Rosemary Oil vs. Minoxidil: Which Is Better for Hair Loss?

There’s a lot to consider when deciding between rosemary oil versus minoxidil. Both options seem to have the potential to promote hair growth, but how do they compare?

You’re probably here because you have questions about whether minoxidil or rosemary oil is better for hair loss. The internet is full of conflicting opinions on the matter, but fortunately, we have answers — answers based on science.

Here, we’ll explore the research on the effectiveness of minoxidil versus rosemary oil for hair loss, their side effects, and whether combining these treatments is a good idea.

Minoxidil is a treatment that helps slow hair loss and regrow hair. Though the exact mechanism of how it works isn’t totally understood, we know a few critical things about the medication.

Plus, a lot of data indicates that it works well, even if researchers don’t completely understand how it works.

How Minoxidil Treats and Prevents Hair Loss

You can think of minoxidil as an alarm clock for your hair follicles — it wakes them up from the resting phase of the hair growth cycle and nudges them into a period of active growth known as the anagen phase. 

When hair is in the anagen phase, it can grow more. It’s a simple concept, but this shift into the anagen phase really helps combat hair loss — which is partially caused by dormant (inactive) follicles. 

Minoxidil is also a vasodilator. It widens blood vessels, allowing more blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles. This brings oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and expands each individual hair follicle. Bigger follicles mean thicker hair and higher hair density.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved topical minoxidil specifically for male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). It’s one of the most widely used and effective hair loss treatments available. And you can get it over the counter, without a prescription.

What About Oral Minoxidil?

Oral minoxidil is sometimes prescribed off-label for androgenetic alopecia, though it’s currently only FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure (that’s what it was first developed for in the ’70s).

Unlike its topical counterpart, oral minoxidil requires a prescription.

Rosemary Oil vs. Rogaine

You might not think you’re familiar with minoxidil, but if you’ve ever heard of Rogaine®, you know it. Minoxidil is the generic version and active ingredient in the brand-name medication.

So deciding between rosemary oil versus minoxidil is the same as rosemary oil versus Rogaine. We’ll compare the two more in depth below.

You probably know rosemary as a shrub or the fragrant sprig that often accompanies steak or a festive cocktail. And unless your healthcare provider moonlights as a botanist, it’s unlikely they’ve specifically recommended rosemary oil for hair loss (because there isn’t much scientific evidence supporting its efficacy).

So, why are we talking about rosemary oil and hair loss? 

Well, there are many potential benefits of using rosemary oil, an essential oil extracted from the leaf extract of the rosemary plant.

The rosemary plant grows all over but is often associated with the Mediterranean region. Historically, it’s been celebrated for its potential medicinal properties. We say “potential” because, again, there’s not much science behind the claims (but that doesn’t mean rosemary oil for hair health isn’t worth a shot).

Here’s some of what we do know, scientifically speaking.

Rosemary oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties (thanks to certain compounds in the plant like rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid, and caffeic acid).

These properties mean rosemary oil could be helpful for certain scalp conditions, like dandruff or tinea capitis (scalp ringworm), which are caused by yeast or bacteria.

Research on Rosemary Oil for Hair Loss

One 2022 study found that rosemary oil improved microcirculation (blood circulation in the smallest blood vessels) around the hair follicle to treat alopecia areata — an autoimmune disease that affects hair follicles and causes hair loss.

That’s a promising finding, as minoxidil also works by increasing blood flow to the scalp.

An older study from 1998 compared the effects of rosemary oil to a non-therapeutic carrier oil. In it, 86 people were randomly assigned to one of two groups — they either used rosemary essential oil or the placebo oil. After seven months, 44 percent of the rosemary group saw improved hair growth compared to 15 percent of the control group.

But there are a few limitations here — this was a small study, the people in the essential oil group were using a variety of oils (so it’s hard to know which one was doing the legwork), and it wasn’t done on folks experiencing hair loss, specifically.

Here’s the thing — we just don’t have enough data to support the idea that rosemary oil works as well as minoxidil. What we do have is a ton of data supporting minoxidil’s efficacy — especially topical minoxidil, which went through rigorous testing to receive FDA approval.

Have you heard through the grapevine that rosemary oil works as well as minoxidil? The source you heard it from was probably referencing this 2015 study that looked at 50 patients over a six-month period.

Participants were randomly assigned to use rosemary oil or 2% minoxidil, and hair count was assessed at the start of the study and again at three and six months. At the end of the study, both groups saw a significant increase in hair count.

