Aloe vera for hair growth Reviews

It seems like every time I open TikTok, another beauty influencer is raving about aloe vera for hair. "It's made my hair soooo shiny!" "It's the only thing that made my hair grow!" "I swear-by aloe for my scalp!" Truly, the internet only has words of praise when it comes to aloe vera and aloe vera products for hair, but me? I'm on the fence. Like, are you telling me I’ve wasted all my time and money on fancy hair products and supplements and that the answer to potentially growing my hair longer and making it look shinier and healthier has been hiding in my house plant?

So to find out if aloe vera is really is that amazing for your hair, I did some research and consulted the experts. Below, everything you need to know about using aloe vera gel for hair—plus the best hair products with aloe vera to try.

Meet the experts:

• Nava Greenfield, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Brooklyn, NY.
• Michelle Blaisure is a certified trichologist (aka a specialist who focuses on hair and scalp health) for professional haircare company BosleyMD.
• Krupa Koestline, is a cosmetic chemist, clean beauty expert, and founder of KKT Consultants.

What are the benefits of using aloe vera on hair?

Aloe vera isn't new—the plant has been used among many cultures throughout history to address a myriad of beauty-related concerns, thanks to its natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It's the reason aloe vera is commonly used for healing burn wounds and skin irritation, says dermatologist Nava Greenfield, MD. It's also the reason aloe vera can be beneficial for soothing your scalp too.

Aloe vera is also rich in vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, says trichologist Michelle Blaisure, all of which can help improve the health of your hair. Here's a quick breakdown of all the key things aloe vera can do for your hair:

It helps soothe irritation

Aloe vera’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties can all help improve seborrheic dermatitis (a condition very similar to dandruff, but with more extreme symptoms, like large, greasy, grayish, white, or yellow scales of skin and crusty patches), says cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline. Because of those anti-inflammatory properties, aloe vera helps reduce a lot of the symptoms, like itchiness, dry scalp, and irritation.

It has moisturizing benefits

Aloe vera can help moisturize your hair and scalp, which is valuable for a few key reasons. One, a moisturized scalp is a well-balanced scalp, which is imperative if you want to prevent flaking and irritation. Two, hair that's full of moisture tends to look smoother and shinier—plus it's less prone to breakage and split ends too.

It has cleansing benefits

Got a greasy scalp? Because of its gel-like texture in its raw form, aloe vera acts as a mild cleansing agent. For this reason, Blaisure recommends using aloe vera on its own as a mild cleanser to remove oils and make the hair soft and shiny. Not into DIY? Aloe vera is commonly used in shampoos—like the four below—so can reap the benefits that way too.

Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Aloe Extract Fortifying Shampoo

Chi Aloe Vera With Agave Nectar Curl Enhancing Shampoo

Herbal Essences Bio:Renew Eucalyptus + Potent Aloe Scalp Balance Shampoo

Does aloe vera help hair growth?

It's not so cut-and-dry. There are no actual studies to support that aloe vera helps hair growth thicker and faster—but there are plenty of personal anecdotes and traditional usage claims, says Blaisure.

According to Dr. Greenfield, there have been studies that demonstrated the beneficial effects of aloe vera on skin, and it’s possible that aloe vera could help support hair growth by addressing and calming inflammation on your scalp. “There are many, many causes of slow-to-no hair growth, collectively referred to as alopecia,” Dr. Greenfield says. It’s possible that aloe vera can promote hair growth when the cause of the alopecia is an inflammatory condition on the scalp.

More likely is that aloe vera contributes to healthy hair because it conditions and moisturizes the hair and scalp, says Dr. Greenfield. Proper hydration is a must for healthy hair and a skin barrier, but it won't actually speed up the rate at which your hair grows—only a new set of hormones and DNA can do that.

How do I use aloe vera on my hair?

So, uh, how do you apply aloe vera, exactly? According to Dr. Greenfield, you can squeeze the gel right out of the leaf of an aloe vera plant (FYI: you can buy aloe leaves at most grocery stores or even online) and apply it directly onto your strands and scalp. Here are a few different ways to use raw aloe vera for hair benefits, as well as how to cut 'em open and get the goo out:

Aloe vera for shampoo

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1. Slice open a leaf by cutting off the ends and the spiky sides, then split it down the middle.
2. Scrape the insides of the leaf into a bowl.
3. Separate the gel from the chunks. Squeeze the insides you collected through a milk nut bag to collect the gel in your storage jar.
4. Use the gel to wash your hair as normal.

