The oil found in pumpkin seeds (cucurbita pepo L.) has a considerable amount of nutritional and medicinal properties, which can help increase hair growth and decrease hair shaft diversity and vellus hairs when used in treatments for female pattern hair loss (FPHL), according to the outcomes of a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (September 2021).
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The study investigated the clinical efficacy of pumpkin seed oil (PSO) compared to minoxidil 5% foam for subjects with FPHL. Of the 60 subjects, 30 were assigned to pumpkin seed oil (Group A), and 30 patients were assigned to minoxidil 5% foam (Group B). They received these treatments for three months. The patients were evaluated clinically and dermoscopically at baseline, at one-and-half months and at the end of the three-month study.
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Among the patients in group A, there was a significant decrease in hair shaft diversity before and after treatment (30.5 ± 6.2%, 24.0 ± 4.02, P < .001, respectively) as well as in the number of vellus hairs (22.5 ± 4.9, 15.8 ± 2.2, P < .001, respectively). Upright regrowing hairs significantly increased from (0.13 ± 0.5) before treatment to (0.9 ± 1.0) after treatment (P < .001). In group B there was a significant decrease in hair shaft diversity before and after treatment (31.5 ± 6.3%, 21.3 ± 2.2, P < .001, respectively), as well as vellus hairs (24.7 ± 6.4, 19.5 ± 5.4, P = .02, respectively). The authors noted that these findings show promise of a potential role of PSO in treating FPHL.
