Green tea is one of the best herbs in terms of hair (speaking from my experience).
But how exactly does it work? What’s so special about it? And how you should use it – to make the most of its benefits?
Well – here are the top ways to use green tea for hair loss & growth.
Also, you will find out why it’s such an incredible remedy for hair.
Contents
Here’s what you can find in this article – 4 major chapters:
So first of all – let’s see why exactly it works so well (in terms of compounds).
What’s Inside Green Tea?
Everyone knows that green tea is good for a lot of health issues. And that’s mostly because of its compounds.
There are 3 main classes of compounds inside green tea:
- Catechins (mostly EGCG)
- Vitamins (B, C, E, Folic Acid)
- Flavonoids (quercetin)
Out of these – catechins are by far in the largest percent.
So they’re the main responsibles for all those hair benefits of green tea.
Now you might think – where’s caffeine? Truth is:
- it does exist in green tea
- but its per cent is very low
- so it’s not as present as the other compounds
So even though caffeine is considered a major compound of green tea – there are some others in higher quantities.
And that’s what makes green tea so effective.
But now that you know what’s inside it – let’s see how it can help hair.
Benefit #1 – Decreases DHT
According to recent studies – consuming green tea can reverse baldness.
How exactly does this happen? It’s all about DHT:
- An excess in this hormone causes male pattern baldness.
- Green tea can block this excess.
- Also, it prevents DHT from binding to receptors.
In this way – using green tea for a longer period can even stop your hair loss. [1]
However, that’s only if it’s caused by DHT excess.
- In men – DHT is responsible for over 90% of baldness cases
- In women this per cent is under 50% (so there are a lot more potential causes)
But if it’s DHT behind your shedding, green tea is a miraculous helper.
Benefit #2 – Regenerates Follicles
Because of its antioxidant proprieties – green tea is a great refresher for hair:
- Boost the health of roots and ends.
- Increases blood flow inside the scalp.
- Improves lubrication and nourishing.
In this way – it also increases your hair’s growth speed.
And if your follicles were in a bad shape, green tea can help due to its power:
- can fight free radicals successfully
- restores hair shine and health
So from this point of view, it’s an excellent remedy.
Benefit #3 – Promotes Regrowth
Just like it can decrease and even prevent baldness – green tea can also boost your hair growth. Even new hairs.
How exactly does this happen?
According to a recent study on mice – green tea can [2]:
- Decreases the effects of shedding.
- Stimulate older follicles.
- Regrow new hairs in some cases.
Also – this explains why most hair growth shampoos for men are based on green tea.
However, actual studies couldn’t demonstrate its effectiveness in growing new hairs.
So at this point, that’s just a potential benefit – it’s not confirmed yet.
Benefit #4 – Strengthens Roots
As I mentioned before – green tea is a great source of vitamins.
And one of the most important is vitamin B, which comes in several forms – among this, there’s panthenol.
So how exactly does this compound help?:
- Repairs and improves split ends.
- Strengthens hair’s internal structure.
- Makes roots stronger.
In other words – it improves your hair’s elasticity and strength (from the inside).
In this way, hair gets healthier and stronger overall.
Benefit #5 – Fights Dandruff
There’s a unique thing about green tea – compared to other herbs:
- Exfoliates dead flakes from the scalp.
- Smooths and softens hair structure.
- Can decrease dandruff (in some cases).
Now – there was no study conducted on this topic. So there’s no scientific evidence.
But some people claim green tea really helps them keep their dandruff under control.
Also, some say it’s also helpful in psoriasis – for the same reason. It helps exfoliate the scalp.
Additionally, a recent study claims that green tea can fight greasiness and oily scalps. [3]
Benefit #6 – Slows Down Hair Aging
As it’s an antioxidant – green tea can also prevent your hair from aging.
But first – how can hair age? It’s pretty simple – as your whole body feels the effects of aging, so does your hair:
- falls out and breaks easier than before
- ends become really dry and brittle
- some bald spots may appear
In fact – aging is one of the top causes of hair loss (especially in women).
So how can green tea help? It’s because of its antioxidant proprieties:
- Fights off free radicals and oxidative stress.
- Reduces the effects of aging (including wrinkles).
- Promotes hair health.
