Does Mustard Oil Regrow Hair? What the Studies Show
No hair trial in people, one animal study from 1981, and a sharp compound used in labs to cause pain. What mustard oil has, and has not, been shown to do for hair and scalp.
26sources
26in PubMed
16min read
Written by Nazmi Güldeş, Certified Trichologist · Every source checked against PubMed · Last updated 29 October 2026
Reading level
1Quick answerThe short answer, in a few sentences
No. Using mustard oil for hair regrowth is not supported by any human study. Of 31 PubMed records on mustard oil and hair, two tested hair growth, both in animals: a 1981 study with no abstract on PubMed,[1] and a 2014 study that used plain mustard oil only as a comparison.[2]
What the research does show is how mustard oil acts on skin. Its sharp compound causes burning pain and inflammation,[3][4] it slowed skin barrier repair in mice,[5] and dermatologists link regular use to dark skin patches.[6] It can soften hair like other oils, but it is not a hair loss treatment.
2Complete guideEvery study, side effects and safer use
What Is Mustard Oil?
Mustard oil and mustard seeds, photographed in Kolkata, India. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
Mustard oil is pressed from the seeds of mustard plants such as Asian mustard (Brassica juncea); black and white mustard are related species.[7] In South Asia it is called sarson oil, a name also searched as sarso or sharsham oil, and it is used both for cooking and as a traditional hair oil. In a survey in India, it was the hair oil most preferred by men.[8]
Sarson mustard seeds. Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
Two parts of mustard oil matter for skin and hair:
Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), the compound that gives mustard, wasabi and horseradish their bite.[3] It is what makes mustard oil sting.
Erucic acid, a fatty acid. In mustard oils sold in Germany and Australia it ranged from 0.3% to 50.8%, and 7 of 9 oils were above the food limit.[9] The concern about erucic acid is about eating it: heart damage was seen in lab rats, but has not been confirmed in humans.[10]
Sarson oil is the South Asian name for mustard oil. Pages that promise faster hair growth from sarson oil rely on the same tradition, not on separate research.
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Does Mustard Oil Regrow Hair? Every Study, Side by Side
We searched PubMed on 29 October 2026 for mustard oil, sarson, Brassica juncea and its sharp compound together with hair, alopecia or scalp. Of 31 records, these come closest to the question. None measured hair growth in people:
Mustard oil users had single or fewer patches than users of other oils
What it means for your hair
An observation, not proof of a cause
Put together, there is no study in which mustard oil itself was shown to grow hair. The rest of the research is about skin, and most of it is about irritation.
Clinical detail: the 1981 and 1995 studies
Akhtar and Jabbar (J Pak Med Assoc 1981) compared topical amla, coconut, sarson and samsol oils on rabbit hair and sheep wool; PubMed carries no abstract and we could not access the full text, so we report no result.[1] Kalla et al. reported that, among 200 tinea capitis cases in Jodhpur, patients using mustard oil as a hair application had single or fewer lesions than users of other oils; the design cannot separate the oil from other differences between groups.[12] Anjum et al. extracted C. reflexa stems in mustard oil (10% w/v, direct boiling) and compared these oils with mustard oil, testing hair growth in rats and hair fall and dandruff in volunteers; the abstract reports effects for two herbal oils without separate figures for mustard oil, and the full text was not available to us.[2]
Why Does Mustard Oil Burn the Scalp?
The sting is not a sign that the oil is working on your hair. It is a nerve response. AITC switches on pain-sensing nerve endings in the skin, which produces pain, inflammation and extra sensitivity to heat and touch.[3] It acts on more than one pain channel, and in lab tests body warmth made one of them respond more strongly.[13]
It is reliable enough that scientists use it on purpose to cause pain in experiments:
In 14 healthy volunteers, AITC on the forearm for 5 minutes caused moderate to severe burning pain and inflammation, more with stronger concentrations.[4]
In 20 people with eczema and 20 without, mustard oil on the skin caused the same nerve-driven redness in both groups.[14]
On mouse ears, mustard oil caused swelling that peaked about 30 minutes after it was applied.[15]
These studies used AITC or mustard oil at measured strengths, so they show what the compound can do to skin, not what every bottle will do. But they explain why the scalp tingles, reddens and sometimes burns.
