Having a thick, lustrous mane is a desire shared by many naturals. Creating the appearance of fuller, higher density hair is a universally used method amongst basically 99.9% of naturals. We fluff our hair using afro-picks, brush out our fros, separate our strands in set styles and much more.
But sometimes this isn’t enough.
You’re reading this post because you want to ACTUALLY have thicker hair, not fake it till you make it.
To do this you need to increase your hair density.
Hair density is the number of individual hair strands per square inch of your scalp. This is genetically predetermined and is generally said that you cannot increase this number. Supposedly, no amount of castor oil, scalp massages or other practices will help you.
However, I may have found the solution to this.
Experiment on peppermint oil for higher hair density
In summary, in 2014 a study was conducted on the use of peppermint oil to increase hair growth, thickness and density. The study was conducted on mice and the results were very promising.
Four different solutions were applied topically on four randomised groups of bald mice. These were saline solution, jojoba oil, 3% minoxidil and 3% peppermint oil.
To assess the hair growth, photos were taken of each group weekly for four weeks. The researchers also conducted a histological assessment of the tissues of each mouse.
After statistical analysis, both peppermint oil and minoxidil solution showed similar results that were significantly better compared to the other two groups. The use of peppermint oil however consistently resulted in higher averages in hair growth, increase in hair density etc.
This means that (for those mice anyway) both minoxidil solution and peppermint oil are very effective at increasing hair growth, hair density and thickness.
If looking at mice doesn’t give you the ick, then you can find the full article here, including the pictorial evidence of the four weeks of hair growth.
Disclaimer
The results may have been promising in mice but there is no research that proves that the topical application of peppermint oil increases the hair density of humans. Naturally, humans and mice are two very different organisms with VERY different genotypes. In other words, although using peppermint oil may have worked wonderfully for mice to increase their hair density, it may not work for humans.
How to use peppermint oil to increase hair density
Thankfully, peppermint oil is harmless to most people when diluted, (emphasis on diluted) and has no known side effects when used correctly unlike minoxidil. So you could easily try this for yourself and see if it works!
Just add a few drops of peppermint oil (5-20 drops) per 100ml of your favourite carrier oil and apply to your scalp. Alternatively, you can also add a few drops to your shampoo.
Just please don’t add too much peppermint oil to your oil/shampoo or apply it directly to your scalp. This way you will irritate your scalp and potentially cause hair loss and you don’t want that do you?
Finally, remember to do a patch test to identify any allergic reactions to your skin!
So what is peppermint oil and why is it potentially effective to increase hair density?
Peppermint oil is an essential oil. These tend to be highly concentrated and extracted from their plant of origin using methods such as distillation and evaporation.
The hair growth benefits of peppermint oil can be credited to its chemical composition; some key molecules include menthol and Terpinene-4-ol.
Menthol
The first magical molecule in peppermint oil menthol! This molecule makes up most of peppermint oil’s chemical composition (approximatley 40%).
It is a vasodilator. This means that when applied topically to your scalp, the vasodilating property of menthol will widen the blood vessels in your scalp to increase blood flow containing all the essential nutrients for hair growth.
Terpinene-4-ol
The next magical molecule in peppermint oil is terpinene-4-ol. Not only do they stimulate your hair follicles for increased hair growth, but they also have anti-microbial properties that combat certain scalp conditions caused by bacteria and fungi to promote a healthy scalp… and everybody knows that a healthy scalp equals healthy hair growth!
Lastly, terpinene-4-ol has some anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation can contribute to hair loss and thinning, so reducing inflammation on the scalp may have a positive impact on hair health.
Final words
All in all, if you have fine or low density natural hair, the use of peppermint oil may be the answer to increasing your hair density!
Would you try it out?
With love,
A type 4 natural x