Menthol Benefits for Treating Hair Loss

You’re probably familiar with menthol’s cooling and refreshing effect from your toothpaste and chewing gum. But have you heard of menthol in hair care products? Probably not! That’s alright, though. Most people haven’t.

With its calming, cooling and counterirritant properties, menthol is a hero ingredient for dry, irritated scalps in Divi’s customized hair care formulas. In addition to providing a cooling sensation, menthol also has beneficial circulation-boosting properties, which can help maintain healthy hair.

Read on to find out how the addition of menthol in Divi’s hair products can help you get your scalp and hair health back on track!

Studies Support Menthol as a Treatment for Hair Loss

In recent years, menthol has been proven to benefit consumers when used as a hair growth treatment. Menthol is scientifically known as a vasodilator, meaning it can increase blood circulation to hair follicles and, in turn, improve hair nutrition.

Although menthol cannot directly treat hair loss, it has been shown to relieve hair loss symptoms. A study on the clinical application of l-menthol and other active ingredients for hair loss found that these bio-enhancers may be useful for relieving hair loss in functional cosmetics applications.

The mechanism of action of l-menthol is not fully understood, but the effects of l-menthol on hair loss included significant changes in keratin, keratin-associated protein and various other transcription factors involved in promoting hair growth.

Menthol is proven to be an effective ingredient for stimulating natural hair growth and is effective in relieving hair loss symptoms.

Menthol Hair & Scalp Benefits

Menthol is a naturally occurring chemical found in peppermint and other mint plants, and it can also be made synthetically in a lab. It has been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Thanks to its cooling effect and scalp-stimulating effects, menthol is often included in hair care and other cosmetic products. Below are a few of the benefits of menthol for your scalp’s health.

Stimulates blood circulation in the scalp

Because of menthol’s scientifically recognized role as a vasodilator, it is often regarded as an effective ingredient for promoting hair growth. As a vasodilator, menthol stimulates blood circulation in the scalp and opens up hair follicles. This, in turn, can stimulate hair growth.

For this reason, our team included menthol in all of our hair care products, including Divi’s Shampoo and Conditioner, and Divi's Scalp Serum, which contain other essential oils in addition to menthol (such as peppermint oil and tea tree oil) that have this blood-circulating effect.

Relieves irritated scalps

Menthol causes a cooling sensation by stimulating cold-sensitive receptors in the scalp cells. This offers near-instant relief from the discomfort of an irritated scalp, and its cooling effect can relieve inflammation caused by excessive scratching.

Detox the hair and scalp

Most shampoos that contain menthol or are menthol-based are also great for clearing up oily build-up and dandruff from your scalp.

Menthol deeply yet gently cleans hair and removes residue, treating the hair and scalp to a much-needed detox and restoring the scalp’s natural balance.

Effects of Topical Menthol Application on the Scalp

The topical application of menthol is proven to be successful in reducing itches. It chemically triggers cold receptors and increases blood flow in the scalp and hair follicles. By stimulating and opening the hair follicles, menthol helps deliver nutrients to the hair follicles and improves the scalp’s health. A healthy scalp means less itching or flaking.

Menthol can also produce a numbing effect by binding to the kappa opioid receptor, which can help soothe and cool the scalp.

Divi’s Scalp Serum uses menthol as one of its main active ingredients. You can apply Divi’s Scalp Serum to your hair and scalp daily and massage it in.

Which Hair Loss Symptoms Menthol Can Manage

Folliculitis

Menthol has been shown to be active against various microorganisms, including fungi and gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Bacterial infections most commonly cause folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles) and menthol can help combat this.

Dry and Itchy Scalp

As a cooling agent, menthol is particularly helpful for soothing an inflamed and itchy scalp. It chemically triggers cold receptors and the kappa opioid receptor to create a numbing and cooling effect.

Dandruff

There are several causes of dandruff, one of which is irritated, oily skin typically caused by a yeast-like fungus. Menthol has been shown to clear up oily build-up and dandruff from your scalp.