Clinical detail: AITC pharmacology
AITC activates TRPA1 (ANKTM1) on capsaicin-sensitive primary sensory neurons.[3] Everaerts et al. showed a large TRPV1 contribution to mustard oil-induced pain and aversion, a bimodal effect on TRPA1 with inhibition at millimolar concentrations, and enhancement of TRPV1 stimulation at physiological temperatures.[13] In the human surrogate model (10%, 50% and 90% AITC vs paraffin, 5 minutes, 3 × 3 cm volar forearm), pain and hyperalgesia were dose-dependent with no difference between 50% and 90%; neurogenic inflammation on laser perfusion imaging showed a ceiling from 50%.[4]
Does Mustard Oil Increase Blood Flow to the Scalp?
Yes, in a way, but not one that helps hair. The redness and warmth after mustard oil are neurogenic inflammation: irritated nerves release substances that widen blood vessels. Studies measured this increase in skin blood flow in people.[4][14]
No study has shown that this kind of blood flow makes hair grow. The idea that a stinging oil "wakes up" follicles is a guess. If you want the effect of scalp massage, the massage itself has been studied: in 9 Japanese men, 4 minutes a day with a massage device for 24 weeks made hairs slightly thicker, 0.092 mm against 0.085 mm. That study used no oil.[16]
Can Mustard Oil Cause Hair Fall?
We found no reported case of hair loss from pure mustard oil applied to the scalp. There is one well-documented way mustard oil has caused hair loss, and it has nothing to do with hair care.
In 1975, doctors in New Delhi studied 45 people with epidemic dropsy, a poisoning caused by mustard cooking oil contaminated with argemone oil. Hair loss affected 78% of them. At 10 months, recovery was almost complete in all of them.[17] That was contaminated oil, eaten. It is a reason to buy mustard oil from a trustworthy source, not evidence that mustard oil on the scalp causes hair fall.
A scalp that stings, reddens or flakes every time you oil it is still worth taking seriously. Stop the oil and, if shedding continues, find out why: our guide to reasons for hair loss covers the common causes.
Mustard Oil and the Skin Barrier
The skin barrier is the outer layer that keeps water in and irritants out. Mustard oil is often massaged into babies' skin in South Asia, so researchers have tested what it does to that barrier:
In mice, after the barrier was damaged, mustard, olive and soybean oil all slowed its repair, while sunflower oil sped it up. Mustard oil twice a day for 7 days kept repair delayed, and a single application damaged skin cells under the microscope.[5]
In 995 newborns in Nepal, massage with mustard or sunflower oil made no difference to redness, rash, dryness or water loss through the skin. The skin's protective acidity developed slightly faster with sunflower oil.[11]
The human trial is reassuring about short-term redness and rash, and the mouse study is a warning. Neither looked at adult scalps or hair.
Clinical detail: the barrier studies
Darmstadt et al. measured transepidermal water loss after tape-stripping in mice; mustard oil delayed barrier recovery versus control and Aquaphor, and transmission electron microscopy showed adverse changes in keratin filaments, mitochondria and nuclei after a single application.[5] Summers et al. (cluster-randomized, n = 995) found a slightly faster fall in skin surface pH with sunflower seed oil in week 1 (difference in mean daily reduction 0.02; 95% CI 0.002–0.040), with no significant group differences in erythema, rash, dryness or TEWL.[11]
Mustard Oil for Dandruff and Scalp Fungus
Many pages say mustard oil fights dandruff because it is antifungal. The evidence is thin:
In a lab comparison of common Indian hair oils against four ringworm fungi, mustard oil was the least active of all.[8]
AITC, its sharp compound, stopped Candida yeast growing in lab tests.[18]Candida is not the yeast linked to dandruff.
We found no study of mustard oil against Malassezia, the yeast linked to dandruffGlossarySeborrheic dermatitis causes an itchy, flaky, scaly rash on oily areas such as the scalp. It is the Malassezia-linked condition most people mean by a scalp yeast infection. Open in the glossary →, and no trial on a flaky scalp.
Dandruff has treatments with trial evidence, such as ketoconazole shampoo. A scalp that is scaly, patchy or itchy with hair breaking off needs a doctor, because ringworm of the scalp is usually treated with medicine taken by mouth.
Mustard Oil Side Effects for Hair and Scalp
Burning and Irritation
This is the most likely side effect, and it is caused by AITC.[3][4] Signs to stop are stinging that does not fade, redness that lasts, flaking or small bumps.
Contact Allergy
A true allergy to AITC is uncommon: of 259 Danish patients tested for suspected skin reactions to vegetables or food, 2 reacted clearly, although 43 had doubtful reactions.[19] It does happen with hair oiling. A 1985 report from India described two women allergic to mustard seed residue whose rash also involved the face, ear lobes and neck because they applied mustard oil to their hair; one also reacted to mustard oil on patch testing.[20] Mustard is also one of the most allergenic spices to eat.[21]
Dark Patches on the Face and Neck
Lichen planus pigmentosus is a condition that causes slate-grey to dark brown patches, usually on the face and neck, and is most common in darker skin. In a study of 100 patients in India, 62% had used mustard oil on their skin or hair, and the authors advise all patients to stop it.[6] A review lists mustard oil among the contact triggers.[22] This is a link, not proof that the oil causes it, but it is a good reason to stop if patches appear.
