A 2014 study aimed to see if peppermint oil could help hair grow in mice. They compared a 3% peppermint oil solution to two other oils, jojoba and saline, and to a well-known hair growth drug called minoxidil. The study found that peppermint oil was the best at making hair grow, even better than the popular hair growth drug minoxidil.
They evaluated the hair growth promotion activity of peppermint oil by measuring the growth rate, the number of hair follicles, and the depth of the hair follicles. They also looked at how peppermint oil affected different aspects of hair growth, such as the number and depth of hair follicles, as well as activity of certain enzymes related to hair growth. They found that peppermint oil had positive effects on all of these factors, indicating that it may be a good alternative treatment for hair loss in humans.
The study found that peppermint oil was really good at making hair grow. It worked even better than two other oils, jojoba and saline, and a well-known hair growth drug called minoxidil. The peppermint oil started to show results as early as two weeks into the experiment. By week four, hair growth increased by 92%, which is a lot. Peppermint oil also changed the color of the mouse skin from pink to grey/black, and made the hair follicles thicker and longer. This means that the hair follicles were in the stage where they were growing hair.
The study also looked at how peppermint oil affects two things in the body: alkaline phosphatase activity and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) mRNA expression. Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme that is important for hair growth, and the researchers found that the mice treated with peppermint oil had higher alkaline phosphatase activity levels than the ones treated with saline or jojoba oil at both week 2 and week 4. IGF-1 is a protein that helps cells grow and divide, and the mice treated with peppermint oil had higher levels of IGF-1 mRNA expression than the ones treated with saline or jojoba oil at both week 2 and week 4, which was similar to the results of the mice treated with minoxidil.
The study also evaluated the non-toxicity of peppermint oil by monitoring changes in food and water intake, food efficiency ratio, and body weight. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the groups, indicating that peppermint oil did not cause any adverse effects on the mice. This is promising for future research into using peppermint oil as a natural and safe alternative for hair loss treatment in humans..
Study Title: Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs
Study Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289931