aloe vera help with hair growth?
The answer is yes. Aloe vera has many benefits for hair, including promoting hair growth, making hair soft and shiny, treating dandruff, and moisturizing the scalp. It is also great for conditioning and detangling natural and relaxed hair textures.
Let’s look at how aloe vera helps with hair growth, its side effects, and how you can use it in your hair care routine.
Does Aloe Vera Help With Hair Growth?
Yes, it does. Aloe vera has many benefits for hair, including the ability to improve hair growth, stop inflammation and irritation, and rehydrate dry strands. It may also help fight fungal infections, improve scalp health, and prevent hair loss.
People have been taking advantage of the hair benefits of aloe vera in their day-to-day lives for centuries. And while it’s not a one-cure-all for hair problems, it can help improve your scalp health and make your hair grow faster than it normally would.
This is why you can find it as an ingredient in many hair care products, including shampoos, conditioners, and gels.
How Does Aloe Vera Help With Hair Growth?
1. Strengthens Hair
Your hair is made up of keratin (which is a protein), and aloe vera gel has a bunch of amino acids that are the building blocks of protein. So, when you apply aloe vera to your hair, it helps replace lost keratin and helps strengthen your hair.
2. Conditions Hair
You can use aloe vera as a natural conditioner for your hair, especially if you have natural hair. It will help soften your strands, making them more manageable.
Aloe vera also works as a great leave-in conditioner, so you don’t have to spend extra money on expensive products, you can use aloe vera instead.
3. Treats Dry, Itchy Scalp
If you experience dry or itchy scalp due to a fungal infection or anything else, aloe vera can help soothe it down almost instantaneously. It also helps in treating scalp inflammations and irritations caused by seborrheic dermatitis and even psoriasis.
SEE: Aloe Vera as Hair Gel Can Help You Achieve an Attractive Mane
4. Prevents Hair Loss
Hair loss is a huge problem for many people, but aloe vera may help with this issue due to its ability to improve circulation and reduce inflammation.
It’s also highly moisturizing and helps to keep your scalp and hair well hydrated. This is important for preventing hair loss, as dry hair tends to break easily.
5. Makes Hair Grow Faster
Aloe vera contains enzymes that make your hair grow faster by removing dead skin cells from your scalp. It is also rich in nutrients like vitamins A, C, E, and B12 that promote hair growth by strengthening the follicles from within.
6. Helps Repair Damaged Hair
If you have dry or damaged hair, aloe vera might be able to help. Aloe vera rejuvenates the hair with its nutrients, giving it more elasticity and preventing breakage.
Its alkalizing properties also help bring the scalp pH to a more desirable level, which can assist with treating damaged hair.
7. Treats Dandruff
Aloe vera contains anti-microbial properties, so it works great for treating dandruff problems. If you want to get rid of dandruff, try massaging aloe vera gel into your scalp and then wash it off after 30 minutes.
8. Fight Free Radicals
Aloe vera is also high in antioxidants like beta carotene and vitamins C and E, which fight free radical damage caused by environmental factors like pollution or sun exposure. Doing so helps prevent breakage or hair thinning.
SEE: What Are the Benefits of Aloe Vera? Usefulness to Face, Hair, & Health
What Are the Side Effects of Using Aloe Vera for Hair Growth?
Aloe vera contains an enzyme called ‘papain’, which can cause allergic reactions if you’re allergic to latex and kiwi fruits. If you’re allergic to latex and kiwi fruits, then you need to test the gel on a small part of your skin before applying it to your head.
Keep a check on that area for any adverse reactions like redness, rash, and swelling after applying the gel. If you don’t experience any irritation after 24 hours, it’s safe to use the product on your hair.
How to Use Aloe Vera for Hair Growth
Aloe vera gel massage
Take a few drops of aloe vera gel and massage into your scalp for a few minutes before rinsing off. The gel will penetrate deep into your scalp and strengthen your follicles, thereby promoting hair growth.
Aloe vera and coconut milk
Mix aloe vera gel with coconut milk and massage it into your scalp. Leave this on overnight and wash off your hair in the morning. Repeat this once a week to promote hair growth.
Aloe vera and olive oil
Your hair tends to grow faster at night when you sleep; so mix aloe vera gel with olive oil and massage it into your scalp before bedtime. Wear a shower cap or wrap a towel around your head overnight. Wash off your hair in the morning for lustrous locks in no time.
