8 Sea Moss Benefits for Hair | You’ll Want to Try This

Whether you already have tons of hair care products on your bathroom shelf or you’re still starting to explore ways to take care of your locks, you need to know about the different benefits of sea moss for hair.

What Is Sea Moss?

Sea Moss, also called Irish sea moss or Irish moss, is a type of seaweed. This carrageen grows on the rocky coastlines of the British Isles and the Atlantic coast. It can also be found around other parts of Europe and North America.

This tufted seaweed has thin fanlike fronds that grow from 2 to 10 inches long. It varies in color from dark purple to greenish-yellow, and when it is sun-dried and bleached, it has a yellowish appearance.   

Sea moss is more powerful than you think. This wonderful ingredient for your hair has been used for multiple centuries to provide nourishment for the body.  

Aside from being a popular hair product ingredient, it is also used in soaps, gels, lotions, and even in the kitchen. Sea moss has also been used as folk medicine in Ireland, among many countries. It is abundant in nutritional elements such as:

• Amino acids
• B-vitamins
• Folate
• Calcium
• Bromine
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Iodine
• Protein
• Vitamins A, C, E, K, b2, and B12 

How to Use Sea Moss for Your Hair

There are two common ways of using sea moss for your hair. The first one is by applying sea moss gel directly on your hair or scalp, and the second one is by using a hair product that has sea moss as an ingredient. 

Using Sea Moss Gel for Your Hair

Here’s how to make sea moss gel on your own and how to apply it to your hair:

How to Make Sea Moss Gel

First, clean the sea moss to get rid of any dirt, particles, and debris. When handling sea moss for your hair, make sure that you have clean hands to ensure you don’t contaminate the sea moss. Using tap water to clean it is not recommended. Instead, use any of the following:

• Alkaline water
• Springwater
• Filtered water 

Simply place the sea moss in a big bowl. Cover it with water, and massage it. You will notice it expanding as it absorbs the liquid. Then, remove the sea moss from the liquid and transfer it to a clean plate. Do not discard the water yet.

Add sea moss to your high-powered blender, and pour the sea moss water until you achieve the consistency you like. Blending will take around 1–3 minutes. Once done, transfer the gel into an airtight mason jar, and place it in the refrigerator. It will thicken after a few hours. 

Use It as a Pre-shower Mask

To use it as a pre-shower mask, detangle your hair using a wide-toothed comb and divide your hair into multiple sections. Then, apply sea moss gel on every section of your hair while making sure every hair strand, as well as your scalp, gets coated with the gel. Leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour, and then rinse it in the shower.

Read Next: How Often Should I Use a Hair Mask?

Use It as a Post-shower Mask

Do your regular hair care routine. After showering, squeeze the excess water and divide your hair into sections. Then, apply some gel on your damp hair and scalp, and leave it on for 30 minutes before washing it with water.

Use It as a Styling Product

Shampoo and conditioner your hair, and after squeezing out the water, detangle it using a wide-toothed comb. Apply the sea moss gel to your hair, making sure to avoid the scalp. Then, blow-dry and style your hair as you prefer.

Consume It Orally

This gel can also be ingested. Simply add it to your morning smoothie if you want to experience benefits that are not just limited to your hair.

Using a Hair Product With Sea Moss

If you want an easy way to experience sea moss benefits for hair, just buy hair products that contain this ingredient. There are tons of conditioners, leave-in products, hair masks, and sprays that contain sea moss. When you use this type of product consistently, your hair will end up looking thicker and shinier. 

Sea Moss Benefits for Hair You Should Know About

We’ve rounded up the different sea moss benefits for hair that will surprise you. 

Improve Hair Growth

If you think your hair growth is slow, or if you are experiencing hair loss, sea moss can help you. Stress harms your hair growth. Thankfully, sea moss can combat oxidative stress. When you use sea moss topically, you can see a significant difference in just a few months.

It Hydrates Your Hair

If you want to have great hair, you need to prioritize your scalp health. Sea moss is an amazing ingredient that will hydrate your scalp. When you have dehydrated hair, your hair strands become more brittle and prone to breakage and damage. By applying sea moss, you can improve cell elasticity.

It Makes Your Hair Shinier

When you are stressed all the time, your scalp health may suffer, and you may end up dealing with hair loss. Fortunately, sea moss contains fucoidan. This helps in eliminating free radicals, as well as improves your hair health and reduces inflammation. Therefore, your hair can become healthier and glossier. 

It Revives Dull Hair

When your hair looks lifeless and dry, sea moss can help bring it back to life. After just one use, you will notice that your hair will look shinier and healthier.

It Strengthens Your Hair

For people who have long hair, brittleness is a major problem. If your hair is prone to breakage, apply sea moss to eliminate this problem. Sea moss will help your hair strands become stronger, and when this happens, your hair will be less likely to break. 

It Removes Toxins

Sea moss is an antioxidant. It can draw out all impurities and toxins from your scalp. When these are not removed, they can build up and cause damage which prevents your hair from growing.

It Is Antibacterial

Nobody wants harmful bacteria on their hair. Bacteria and microbes can cause irritation and inflammation, which can stop your hair from becoming healthy. To prevent bacteria from growing on your scalp, use sea moss.

It Moisturizes Your Scalp

If you want to achieve healthy hair, you should start on your scalp. Keep your scalp moisturized so you won’t have to deal with issues such as dandruff and slow growth. Sea moss is packed with vitamin A, which increases sebum production on the scalp.

Downsides of Using Sea Moss for Hair

Although the sea moss benefits for hair are clear, there are still a few things you should consider before incorporating sea moss into your overall wellness routine. 

Sea Moss Contains Iodine

Sea moss is a great source of iodine. However, it can cause issues with people dealing with autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Hashimoto’s, a disease where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland mistakenly.

Consuming too much iodine can also trigger hypothyroidism.Although rare, excessive iodine consumption can also cause goiter or enlarged thyroid gland, inflammation, and even cancer.

There are also people who experience a burning sensation in their stomach, throat, and mouth, as well as vomiting, nausea, and fever.

The FDA recommends only 150 mcg of iodine per day, so make sure to keep this in mind if you want to consume sea moss gel orally. That being said, it can still be a great source of iodine, especially considering a lot of fit women are dealing with iodine deficiency.

Sea Moss May Cause Allergies

Although sea moss doesn’t typically cause allergic reactions and it’s safe to be ingested and used topically, people who are allergic to seafood or have very sensitive skin should still do a patch test before applying sea moss gel on their hair and scalp.

Sea moss allergic reaction is characterized by a stinging sensation on your skin.

Those with a history of allergic reactions should talk to a doctor before incorporating sea moss into their hair care regimen. All the sea moss benefits for hair may still outweigh its potential downsides.

Sea Moss in Hair Do’s and Don’ts

Here are some tips to follow when preparing your sea moss gel for your hair. 

Do’s:

• Always keep it in an airtight container.
• Store in the refrigerator after use to prolong its shelf life and prevent bacterial growth.
• Use a high-powered blender if you want to achieve the best consistency. 
• Throw away your sea moss gel if it develops a sour aroma. 

Don’ts:

• Don’t heat your sea moss before it turns to a gel.
• Don’t get the sea moss gel in contact with extreme heat or direct sunlight.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment with your sea moss by adding it to sauces, dressings, soups, and other dishes aside from using it for your hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about using sea moss gel for your hair.

So, What Are Sea Moss Benefits for Hair?

Sea moss is as amazing for your hair as it is for your body. Sea moss benefits for hair include making it look healthier and shinier, strengthening your hair, removing toxins, improving hair growth, and hydrating the scalp, among many others.

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