- Stimulates follicles nourishment.
Obviously – it doesn’t make miracles overnight. But consuming it for a daily basis for several months can really help.
Benefit #7 – Smooths & Softens
There’s another thing I personally love about green tea.
Because of its high number of vitamins – it’s an excellent remedy for dry hair:
- Improves brittle and split ends.
- Tames frizzy hair and makes it smoother.
- Softens and adds volume.
However – it doesn’t work the same on all types of hair.
So if you’re a black woman with kinky hair, its benefits are limited.
But for a hair that lost its shine and softness – using green tea for a longer period can help tremendously.
7 Ways To Use It
So now that you know what green tea can do for your hair – how exactly should you use it?
To be honest, there are several ways.
I personally used green tea for hair following over 10 methods – but not all of them are worth it.
For this reason, I will show you the best 7 ways to use it – in order to get the most of its benefits.
You can find some other methods, but as I said – they didn’t work out too well for me.
So here’s how I recommend using green tea.
#1 – Hair Rinse
That’s probably the easiest method and the one I’m using on a regular basis.
So here’s what you have to do:
- Get some green tea from your local store (either tea bags of powder).
- Make an infusion by mixing it with boiling water.
- Use the tea on wet hair (after shampooing).
- Apply it on your scalp and condition the ends.
- Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Follow this schedule every time you wash your hair.
This hair rinse is excellent for decreasing hair loss – especially if it’s caused by DHT excess.
Also, since you’re applying green tea on wet hair – it’s absorbed inside easier.
So if you never used this herb before, this method is my #1 recommendation for you.
#2 – Special Mask
This methods requires combining green tea with 2 other ingredients:
- lemon juice
- honey
Coincidence or not – these 2 ingredients are my top recommendations for lightening hair naturally.
So if you follow this recipe several times, there’s a risk of getting a lighter shade overtime. Keep this in mind.
Either way – here’s what you should do:
- Make some green tea (as in the previous method).
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey and the juice of 1 lemon (these quantities can be changed).
- Mix them all together.
- Apply this mask on your wet hair.
- Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Rinse carefully (honey tends to stick to the hair).
This method is excellent if your hair is also damaged and dry.
Besides the benefits of green tea – honey and lemon juice are excellent moisturizers. So they will surely help smooth your hair.
#3 – Oil Massage
In this case, you will also have to combine green tea with something else.
But in this case – it’s just one ingredient: a hair oil (I recommend coconut oil).
Here’s what you should do:
- Make the usual green tea infusion.
- Add some liquid Coconut/hair oil.
- Mix them together until the mixture is smooth enough.
- Apply the oily solution on your scalp.
- Use your fingers to spread it all over.
- Massage gently with circular motions.
- Let it sit for about half an hour, then rinse.
If you’re trying to grow your hair out, this method is the #1 choice.
Coconut oil can also increase growth – and using it for a scalp massage will make it even better.
#4 – Aloe Vera Gel
If you’re a fan of Aloe Vera recipes – good news.
Combining it with green tea can improve its hair benefits considerably.
- Get some Aloe Vera gel/solution.
- Mix it together with a fresh green tea infusion.
- Apply the mixture on your wet hair.
- Let it sit for about 15 minutes (or more).
- Rinse deeply until your hair is clean.
Basically – this recipe is really easy to follow, almost as easy as the regular green tea rinse.
Compared to most of the other methods above, it’s considerably faster. So it’s perfect even if you have a busy schedule.
#5 – Homemade Shampoo
That’s a great way to use green tea – especially if you want to go for the all-natural way.
You can actually use this green tea shampoo – and then use the green tea rinse as well.
So here’s how you should prepare the shampoo:
- Start by making a green tea infusion.
- Add some organic liquid soap (depending on the quantity).
- You can also add some honey, turmeric or any other natural ingredients.
- Mix them all together.
- Use the shampoo every time you wash your hair.
You can also skip the liquid soap and add apple cider vinegar instead (as it has some major hair benefits).
But in this case – the shampoo won’t lather really well.
Anyway, no matter what you choose – using green tea as a shampoo and avoiding chemical products will surely benefit your hair.
