Pumpkin Seed Oil?

[Eve 322]

I'm aware of most "common" oils that people use for hair growth/shine/health around these boards, and am currently using a mixture of castor, jojoba, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, and tea tree oil on my scalp (and sometimes length and ends) to wonderful effect. Also, who can forget coconut oil?

But as I was researching natural tea/walnut rinse methods to darken my hair, I literally stumbled across pumpkin seed oil. From my quick internet research, advocates of pumpkin seed oil claim that it rapidly increases hair growth (apparently it is used by many people suffering from hair loss?) and supposedly makes the hair very shiny and healthy-looking/feeling.

Has anyone used this oil? If so, please share your experience and exactly how you used it so others can decide whether to add it to their hair care routines!

[Leeloo]

I’ve never heard of this oil being used for hair growth, but who knows. I’ve read that the only oils that are able to penetrate the hair cuticle and skin are olive, avocado and coconut, so I’m always sceptical about any other oils’ effect on hair and skin besides being protective. If you decide to try it I’m very curious if that would work for you.

[Firefox7275]

Eve322 Topically or orally? If orally quite possibly, whole pumpkin seeds especially are packed with nutrients from short chain omega-3s to zinc and magnesium, deficiencies in these are pretty common. If topically is there any published research on hair growth or are the people just massaging it in and deciding it is a wonder oil? There are studies on simple scalp massage and alopecia IIRC. Check out the fatty acid composition and see if you have already used anything with a similar profile, it's heavy on linoleic (will not penetrate hair) with some oleic acid (may penetrate).

Leeloo what can penetrate dead hair is not the same as what can penetrate living skin, you are muddling the two. Many fatty acids can penetrate the skin, what is most beneficial for skin and hair health are two very different things. The most beneficial lipids for skin health are the saturates stearic and palmitic acids, cholesterol and ceramides; oleic acid should be used with great caution - research suggests it is irritant, comedogenic, a penetration enhancer and negatively affects the function of the skin barrier.

[Eve 322]

Firefox, thank you for putting on your science hat I now have info that will help me do better research. I was thinking topically, but I hadn't even considered taking pumpkin seeds orally. I *love* pumpkin seeds. And I never eat those foods that have omega-3 and good fatty acids in them. While I am doing research today, oneight find me munching on a pack of pumpkin seeds. )

Thank you for your valuable input, ill post back here with what I find. And one question: if an oil cannot penetrate the hair shaft but CAN penetrate the skin (scalp), can it affect hair growth or health of the hair that way? Or is it then just moisturizing your scalp itself and not affecting hair follicles?

[Kaelee]

Just wanted to pop in to say that this thread is making me want to eat pumpkin seeds!

[Firefox7275]

Firefox, thank you for putting on your science hat I now have info that will help me do better research. I was thinking topically, but I hadn't even considered taking pumpkin seeds orally. I *love* pumpkin seeds. And I never eat those foods that have omega-3 and good fatty acids in them. While I am doing research today, oneight find me munching on a pack of pumpkin seeds. )

Thank you for your valuable input, ill post back here with what I find. And one question: if an oil cannot penetrate the hair shaft but CAN penetrate the skin (scalp), can it affect hair growth or health of the hair that way? Or is it then just moisturizing your scalp itself and not affecting hair follicles?

Be sure to consume long chain omega-3s and bioavailable vitamin D as found in oily fish if you don't eat the fish themselves - short chain omega-3s in seeds are converted inefficiently.

Oils not easily or directly AFAIK, there is little research showing benefit from polyunsaturated fatty acids topically, there is a little research suggesting benefit for GLA rich oils (the only anti inflammatory omega-6) applied to the skin in specific populations with skin issues but other studies on GLA show no benefit. I never got too far with that research for scalp/ hair because the saturated fatty acids that benefits skin health most are solid - you'd be needing to apply lanolin or west African shea or cocoa butter to your scalp which is not exactly a pleasant thought! I suspect you'd be better feeding the skin from the inside with a balanced diet with plenty of healthy fats, plus not stripping them on the outside by avoiding sulphates, alkaline soaps and other harsh cleansing agents. Of course applying oils and butters to the scalp can protect it from harsh cleansing agents which might benefit the hair indirectly, equally if you are at risk of seborrhoeic dermatitis certain oils or butters might be detrimental by feeding the malassezia yeast or irritating the scalp.

Certain lipids potentially, IIRC you can increase the amount of ceramides in both skin and hair with topicals. Lactic acid (but is keratolytic so can break down the proteins in hair!), egg lecithin or soy lecithin (also source of cholesterol), niacinamide (vitamin) all can in skin. There might be others I can't recall where I've seen something specifically about increasing ceramides in hair and I don't seem to have bookmarked it. I don't think it was this which I found whilst Googling
http://relaxedhairhealth.blogspot.co...your-hair.html
http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2...481-p00496.pdf

Something that might be interesting to try (not natural tho) is CeraVe on your scalp since it contains a balance of ceramides, saturates and cholesterol and some of the products contain niacinamide: I've even heard of someone co-washing with it. If you want something more natural and designed for hair and scalp check out Komaza Care's products, they use bioidentical ceramides and various useful vitamins and extracts in the Moja and Matani lines.
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/...aged-hair.html
http://www.komazahaircare.com/

If you up for DIY and want an easy ride on the research head off to Skincaretalk (no longer active there) or better still Skincareboards.net and hunt down DragoN's hair growth recipes. She is a research scientist and her recipes are considered both effective and lovely to use. Any ingredients will very likely be found in her store at a reasonable price http://stores.skinessentialactives.com/StoreFront.bok