How to Use Black Seed Oil for Hair Growth (And Prevent Hair Fall)

Black seed oil is one of the most potent plant extracts for growing thicker hair, stopping hair loss, and keeping good health in general. It has even been proven to kill cancer cells1, with no side effects besides better health. If it’s that powerful, just imagine what it can do for your scalp and hair.

Our advice? Before you scroll down and start reading the details, go pick up a bottle of cold-pressed black seed oil and start massaging it into your scalp. It’s time to grow more hair!

What is Black Seed?

Black seed is the common use name for nigella sativa. Nigella sativa has been used for thousands of years for probably a thousand different ailments. The oil has many names, including black caraway oil, black cumin seed oil and black onion seed oil. Black seed oil is more accurate, however.

In other languages, it’s called kalonji, or Indian cumin and hibbat al baraka, the blessed seed of Arabia. The Persians call it shuneiz and the Chinese, hei zhong cao.

The list goes on.

Medicinal Properties of Black Seed Oil For Body and Hair

It’s not a coincidence that the use of nigella sativa is so historically widespread. The benefits of black seed oil are:

• pharmacologic [2]
• antimicrobial, even when there is a resistance [3] built up to prescribed antibiotics.
• analgesic – soothing to pain and itching, and also
• antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-fungal, antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.

The last two on this list are what distinguish black seed over other seed oils for hair growth abilities. But before we get to that, here’s a little reminder: hair and scalp specialists say hair loss is usually a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

Some of the most prevalent diseases these days are cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease, diabetes [4], thyroid disease [5] and cancer – among others. Each of the above-mentioned diseases can cause hair loss at some point – including some of the treatments for them, such as chemotherapy. Black seed oil is used in naturopathic medicines around the world to treat all of these ailments. The dosage is usually just a teaspoonful a day. And when the underlying cause of hair loss is treated, what happens? The hair grows back – and quicker, if you use black seed oil externally on your scalp.

#Blackseedoil combats what slows hair growth... diabetes... hypertension... cancer... thyroid disease... Really. Share on X

How Is Black Seed Oil Good For Hair?

Many of the same characteristics black seed oil brings to pharmacology make it of great use for hair [6] health.

For instance:

• Nigella sativa’s powerful antimicrobial properties help prevent scalp infections.
• Antifungal qualities make it an ideal scalp serum for seborrheic dermatitis/eczema, the condition that usually causes dandruff. Nigella sativa heals better than anti-eczema creams [7].
• This oil’s antioxidant properties can help protect the scalp from the normal aging process that thins the hair.
• Black seed oil contains thymoquinone, an anti-inflammatory. Therefore it can be used to combat different alopecias. The alopecias that start with inflammation leading to hair loss are central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), frontal fibrosing alopecia and traction alopecia. Black seed oil can help halt the permanent hair loss of scarring alopecias.

The same components of black seed oil that make it useful for fighting hair loss also make it great for hair growth.

Thinning hair? Bald spot? Find out why #blackseedoil is the best hair growth oil. Share on X

How Black Seed Oil Grows Hair

Whether you have issues with hair loss or not, black seed oil grows new hair in either scenario.

1. Because of nigellone and other antihistamine components found in black seed oil, it has similar properties as the antihistamine cetirizine [8], which has been found to regrow hair. Black seed helps increase the circumference of the hair strands and the density [9] of hair. Therefore, it can literally make your hair thicker and also give you more of it.The photograph below are before/after pictures of those who used the antihistamine cetirizine while suffering from androgenetic alopecia – genetic male or female pattern hair loss.

Before and after. Black seed has similar properties as cetirizine, an antihistamine which grew the hair back of the individuals above during a 6 month period in an Italian study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatments [10].

2.  Because of its anti-inflammatory components, black seed oil decreases internal scalp swelling that can interfere with hair growth.

3. The antihistamines in black seed oil can give you more hair by moving dormant hair follicles (we all have them) into the active growth phase.

4. Nigella sativa is particularly useful for those suffering from Telogen Effluvium6 (TE) alopecia, in which the hair follicle moves into the dormant, hair shedding phase (telogen) too early – and all over the head. Black seed preserves the hair follicles in the active phase in this case.

#Blackseedoil grows hair AND counters underlying medical conditions behind alopecia. Share on X

What Type Of Black Seed Oil Should You Use For Hair Growth?

Cold pressed is the best form to use, whether you’re using it straight, or in a formula. Cold-pressed black seed oil is said to have a 100% skin absorption rate, whereas many other oils do not.

