Chlorophyll is a pigment found within plants and algae. It contains a variety of micronutrients including magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium (1).
You may be surprised to learn that chlorophyll may contribute to the growth of hair. Additionally, you can easily supplement it into your daily routine.
This post will introduce you to the use of chlorophyll for hair growth. You will learn:
- What chlorophyll is and where it comes from.
- The various properties of chlorophyll and why they make it a promising treatment for growing healthy hair.
- The best ways to use chlorophyll to stimulate hair growth.
What Is Chlorophyll?
As you probably learned in school, chlorophyll is the pigment that lends its green color to a variety of plants and algae.
Chlorophyll is essential to photosynthesis, the process through which plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Manufacturers also use it in various foods and beverages for its green coloring.
What you may not know about chlorophyll is that its various properties make it a viable treatment option for hair loss. This can provide those with male-pattern baldness with another treatment method to consider.
Can You Use Chlorophyll for Hair Growth?
We have no studies on the direct effects of chlorophyll on hair growth. However, various considerations indirectly suggest it might have hair growth properties. In particular, chlorophyll is a source of magnesium and a known antioxidant.
As an Anti-Inflammatory
Magnesium is one of seven microminerals that humans require to survive. It contributes to strong bones, helps to maintain a normal cardiac rhythm, supports nerve and muscle function, and even contributes to the immune system.
Additionally, magnesium oil has been shown to effectively stop hair loss.
Extra calcium within the body can lead to calcification of the blood vessels in the scalp. The calcium builds up around the lining of the vessels, essentially shrinking their diameter. The result is reduced blood flow to the scalp. Over time, this can lead to hair follicle atrophy and eventually baldness.
This, however, is where magnesium oil comes in. By breaking down the excess calcium, it can restore the flow of blood to the scalp.
Its anti-inflammatory properties also make magnesium an essential element of your hair care routine. This is because a hallmark of androgenetic alopecia is chronic, low-level inflammation of the hair follicles. Researchers are not yet sure if this inflammation is a cause or a result of the balding process. Removing this inflammation, however, is certainly a positive step towards restoring the scalp’s health.
As an Antioxidant
As an antioxidant, chlorophyll is an effective fighter of free radicals. These are the molecules that cause the breaking down of vital cells in our bodies.
Free radicals are a known contributor to premature aging, so in the fight against hair thinning and loss, antioxidants play a key role. Due to its antioxidant properties, chlorophyll may be able to slow down or partially reverse gray hair.
How to Use Chlorophyll for Hair Growth
While there is no direct proof that the use of chlorophyll will promote hair growth, it is an easy phytonutrient to include in your daily routine. One thing to bear in mind is that cooking dramatically reduces chlorophyll content.
Add It to Your Diet
It is best to include chlorophyll in your diet by eating raw leafy greens, for example in salads. Supplements are also available.
Yet another easy way is with smoothies.
Smoothies are delicious, relatively easy to make, and provide you with the nutrients you need to get through the day.
Here is a nutrient-packed smoothie recipe to try:
- Mixed frozen berries (one cup)
- 1 banana
- Hemp protein + pea protein (2 heaped tablespoons)
- Coconut oil (a heaped teaspoon)
- Almond butter (a heaped teaspoon)
- Fo-ti (one powdered capsule)
- Niacin (one powdered capsule)
- Probiotic (one powdered capsule)
- Mixed essential oils (3 teaspoons)
- Green tea powder (half a teaspoon)
- Mixed greens powder (a tablespoon)
- Coconut water or almond milk (to desired consistency)
The mixed greens powders contain chlorophyll. The rest provide a satisfyingly healthy mix of necessary nutrients and minerals.
If you are looking for a simpler method of introduction, consider juicing.
When looking for foods that contain chlorophyll, prioritize those with leafy green parts. After all, chlorophyll is what gives the plant the green color.
While technically you can just all of the greens listed above, the most popular green for juicing is spinach. This can easily be juiced in the morning for an on-the-go nutrient booster, and you can add various other ingredients to the mix to make it more palatable.
Lemon, for example, is a great way to cut down on bitterness. Alternatively, you can throw in a handful of berries to sweeten up the beverage.
A wheatgrass shot is another quick and effective way to get a massive boost of chlorophyll into your system.
Apply It Topically
Though oral supplementation of chlorophyll is likely the best method of use, you can use chlorophyll as a topical application.
While all leaves contain chlorophyll, you will want to use a plant with a very rich pigment. These include:
- Spinach
- Chlorella
- Spirulina
- Wheatgrass
- Collard greens
- Mustard greens
- Parsley
You can use a food processor to break down these greens and then apply the paste to your scalp. This is perhaps the most cost-effective way, but it is not the easiest.
There are also chlorophyll powders and liquid drops you can buy online or at many health food stores.
You can apply the liquid drops directly to your scalp, or combine them with your shampoos, conditioners, and other hair care products. The powder can be combined with just about any oil, like jojoba oil or almond oil, for a homemade hair growth serum.
The Bottom Line
There is no direct scientific evidence to support the topical application of chlorophyll for hair growth. But its concentrated dose of micronutrients, minerals, and antioxidants is not likely to hurt.
While chlorophyll will not provide you with miraculous hair growth results, supplementing with it can provide your follicles with the building blocks to grow healthy hair.
This can lead to less inflammation and irritation of the scalp, and can also improve blood flow and nutrient delivery.