Does Caffeine Cause Hair Loss? Myth or Fact? Let’s Bust The Myth!

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive stimulant in the world and it is used in a variety of beverages and meals. It’s a common ingredient in coffee, green and black tea, and chocolate. It's also used in soft drinks, bottled water and a number of pharmaceutical medicines, including over-the-counter pain and weight-loss pills and prescription drugs.

A lot of us associate caffeine with coffee but caffeine isn’t limited to just coffee. However, coffee is something that a lot of us consume on a daily basis. And let’s admit it: Coffee is the reason why we successfully get through back-to-back lectures, long working hours and meetings!

Many of us rely on our morning cup of coffee to function normally and get through the day…what if the same coffee can solve more problems than just helping you feel refreshed in the morning? Yes, it’s possible! If you search for ‘coffee benefits for hair’, you will get a plethora of information on how caffeine and its impact on hair.

These include a lot of myths and mysteries around caffeine being good or bad for hair. In this blog, we are going to answer the question, "Does coffee and caffeine cause hair loss?” or is it just a myth!

The short answer is - No, it's not true! Caffeine does not cause hair loss when applied on the scalp but here’s what’s important – it must be used in moderation.

Because caffeine has a diuretic impact on the body, you could expect it to dry out your hair when used on it. Caffeine does not rob the hair of its natural oils - rather, it can aid in the retention of moisture and the creation of a natural sheen. Increased blood circulation aids in the delivery of nutrients to the hair roots, resulting in shinier, healthier hair. If you're wanting to dye grey hair or naturally deepen your hair colour, a coffee rinse can help. Because coffee has a dark hue, it leaves a stain on the hair. If you have brown or black hair, this is a simple remedy for disguising grey strands. Use a strong coffee, such as espresso, for the best results.

As human beings grow older, both men and women experience hair loss. Caffeine-rich coffee rinse, when used with care and caution on the hair and scalp, may help in hair regrowth and prevent hair loss.

The most common cause of hair loss in men is hair follicle damage which accumulates over time, eventually leading to baldness. Caffeine has been demonstrated in trials to help stimulate hair development and prevent hair loss. According to studies, people suffering from hair loss experienced hair growth after using caffeine.

A coffee rinse must be done topically to help with hair loss and restore hair. You could think that drinking a cup of coffee every day will be enough to accelerate hair growth or improve the texture and appearance of your hair. To receive the same stimulating benefits from coffee, though, you'd have to drink roughly 50 to 60 cups each day!

The caffeine content in an 8-ounce cup of coffee is between 80 and 100 mg. Only four to five cups of ordinary coffee a day, or around 400 mg, is recommended by experts and organizations.

A better and an easier way, therefore, is to try haircare products that contain caffeine.

If you don’t want to go through the troubles of making a coffee rinse or drinking 50-60 cups of coffee, you could always get caffeine in the hair products that you use. Caffeine shampoo has the same impact on your hair as that triple shot cappuccino you used to purchase on your way to work every morning: it stimulates and energizes the scalp, promoting hair development and repairing hair follicles. Caffeine is a mild stimulant that can stimulate blood circulation, and while it won't stop hair thinning or shedding on its own, it's frequently used in professional in-salon treatments, and there's some evidence that it speeds up the hair growth cycle.