Aloe vera and banana
If you want healthy and shiny locks, try an aloe vera and banana hair mask. Just blend up 2 ripe bananas with 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel until you have a smooth paste. Apply this on damp hair from roots to tips and let it sit for 30 minutes before washing off with shampoo.
Aloe vera and argan oil
Repair dry, damaged hair by mixing 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel with 8-10 drops of argan oil. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to this recipe to encourage hair growth.
Rub the mixture into your hair and scalp for a few minutes so that it seeps into your hair follicles. Leave it on for 30-40 minutes, and then rinse with shampoo.
SEE: Benefits of Argan Oil for Hair
Aloe vera gel and egg mask
Aloe vera gel mixed with egg yolk can speed up the growth of your hair. Just rub the mixture into your scalp and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off with water. You can also add a little water if you’re worried that the combination might be too thick.
Aloe vera gel and green tea solution
Green tea has many antioxidants that nourish your scalp and promote healthy hair growth. Mix it with some aloe vera gel and you’ll end up with one of the best aloe vera solutions for hair growth.
Apply the mixture to your hair (focusing on the ends), then rinse out after 30 minutes. Repeat this process once or twice a week as needed to help your hair grow faster.
Aloe vera and yogurt
Place two tablespoons of aloe vera gel and two tablespoons of greek yogurt in a blender. Blend this mixture until it becomes foamy, and then apply it to your hair from root to tip.
Leave the gel in your hair for at least 30 minutes before washing it out with warm water and a mild shampoo.
What Type of Aloe Vera Gel Is Best for Hair?
The best aloe vera gel for hair is one that’s as pure as possible. You can try to grow your aloe vera plant and use the gel directly from a leaf.
You can also purchase a quality bottled aloe vera gel. Make sure you check the ingredient list to avoid any additives or preservatives.
How to Get Fresh Aloe Vera Gel
To get aloe vera gel from an aloe vera plant, use a sharp knife to cut off a leaf of the plant. Next, slice off both ends of the leaf and cut down one side to remove the outer skin. Then, squeeze out the gel inside to use however you like.
If you want to store the gel for later, freeze it in an ice cube tray and transfer the cubes to a plastic bag in your freezer.
FAQs
Can you apply aloe vera directly to your hair?
Yes, you can. Aloe vera has many hair benefits and can help with dryness, itchiness, dandruff, and hair loss. You can apply it directly or mix it with other ingredients such as olive oil for added nourishment.
The best part about aloe vera is that it’s suitable for all hair types and textures. You can also decide to add it to your regular shampoo or conditioner for an extra moisture boost.
Is aloe vera gel good for dry scalp?
Yes, it is. The moisturizing qualities of aloe vera make it particularly beneficial for people with a dry, itchy scalp. A dry scalp needs more moisture than a well-hydrated scalp, so using aloe vera frequently will benefit you more than it would someone with a normal or oily scalp.
Can aloe vera make hair curly?
No, it can’t. Aloe vera will not make your hair curly if you don’t already have curly or wavy hair, to begin with. However, it can help enhance the curls you already have. Aloe vera gel holds curls well, leaves it soft and shiny, and helps keep fly-aways down.
You can also add essential oils like lavender oil to your aloe vera gel to give your curls more shine and make them smell nicer.
Can you use aloe vera gel on your hair every day?
Yes, you can. There is no harm in using aloe vera gel on your hair daily. The vitamins and minerals in it will help strengthen your strands, making them less likely to frizz, tangle, or break.
To use, simply smooth aloe vera gel on your hair, then leave it on for an hour before washing off.
Conclusion
Aloe vera helps to maintain hair growth in several ways. To start, it improves blood circulation for optimal scalp health. Aloe vera also contains vitamins and nutrients that strengthen hair and prevent hair loss.
In addition to these benefits, aloe vera can also help treat dandruff, condition hair, fight free radicals, and even help repair damaged hair. You can apply it directly to your hair and scalp or mix it with various ingredients to promote hair growth.
The only downside is that it can cause allergic reactions in some individuals; so before you use aloe vera on your hair, do a patch test to know if you’re allergic to it. If allergic reactions occur, try using other natural products such as olive oil, coconut oil, and onion juice.
Thanks for reading.
Check out Africana Fashion for more information on aloe vera and other natural hair products.
