Coffee for Hair: Can Caffeine Help with Hair Growth?

Drinking coffee gives you life in the morning — could it also give life to your hair? If you’ve ever gone down a beauty rabbit hole, you might’ve seen people raving about caffeine hair benefits. But is coffee for hair growth too good to be true?

Here’s the deal: While the science isn’t totally locked in, some studies suggest that caffeine — the magic ingredient in coffee — might actually help with hair growth. And honestly, if there’s even a chance our morning latte could do double duty, we’re listening.

So, let’s break it down.

In this guide, we’ll go over what the research says about coffee and hair growth, how to use coffee as part of your hair care routine (without making a total mess in your bathroom), and other science-backed ways to keep your hair happy, strong, and thriving.

Hair growth may seem simple, but each hair on your scalp and body goes through a complex, multi-stage process as it grows to its full length and eventually sheds. This process is referred to as the hair growth cycle.

Before we talk coffee for hair, let’s run through a brief overview of how the hair growth cycle works:

• First, there’s the anagen phase (aka the growth phase), which lasts years for scalp hair but varies by a ton of factors, including age. 

• Then comes the catagen phase, where hair stops growing.

• And last is the telogen phase, when old hairs shed to make room for new ones.

When this cycle runs smoothly, it’s great!

But things like stress, hormone shifts, and genetics can throw it off, leading to thinning or excessive shedding and even hair loss.

One big culprit? Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgen (male sex hormone — that both men and women have in their bodies). DHT can shrink hair follicles over time, causing female pattern hair loss.

That’s where caffeine comes in — it may help block DHT and keep hair in the growth phase longer. 

While research on the effects of coffee for hair growth is limited, a few studies have found that it may offer benefits for promoting growth and boosting overall appearance. Let’s dive into the science behind it.

Coffee Might Stimulate Hair Growth

One study found that caffeine helped counteract the effects of DHT on hair follicles. Specifically, while DHT suppressed hair growth, caffeine appeared to stimulate it — suggesting it might be beneficial for people dealing with pattern hair loss.

Though this study is promising, it was conducted in vitro — aka in a lab setting (not on real people or even animals). It was also performed on biopsies from men with hair loss, with no female participants.

In a similar in-vitro study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, a team of researchers treated hair follicle biopsies with either testosterone or a combination of testosterone and caffeine.

Samples treated with caffeine showed:

• Hair shaft elongation (growth of the hair shaft)

• Prolonged anagen duration (a longer growth phase)

• An increase in keratinocyte (hair cell) production

The tested biopsies came from both men and women, and the female hair follicles showed a higher sensitivity to caffeine than the male samples.

Coffee May Improve Scalp Health

We’ve said it many times, and we’ll say it again: Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. Coffee is known to have skin-boosting benefits, thanks to its antioxidant and flavonoid content. And scalp is skin.

Caffeine’s skin-related benefits have made it a popular ingredient in anti-aging creams and other skincare products for years. Researchers believe this may extend to scalp health, too.

Research suggests caffeine can:

• Reduce moisture loss, keeping the scalp hydrated and promoting smoothness

• Protect against UV (ultraviolet) damage from the sun, which can weaken hair over time, reduce elasticity, and possibly lead to breakage

• Boost blood circulation to hair follicles

Some experts compare caffeine’s effects on the scalp to minoxidil. This common, FDA-approved hair loss treatment works by increasing blood flow to hair follicles and encouraging hairs to move into the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle.

Some researchers believe these effects may help improve scalp health and prevent hair loss when caffeine is applied topically. However, there isn’t yet any research looking into the direct effects of topical caffeine on hair growth.

So, should you drink more coffee — or apply it directly to your scalp to reap the potential benefits?

There aren’t any studies on the former, but there are a few ways to incorporate coffee topically into your haircare routine.

The first (and easiest) way to access the hair benefits of caffeine is to use caffeine shampoo, conditioner, or other hair care products containing coffee. You can purchase these products online and at most drugstores.

Many shampoos and hair care products contain coffee with argan oil, coconut oil, niacin, and other natural ingredients to soften, nourish, and strengthen hair while cleansing the scalp.

DIY Coffee Treatments for Hair

The second way to use caffeine as part of your hair care routine is to make your own coffee hair mask or stimulating rinse at home.

