Caffeine, the active component of coffee, has been featured in hair growth and skin care products for over a decade. The increasing prominence seems justified when you look at the results and outcomes of the studies around caffeine and its effect on hair.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphThe main mechanism of work has a lot to do with the counteractive effect caffeine has on DHT (dihydrotestosterone) conversion in hair follicles which otherwise would lead to their miniaturization by promoting proliferation of. In fact, knowing of this effect, is what led us to include caffeine in The Hair Fuel hair growth mask.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphToday, we take a deep dive to understand the link between topical caffeine and hair loss to see if it helps reduce hair fall.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingWhat is Caffeine?
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Caffeine is a stimulant: a bitter, white crystalline organic water soluble compound, a methylxanthine alkaloid. It is also the world's widest consumed psychoactive drug (!).
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphCaffeine exists in the seeds, nuts, or leaves of a number of plants native to Africa, East Asia and South America. This helps these plants to protect against predator insects and to prevent germination of nearby seeds. The most well-known source of caffeine is the coffee bean. Naturally occurring caffeine is also contained in various tea leaves including mate, green and black tea, cacao beans, guayusa – an Amazonian plant, and guarana berries.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingDoes Coffee Make Your Hair Grow?
/wp:heading wp:paragraphLet’s clarify something from the outset – drinking coffee is not going to help you grow your hair. We would need an equivalent of 50-60 cups of coffee in order to produce noticeable hair-growing results – the amount which is unsafe and dangerous for your health, and is NOT what you should do. It could cause seizures and be extremely harmful to your body and would put you at risk of a heart attack.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphCoffee consumed orally is also addictive: if you take more than two cups a day, you can form a dependence and might experience headaches, anxiety, and depression as a result.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphA number of studies, however, have shown that the hair follicle absorbs caffeine directly and does so with ease.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphThus, topically applied caffeine is what your scalp needs for it to grow healthy hair. This explains the logic behind tea rinses and coffee grounds scrubs for your scalp – both of which make sense from the standpoint of studies referenced in this article.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingCaffeine in Hair Growth: Understanding Its Impact on Hair Follicles
/wp:heading wp:paragraphAndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common form of hair loss amongst men and women – linked to testosterone being converted to a dihydrotestosterone (DHT) molecule.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphDHT does a great job in dealing with local inflammation in the scalp, but it also triggers hair miniaturization as a result of that, too. Amongst scalp calcification and scarring of the hair follicle’s lining, DHT destroys subcutaneous fat tissue in the scalp, otherwise necessary for cushioning the hair follicle to reach blood supply in the epidermis.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphIn simpler terms, DHT protects your scalp from inflammation but it makes your hair follicle smaller in the process.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphCaffeine counteracts this miniaturizing effect by inhibiting phosphodiesterase, an enzyme responsible for breaking bonds that otherwise facilitate cell signaling.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphAmongst such signals are those sent to the hair follicle to promote cell proliferation and therefore – hair growth. With caffeine blocking this enzyme from blocking the signals, cells, specifically keratinocytes, can multiply which leads to thickening of the hair bulb and extension of anagen – growth stage. In simpler words, this process leads to your hair growing longer and thicker.
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One in-vitro by the University of Lübeck in Germany studied samples from patients suffering from AGA and the effect of treating hair follicles with testosterone and / or caffeine. Samples were cultivated with different concentrations of testosterone and/or caffeine for a period of 120-192 hours.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphFischer, Hipler and Elsner, the leading scientists of the study, took the biopsies of hair follicles from 14 male patients, ranging in age from 20 – 45. Each patient was at various stages of hair loss.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphFirstly, they treated cultivated hair follicles with various levels of testosterone, which, unsurprisingly, resulted in stunting hair growth. Afterwards the same hair follicles were treated with various caffeine levels, against a control (placebo) group.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphThe results of this experiment had shown that not only caffeine cancel out negative effects of testosterone on hair growth, but caffeine alone when applied to a un-treated with testosterone hair follicle – led to improvement in hair growth.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingResults of Hair Growth Caffeine Treatment
/wp:heading wp:paragraphAfter studying the caffeine topical hair treatment, here are some common results we found;
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- Enhanced hair shaft elongation – i.e. making the hair root bigger.
- Prolonged anagen duration – i.e. increased hair growth stage.
- Stimulated hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation – i.e. produced more keratin – key structural component of human hair).
What is more astonishing, is that after a period of 120 – 192 hours, the hair follicles treated with caffeine continue to show faster hair growth than those untreated with caffeine. So the effects of caffeine are lasting after initial application.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphRather than going through the digestive tract and affecting neurotransmitters that would otherwise affect your concentration and mood, blood pressure and potentially causing other harmful and addictive effects in our body. In this study, topical caffeine for hair loss: stimulates hair follicles directly, reduces hair loss, and improves hair growth and hair health.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingWould Caffeine Hair Growth Serum Work for All Hair?
/wp:heading wp:paragraphCaffeine works with different efficacies for everyone. A largely identical group of scientists performed an additional study, this time on both, female and male hair follicles.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphFemale hair follicles exhibited greater perception and therefore better effects of caffeine on hair growth. This could be partially due to lower levels of androgens in females, which increases the net positive impact on hair follicle elongation and extension of anagen is greater.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphHaving said that, topical caffeine for hair loss treatment in both, males and females, continue to show promising results in helping with hair loss, hair thickening and improvement of hair growth.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingHow Do You Apply Caffeine for Hair Growth?
/wp:heading wp:paragraphTea rinses and ground coffee scrubs can help with hair growth through the same mechanism as described in the study: i.e. topical application.
