CBD benefits have made it useful as a major ingredient in many health and wellness products, and the demand for them is increasing among its users. This is mainly due to its lack of side effects, especially when used as a topical product. Among its ever-increasing application for treating a wide variety of ailments, it is found to be useful for treating alopecia, which is more than just hair loss. Here in this article, we will investigate the use of CBD for alopecia, read on to know more.
What Is Alopecia?
Alopecia is a general term used to define the loss of hair in different parts of the body and listed below are the different types of it.
Alopecia Areata: It is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks hair follicles causing loss of patches of hair. This condition afflicts approximately 1 in 50 people at some point in their lifetime and most often they recover within a year’s time, this is because the hair follicles retain their ability to grow. However, this being an autoimmune disorder, they will experience more episodes over the years, and in some cases, it will develop into a more severe form called alopecia totalis causing total scalp hair loss. There is another extreme case called alopecia universalis, which is characterized by total hair loss in the head and body.
Androgenic Alopecia: Here, changes in hormones cause the hair follicle to shrink, which results in shorter and thinner hair. If you do not get treatment in time, it can become a permanent condition.
Traction Alopecia: This is usually a temporary condition caused due to hair pulling from hairstyling. However, depending on the intensity and duration of these actions, it might damage hair follicles that may result in permanent hair loss.
Telogen Effluvium: In this type, there is sudden hair loss, and it commonly occurs after pregnancy, due to physical stressors like bereavement, hectic work schedule, malnutrition, etc.
Scarring Alopecia: This happens when the hair follicles are replaced with scar tissues and there are different types of it.
Other types of alopecia can be caused by diseases like eczema and psoriasis, or due to chemotherapy and other such treatments.
Treating Alopecia
Currently, there is no known complete cure for alopecia or hair loss; this is especially true for androgenic alopecia and alopecia areata. Most of the treatments focus on slowing down the progress of the condition, stimulating hair follicles, or a combination of both. These include immunotherapy, topical medicines in the form of ointments or creams, steroid injections, etc.
CBD Topical Oil For Treating Alopecia
With a multitude of health benefits associated with CBD due to its influence on the endocannabinoid system (ECS), it is assumed that topical CBD oil will be useful for treating alopecia. It is a better option than corticosteroids or NSAIDs that are used to treat hair loss, especially for alopecia areata. This is mainly due to its anti-inflammatory effect and oxidative stress reduction. Apart from this, it is rich in essential fatty acids and amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for hair growth. Because of this, it is possible to bring hair regrowth by applying CBD topical oil to the scalp.
CBD Oil For Treating Alopecia Areata
As mentioned earlier, alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the hair follicles causing hair loss. CBD oil is useful because of its effect on the ECS by influencing the CB2 receptors of this system. These receptors are associated with the immune system and using CBD oil may help to tone down the hyperactive nature of the immune system which causes this condition. Also, in most autoimmune diseases, inflammation is a common symptom, and this holds even for alopecia areata. So, CBD oil is useful due to its anti-inflammatory effect coupled with its antioxidative properties. It can be used in the form of topical oil, as well as can be consumed orally.
CBD Topical Oil For Hair And Scalp Care
Using CBD topical oil on the scalp helps to reduce inflammation, damage due to oxidative stress, and other environmental pollutants. Also, massaging the scalp with the oil improves blood flow into hair follicles and stimulates hair growth, maintains a healthy scalp, and provides overall relaxation by reducing stress. Not only that, but the amino acids and essential fatty acids in CBD oil also help with the production of the hair protein keratin, which gives fuller and thicker hair. Moreover, the presence of high amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids boosts hair growth and aids in preventing hair loss.
It is always better to use full-spectrum CBD oil from the hemp plant for alopecia issues because of its entourage effect. Moreover, to enjoy the maximum benefits, purchase a high-quality product from a reputable manufacturer.