Kitchen ingredients such as fenugreek, onion, and rice have gained popularity among DIY hair-care enthusiasts. And now, dhaniya, aka coriander, which is usually thrown in for free by your vegetable vendor, is being recognised by social media beauty enthusiasts who have devised treatments with coriander water and juice to treat issues of hair loss. So, let’s see whether this seemingly ordinary cooking herb can actually be used in one’s regimen for hair care or not.
The easiest way for individuals trying out coriander as an ingredient for the maintenance of scalp health is to utilise a coriander-based rinse with water instead of using the concentrated form. You can try this homemade coriander rinse for hair with a handful of fresh coriander leaves and about two cups of water. Start by cleaning the coriander properly, then put the leaves in water to simmer. Cool the mixture, strain the coriander, and after washing your hair with shampoo, apply this cool mixture as the last rinse for hair. Don’t forget to rinse with plain water afterwards. Coriander includes several compounds that have antioxidant capabilities. Oxidative stress is an important line of research in skin and hair-follicle biology. Nevertheless, it would be premature to claim that the knowledge of hair growth from coriander would be supportive, but it’s safer to say that it is rich in antioxidant properties, which help speed the hair growth process. So, coriander indirectly helps in hair growth but is mainly helpful for scalp care. Fresh coriander is primarily known as a cooking ingredient, but when it comes to topical application, coriander is used differently. If anyone is trying any homemade coriander preparation, it should be used only after an at-home patch test to avoid any complications. One must stop the preparation immediately if there is any itching, burning, redness, or irritation. And remember that the plant should not be applied to inflamed skin. This is where science truly takes centre stage. Active ingredients like minoxidil have far more evidence backing their use for certain types of hair loss than kitchen remedies. On the other hand, while coriander does have some compelling preclinical evidence, it doesn’t have the clinical evidence to back its effectiveness in hair growth. So, coriander can, in fact, be used as an experimental DIY ingredient for scalp care, but it should not be considered a substitute for established treatments for hair loss.
