Study on the effect of aromatherapy on alopecia areata

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of aromatherapy in the treatment of patients with alopecia areata.

It was a randomized, double-blind, controlled study of eighty-eight patients diagnosed with alopecia areata with a duration of 7 months and follow-ups at 3 and 7 months.

Eighty-eight patients were randomized into two groups. The active group massaged a mixture of essential oils (thyme, rosemary, lavender and cedarwood) in carrier oils (jojoba and grapeseed oil) into their scalp daily. The control group only used carrier oils for massage, also on a daily basis.

The success of the treatment was independently assessed by two dermatologists (I.C.H. and A.D.O.) using sequential photographs. Similarly, the degree of improvement was measured by two methods: a 6-point scale and a computerized analysis of alopecia areas.

Nineteen (44%) of the 43 patients in the active group showed improvement compared to six (15%) of the 41 patients in the control group. An alopecia scale treated by blinded observers using the sequential photographs showed good reproducibility with good interobserver agreement. The degree of improvement in the photographic assessment was significant. Demographic analysis showed that the two groups were well matched on prognostic factors.

The results show that aromatherapy is a safe and effective treatment for alopecia areata. Treatment with these essential oils was significantly more effective than treatment with carrier oils alone. It also successfully applied an evidence-based method to an alternative therapy.