Aloe vera for pre-poo treatment

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1. Slice open a leaf of the aloe vera plant. Cut off the sides, chop it in chunks, then split each aloe square in half to get to the good stuff.
2. Squeeze the gooey aloe into your hair or run the gel side of the leaf over your strands. Use your hands to work the gel into your scalp (Koestline is a big fan of an aloe vera pre-poo treatment as a great scalp treatment), length, and ends.
3. To seal in the moisture, apply a few drops of castor oil all over the length of your strands, and massage it into your scalp.
4. Leave the treatment in for 30 minutes, then wash it out and style your hair as usual.

Aloe vera for hair detangler

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1. Slice the aloe leaf in half, and scoop out the gel from inside. Then, strain the gel with a cheesecloth or a mesh strainer, and pour the juice into a spray bottle.
2. Part your hair into four sections (or more if you have a lot of hair to work with). Focusing on one section at a time, spray your hair liberally with the aloe vera juice. The slip from the gel also makes aloe vera an excellent hair detangler.
3. Use your detangling brush or comb to gently smooth out the strands and untangle any knots.
4. Leave the aloe vera in your hair for 30 minutes to use it as a treatment, then wash it out and style as normal.

Aloe vera for hair mask

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1. Slice the leaf in half, scoop out the gel from inside (you know the drill by now), and pop the gel in a food processor.
2. Add three tablespoons of olive oil to the food processor. Quick reminder: olive oil is a great carrier oil for using with other ingredients and also *chef's kiss* for sealing in moisture, but it's not always recommended for the scalp. Make sure to read up on all the different hair oils (we've written about a ton of 'em) to find out which one would work best for you.
3. Drop a tablespoon of castor oil into the mix, and blend it all up.
4. Strain the mixture to remove the clumps, and pour the liquid portion into a squeeze bottle.
5. Apply the mixture to your hair, and use your hands to work it through.
6. Leave it for 30 minutes, then wash it out and style as usual.

JSYK, aloe vera pulp from the plant might be a bit tricky to apply onto your scalp if you're using it for scalp care, so Koestline says a hair gel or hair serum formulated without any potentially irritating ingredients (like fragrance or drying alcohol) would be a good alternative. Dr. Greenfield also adds that some products contain the extract of aloe vera, which is a more potent version of the gel directly from the plant, so the benefits would be similar. And just like any other hair product, which formulation you use will depend on the type of hair you have and your reason for use.

If you need a good rec for a traditional haircare product that contains aloe, try this curl gel, treatment hair mask, leave-in conditioner, or moisturizing spray instead:

4 aloe vera-infused hair products worth trying

Christophe Robin Hydrating Melting Hair Mask with Aloe Vera

TPH by Taraji Mint Condition Tingling Scalp Conditioner

Dr°k Daily Spray

beautybydrkari.com

$24.99

Can I use aloe vera gel on my hair every day?

How often you use aloe vera depends on what you’re using it for, but in general, Dr. Greenfield says you can apply a few drops distributed evenly throughout the hair and scalp up to one to two times a week. If you're using a shampoo, conditioner, or styling product with aloe vera, feel free to use them every day or as often as you normally would in your hair routine.

Can aloe vera be left in hair?

Blaisure says that you can leave aloe vera gel in your hair, but it may feel a little sticky if you do. If you're using aloe vera with a heavier texture, apply it as a mask or pre-poo scalp treatment and rinse after 30 minutes to an hour and follow it with shampoo if your hair still feels sticky. If you do want to leave it in, Koestline recommends using a lightweight leave-in scalp serum that’s not too oily or other leave-in hair products.

What are the side effects of using aloe vera for hair?

As great as aloe vera is, it can cause irritation or allergic reactions in some people, says Dr. Greenfield. “If you find that your skin turns red, itchy, or scaly after using aloe, you should consult with your doctor and likely stay away from the product in the future.”

The takeaway:

All in all, if you’re not sensitive or allergic to it, aloe vera can be beneficial if your goal is scalp nourishment and hair hydration. Will it make your hair grow faster or any thicker? Eh, not necessarily. If thinning or hair loss is your issue, your best bet is to make an appointment to see a dermatologist or a trichologist to address the source of your thinning and create a customized treatment plan. But if you also want to throw a little aloe vera into your routine for added benefits, why not! It's worth a shot.

Lauren Balsamo Deputy Beauty Director Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports.

Brooke Shunatona Brooke Shunatona is a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan.com.

Can aloe vera make your hair grow faster?

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