Amla For Hair: Benefits And Ways To Use

Amla is one of the most popular medicinal remedies in the Ayurvedic system. Also known as Indian Gooseberry, the fruits of this tree native to India are used for various diseases due to their nutritional properties.

Amla oil is used widely in Indian haircare rituals since ancient days to nourish the scalp and get stronger, darker hair. This oil was traditionally made by sun-drying amla fruits and then cooking them in coconut oil to infuse all its nutrients into the oil.
Amla hair oil can be a wonderful addition to your hair care routine and help get stronger, luscious locks. From controlling hair loss, and premature greying to conditioning dry, damaged hair, amla oil’s benefits for hair are truly endless. 

Can Amla Help Regrow Hair?

Due to the high concentration of nutrients like Vitamin E and C, Amla hair oil may indeed help regrow lost hair. Vitamin E helps support healthy blood circulation to the scalp. This enables it to supply essential nutrients required for the healthy functioning of our hair follicles.
Vitamin E also helps support the cell regeneration process that revives damaged hair follicles. And its high antioxidant content protects the follicles from oxidative stress inflicted by environmental aggressors such as pollution, sun rays, and smoke.
Apart from Vitamin E and C, amla also has high amounts of tannins, phosphorus, iron, calcium, and various other polyphenols. These nutrients play a key role in nourishing our hair follicles and as a result, help regulate healthy hair growth.
One study even found that amla can help people with androgenetic alopecia aka male pattern baldness due to its potent ability to inhibit the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme. 

How Is Amla Used To Grow Hair & Make It Strong

There are various ways you can use amla for hair growth. The best option is to incorporate amla fruit into your diet. It provides your body with several essential nutrients that are required to promote healthy hair growth. 

Amla fruits are widely available across India during the winter months. So you can drink fresh amla juice for hair growth to make your hair stronger.

Another way to use amla to grow hair is to apply it topically to the scalp. Pure amla oil or amla juice can be used as a hair growth tonic on areas with thinning hair to promote hair growth. The vitamins and polyphenols will nourish the hair follicles on your scalp and make your hair stronger by reducing free radical damage. You can also combine it with other herbs like hibiscus or bhringraj for the best results.

Other Amla Benefits For Hair 

Apart from controlling hair loss and growing hair, here are several other benefits of amla for hair.

1. Reduces hair greying: Due to its high antioxidant content, amla can prevent premature greying of hair by reducing oxidative stress that ages hair follicles faster.
2. Conditions dry hair: The fatty acids present in amla oil can help moisturise and nourish dry hair, tame frizz, and reduce hair breakage.
3. Soothes scalp: The anti-inflammatory properties of amla hair oil can help soothe dry, irritated scalp and reduce itching.
4. Controls lice infection: Several biological compounds found in amla have antimicrobial properties and can help control lice infection.
5. Improves hair health: The tannins and polyphenols found in amla fruit can strengthen your hair by protecting them from environmental damage.
6. Boost hair density: By reducing hair loss and regulating hair growth, pure amla oil can help improve the thickness and volume of your hair.
7. Controls dandruff: Amla oil benefits your hair by controlling dandruff with its antifungal properties and provides relief from itching caused by it.
8. Reduces hormonal hair loss: Due to its ability to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase, amla oil can prove useful in preventing receding hairline and hair fall caused due to hormonal fluctuations. 

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Ways To Use Amla For Hair 

1. As a hair mask:  You can mix amla powder with cold-pressed coconut oil and apply it all over your scalp as a weekly hair mask treatment. Amla powder is available in various pharmacies and herbal supplement stores. 
2. As a hair oil: Mix either amla powder or dried amla fruit with cold-pressed coconut oil and let it infuse in the sun for 2-3 weeks to prepare the best amla hair oil at home. Massage this amla hair oil on your scalp and hair 1-2 times a week and leave it on for at least 30 minutes. Rinse it off with gentle shampoo and follow with the conditioner.
3. As a cleanser: You can create a homemade hair cleanser by mixing amla, reetha, bhringraj and shikakai powder. Mix it with water to form a runny paste and massage it on your scalp for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly with water.

Juicy Chemistry's Range of Products Enriched With Amla

• Fenugreek, Brahmi & Plantain Shampoo Bar: A gentle cleansing shampoo bar that soothes irritated scalp and controls dandruff.
• Hibiscus, Amla & Bhringaraj Hair Oil: An organic hair oil that prevents premature hair greying and revives damaged hair.

• Hibiscus, Onion & Bhringaraj Shampoo Bar: An organic handmade hydrating shampoo bar that prevents hair loss and premature hair greying.

All of these JC products are certified organic by Ecocert France as per Cosmos standards

REFERENCES:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336588540_Emblica_officinalis_Amla_with_a_particular_focus_on_its_Antimicrobial_potentials_A_review

https://jpma.org.pk/article-details/6704?article_id=6704

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5429933/

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00436-014-3986-6

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51896756_5a-Reductase_inhibition_and_hair_growth_promotion_of_some_Thai_plants_traditionally_used_for_hair_treatment