The same review notes that it can appear together with frontal fibrosing alopecia, a scarring hair loss along the hairline.[22] Dark patches plus a receding hairline need a dermatologist.
Anyone in the first weeks after a hair transplant.
Clinical detail: lichen planus pigmentosus
Mendiratta et al. (n = 100, clinically and histopathologically confirmed LPP): topical mustard oil history 62%, hair dye 48%; face 54% and neck 48% most affected; diffuse pigmentation commonest; association with hypothyroidism in diffuse LPP.[6] Robles-Méndez et al. describe association with hepatitis C, sun exposure and contactants such as mustard oil and nickel, and concomitant variants including frontal fibrosing alopecia.[22]
How to Use Mustard Oil for Hair, If You Still Want To
There is no tested routine for mustard oil on the scalp, so these steps are about avoiding harm:
1.Test it first on a small patch of skin on the inner arm and wait a day.
2.Mix it with a milder oil such as coconut oil to soften the sting.
3.Keep contact short, then wash it out with a mild shampoo.
4.Do not heat it. In lab tests, warmth made mustard oil act more strongly on a pain-sensing channel,[13] so warm oil may sting more.
5.Stop if your scalp stings, turns red, flakes or sheds more, or if dark patches appear on your skin.
How Long Should You Leave Mustard Oil in Your Hair?
No study has compared contact times. Because mustard oil irritates skin and slowed barrier repair with repeated use in mice,[5] a short time before washing is safer than leaving it on overnight.
Mustard Oil Mixed with Coconut, Castor or Fenugreek
None of these mixtures has been tested for hair growth. The part with evidence is coconut oil: in lab tests it reduced the protein lost from both damaged and undamaged hair, while sunflower and mineral oil did not.[23]
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No study has published before-and-after photos of mustard oil on hair, because no study has tested it on hair in people. Photos online usually come from one person, with changes in light, angle and styling that can look like new hair.
If you want to judge any treatment yourself, photograph your scalp in the same light, from the same angles, with dry hair, before you start and again after 3 and 6 months. Our guide to reading before-and-after photos explains what to check. The same photos are what our medical team needs for a free hair analysis.
Mustard Oil vs Other Hair Oils
If you are choosing an oil, mustard oil has the least evidence of benefit and the most evidence of irritation:
Oil
Best evidence for hair
Main caution
Rosemary
Best evidence for hair
One randomized trial in 100 men, compared with minoxidil 2%[24]
your hair falls out suddenly, or in round patches;
your scalp is red, scaly, sore or itchy, or hairs are breaking off;
your hairline is moving back, especially with dark patches on the skin;
you can see more scalp month by month.
A 2025 Canadian expert consensus recommends seven treatments for pattern hair loss: finasteride and dutasteride tablets, finasteride and minoxidilGlossaryMinoxidil is an established medication for certain types of hair loss. It is a drug, not a hair oil, and the FDA-approved label says not to use it for sudden or patchy hair loss. Open in the glossary → applied to the scalp, minoxidil tablets, platelet-rich plasma and microneedling. It lists topical herbal formulations and rosemary oil among the treatments it does not recommend.[25] Men can check their stage with the Norwood test and graft calculator.
When the Hair Is Already Gone
No oil regrows hair on smooth, bald skin. Where the hair is already gone, a hair transplant is the option that puts hair back: follicles are moved from areas where hair is not thinningGlossaryThe donor area is the back and sides of the head, where follicles resist DHT. An extracted follicle does not grow back in that spot, so extractions are spread out, and the donor supply is the limit of every plan. Open in the glossary → and keep that resistance in their new place, a principle called donor dominance. Medical treatment is often continued alongside it to protect the hair that is still there.[26]
Should You Use Mustard Oil on Your Hair? Our Verdict
Not to regrow hair. There is no human evidence that it helps, and the research that exists is mostly about how it irritates skin. As a hair oil it can soften the lengths, but gentler oils do that without the sting.
If you like it as a tradition, test it, mix it, keep contact short and stop at the first sign of irritation.
If dark patches appear on your face or neck, stop and see a dermatologist.
If you have dandruff, use a treatment that has been tested on scalps.
