Borage Seed Oil for Hair: What the Research Shows

Borage seed oil is a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), and its research is about skin, not hair. A small study in elderly people found it reduced water loss through the skin, a Cochrane review found it did not help eczema, and a separate safety point matters: borage can contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. We found no study of borage oil for hair.

Here's what the research shows and what to check before buying.

I LOVE MY HAIR NOW

FullyVital hair serum and hair vitamins made tremendous improvements in my hair. I truly love my hair now.

Dorit S.,

Shop Hair Products 

Key Takeaways

• In 29 elderly people, 2 months of borage oil capsules reduced transepidermal water loss by 10.8% and itch complaints fell from 34% to 0%.
• A Cochrane review of 27 studies found oral borage oil and evening primrose oil did not significantly improve eczema compared with placebo.
• Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are known to be hepatotoxic, and borage seed oil needs to be checked for them.
• We found no study of borage oil for hair.

What Is Borage Seed Oil?

Borage oil comes from the seeds of Borago officinalis. It's a source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and is used in pharmaceutical and health food products.

Does Borage Oil Help Hair?

There's no evidence for hair. The research is on skin barrier function, and the hair claims you may see are not backed by the studies we found.

Our Best Sellers

Hair Growth Serum

$44.25

Shop Serum

Anti-Gray Serum

$44.25

Shop Serum

Using Borage Oil Carefully

• Check the product for pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Choose products tested for them.
• Ask your doctor first, especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have liver problems or take medication.
• Expect no hair benefit.

Our Best Sellers

Hair Vitamins

$44.25

Shop Vitamins

Anti-Gray Vitamins

$44.25

Shop Vitamins

What The Research Shows

Skin Barrier In Elderly People

Twenty-nine healthy elderly people took borage oil capsules providing 360 or 720 mg GLA a day for 2 months. Transepidermal water loss decreased by a mean of 10.8%, itch complaints fell from 34% to 0%, and GLA in red cell membranes rose 70%. Skin hydration did not change significantly. The abstract describes no placebo group (Brosche & Platt, 2000).

Cochrane Review On Eczema

A Cochrane review of 27 studies (8 of borage oil) found that borage oil failed to significantly improve global eczema symptoms compared with placebo. Adverse effects were mild, transient and mainly gastrointestinal, and long-term effects were not examined (Bamford et al., 2013).

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are known for hepatotoxicity, so there is a health risk with medicinal herbs that contain them. There is no international regulation of PAs in foods, though for herbal preparations the limit is 1 µg/kg. Borage seed oil is a GLA source with growing use, and a mass spectrometry method was developed to check commercial borage seed oil for PAs (Vacillotto et al., 2013).

Evening primrose oil is another oil people compare it with; see evening primrose oil and hair.

See also: Flaxseed and Lignans for Hair: What the Research Shows

Comparing oils? See our guide to rosemary oil for hair growth, the oil with the most research behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does borage oil help hair growth?

We found no study showing that it does.

Is borage oil safe?

Borage plants can contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so choose products tested for them, and talk to your doctor first.

Does borage oil help skin?

In a small study of elderly people it reduced water loss through the skin, but a Cochrane review found no benefit for eczema.

References

1. Brosche T, Platt D. Effect of borage oil consumption on fatty acid metabolism, transepidermal water loss and skin parameters in elderly people. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2000. PubMed
2. Bamford JT, Ray S, Musekiwa A, et al. Oral evening primrose oil and borage oil for eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013. PubMed
3. Vacillotto G, Favretto D, Seraglia R, et al. A rapid and highly specific method to evaluate the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Borago officinalis seed oil. J Mass Spectrom. 2013. PubMed