Another study has shown that caffeine absorption takes 2 to 20 minutes after application. Meaning that in order to have caffeine maximally absorbed by your follicle while washing hair with coffee water, you need to be rinsing and / or scrubbing your hair for up to 20 minutes. This will derive maximum results of caffeine on your hair follicles, helping to tackle hair loss and promote hair growth.
How to Make Topical Caffeine Hair Rinse?
/wp:heading wp:paragraphTea rinse: make around 500ml of strong cup of black tea – 2 tea bags steeped for 5-10 minutes should render desired concentration.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphAllow tea to cool. Rinse your hair with tea concentrate after your usual shampoo & conditioner routine, leave on your scalp for up to 20 minutes to ensure caffeine absorption by your hair follicles and rinse off.
/wp:paragraph wp:list- Coffee scrub: mix coffee grounds with warm oil of choice until desired creamy consistency, closer to that of a toothpaste – take our Hair Quiz to know which hair oil works best for you.
- Massage the resulting coffee paste into your hair roots for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with warm water and follow with your usual shampoo + conditioner routine.
- Alternatively, there are other products, which not only contain caffeine, but also stimulate blood flow in the scalp for hair growth in other ways by stimulating blood flow to the hair follicles.
The next time you’re enjoying a cup of your regular, celebrate this magical plant which can lift your mood AND your hair roots. Or better yet, combine your next cup of joe with an invigorating self-care routine: a face mask and caffeine stimulating scalp treatment on a weekend morning.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingWho We Are:
/wp:heading wp:paragraphThe Hair Fuel is an all-natural hair growth mask created by Laura Sagen, who lost a third of her hair after a terrible visit to a hairdresser while suffering from a life-long condition of PCOS associated with androgenic hair thinning.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphShe developed the formulation rooted in science of scalp blood flow, which has become The Hair Fuel growth mask. Since then, her company has helped thousands of people like you to start growing healthy hair.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphWe work closely with our lab and manufacturers to ensure the best caffeine products for hair growth. But a product alone is never enough – so we hold your hand throughout your own, unique hair growth journey.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphOur flagship product, The Hair Fuel mask coupled with tailored advice, digital tools and online support are there to help you grow the best hair you can. It’s a big claim – but we’re unafraid to make it.
/wp:paragraph wp:block {"ref":19495} / wp:heading {"level":4}Sources:
/wp:heading wp:list- Effect of caffeine and testosterone on the proliferation of human hair follicles in vitro, International Journal of Dermatology, (1)
- Follicular Penetration of Topically Applied Caffeine via a Shampoo Formulation, (2)
- Differential effects of caffeine on hair shaft elongation, matrix and outer root sheath keratinocyte proliferation, and transforming growth factor‐beta2/insulin‐like growth factor‐1‐mediated regulation of the hair cycle in male and female human hair follicles in vitro (3)
- Increased cAMP levels in human hair follicles due to local treatment with trichoriboside (4)
FAQ
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1. Does collagen really help hair growth?
Not directly. Collagen plays an essential role in hair growth by lining up the inner sack of the hair follicle as well as keeping the dermis – layer of the skin from which a hair grows from, structurally sound, elastic and strong. Collagen does not directly prompt or accelerate hair growth.
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2. What type of collagen helps hair growth?
Hair needs a balanced “cocktail” of amino acids to ensure structural integrity of skin and the hair follicle – from where a hair can grow from. While hydrolyzed collagen is absorbed easier, your body still breaks it down to amino acids and decides where to divert those building blocks to. Therefore focusing on a localised stimulation (e.g. dermarolling and improvement of scalp blood supply) supplemented by oral ingestion of collagen supplement is often recommended.
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3. Does collagen thicken hair?
It is not that straightforward. A combination of internal and external stimulation of collagen production can help lining up the hair follicles which can contribute to growth of thicker hair – up to the maximum thickness your hair has had previously.
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4. How long does it take for collagen to work for hair growth?
It depends if your body experiences a shortage of proteins elsewhere in your body. If your nutrition doesn’t bring sufficient protein to your body, supplementation of collagen will not lead to hair growth, but rather focus on repair of bones, ligaments and tendons first. Any significant changes in your hair health routine, including collagen supplementation should be observed over a period of at least 3-6 months to incorporate the natural timing of hair growth cycle.
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5. What does a scalp treatment do?
Depending on the goals of your scalp treatment, it can help hair growth, treat dandruff including fungal infections. Scalp is made up of skin, so it can get affected by conditions affecting other parts of your body: e.g. eczema, fungal infections, psoriasis etc.
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6. Can collagen make your hair grow?
Not directly. It is however important to consume sufficient amounts of amino acids, many of which (but not all) are present in collagen, to ensure your body receives sufficient amounts of building blocks to maintain healthy body, skin and hair and doesn’t experience shortages of it. In the event of a shortage, your hair usually suffers first – and recovers last.
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7. How much collagen should I take for hair growth?
You should focus on taking a sufficient amount of protein per day, rather than focusing on collagen alone. A sedentary adult should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. Ensure you consume enough protein from varied sources. Note that hydroproxyline is only available through consumption of collagen and not available through other protein sources. Depending on your lifestyle and particular body needs (if you exercise regularly your muscle will require a higher amount of collagen, therefore increasing an overall need to have “leftover” for your hair. A 2.5-15mg daily dose appears to be safe and effective.
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8. Does collagen grow hair faster?
Collagen doesn’t help accelerate hair growth. It lines up the hair follicle to support growth of healthy hair.
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9. What collagen is best for hair regrowth?
Hydrolized collagen is easiest absorbed by your body.