If your hair is thinning, find out why before spending months on any oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does mustard oil regrow hair?
There is no evidence that it does. We found no study of mustard oil and hair growth in people. A 1981 animal study has no published summary of its results,[1] and in a 2014 study plain mustard oil was only the comparison for herbal oils.[2]
Is mustard oil good for your hair?
It can act like any oil on the hair lengths, making them feel softer. But mustard oil also contains allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a compound that causes burning pain and inflammation on skin,[3][4] so it is not a gentle choice for the scalp.
Can I leave mustard oil in my hair overnight?
We would not. In mice, applying mustard oil twice a day for a week kept the skin barrier from repairing,[5] and longer contact gives its sharp compound more time to act on the scalp. Wash it out after a short time.
What are the side effects of mustard oil on the scalp?
Burning, redness and stinging are the most common. Less often, people develop a contact allergy,[19][20] and dermatologists in India link regular use to dark patches on the face and neck called lichen planus pigmentosus.[6][22]
Can mustard oil cause hair fall?
We found no reported case of hair loss from pure mustard oil on the scalp. Mustard cooking oil contaminated with argemone oil caused hair loss in 78% of 45 people poisoned in a 1975 outbreak in New Delhi; recovery was almost complete within 10 months.[17]
Is mustard oil good for dandruff?
We found no study of mustard oil on dandruff. In lab tests against ringworm fungi, it was the weakest of the hair oils tested.[8] Shampoos such as ketoconazole have trial evidence for dandruff.
Does mustard oil make hair thicker or darker?
We found no study showing that mustard oil thickens hair or darkens grey hair. Oil can make hair look shinier and fuller for a while because it coats the hair shaft.
Is mustard oil good for curly hair?
No study has tested it on curly hair. If you want an oil for dry curls, coconut oil is the one with lab evidence for protecting hair protein,[23] and it does not burn.
Is mustard oil safe on a baby's scalp?
Ask your paediatrician first. In mice, mustard oil slowed skin barrier repair,[5] while in a trial of 995 newborns, skin redness and rash did not differ between mustard and sunflower oil massage.[11]
Can I use mustard oil after a hair transplant?
Do not put any oil on the grafts or the donor area unless your surgical team agrees. Follow your written aftercare plan.
3 questions
Test yourself
Check what you remember from this entry. Each answer links back to the section that explains it.
How many studies have tested mustard oil on hair growth in people?
We found none. The only hair growth tests were in animals, and in one of them plain mustard oil was just the comparison. Read the section
What makes mustard oil sting the scalp?
AITC switches on pain-sensing nerves in the skin. Read the section
Dark patches appear on your face while you use mustard oil. What should you do?
Dermatologists link mustard oil to lichen planus pigmentosus and advise stopping it. Read the section
3Scientific evidenceStudy types, references and how to cite this entry
26sources
Evidence behind this entry: 26 publications indexed in PubMed (1975–2026): 8 clinical studies, 6 lab studies, 5 reviews, 3 animal studies, 2 randomized trials, 1 case report and 1 guideline. 7 have free full text.
Randomized trialpeople assigned to treatments by chance
Reviewsummarises many studies
Clinical studya study in people without random groups
Akhtar MS, Jabbar MA. Effect of topical application of oils of amla, coconut, sarson and samsol on growth of rabbit's hair and sheep wool. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association. 1981;31(11):246-249.Animal studyPubMed
Anjum F, Bukhari SA, Shahid M, et al. Exploration of nutraceutical potential of herbal oil formulated from parasitic plant. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 2014;11(1):78-86.Clinical studyPubMedFree full text
Jordt SE, Bautista DM, Chuang HH, et al. Mustard oils and cannabinoids excite sensory nerve fibres through the TRP channel ANKTM1. Nature. 2004;427(6971):260-265.Lab studyPubMedDOI
Andersen HH, Lo Vecchio S, Gazerani P, et al. Dose-response study of topical allyl isothiocyanate (mustard oil) as a human surrogate model of pain, hyperalgesia, and neurogenic inflammation. Pain. 2017;158(9):1723-1732.Clinical studyPubMedDOI
