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CBD For Hair Loss: How Can It Help

CBD For Hair Loss: How Can It Help

Shedding hairs throughout the day is completely natural, but if you lose more than 100 strands of hair a day or notice a lack of hair regrowth, you may be looking for answers.

Hair loss is a common issue, affecting over 80 million people in the US. While navigating hair loss is a personal journey with no wrong answers, if you’ve been looking for ways to help prevent hair loss, you may have seen CBD as a possible option.

While more studies on CBD and hair loss are needed, early evidence suggests that CBD's wellness benefits may assist with hair loss.

What Is CBD?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of over 100 plant-derived cannabinoids. These bioactive plant compounds are most commonly extracted from the hemp plant and can benefit our mental and physical wellness by working within the body’s endocannabinoid system (the ECS).

What Does the Endocannabinoid System Do?

The ECS is a complex internal networking system that sends chemical messages throughout the nervous system to help maintain internal balance. Basically, the ECS helps make sure our bodies are running smoothly and triggers biological functions to bring support to any part of the body that isn’t. The ECS can help regulate sleep and mood while also responding to pain signals and stress levels as needed.

The ECS relies on internally produced cannabinoids called endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors (CB receptors), and enzymes to maintain balance within the body.

Cannabinoid receptors exist on the surface of cells throughout the body–including cells in the hair follicles.

There are two distinct types of cannabinoid receptors: CB1 receptors that are found throughout the central and peripheral nervous system and CB2 receptors that largely exist in immune cells.

Endocannabinoids are produced on demand in the brain when the ECS needs to respond to an imbalance. When these cannabinoids bind with CB receptors, they can trigger a response meant to bring relief to wherever needed. And once the balance has been restored, enzymes in the body can break endocannabinoids back down into their most basic form.

So where does CBD come into play? Because this phytocannabinoid is molecularly similar to our own endocannabinoids, CBD can work within the endocannabinoid system to provide even further support.

What Are The Benefits of CBD?

CBD can provide a number of wellness benefits, many of which may play a role in countering hair loss.

Naturally Soothing

CBD has naturally soothing properties, and can help restore balance and relieve swelling as it works with endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors in the body. Swelling near the scalp can also negatively impact hair follicles and therefore limit hair growth.

When CBD works with endocannabinoids to bind with CB1 and CB2 receptors directly in the scalp. It can help reduce swelling and provide a more nourishing environment to promote hair growth.

Reduces Stress and Tension

One of CBD’s most sought-after benefits is its ability to help calm the mind and relax the body.

When the body is experiencing high levels of stress, it releases the cortisol, also known as the “fight or flight” hormone. While cortisol is beneficial in the moment to help the body quickly react to immediate danger, chronic stress can negatively impact the body.

One way stress can impact the body: hair loss.

As cortisol release puts the body on high alert, other important body functions are forced to take a back seat. Chronic stress can put hair follicles into a sort of resting phase, during which they don’t grow new hair.

If stress is the underlying cause of your hair loss, CBD can help by interacting with the stress-busting endocannabinoid anandamide and the feel-good neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine to help elevate the mood and reduce cortisol production.

By helping reduce stress levels, CBD can help bring relief to wherever stress typically shows up in the body–from tense muscles to sour stomachs to hair follicles. With less cortisol forcing your body into high gear, energy can return to the hair follicles to help restore hair growth.

Sleep Support

Getting enough sleep each night is another way to help keep our hair follicles healthy, as cortisol production naturally drops as we slumber. But, if stress is keeping you up at night, it can feel like a vicious cycle.

The good news is that CBD’s ability to prolong the bliss-producing effects of the endocannabinoid anandamide as it binds with CB1 receptors in the brain can help settle the nervous thoughts and shift the brain into sleep mode.

Naturally Hydrating

CBD can help retain moisture when applied topically, which is why CBD has become so popular in skincare products.

And while the scalp is a somewhat less glamorous and often ignored part of the body when it comes to building a self care routine, hydrating and moisturizing the scalp is an important part of maintaining its health.

CB receptors exist in the sebaceous glands, the small oil-producing glands connected to each hair follicle. Studies suggest that CBD may support the endocannabinoids that help regulate sebum production. In this way, CBD can protect hair follicles from excess oil and support hair health overall.

May Improve Blood Circulation

The antioxidant and anti-swelling properties of CBD can also help support healthy blood flow, which is vital for hair growth. Improved blood circulation to the scalp helps strengthen hair follicles and promotes healthy hair growth.

Can CBD Help With Hair Loss?

A recent study on CBD and hair growth showed promising results, with a majority of participants experiencing hair regrowth after applying three to four milligrams of CBD oil directly to the scalp for six months.

While more research is needed to better understand if there is a direct correlation between CBD use and hair regrowth, current evidence suggests that CBD’s soothing, stress-relieving, and nourishing properties that help restore balance within the body can also help address some of the root causes of hair loss.

Which Form of CBD Is Best for Hair Loss?

Studies on the effect of CBD on hair loss have focused on CBD oil, which combines CBD extract with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil. More studies are needed to know if other forms of CBD, such as gummies or supplements, have the same effect.

How To Use CBD For Hair Loss

CBD oil can be applied directly to the scalp, which helps hydrate hair follicles and helps endocannabinoids bind to cb1 and cb2 receptors right there in the hair follicles.

Massaging six to eight drops of CBD oil into the scalp per day can help nourish and strengthen hair follicles while reducing swelling and increasing blood flow to the scalp.

If you’re experiencing stress-related hair loss, taking CBD sublingually (under the tongue), or mixing it into a favorite food or drink may provide better support, as the CBD will be absorbed into the bloodstream, able to travel to the brain to help relieve stress and soothe tension throughout.

How Long Until I See Results?

CBD works best when used consistently so that it can build within the body overtime. In one study, participants saw positive changes in hair regrowth after using CBD on the scalp for six months.

Is There Anything Else I Should Do For Hair Loss?

If you are experiencing hair loss, it is best to speak with your doctor to better understand the cause and come up with solutions that feel right for you.

Along with adding CBD to your holistic wellness routine, make sure you are getting the right nutrients to support hair health.

The healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in many types of fish, nuts, and dark chocolate can help strengthen the hair, as can protein-rich foods that contain the nine essential amino acids. After all, your hair is made of a protein called keratin, and amino acids are the foundation for building and maintaining protein within the body!

Zinc and iron also play a role in supporting cell function within the hair follicles, and both can be found in the same citrus fruits that we source terpenes for our CBD from!

Bottom Line

While CBD may not effectively stimulate hair regrowth all on its own, it shows promise in preventing hair loss and supporting hair growth by helping the body respond to stress and maintain its natural balance.

Here at Peels, we use aromatic terpenes to turn vitamin-filled, and antioxidant-rich citrus peels into 100% pure and organic CBD.

Our orange-derived CBD contains no THC and is made consistent through our cyclic terpene assembly process. So, whether you are squeezing a few drops into your morning smoothie or directly onto your hair, you know exactly what is going into your body every time.

Sources

Losing Hair From Stress? What You Should Know | UPMC HealthBeat

Effect of cannabidiol on plasma prolactin, growth hormone and cortisol in human volunteers

Cannabidiol exerts sebostatic and antiinflammatory effects on human sebocytes | The Journal of Clinical Investigation

Blood Vessels hold the key to Thicker Hair Growth | ScienceDaily

Hair Regrowth with Cannabidiol (CBD)-rich Hemp Extract | Cannabis