Moreover, its antifungal properties can aid in combating fungi that cause dandruff by deeply cleansing the hair and removing residue.

Trichotillomania

Menthol’s cooling and tingling sensations may prove beneficial for relieving the effects of trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder).

Is Menthol Safe for the Scalp?

Menthol, in small amounts, has been shown to cause superficial irritation. There are few reports of people being overly sensitive to menthol and having severe skin reactions to even small amounts.

In Divi’s products, all ingredients are measured carefully and dermatologically tested to reduce the chance of any adverse effects.

That said, it is always recommended to do a patch test before using new products. Perform a patch test to check for signs of irritation, such as redness, itching or a stinging sensation. If any of these effects occur, stop using the product and talk with your doctor about next steps.

Does Menthol Treat Hair Loss?

Although more scientific research is needed to prove the ability of menthol to prevent hair loss, clinical trials on the application of menthol in hair care have shown prominent hair growth effects.

While menthol in Divi’s hair products might not directly treat hair loss, it can improve scalp health and relieve hair loss symptoms, such as dryness and inflammation.

Hair Loss and Androgenetic Alopecia Explained

Androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss, is a common form of hair loss. This is a genetic hair loss condition.

Hair loss from androgenetic alopecia is caused by a genetic shortening of the anagen phase, or the growth phase of the hair, and an increased time between hair shedding (exogen phase) and the start of a new growth phase.

The patterns of hair loss in men and women differ. Male pattern hair loss usually causes hair loss on the crown and temples, whereas female pattern hair loss causes women to lose hair density, as the hair thins on the center part of their head.

Hereditary hair loss usually begins in young adulthood and progresses with age.

Other Common Causes of Hair Loss

Medical conditions

Various conditions can cause temporary or permanent hair loss, including alopecia areata (related to the immune system), trichotillomania (a hair-pulling disorder) or scalp infections, such as folliculitis and ringworm.

Hormonal imbalances

Dramatic changes in hormone levels may affect hair growth. Although men can experience hormonal changes that cause hair loss, they are most common in women.

Hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, menopause and hypothyroidism can result in weakened hair follicles and hair loss.

Stress

Events that cause extreme stress, such as undergoing a medical procedure or developing an illness, can cause temporary hair loss. This condition is known as telogen effluvium.

Hairstyles and treatments

A type of hair loss known as traction alopecia can occur when the hair is arranged in ways that pull on the roots, like tight ponytails, cornrows or braids.

Moreover, repeated use of hair treatments can contribute to hair loss, such as hair dyes, relaxers and perms.

Nutritional deficiencies

Low levels of protein, zinc, iron and vitamin D can cause a chronic form of telogen effluvium. These vitamins and minerals aid in the hair growth cycle and cellular turnover, and a lack of them can affect healthy hair growth.

Other Ingredients in Divi’s Hair Products that Support Scalp Health and Hair Growth

Divi promotes a wealth of clean-based, scientifically proven ingredients that can help maintain a healthy scalp, promote hair growth and ease hair loss symptoms.

Here are some other effective ingredients that can be found in Divi’s hair care products:

Copper tripeptide-1: Stimulates collagen production for enhanced hair growth and thicker hair strands
Peppermint oil: Soothes inflamed and irritated scalps
Jojoba seed oil: Alleviates dandruff and dry skin by moisturizing and protecting hair
Green tea extract: Promotes hair growth by inhibiting the activity of hormones responsible for hair loss
Tea tree oil: Prevents build-up and banishes dandruff
Caffeine & eucalyptus oil: Reduces inflammation of the scalp and treats hair loss symptoms
Black pepper seed extract: Reduces scalp stress and stimulates blood circulation

Why Divi?

At Divi, safe and effective hair care is essential to us. We use only vegan and dermatologically approved ingredients in line with our scalp health philosophy.

What’s more, our products are 100% cruelty-free and use scientifically proven ingredients to promote scalp health and create a healthy environment for hair to grow! Buy your bottle of Divi’s Scalp Serum today to take steps toward improving your scalp’s health and setting your hair up for growth success.