Toasting oil seeds usually increases their benefits, but not for black seed. Roasting [11] reduces the volatile oil content of black seeds, which include the active antihistamines nigellone and thymoquinone and other components that encourage hair growth.

How To Apply Black Seed Oil

Apply black seed oil to your scalp with clean fingers or a cotton ball once or twice a day, and massage it into the scalp for about 10 minutes. This method is followed, whether you’re using straight black seed oil or formulas that contain it.

Is It Better to Use It Straight?

It isn’t necessary to use black seed oil straight out of the bottle. For one, it’s expensive!

Based on that factor, alone, it isn’t better to use black seed oil straight (wink).  And based on a Routi Pharmaceuticals study conducted in Bangladesh, a test oil that contained only 5% black seed oil was still very effective at growing hair [12]. It can be blended with various other hair growth substances, or just in a plain carrier oil or natural lotion.

Apparently, the hair follicles don’t have to be smothered in black seed oil. But as long as the oil is present and able to spread easily across the scalp, the active ingredients do their job.

The key is to apply it directly to the scalp, and take the time to massage it in.

Beating Hair Loss With Black Seed and Herbal Oil

We know black seed grows hair, but if you’re suffering from excessive hair loss, what about keeping the ones that are already on your head. Sometimes those are more important!

The Routi study had excellent results with their test oil for hair loss. As mentioned above, it contained 5% black seed oil, but it also carried 5% Indian gooseberry (amla fruit) and 1.25% each of bermuda grass, fenugreek and henna.

The process to make the hair loss oil was very involved, so only the results are included below. In 90 days, the test oil reduced shed hairs from almost 400 a day, down into the acceptable range of less than 100 a day.

When left alone, the volunteers experienced a slow and steady increase of shed hairs.

What Are Some Black Seed Oil Treatments For Hair Growth?

There are some black seed oil treatments that give excellent results at home, as well. The table below shows, in numbers, hair growth caused by nigella sativa when used alone. This is demonstrated by increased density of hair over a 3 month period. Hair growth continued for three more months after the treatment had stopped. The percentage of black seed oil used here, also, was a mere 0.5%. The study, from Italy, was published in the Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications in 20139.

So if you combine black seed with other hair growth ingredients, it might work even better. In eastern traditions, black seed oil for hair growth is combined in the following ways:

1. Black seed oil can be mixed into a carrier oil like coconut oil or castor oil as a hair growth oil. Castor oil will certainly help speed the results along, as it is a hair growth oil in itself. Not much black seed oil is needed to be effective, and a carrier oil helps the active ingredients spread over the scalp easily. You can mix in equal proportions, or put a teaspoon of each into a cup of water and shake well before using. It’s up to you!
2. You can also cleanse and stimulate your hair follicles first by applying lemon or vinegar to your scalp. This is a traditional eastern practice. Or you can be lazy and mix one of these Vitamin C infused liquids in with the black seed oil. It’s fine either way. The main thing is to clear scalp buildup and clogged follicles, as these can work against your hair growth routine.
3. Infuse an Indian hair growth herb, like fenugreek, into the black seed oil. For added power, grind dry fenugreek seeds and toss them into a bottle or jar you can seal. Cover the ground seeds with black seed oil and seal with the lid of the jar or bottle. As long as the oil is kept in a semi-warm, dark place, the active essences from the fenugreek will seep into the oil. Strain with a cheesecloth after two weeks. Then add a carrier oil to the strained off oil, if you wish.
4. You can even do a modified version of all of those steps in one formula. Blend and strain fresh arugula leaves for their juice. It’s a hair growth herb, not just for salads! Add black seed, olive oil and vinegar to the juice for an Arabian hair loss formula [6].

Other Natural Oils For Hair Growth And Thickness

If you’re heavy into DIY, you won’t be shy to try out other oils that encourage hair growth. Try adding Jamaican black castor oil,  pumpkin seed oil or flaxseed oil to your black seed oil formula.

The Top 4 Black Seed Oil Brands

Each of these brands sells unrefined cold pressed black seed oil. They have been on the market for a while and are well-trusted by consumers for their unadulterated oil.

Sweet Sunnah (US): myblackseed.com

Cost: $45 for 16 oz.

Amazing Herbs (US): amazingherbs.com

Cost: $49.99 for 16 oz.

