What Pumpkin Seed Oil Could Do for Your Hair

If you’re looking for longer, fuller hair ... join the club.

But how do you know what will actually help you achieve that goal? Especially when everyone, from celebrities and social media influencers to your barber or stylist, has an opinion?

For many of us, that can lead to a trip down the rabbit hole that is the hair care aisle of our local health and beauty store. Or the online equivalent.

And that’s where you may come across solutions like pumpkin seed oil for hair growth. There are pumpkin seed oil supplements (even gummy ones!), topical treatments and bags of pumpkin seeds, all touting the prowess to grow longer, thicker locks.

But what does pumpkin seed oil have to do with hair? And is it right for you?

We asked dermatologist Wilma Bergfeld, MD, about the proliferation of pumpkin seed oil products for hair loss. So you can make an informed decision.

Pumpkin seed benefits for hair

When it comes to caring for your hair, pumpkin seed oil has a lot going for it.

“Pumpkin seed oil is an antioxidant and is anti-inflammatory. It also has vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid,” Dr. Bergfeld shares. “Those are all potentially beneficial properties. And we know it’s safe for consumption and as a topical treatment.”

But does all that potential add up to an effective treatment for your hair? Perhaps.

Some researchers have shown promising results for pumpkin seed oil as a topical treatment to help encourage hair growth. But those studies have only been conducted in non-human models.

Other research has suggested that pumpkin seed oil may be helpful for people experiencing hair loss when used as a nutritional supplement.

Research hasn’t been conducted on whether eating more pumpkin seeds in your diet is beneficial for your hair. Nor are there significant research reports on the effect of pumpkin seed oil as an additive to hair care products. (Such as a topical oil or as an ingredient in your shampoo.)

Does pumpkin seed oil help hair loss?

Still, research on pumpkin seed oil supplements shows promise.

“There are different categories for just how effective certain products are for hair growth,” Dr. Bergfeld explains. “And out of those four categories, pumpkin seed oil supplements have been rated a level two, which is a rather high rating.”

Category one is reserved for products that have been the most thoroughly tested. We’re talking major research funding and double-blind scientific studies. That level of science is typically reserved for medications, which have to be tested (and re-tested) extensively.

Pumpkin seed oil is a step below that. Meaning it has been tested in some relatively large-scale studies and shown to be useful, without causing damaging effects.

Other hair loss products in category two include:

• Zinc, a common additive in dandruff shampoos.
• Tocotrienol, a type of vitamin E.
• Several brand name hair supplements, including Nutrafol®, Nourkrin® and Pantogar®.

(In case you’re wondering, categories three and four are reserved for products that haven’t been proven in scientifically valid research.)

How it works

One reason that pumpkin seed oil supplements can help with hair loss is that they block testosterone. Or more specifically, it lowers the hormone that testosterone is made from. It’s called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

“When people have an excess of DHT, it can lead to things like hair loss,” Dr. Bergfeld relays. “Taking pumpkin seed oil might help to lower the excess DHT that can contribute to loss of hair.”

Note that pumpkin seed oil can help to lower excess DHT in your system. It’s not likely to cause major hormonal imbalances or create a situation where you’re dealing with low-T. But it may help to clear out some. Maybe even enough to help stimulate some hair growth.

That can be particularly useful for people who’ve experienced menopause. During menopause, estrogen levels take a nosedive, and testosterone levels increase. For some people, that can take a real toll on their hair.

“We often see that after menopause, your hair may not grow very long anymore, or you can experience thinning hair or your hair grows very slowly,” Dr. Bergfeld points out.

Is pumpkin seed oil right for your hair loss?

Now, this is all sounding very well and good. Pop some pumpkin seed oil supplements, and you’ll be on your way to longer locks in no time, right?

Not so fast, Dr. Bergfeld cautions. Pumpkin seed oil isn’t a magic bullet for your hair. It can be helpful in some cases, but it’s not for everyone.

Here are a few reasons why.

It’ll take time

Even in the best of cases, hair grows slowly. So, the effects of pumpkin seed oil may take a while for you to notice.

How long? Potentially six months to a year.

“You may see some decrease in shedding earlier, but hair only grows about a quarter of an inch each month. So, it can be a long process before you can really notice new growth,” Dr. Bergfeld says.

That’s a long wait. And it’s a long time to keep on taking a supplement without knowing if it’s really doing you any good.

Depends on the cause

Yes, pumpkin seed oil has a lot of nutrients that can be beneficial for your hair. But there can be a lot of causes for hair loss, and it’s not necessarily equipped for them all.

“When we’re evaluating the causes for hair loss, you need to look at the whole person.” Dr. Bergfeld clarifies. “You have to look at things like how healthy is your scalp? What is your overall diet like? Are you taking medications that can affect your hair health? There are a lot of factors.”

So, while pumpkin seed oil supplements may be helpful for some people, getting to the root cause of your hair loss matters. Because there may be better avenues for your hair loss, like medication and topical solutions.

Supplements can be tricky

When you choose a supplement, there are no guarantees. Supplements aren’t overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way that foods and medications are. (Hence that disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.)

That means there’s a lot of variability in how effective any supplement may be. Sure, that bottle of pumpkin seed oil supplements may have been fine-tuned to provide your body a healthy dose of nutrients that could stimulate your hair growth. But it might not. And there’s no way to know for sure.

Rather than selecting a bottle of pumpkin seed oil on your own and taking it for a year or more in hopes it does something for you, Dr. Bergfeld suggests talking with a dermatologist about your hair loss and your options. They can review your health history, understand the cause of your hair loss and recommend treatments that are most likely to work for you.

“Grass doesn’t grow unless you water it. And hair doesn’t grow if you don’t find the proper treatments and keep up with them,” Dr. Bergfeld advises.