Is Seaweed Good for Your Hair? | Our No-B.S. Take

As with many concurrent hair trends, people are putting strange things in their hair and listing a compilation of positive benefits, telling you to “buy x so that your hair will have better x.” One such ingredient is seaweed.

Thanks to TikTok, this hair hack has become quite popular recently. If you’re curious whether you should follow this trend or if it’s just another fraudulent marketing scheme, then keep reading. We’ll show you whether or not it’s good for your hair and much more!

Read Next: How and Why to Use Sea Moss in Your Hair

Seaweed for Hair: Yay or Nay?

Yes! Seaweed is an excellent supplement for your hair. Studies show it promotes hair growth, prevents hair loss, and nourishes follicles with numerous vitamins and minerals.

And while this is a fairly new trend among western societies, its use as a hair product can be traced back centuries prior in many Asian countries.

Additionally, while seaweed has many proven benefits for hair, there are few prominent side effects to using it! So unless you have an allergy to seaweed (which, while possible, is quite rare), then it’s worth trying at least once.

The Benefits of Using Seaweed or Hair

Here’s every reason why you should start using seaweed in your hair:

Plenty of Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids work wonders for increasing the thickness of your hair and promoting faster growth. They work by ensuring that your follicles get all the nutrients they need and encourage more blood flow toward the scalp.

Vitamins for Damaged Hair

Hair loss is directly correlated to dry, damaged hair. Luckily, with plenty of vitamins A and C (found conveniently in seaweed), you can replenish and hydrate your hair, giving it a new, vibrant life. How exactly do these vitamins help your hair, though?

That’s an excellent question. Vitamins A and C are directly responsible for the production of sebum. Sebum is a naturally occurring skin oil produced by glands near hair follicles and helps keep skin and hair hydrated.

Read Next: Which Vitamins Are Best for Your Hair?

Collagen and Hair-Recovery

Seaweed is also a significant source of collagen. While many view collagen as primarily a skin supplement, it plays a pivotal role in your hair’s health as well.

That’s because collagen contains various amino acids which are necessary for the production of keratin. As we all know, keratin is essential for repairing damaged hair and ensuring your follicles stay strong as you age.

It’s Not Just Good for Your Hair!

Yep, seaweed has a multitude of other benefits for cardiovascular health, skin, and digestion. Since this post is first and foremost about hair, we’ll spare you the in-depth details for another guide.

Just know that incorporating seaweed into your products and diet is incredible for your overall health in addition to your hair.

Which Types of Seaweed Are Best for Hair?

That’s somewhat of a trick question because ALL seaweeds are great for your hair. Seaweed is a type of algae mainly found in the ocean, and there are thousands of species in its class.

Knowing this, you might feel pressured and unsure which kind to look out for. However, almost all seaweed is dense with nutrients and good for your health, so you can’t go wrong.

Some of the most popular types are:

• Kelp
• Red algae
• Marine seaweed
• Kombu
• Sea lettuce
• Hijiki
• Nori
• Irish moss

While you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment, don’t fret too much about which kind to use since their benefits are more or less the same.

How to Use Seaweed for Hair

There are several ways you can use seaweed to stimulate your hair. These are the most effective:

Incorporating Seaweed Into Your Diet

The simplest way of using seaweed is to consume it. While this may not be quite as effective as the below-mentioned methods, it counterbalances since you’ll gain a plethora of additional health benefits. Using it as a product in your hair won’t help your gut health, after all.

Regular consumption of seaweed will promote a slow yet efficient means of promoting healthy hair growth. You won’t see immediate results, but it’ll help immensely in the long run. The trick is to remain consistent and stay patient.

Seaweed Shampoo and Conditioners

Seaweed shampoo and conditioners are an excellent way of integrating seaweed into your hair routine. They work fast and effectively (assuming you’re using quality products) and are your best bet for repairing damaged hair. 

Even if your hair isn’t damaged, the many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals contained in seaweed are still worth adding to your routine.

Japanese Seaweed Cleanse

A widespread practice among the Japanese is the seaweed rinse. You can do this by soaking a seaweed of your choice in hot water for about ten minutes and letting it sit until cool.

Then, pour the mixture over damp hair, ensuring it’s evenly incorporated through your roots. Afterward, rinse thoroughly and dry. Dry seaweed or seaweed powder works best for this method.

So Should I Use Seaweed Every Day?

That depends on what you mean. Consistent use is fine if you’re using it as a daily hair product. On the other hand, eating it every day may be a bit extreme, but it should be fine in small doses.

But, of course, consuming excess amounts of seaweed can cause constipation and indigestion since it’s so high in fiber. This is the case with all fiber-rich foods, and seaweed is no exception.

Incorporating seaweed into your diet means eating it a bit more often than you usually would — one to three times a week is more than enough. If you don’t really like the taste of seaweed, there are many seaweed supplements in the form of pills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions from around the web about seaweed and hair:

The Bottom Line

So, to sum everything up: seaweed is a tremendous help to your hair’s health (among many other health benefits). Not only does it create thicker, fuller follicles, but it also exponentially increases the growth rate — something that sounds like a scam but is actually true!

Seaweed excels in repairing dry, damaged hair and keeping already healthy hair the way it is. And you know what else?

It doesn’t really matter where your goals lie since seaweed can basically do it all! If you’ve been missing out on this exciting fad, we suggest you get out there right away and start using seaweed to compliment your hair routine.