Using peppermint oil for beard growth would be better than other beard-care natural remedies? You might get the answer in this blog. But before assuming anything, go through the entire blog and then decide.
Peppermint oil, when applied at 3% dilution, helps to improve hair follicle health and promote beard growth. It is the best remedy to cure beard problems like beard dandruff, inflammation, and itching and to eliminate bacteria and fungus that can ruin the beard’s health.
We are in an era where beard love is increasing rapidly, and men are switching to essential oils for beard growth. If you are here, you might not belong to the men who have zero problems with their beards. The reason for any problem could be so-called beard products full of harsh chemicals.
Peppermint was always known for its cooling property for treating spasms or digestive ailments. Since we have peppermint essential oil, confusion is, is it good for beard growth? If yes, how to use it and when. If not, what does the complete study says?
So the research says the usage of peppermint oil can lower testosterone levels if ingested. And there is no study on whether the same happens when applied to the skin.
Then what? Avoid it?
No!
Expert says if you use peppermint oil for beard growth, use it at recommended dilution viz 3%. It will not harm you in any way.
Let’s explore the whole idea before concluding.
Table of Contents
Peppermint oil for beard growth: what is it?
Peppermint oil comes from the stem, leaves, and flowers of the peppermint plants found in Europe and North America.
It is the best remedy to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),non-ulcer dyspepsia, and headaches. Also, for flavoring agents in toothpaste, mouthwashes, gastrointestinal (GI) products, cosmetic formulations as a fragrance component, and skin conditioning agents.
Like other essential oils, heat, oxygen, and light make peppermint oil rancid. The peppermint oil must keep in a dark bottle to avoid lipid peroxidation.
Is peppermint oil stimulate beard growth?
Let us be practical beard growth depends on factors like testosterone levels, lifestyle, diet, smoking habits, exercise, etc. There is no point in expecting miracles from essential oils.
Still, I would say there are some chances of getting back your beard or improving your beard growth using peppermint oil. Peppermint oil diluted to 3% improves hair follicle health and promotes beard growth.
One study proved that peppermint oil promoted hair growth without any toxic signs. In that experiment, they took 25 shaved mice and grouped them into four.
They applied saline (SA), jojoba oil (JO), 3% minoxidil (MXD), and 3% peppermint oil (PEO) to different groups for four weeks. They wanted to judge which group would have better hair growth.
As a result, they found no effect in the saline group, minimal growth in the jojoba group, and faster growth in the minoxidil group. The peppermint group, which outperformed minoxidil, showed unexpected hair growth.
How does it make sense to compare ourselves with mice?
The answer is digestive and reproductive systems of mice are remarkably similar to humans. We have almost identical skin layers and hair follicle cells as mice do.
In that experiment, when mice were treated with peppermint oil, the IGF-1 in the follicles increased, and we saw thick hair growth.
A similar will happen if we use peppermint oil on beards, as IGF-1 helps to activate dormant hair follicles in humans.
Peppermint oil for facial hair: The Benefits
As we discussed, 3% diluted peppermint oil on the beard can help to boost IGF-1, that ultimately responsible for beard growth.
Peppermint essential oil helps indirectly in beard growth. Let’s discuss the other factors on which peppermint oil is helping us to boost beard growth here.
Noncomedogenic:
Peppermint oils are the safest oil to apply on the skin. They do not react with the skin or hair. I agree peppermint essential oils are concentrated in nature and must use with some carrier oils like coconut.
Regulates sebum production:
Sebum is a natural oil that protects our skin and beard from dryness and frizziness. Peppermint oil for the beard can help control sebum levels.
Excessive sebum production is responsible for acne. Peppermint can help you prevent that acne.
Improve sleep
Believe it or not, sleep and hair growth go hand in hand. A good night’s sleep improves gut health and is associated with hair and beard growth.
Have you heard about aromatherapy??
Aromatherapy is a technique where we use different essential oils and put them in a diffuser that spreads their aroma everywhere. This aroma helps relax the body and mind, ultimately improving deep sleep.
Good sleep is a natural remedy for improving your hair. Peppermint essential oils are one of those essential oils used for these therapies.
Kill bacteria, funguses, and viruses.
During weather changes, especially when it becomes humid, the chances of accumulating bacteria and fungus on the face increase.
It is natural to have bacteria on the face. You can not wash it away by cleansing rapidly. To prevent them from returning, you must apply something that kills them.
Peppermint oil comes with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. It not only cleans all the bacteria and fungi but also prevents them.
Reduce anxiety and pain.
Have you ever noticed when you feel anxious or stressed about something, you suffer hair loss?
In that stress, you might ignore hair loss, but after that phase, you feel bad. A similar thing happens with your beards.
I am not saying that using peppermint oil can reduce your stress, but it can slow down hair loss. Add peppermint essential oil with some carrier oils and apply it on beards. It can help prevent further hair loss.
As I discussed above, try aromatherapy, it will reduce your stress at some level.
Reduce inflammation.