Panaseeda Black Cumin Oil (Canadian): panaseeda.com

Cost: $49 for 8.5 oz (250 ml)

Nabi Blackseed (UK): nabiblackseedoil.com

Cost: About $9.50 for roughly 3.5 oz (700 ml)

How To Remove Black Seed Oil From Hair Easily?

Of course you can use black seed oil as-is. Because the skin absorbs cold pressed black seed oil completely, it does not cause build-up when used alone on the scalp. However if you use it twice daily in a formula with other oils, cleanse with a non-sulfate shampoo at least twice a week.

An Olfactory Word Of Caution

Black seed oil has a strong, resinous sort of smell. If you want to mask the smell, use less, or choose essential essences that are more or less in the same olfactory category, such as camphor, cedar or eucalyptus.

Want to know more about hair growth and hair growth formulas that work? Keep dropping by  BHS. Don’t forget to share!

---

References

1. Anticancer Activities of Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin)

Md Asaduzzaman Khan, Han-chun Chen, Mousumi Tania, Dian-zheng Zhang

Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2011; 8(5 Suppl): 226–232. Published online 2011 Jul 3. doi: 10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5S.10

2. Thymoquinone: an emerging natural drug with a wide range of medical applications

Mohannad Khader, Peter M Eckl

Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2014 Dec; 17(12): 950–957.

3. Antimicrobial activity of Nigella sativa L. seed oil against multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from diabetic wounds.

Lorina Badger Emeka, Promise Madu Emeka, Tahir Mehmood Khan

Pak J Pharm Sci. 2015 Nov; 28(6): 1985–1990.

4. A review on therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa: A miracle herb

Aftab Ahmad, Asif Husain, Mohd Mujeeb, Shah Alam Khan, Abul Kalam Najmi, Nasir Ali Siddique, Zoheir A. Damanhouri, Firoz Anwar

Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2013 May; 3(5): 337–352. doi: 10.1016/S2221-1691(13)60075-1

5. The effects of Nigella sativa on thyroid function, serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) – 1, Nesfatin-1 and anthropometric features in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis: a randomized controlled trial.

Farhangi MA, Dehghan P, Tajmiri S, Abbasi MM.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2016;16:471. doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1432-2.

6. Nigella Sativa Seed, a Novel Beauty Care Ingredient: A Review

Sudhir SP, Deshmukh VO and Verma HN

Int J Pharm Sci Res 2016; 7(8): 3185-96.doi: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.7(8).3185-96.

7. Comparison of therapeutic effect of topical Nigella with Betamethasone and Eucerin in hand eczema.

M. Yousefi, B. Barikbin, M. Kamalinejad, E. Abolhasani, A. Ebadi, S. Younespour, M. Manouchehrian, S. Hejazi

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2013 Dec; 27(12): 1498–1504. Published online 2012 Dec 1. doi: 10.1111/jdv.12033

8. Evaluation of Therapeutic Efficacy of Nigella sativa (Black Seed) for Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis
Abdulghani Mohamed Alsamarai, Mohamed Abdul Satar and Amina Hamed Ahmed Alobaidi

InTech 2012, Prof. Marek Kowalski (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0288-5

9. Evaluation of a Therapeutic Alternative for Telogen Effluvium: A Pilot Study

Alfredo Rossi, Lara Priolo, Alessandra Iorio, Enrica Vescarelli, Martina Gerardi, Daniele Campo,

Donato Di Nunno, Simona Ceccarelli, Stefano Calvieri, Antonio Angeloni, Cinzia Marchese

Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, 2013, 3, 9-16

10. A preliminary study on topical cetirizine in the therapeutic management of androgenetic alopecia

A. Rossi, D. Campo, M. C. Fortuna, V. Garelli, G. Pranteda, G. De Vita, L. Sorriso-Valvo, D. Di Nunno & M. Carlesimo

Journal of Dermatological Treatment 2017 Jun 29:1-3

11. Volatile Compounds of Black Cumin Seeds (Nigella sativa L.) from Microwave-Heating and Conventional Roasting

Mustafa Kirala

J Food Sci. 2012 Apr;77(4):C481-4

12. FORMULATION AND FINDING OUT THE EFFICACY OF THE HERBAL HAIR OIL OVER SIMPLE COCONUT OIL (PURIFIED) – A FORMULATION AND CLINICAL STUDY IN BANGLADESH

Md. Shahinoor Rahaman Dulal*, Hasib Sheikh , Mohammad Abu Taher , Mohammad Sayeed Ur Rahaman , Zakia Rahman and M.A. Malek

International Journal Of Pharmaceutical Sciences And Research 24 March, 2014