Videos tagged with “rice water” have got 986 million views on TikTok. But, does rice water really help with hair growth? Dermatologists have weigh in on the trend.
Rice water has gained popularity as a hair treatment method, with TikTokers using the starchy, cloudy water that’s drained after soaking or cleaning rice. The concept has garnered 986 million views on TikTok, and applications and methods vary person-to-person. Some people let the water sit and ferment, often with added citrus peels to mask the odor. Some apply the concoction every day, while others reach for it monthly.
Rice water is full of nutrients such as magnesium, iron, folic acid, thiamin, and niacin, and contains phenols, which may help in treating alopecia areata. However, experts say there’s not yet enough evidence to prove that rice water does improve hair health. In fact, for some people, it might even make things worse. Rinsing the hair in rice water could damage it, especially for people with coiled hair that tends to break more easily.
Rhonda Farah, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said that rice water can actually be harmful because it isn’t formulated for your scalp. You don’t get the same delivery to the hair follicle or the hair shaft. The treatment “is something inexpensive and low risk, I just think it’s probably low gain,” Hooper added. “There’s no evidence that this is going to do anything.” Rice water may not be able to improve someone’s hair, experts agreed. In fact, the treatment may be unfairly getting credit for other lifestyle changes or products that can boost hair health.
Diet is one potential explanation. People who have traditionally used rice water rinses on their hair are also likely eating healthier diets that are low in processed foods, such as those seen in Blue Zones. The silky hair seen on the Yao women or others may come from their diets or another aspect of their lifestyles, rather than from fermented rice water rinses.
It’s possible that people have confused rice water rinses with rice bran mineral extract, an ingredient found in certain hair care products and can help promote hair growth. A review published in 2022 included 10 studies on the topic. Researchers concluded that rice bran mineral extract may lengthen the time the hair follicle is in the anagen phase, which is when follicle growth occurs. But rice bran mineral extract included in hair products is not the same as rice water made at home, Farah cautioned.
Like other health trends and advice that become popular online, people should proceed with caution before joining in on the rice water trend. Just because you like that person’s hair, that doesn’t mean the method they use is going to work on your hair. There are many factors for why a person’s hair is acting a certain way, and people may be wasting their time on rice water treatments instead of moving forward with a solution from a healthcare professional.
If someone does want to try to improve their hair health or boost hair growth, certain lifestyle changes such as reducing stress, treating dandruff, and avoiding hair heat tools may be able to help. People can also reach for rice bran mineral extract products or similar products, so long as they’re formulated to be safe for hair.
Not all social media advice is bad, and people can follow board-certified dermatologists or the American Academy of Dermatology on Instagram and TikTok to ensure they are getting vetted information from experts. If someone is concerned about the health of their hair or experiencing more serious issues such as hair loss, Farah recommends seeing a dermatologist to get to the root of the issue and prescribe a treatment.
Conclusion
Videos about rice water, a popular hair treatment method, has garnered 986 million views on TikTok. However, there is not enough evidence to prove that rice water improves hair health, and some people may even damage their hair, especially those with coiled hair.
Rhonda Farah, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said that rice water can be harmful because it is not formulated for the scalp and does not deliver the same delivery to the hair follicle or the hair shaft. Rice water may be unfairly getting credit for other lifestyle changes or products that can boost hair health.
People should proceed with caution before joining the rice water trend, as there are many factors that can affect hair health and should be consulted with a healthcare professional. Lifestyle changes such as reducing stress, treating dandruff, and avoiding hair heat tools may be helpful. Board-certified dermatologists or the American Academy of Dermatology on Instagram and TikTok can provide vetted information from experts.