#6 – Daily Spray
If you’re looking for a comfortable way to use green tea daily – that’s the best way:
- works on dry hair as well
- there’s no need to rinse afterwards
So here’s how you can create this green tea spray:
- Create the usual green tea infusion.
- Use only about 1/2 a cup.
- Add it in a spray bottle.
- Fill the bottle up with water.
- Stir and mix them together.
- Apply the spray on your scalp/hair whenever needed.
Since you’re using a lower quantity of green tea – there’s no risk of leaving your hair sticky.
That’s why you can use this spray whenever you want (without rinsing) and get all of its benefits for hair.
#7 – Everyday Drink
This method doesn’t help hair directly – as the others do.
That’s because you’re not applying green tea on your hair, in this case.
However – compared to the others, it can boost hair health in general.
- Consume at least 1 cup of green tea daily.
- You can either drink it hot or cold.
- Also, you can add honey or other herbs you like.
Unlike the other methods, this one is excellent for fighting oxidative stress in your whole body.
It prevents aging, arthritis and wrinkles but it also improves your hair’s health and looks.
Plus – green tea tastes so good. So this is a 2-in-1 pleasure and benefits solution.
My Verdict – Is Green Tea Worth Trying?
Short answer: Definitely – it can really help your hair with minimal effort:
- Blocks DHT excess and decreases consequent hair loss.
- Increases hair growth speed.
- Boost hair health and strength in general.
- Can improve dandruff and psoriasis in some people.
- It might promote hair regrowth on bald scalps.
So basically – there’s no reason to ignore the benefits of this herb.
Besides, you can use it in more than 1 way – including:
- usual rinse
- hair mask
- organic shampoo
- oil treatment
- everyday drink
Obviously – since it’s a herbal remedy, you won’t see the results in 1-2 weeks.
But if you’re consistent with it, you may seem some improvements in your hair in about 1 month. It all depends on your body.
Plus, green tea is extremely cheap to buy. And you can find it in any local shop, in dozens of forms.
For this reason – my advice is to give it a try now.
After all, you have nothing to lose trying it – but there’s potentially a lot to gain.
References:
1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17092697
sorry if said above, but I skim read. I brought twinings jasmine green tea, is this effective or should I buy the leaves out right from a shop for best effect?
Hi there, I think jasmine green tea is good enough, as long as it’s green tea. I never used this one, but I think it should be fine. Try to use it for about a month and see if you notice any improvement in terms of hair. Please let me know how it works!
Hello, would you please expound on your reason for why green tea has a limited effect on black women with kinky hair?
Hi Parys. It’s not that green tea has a limited effect in general for kinky hair. It’s only that it has a limited smoothing and softening effect.
The last benefit I mentioned about it in this article was that it’s a great remedy for dry hair, because it tames the frizz and makes it softer. But that’s mostly available for a type of hair that lost its shine. Kinky hair is normally very dry and frizzy, so using green tea alone couldn’t moisturize it that well (as it would in case of a straight/wavy hair). Green tea surely works for kinky hair as well – but it won’t make it super smooth on its own. That was actually the point.
I’m wondering if using matcha powder will give same effect or a different one?
Also I mix a bit of matcha In jojoba oil instead of eyebrow pencil and the hair grows longer, but not sure of new growth. Thanks Paulie
Hi Paulie. Normally, it should have about the same effect because matcha is a form of green tea, so it’s also a DHT blocker. Hope this helps!
Hello, is it okay to mix other ingredients to the green tea daily spray? Maybe rose water or aloe vera gel?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Freya, it’s absolutely fine, they don’t interact with one another so it’s totally possible.
I’m a boy of 17 year old and I’m having hairfall and a receding hairline. Pls help me
Hey Yash, sorry to hear about your hair loss. But given that your hairline is receding, you probably have an early male pattern hair loss. This is caused by the action of DHT on your hair (DHT is a type of testosterone that has a very strong and negative impact on hair follicles).
Now, the best thing you can do is to try a product that is specially designed for male pattern hair loss. Profollica and Procerin are 2 of my top recommendations, because they have some very natural formulas and a minimal risk of side effects (unlike classic therapies). You can also use green tea to rinse your hair after washing it, because it has the ability to block DHT receptors for a short while, so it can also help.
Let me know what you decide to try and how it goes. Hope this helps!