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View Full Version : Drinking caffeine makes hair grow slower? What?



Qwackie
August 10th, 2010, 04:04 PM
I read here: http://www.hairstyle.com/hair-articles/hair-growing-tips.htm that drinking caffeine makes hair grow slower. Is this true or what? If it's true, is there any proof on this or is it just a myth?

ETA: I read on Wikipedia that it stimulates hair growth. ... I'm confused.


Caffeine
Main article: Caffeine
Caffeine has been identified as a stimulator of human hair growth in vitro, and reduced testosterone-induced follicle growth suppression.[37] It has been demonstrated that the addition of caffeine to a shampoo-formulation is effective in administering caffeine to the hair follicles in the scalp.[38] Further research must be done to evaluate the efficacy and adequate dosage of caffeine in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.
A spray made with coffee beans is claimed to prevent age-related hair loss in women.[39]

Islandgrrl
August 10th, 2010, 04:10 PM
In my experience, growing hair as an uncaffeinated person once upon a time and as an overcaffeinated person now.....no difference. Unless you consider that I now have gray hair. But I attribute that to children and not coffee.

LouLaLa
August 10th, 2010, 04:16 PM
I heard once it retards hair growth so I gave it up for a few months and noticed no change in growth (I know thats not really long enough to end the debate :p but Im a coffee addict). I have hair that grows between 1.5 and 2 inches a month though so I may be lucky. I drink far far too much coffee for my own good but as far as I know its not altered my growth in the way that e.g. vitamin deficiancy, poor diet would.

christine1989
August 10th, 2010, 04:17 PM
I makes since that it would stimulate hair growth. Heck, it stimulates everything else! I drink coffee regularly (sometimes with caffiene pills) and my hair grows a steady 1 inch per month .

Igor
August 10th, 2010, 04:20 PM
IMO its one of those things that changes from study to study. Just like eggs: One week they are bad for you, next they are good, then they give you heart attacks, then they’re back to being good for you, next week they will probably give you cancer… :rolleyes:

I’d say: Enjoy your coffee. Don’t worry about it. Your hair will grow anyways

UltraBella
August 10th, 2010, 04:23 PM
I don't think it really makes a difference, but in theory I can see how it might slow growth because caffeine does block the absorption of vitamins and minerals, which are good for hair growth.

freckles
August 10th, 2010, 04:26 PM
eh, I don't think there's enough data to draw too many conclusions. I drink a LOT of coffee and I get .5 inch a month, the average. Of course, I don't have anything to compare it to since I've been drinking a lot of coffee for quite a while now. :shrug:

Islandgrrl
August 10th, 2010, 04:36 PM
IMO its one of those things that changes from study to study. Just like eggs: One week they are bad for you, next they are good, then they give you heart attacks, then they’re back to being good for you, next week they will probably give you cancer… :rolleyes:

I’d say: Enjoy your coffee. Don’t worry about it. Your hair will grow anyways

Darned good advice, Igor! :rockerdud

JenniferNoel
August 10th, 2010, 05:21 PM
I drink an energy drink (or two) every single day, and I get almost two inches per month. If anything, caffeine definitely stimulates growth for me. Like all things, it differs from person to person, no two people are truly alike in their internal structure, just like some people can't handle greasy foods and others eat them by the pounds.
Caffeine can "enhance" stress in certain individuals, and given the fact that stress and hair growth don't sit well together, for some people it may be almost obvious that caffeine will slow growth.
Also, dehydration. Caffeine can definitely dehydrate, which also is not good for your body/growth. If someone drinks enough water to counteract the dehydration, problem pretty much solved.
Study subject to relativity.

Juneii
August 10th, 2010, 05:26 PM
IMO its one of those things that changes from study to study. Just like eggs: One week they are bad for you, next they are good, then they give you heart attacks, then they’re back to being good for you, next week they will probably give you cancer… :rolleyes:

I’d say: Enjoy your coffee. Don’t worry about it. Your hair will grow anyways

If we listen to what all the "doctors" say, EVERYTHING will give you cancer!

Since your hair has been growing just fine with the caffeine I don't see why you need to stop :)

Tabihito
August 10th, 2010, 05:51 PM
I'd say, wait for that "further research" to be done before you jump to any conclusions. Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it would make more sense for it to speed hair growth if anything. However, it's also a diuretic, which means you could be losing some nutrients that way. Hair growth isn't exactly up there on your body's list of priorities, so if that's an issue, hair growth is probably going to be reduced. (After all, I'm sure most bodies would rather have a functioning liver or heart or diaphragm than put a lot of energy into growing hair.)

Basically, it really could go either way. Let the scientists do their work, and the rest of us will find out eventually. Personally, I think that anyone concerned about caffeine because it could possibly retard hair growth should probably be concerned about it for other reasons as well, primarily those relating to memory and hippocampal functioning.

HintOfMint
August 10th, 2010, 07:45 PM
It probably has to do with how it is metabolized, or how the follicles get the caffeine. Injection, topical application, ingestion... etc, all might have different effects to varying degrees. That is probably why we have such studies that say seemingly contradictory things.

ghost
August 10th, 2010, 07:49 PM
I've never noticed it making a difference for me, and my bloodstream probably consists of 100% tea, with nary a drop of blood in there anywhere.
I drink a lot of tea because it keeps you hydrated but also has antioxidants and will supposedly keep your metabolism up -I think it's a decent tradeoff if it does turn out to make my hair grow a little slower.