Should We Be Using Batana Oil for Hair Growth?
While some of you might already use coconut oil, rosemary oil or castor oil in your haircare routine, there’s a new ingredient that’s gaining popularity lately. Meet batana oil, a fatty acid that’s known to nourish and repair dry, damaged hair. It’s also purported to help with hair growth and the reversal of grays, but we had to ask a few experts if there was any truth to those claims.
Meet the Experts
What Is Batana Oil?
Batana oil is derived from the nut of the American Palm tree, which is native to Central America. It was first discovered by the indigenous Miskito tribe (also known as “the people of beautiful hair”) in Honduras, where it was used as a holistic treatment in hair and skincare. “Batana oil is composed of fatty acids and phytosterols, which are excellent emollients that can impart shine and softness to the hair, and its occlusive nature helps to avoid water loss and support skin hydration,” says Batis. “It also has a rich source of vitamin E, a free radical scavenger to help maintain skin elasticity over time.”
What Are the Benefits of Batana Oil?
Once batana oil is applied to the scalp and hair, it releases a host of benefits as listed below.
What Are There Any Downsides to Using Batana Oil?
While batana oil has a ton of benefits, there are also some side effects you should consider.
Does Batana Oil Help with Hair Growth?
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There’s not enough scientific evidence to prove that batana oil encourages hair growth. “While batana oil is often praised for its moisturizing and nourishing properties, there are limited studies supporting its role in promoting hair growth. Batana oil can contribute to overall hair health, but it may not necessarily lead to hair growth,” explains Petrillo.
Does Batana Oil Reverse Gray Hair?
Similar to the hair growth claims, there aren’t enough clinical studies to suggest that batana oil reverses gray hair. As Batis points out, “There are anecdotal accounts of miraculous reduction of hair loss, while simultaneously slowing the onset of graying hair. However, there is no direct evidence that using batana oil to prevent gray hair works. There are no credible robust clinical studies proving its efficacy [in this application].”
How Often Should You Use Batana Oil?
The experts recommend using it at least once or twice a week depending on your hair type and condition. Use it on its own as a pre-shampoo treatment or mix a few drops into your conditioner and leave it on for at least 15 to 30 minutes to use it as a mask. If you want to use it as an overnight treatment, Batis suggests putting on a bonnet to avoid staining your pillowcases and sheets. He adds, “The worst part about staining your sheets with botanical oils is when they get rancid, it’s extremely hard to wash out.”
Are There Any Alternatives to Batana Oil?
If you’re looking for ingredients to target hair loss, consider minoxidil and biotin, which have both been proven to encourage healthy hair growth. And if you’re trying to prevent graying hair, unfortunately there’s no specific ingredient or product that can slow that process down as of yet. As for other oil alternatives to moisturize your scalp and strands, you can also try coconut oil, peppermint oil, jojoba oil and castor oil.
Our Main Takeaway
Though we can’t promise that batana oil will help with hair growth and the reversal of gray hair, we’re confident that it can at least help moisture and repair damaged strands. So, if you have dry or brittle locks, consider adding the buzzy ingredient into your haircare routine.
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