There are also plenty of DIY hair treatment options. You can:

• Mix coffee powder with lemon and yogurt, coconut oil, or an egg yolk

• Mix coffee powder with lemon and cinnamon, honey, olive oil, and other carrier hair oils

Or make a coffee hair rinse by following these steps:

1. Brew two to four cups of coffee using coffee grounds. Avoid using instant coffee or sweetened coffee, as these usually contain preservatives and sweeteners you may not want to apply to your scalp.

2. Allow the coffee to cool. To bring it to a comfortable temperature faster, you can add lukewarm water to the coffee rinse.

3. After shampooing and conditioning your hair in the shower, apply the rinse to your hair roots and lengths while it’s still nice and wet.

4. To make applying the coffee rinse easier, try pouring it into a spray bottle, then spray it directly onto your hair roots, shafts, and tips.

5. To help the rinse soak into your hair, wear a shower cap. It’s best to rinse the coffee out of your hair after 20 to 30 minutes.

6. Make sure to carefully rinse all of the coffee out of your hair before drying with a towel or blow dryer.

Precautions for Coffee Hair Rinses

Before applying any type of homemade coffee treatment to your hair, it’s important to be aware of two things.

• First, hot coffee can burn your scalp and damage your hair. Give your fresh coffee enough time to cool down to room temperature before applying it to your scalp. Use a lukewarm or cool coffee mix to avoid burning your scalp. 

• Second, because of its dark brown color, coffee may darken your hair if you have a light colored or natural hair color. Some people even use it as a natural hair dye.

While this might be a benefit if you have gray hair you’d like to darken, it’s better to proceed with caution if you have light-colored red, blonde, or brown hair that may be affected by the dark, strong color of brewed coffee.

Also, if you have sensitive skin, watch for dryness from overuse. 

Though the current research into coffee’s potential effects on hair health is interesting, no studies show a direct link between coffee and improvements in hair growth.

If not caffeine for hair growth, then what?

If you’re starting to experience female hair loss, science-based options are available to help slow down or stop hair loss, prevent thinning, and even stimulate the growth of new hair.

Here’s what you can try.

Use Minoxidil to Prevent Hair Loss

If you’ve noticed thinning around your part (a common sign of female pattern hair loss), you may want to start using minoxidil to stimulate growth and stop hair loss.

Minoxidil is an FDA-approved, over-the-counter hair loss medication you can buy without a prescription. It works by moving hairs into the anagen (active growth) phase of the hair growth cycle. It also stimulates blood flow to the scalp to supply hair follicles with the nutrients they need to grow healthy hair.

We offer minoxidil solution (a liquid) and minoxidil foam online, both formulated to promote thicker, fuller hair.

These treatments generally have minimal side effects, though you have to commit to applying them every single day, sometimes twice a day.

Eat a Balanced, Healthy Diet

Although the food you eat doesn’t play a role in female pattern hair loss, diets lacking in certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients may contribute to temporary hair shedding and give your hair a thin, weak appearance.

To promote optimal hair growth, try to eat a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, healthy protein sources, and other nutrient-rich foods.

Use Hair-Growth Vitamins

Several vitamins play critical roles in hair growth, including folic acid (vitamin B9) and biotin (vitamin B7). While you can find these vitamins in certain foods, maintaining a steady intake from your diet isn’t always easy.

Enter hair-growth vitamins. Vitamin supplements like our biotin gummy multivitamins are formulated specifically to promote thicker, stronger, and healthier hair.

To be sure, vitamin supplements shouldn’t be considered replacements for a balanced diet. Still, adding a multivitamin supplement to your daily routine is a quick, convenient, and effective way to ensure your hair follicles always have the micronutrients they need.

The benefits of drinking coffee are numerous, from increased energy to helping manage weight. However, the jury’s still out on whether coffee helps stimulate hair growth.

Here’s what to keep in mind about coffee for hair:

• Some emerging research shows that caffeine might counteract DHT’s effect on hair follicles and, thus, stimulate growth. It may also support a healthy scalp.

• While research is promising, there are currently no studies showing that coffee is effective at treating female pattern hair loss or stimulating hair growth in real, living people.

• In the future, we may see new evidence revealing that coffee is a great option for stimulating hair growth and preventing hair thinning. But for now, it’s just a theory.

• If you want to incorporate coffee into your haircare routine, look for products that have caffeine in them or make your own DIY mask.

You’ll likely get more significant hair growth results from proven, science-based hair loss treatments such as minoxidil solution or minoxidil foam. You can also check out our haircare kit for a complete routine that supports healthy hair.

If you’re a daily coffee drinker, you might like our high-protein coffee shake.