Amla oil: benefits, side effects, how to make and use

Amla oil is rich in several antioxidants, which make it excellent for the health of your scalp and hair. The benefits of this oil on your hair are profound, but, the most marked one happens to be its potential to reduce hair fall.

It has been highly established that free radicals aggressively react with body cells due to an extra lone pair they possess, which causes damage to these cells. With respect to your hair, a higher level of oxidative stress and damage can lead to excessive hair fall. By controlling the activity of free radicals with its antioxidant effect, amla oil helps to control hair fall when applied topically. This has been confirmed by several studies including lab studies and clinical studies, which gives you a good reason to trust these actions.

Studies on animal models have revealed that the topical application of this oil promotes hair growth within 2-4 weeks, when used regularly. So, if you are suffering from excessive hair fall and are looking for quick home remedies that would work, maybe you will benefit from using amla oil.

Clinical studies, which made the use of amla in a mixed herbal formulation oil, have also found convincing results supporting the hair growth potential of amla oil. When used as a mixed formulation, it obtained better results on alopecia patients than the medicines which are usually used in conventional treatment. Alopecia refers to patchy hair loss causing bald patches on the scalp. If amla oil can help in its treatment, it surely can help your hair fall concerns.

You can consider buying a product which has a mixed herbal formulation in the favour of this research finding or you can make one at home (a recipe for which will be shared ahead).

Have you forever dreamt of having long hair that is also unbelievably thick? Well, that dream is not far fetched if you have a bottle of amla oil in your cupboard. Researchers have found that not only does amla oil help in hair fall reduction and cater to its growth but also it helps in improving hair strength. With right nourishment from amla oil, your hair can grow as long and thick as you desire. So, it’s time to put that long sitting bottle to some use.

Studies suggest that the use of amla oil is equally prevalent among men and women in India. This is obviously due to its hair growth benefits for both the genders. Amla oil can, thus, assist the growth of hair even in men and can be used by everyone alike. So, no need to worry about purchasing separate hair products now.

With all these benefits on your hair, amla oil has also been demonstrated to improve your hair hygiene. The antioxidants present in amla oil fight more than free radicals it seems. To utilise this benefit, you can make the use of amla oil as a post-wash conditioner or a leave-on conditioner, which will help in keeping your hair clean and protecting it from dirt and environmental pollutants.

In order to prevent greasiness from direct use, you can mix it in your leave-on conditioners and coat it on your hair ends for a soft and clean look.

An extension of the previous benefit, as amla oil helps in improving your hair hygiene, it also helps to ward off scalp infections. While this was an obvious claim, there is sufficient research evidence to support the antimicrobial actions of amla oil. Studies have found that amla oil is toxic to several infectious agents that could otherwise be responsible for scalp infections.

So, daily application of amla oil can help in keeping your scalp healthy. This benefit can additionally be attributed to its antioxidant activity, which assists in maintaining the integrity of the skin that makes your scalp.

Amla oil is not just good for your hair but also for the skin. Credit its high antioxidant content, this oil has been recognised as a perfect anti-ageing oil and has several cosmetic applications. Application of amla oil to the skin can help in slowing down the process of ageing and can assist in keeping the skin healthy and soft by maintaining skin elasticity.

Further, amla oil is an anti-inflammatory and helps in reducing redness or swelling of the skin due to any irritants. For the correct dosage and method of application, you must consult an Ayurvedic doctor in order to avoid side effects.

Another good reason for adding organic amla oil to your skin care routine is that it helps in preventing skin infections. Studies have proven the antimicrobial properties of amla oil, which are not just limited to your scalp and hair. The use of amla oil has a toxic effect on certain microbial species responsible for skin infections like fungus Trichophyton rubrum, the causative agent of ringworms, jock itch, athlete’s foot and fungal infections of the nail.

Thus, it can be ascertained that amla oil is the best agent to ward off any fungal infections, especially those associated with the foot. So, if you commonly suffer from fungal foot infections or have a recurrent ringworm infection, you can consider talking to your doctor about the usage of amla oil on your skin. Also, if you are a diabetic, you have a higher risk of foot infections. In that case as well, it is recommended to talk to your doctor about the same.

Amla oil is not just toxic to human pathogens but has also been found to possess antimicrobial activity against a variety of microorganisms which can cause infections in animals. Its specific toxic actions have been reported against Microsporum canis and Microsporum gypseum, which cause infections in non-human hosts but the infection can also spread to humans. M. canis is an agent which usually causes an infection in domesticated cats and dogs but if spread to human, it can cause severe skin and scalp lesions. The application of amla oil can significantly lower the risk of these infections. Case studies have reported pediatric patients acquiring infections due to Microsporum canis. So, if you have a pet at home, you can consider the application of amla oil to your child’s skin before letting them play with their furry friends.

Amla is a common ingredient in Ayurvedic medications and amla oil has found its application in a variety of face creams and skin care products used on the face. This is because it helps to control the activity of free radicals, which, by increasing oxidative damage in the body, contribute to early ageing of the skin. Premature ageing of skin can cause you to develop facial wrinkles, fine lines and age spots at a much quicker pace than anticipated. This may be avoided by choosing the skin care products and facial creams which have amla oil as an active ingredient in them.

Moreover, studies have found that amla oil has an antibacterial and an antimicrobial effect. So, it may be preventive against acne by inhibiting the growth of bacteria. However, there have been no specific studies to support this and it is not recommended to apply amla oil directly to the face as this can cause skin irritation.