One important thing to note about this study is that it looked at 2% strength minoxidil, and 5% is typically recommended for men — that’s the strength of our topical minoxidil foam and minoxidil liquid solution.

If the oral route is more your thing, we also offer minoxidil chews. You can get a prescription following an online consultation with a healthcare professional.

Instead of rosemary oil versus minoxidil, what about rosemary oil and minoxidil?

Here’s our very by-the-book answer: There’s no evidence that using rosemary oil and minoxidil together is necessarily harmful — but there’s also no evidence that it’s totally safe or any more effective than using either alone.

If you’re hoping to use both, consult a healthcare professional first.

It might make more sense to try both if you’re using oral minoxidil and topical rosemary, for example. Why? Using rosemary oil on your scalp could potentially prevent minoxidil from properly absorbing because of the barrier formed by the oil.

If you plan to use topical rosemary oil, make sure to dilute it properly, which we’ll discuss in a minute.

Before essential oils come in contact with the skin, they should be diluted.

To do that, add about five drops of essential oil to a teaspoon of carrier oil. Carrier oils are things like jojoba oil or coconut oil — though they’re considered inactive ingredients, they moisturize your skin or scalp and help hydrate dry hair.

After diluting it, massage the oil directly onto your scalp or areas where you see thinning. Let it set for at least five minutes, then rinse (you can also leave it on overnight).

You could also look for shampoo or other hair care products containing rosemary oil or add a few drops of the oil to your favorite shampoo.

Some research has looked into rosemary oil’s anti-androgenic properties (aka its ability to block certain male hormones), specifically whether it can lower DHT levels. But before we dive into this, we need to talk about DHT.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a male hormone (otherwise known as an androgen) largely responsible for male pattern baldness. We won’t go into too much detail here, but DHT can infiltrate hair follicles, making them miniaturize or shrink. Over time, this leads to hair thinning and hair loss.

One animal study found that certain compounds in Rosmarinus officinalis — that’s rosemary leaf extract, which has slightly different compounds than rosemary oil — could potentially block 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. This effect is dose-dependent, though, meaning the higher the dose of rosemary, the greater the DHT-blocking effects.

Still, there’s insufficient research to prove that rosemary oil affects DHT levels on the human scalp.

If you’re looking for a well-studied DHT blocker that’s proven to work well for most men, finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia®) is your best bet. 

The side effects of both rosemary oil and topical minoxidil tend to be pretty mild and localized to the application site.

The 2015 study we mentioned comparing them found no difference in dryness, greasiness, or dandruff between the two groups. It also found a slightly higher incidence of itchy scalp in the minoxidil group.

If you’re experiencing irritation or redness from topical minoxidil, researchers think this reaction could be caused by an alcohol (propylene glycol) blended into some forms of minoxidil, not by minoxidil itself. FYI: Our minoxidil foam doesn’t contain propylene glycol.

However, user error elevates the risk of side effects from rosemary oil. Essential oils that aren’t diluted can cause contact dermatitis (itchy rash) or other types of skin irritation.

To learn more, check out our guide to minoxidil side effects.

Research supports both rosemary oil and minoxidil as treatments for hair loss, but we have far more long-term data on the efficacy and safety of minoxidil.

For that reason, we stand behind minoxidil as the better hair loss treatment, especially when it comes to hair regrowth.

Ultimately, the choice is yours (but not yours alone, which is why you have us). Here are a few things to remember when comparing rosemary oil and minoxidil:

• Evidence and efficacy. While rosemary oil has shown potential benefits for improving scalp health and hair growth in some studies, it doesn’t have as much extensive research backing it as minoxidil. FDA-approved minoxidil is widely recognized as an effective treatment for male pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia).

• Side effects and usage. Rosemary oil and minoxidil both have relatively mild side effects, typically localized to the application area. However, rosemary oil needs to be diluted to avoid skin irritation, whereas minoxidil’s side effects are mostly linked to its formulation rather than the active ingredient itself.

• Combining minoxidil and rosemary oil. The use of rosemary oil and minoxidil together hasn’t been extensively studied. It’s best to consult a healthcare professional before combining treatments to ensure proper application and avoid potential interference with minoxidil absorption.

You can explore science-backed hair loss treatments available online from Hims, including over-the-counter topical minoxidil and prescription finasteride.

To learn more about essential oil hair treatments and natural remedies for hair growth, check our guide to peppermint oil for hair.