Darmstadt GL, Mao-Qiang M, Chi E, et al. Impact of topical oils on the skin barrier: possible implications for neonatal health in developing countries. Acta Paediatrica. 2002;91(5):546-554.Animal studyPubMedDOI
Mendiratta V, Sanke S, Chander R. Lichen Planus Pigmentosus: A Clinico-etiological Study. Indian Dermatology Online Journal. 2019;10(3):288-292.Clinical studyPubMedDOIFree full text
Rahman M, Khatun A, Liu L, et al. Brassicaceae Mustards: Phytochemical Constituents, Pharmacological Effects, and Mechanisms of Action against Human Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024;25(16):9039.ReviewPubMedDOIFree full text
Garg AP, Müller J. Inhibition of growth of dermatophytes by Indian hair oils. Mycoses. 1992;35(11-12):363-369.Lab studyPubMedDOI
Wendlinger C, Hammann S, Vetter W. Various concentrations of erucic acid in mustard oil and mustard. Food Chemistry. 2014;153:393-397.Lab studyPubMedDOI
Galanty A, Grudzińska M, Paździora W, et al. Erucic Acid-Both Sides of the Story: A Concise Review on Its Beneficial and Toxic Properties. Molecules. 2023;28(4):1924.ReviewPubMedDOIFree full text
Summers A, Visscher MO, Khatry SK, et al. Impact of sunflower seed oil versus mustard seed oil on skin barrier function in newborns: a community-based, cluster-randomized trial. BMC Pediatrics. 2019;19(1):512.Randomized trialPubMedDOIFree full text
Kalla G, Begra B, Solanki A, et al. Clinicomycological study of tinea capitis in desert district of Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. 1995;61(6):342-345.Clinical studyPubMed
Everaerts W, Gees M, Alpizar YA, et al. The capsaicin receptor TRPV1 is a crucial mediator of the noxious effects of mustard oil. Current Biology. 2011;21(4):316-321.Lab studyPubMedDOI
Heyer G, Hornstein OP, Handwerker HO. Reactions to intradermally injected substance P and topically applied mustard oil in atopic dermatitis patients. Acta Dermato-Venereologica. 1991;71(4):291-295.Clinical studyPubMed
Inoue H, Asaka T, Nagata N, et al. Mechanism of mustard oil-induced skin inflammation in mice. European Journal of Pharmacology. 1997;333(2-3):231-240.Animal studyPubMedDOI
Koyama T, Kobayashi K, Hama T, et al. Standardized Scalp Massage Results in Increased Hair Thickness by Inducing Stretching Forces to Dermal Papilla Cells in the Subcutaneous Tissue. Eplasty. 2016;16:e8.Clinical studyPubMedFree full text
Tandon RK, Singh DS, Arora RR, et al. Epidemic dropsy in New Delhi. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1975;28(8):883-887.Clinical studyPubMedDOI
Balasaheb Patil S, Khanderao Jadhav A, Kumar Sharma R, et al. Antifungal activity of Allyl isothiocyanate by targeting signal transduction pathway, ergosterol biosynthesis, and cell cycle in Candida albicans. Current Medical Mycology. 2023;9(2):29-38.Lab studyPubMedDOIFree full text
Lerbaek A, Rastogi SC, Menné T. Allergic contact dermatitis from allyl isothiocyanate in a Danish cohort of 259 selected patients. Contact Dermatitis. 2004;51(2):79-83.Clinical studyPubMedDOI
Pasricha JS, Gupta R, Gupta SK. Contact hypersensitivity to mustard khal and mustard oil. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. 1985;51(2):108-110.Case reportPubMed
Lisiecka MF. Allergic reactions to spices: a review of sensitivities to pepper, cumin, oregano, anise, mustard and other spices. European Annals of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2026;58(2):51-60.ReviewPubMedDOI
Robles-Méndez JC, Rizo-Frías P, Herz-Ruelas ME, et al. Lichen planus pigmentosus and its variants: review and update. International Journal of Dermatology. 2018;57(5):505-514.ReviewPubMedDOI
Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2003;54(2):175-192.Lab studyPubMed
Panahi Y, Taghizadeh M, Marzony ET, et al. Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. Skinmed. 2015;13(1):15-21.Randomized trialPubMed
Landells I, Chow E, Gupta AK, et al. A Canadian Consensus on Androgenetic Alopecia: Approach and Management. Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2025;29(5_suppl):5S-14S.GuidelinePubMedDOIFour of the 15 authors are listed as working for L'Oréal Canada; the paper declares no conflicts of interest.
Queen D, Avram MR. Hair Transplantation: State of the Art. Dermatologic Surgery. 2025;51(9):874-881.ReviewPubMedDOI
Written byNazmi Güldeş, Certified Trichologist
Sources checked29 October 2026, against PubMed
Last updated29 October 2026
Cite this entry
Güldeş, N. (2026, October 29). Does mustard oil regrow hair? What the studies show. Turkey Hair Center Hair Library. https://turkeyhaircenter.com/mustard-oil-for-hair/
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