Name Ingredients:
Pumpkin seed oil is an oil derived from pumpkin seeds, which is often used in cooking, taken as a supplement or applied to the hair. Pumpkin seeds are naturally rich in Omegas 3 and 6 fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, E, and K.
Key insights:
- The in vitro evidence suggests that when packaged into niosomes (vesicles designed to carry drugs for the treatment of various diseases), pumpkin seed oil treatment could inhibit 5α-reductase (the enzyme involved in the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone) and reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory proteins indicating a potential anti-inflammatory and 5α-reductase inhibiting effect of pumpkin seed oil. However, this doesn’t appear to have been tested in humans.
- The in vivo (in mice) evidence shows that topical application of pumpkin seed oil could promote hair growth. Further research has shown that pumpkin seed oil-based serum can reduce the percentage of fallen hair and increase the number of growing hairs compared to the number of non-growing hairs.
- One clinical study claimed that treatment with pumpkin seed oil improved hair count by 40% versus only a 10% increase in hair count for the placebo. However, the product used was Octa-Sabal Plus, which contains 100 mg of pumpkin seed powder, not oil. Additionally, the capsule contains a blend of other ingredients, which may also target some of the triggers of pattern hair loss.
- Another clinical study compared pumpkin seed oil to 5% minoxidil foam. This study featured no before-and-after photos demonstrating clear regrowth for the pumpkin seed oil group.
- Our experience tracking members: pumpkin seed oil alone is insufficient to improve hair loss outcomes.
Additional links:
- Pumpkin Seed Oil: Evidence Quality (Rubric)
- Effect of pumpkin seed oil on hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Pumpkin seed oil vs. minoxidil 5% topical foam for the treatment of female pattern hair loss: a randomized comparative trial
- The Misleading Results Of The Pumpkin Seed Oil-Hair Loss Study