Inflammation on beards can happen for several reasons, like using the wrong chemical-based products, doing harsh hair removal like waxing, weather change, infections, etc.
Applying peppermint oil in the recommended dilution can help you with inflammation. Don’t apply it directly to your skin. Always dilute it with carrier oil.
The gut spasm can occur for various reasons like dehydration, gas, muscle strain, food intolerance, and infections.
Peppermint tablets or pills help in resolving the issue.
Good gut health is associated with healthy hair and beard. Any issue in the gut can tamper with its health.
I will recommend you consult a doctor before taking any peppermint capsules. It affects you in many ways.
How to mix peppermint oil for beard growth
As we all know, we should never use any essential oils directly on the skin. Here I have shared two recipes of peppermint essential oil that will help you with beard growth.
Castor oil & peppermint oil for beard growth
Coconut oil & peppermint oil for beard growth
Peppermint Oil Side Effects And Precaution
Side effects:
Some common side effects of peppermint oil or peppermint pills are allergic reactions, nausea, heartburn, perianal burning, headache, rash, blurred vision, and vomiting.
Sometimes it causes some rare effects like interstitial nephritis and acute renal failure.
Precautions:
- Never ingest or apply peppermint oil without diluting it with carrier oils.
- Keep peppermint oil away from the reach of children and pets. Sometimes pets lick you. Try to keep a distance from pets because peppermint oil is highly toxic for them.
- Peppermint oil is not suitable for liver or gallbladder patients. Consult a doctor before usage.
- If your skin is sensitive, do a patch test or consult a doctor before applying or ingesting it.
- Store peppermint oil in a dark bottle in a dark, dry place to prevent oxidation.
- Use quality branded peppermint oil, do not go with cheap ones.
Is peppermint oil suitable for a patchy beard?
A patchy beard might happen because of hormonal imbalance, no beard care regimen, stress, an unhealthy diet, and genetics. Relying on peppermint oil for beard growth would be unfair as there are several reasons for your patchy growth.
Firstly, I would say find out why you have a patchy beard.
It could be a genetic issue, or your hormones are imbalanced, and you are busy pouring different essential oils for beard growth.
Peppermint oil will never work if you have any of the above issues. You might have to take medicine for that.
If you are consuming a poor diet, improve your diet and add foods rich in biotin and vitamins that help in boosting DHT and testosterone production.
Beard growth is directly related to testosterone production. Low levels of testosterone will always hinder your beard health.
At last, if you do not follow any beard care regimen or do not care about your beard, peppermint oil will help you in multiple ways.
If the reason is your carelessness, you might get back your beard using peppermint essential oil. All you need is to use peppermint oil for your beard and take aromatherapy for stress relief.
Is peppermint oil better than minoxidil?
Minoxidil is a hair regrowth drug specially designed for scalp hair.
On the other hand, peppermint essential oil can be used as aromatherapy oil, for hair regrowth, for beard growth, and as a remedy for health issues.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both. It is up to you whether you want to take that chance.
Nowadays, people are too impatient. They experiment with different things on their skin, body, and hair for fast results. But I would say you must focus on your health more.
No studies are present on peppermint oil for beard growth, but there are studies on minoxidil which is FDA-approved.
As I said, minoxidil is a component for scalp hair, but you can take that chance with your beard. It might help you.
But always consult a doctor before that, as hair and skin on the head and on the face are entirely different.
On the other hand, if you are patient enough, you can go with peppermint oil. It will take time and has less chance of recovering your beard. But there are fewer side effects as compared to minoxidil.
Side effects of peppermint oil: Rash, allergic reaction, headache, heartburn.
Side effects of minoxidil: severe irritation, chest pain, fast heartbeats, hand and feet inflammation, rapid weight gain, headache, dizziness, and confusion.
Conclusion: Peppermint oil for beard growth results
No studies prove that peppermint oil promotes beard growth, but it helps you indirectly by resolving beard-related problems like beard dandruff, itching, inflammation, regulating sebum, and many more.
Essential oils are present in their most concentrated form, so you should always use diluted versions to avoid dangerous side effects.
At last, never depend on any essential oil for beard growth because it depends on many other factors like testosterone levels, stress, smoking habits, beard care regimen, diet, and exercise.
FAQs:
What are the best essential oils for beard growth?
Essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, cedarwood, vetiver, cinnamon, pine, patchouli, and sandalwood are some best oils that promote beard growth.
Can peppermint oil regrow hair like minoxidil?
No. Minoxidil is a regrowth agent specifically made for hair growth. But peppermint essential oil is just an oil with a lot of uses. It is not only known for regrowth properties.
It acts as an antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial agent.
Does peppermint essential oil help beard growth?
Peppermint oil indirectly helps beard growth by eliminating the diseases that hinder growth.
It is helpful in eliminating beard dandruff, itching, inflammation, and many more.
Kayden is an entrepreneur, writer, hairstylist working in a professional salon. He specializes in men’s grooming. He loves to blog about beards, hairstyles, and skincare.