There are many hair care rituals that people recommend for hair growth. Rice water is another one of these home remedies that have been used for centuries, especially across Asia.
This is the starchy water that’s leftover after boiling rice. But does it actually have any health benefits for your hair?
If you want to encourage your hair to grow faster you will of course be wondering does rice water grow hair?
Does rice water grow hair?
There isn’t a lot of peer-reviewed scientific evidence to back up the claims that rice water can help boost hair growth. However, it is a method that has been widely used across Asia for centuries.
Tip: If you do want a more complete list (and some stuff that is backed by science) take a look at why isn’t my hair growing?
It was originally used in Japan by women during the Heian period. They attributed their great hair health to regularly bathing it in rice water.
Further evidence of the benefits of rice water lies in China. The Yao women are famous for having hair as long as 6 feet. Their hair also keeps its color for much longer, with some women only starting to go gray in their 80s.
Some individuals who have tried the TikTok trend of bathing their hair in rice water will swear by it. They insist that it does actually work to increase the rate of their hair growth.
However, there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to back up these claims. Considering that it’s been used for centuries by women who confidently say that it helps to increase their hair growth, you’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a try, though.
There is a range of other great benefits, though. Bathing your hair in rice water can help make your hair smoother, increase its shine, increase its strength, and help to detangle it.
Can I leave rice water in my hair overnight?
Sometimes to get the best benefits from your hair care routine, you need to leave the products to soak for a long time. If you’re tempted to give the rice water trend a try, you may be wondering whether you can leave it in your hair overnight to better benefit your hair.
You can leave rice water in your hair overnight. However, there are a few caveats you should think about first. It’s important to remember that if there is too much protein in your hair from the rice and not enough moisture, it could cause your hair to become brittle and dry.
Most people will leave the rice water to soak in your hair for around 15 minutes before washing it off. This should be more than enough time for your hair to absorb all of those helpful nutrients from the rice water.
If you leave rice water to soak into your hair overnight, you could run the risk of damaging it instead of helping it.
If you do want to leave rice water in your hair overnight, you should ensure that you don’t leave it in for longer than 18 hours. This is because it increases the chance of bacteria growth, which could lead to an itchy, flaky scalp.
Can rice water damage your hair?
The key to getting the most out of your new rice water hair care routine in moderation. If you use it too often or in the incorrect way, you could actually be causing damage to your hair.
One of the dangers that we’ve mentioned briefly above is that your hair can absorb too much protein from the rice.
This can leave your hair feeling dry and brittle, meaning it’s more likely to break and leave you with pesky split ends. So you should ensure that you thoroughly wash it out of your hair once you’ve left it to soak for a decent amount of time.
You should also make sure that you’re maintaining a regular shampoo schedule. This is because the shampoo will actively remove the build-up of the starch that can happen if you use rice water too much.
You should only use this treatment once a week alongside your usual hair care routine. If your hair is on the porous side, you should use the rice water method once a month.
So while rice water has many benefits, it’s a hair care method that should be used in moderation.
Does rice water grow hair on bald spots?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of evidence to suggest that rice water can help to grow hair on bald spots. However, it supposedly can help to reduce hair fall and promote the growth of existing hair. This is thought to be down to the fact that there is an abundance of amino acids in rice water, as well as a range of vitamins that can promote hair growth.
If you’re concerned about hair loss, you should consult with your doctor.
How long does rice water take to grow hair?
You should start to notice the benefits of your rice water hair care method after a week or so, depending on its condition when you started. The typical growth rate for human hair is between 1 to 2 inches per month.
The addition of rice water to your hair care routine works to strengthen and enrich your hair, so should encourage the natural hair growth process.
While rice water won’t work to increase the length of your hair strands, it will work to make your hair healthier. This will in turn promote growth, as healthier hair has fewer factors to impair its growth.
If your hair or scalp isn’t as healthy as it could be, this can prevent your hair from growing as fast as you would like it to.
Is it worth it?
The evidence on rice water helping to promote hair growth is overwhelming if you were to believe what’s been said about it over the centuries.
But even though this recent hair care trend has been taking TikTok by storm, it’s clear that many people believe it does indeed help promote hair growth.
Seeing as rice water has a whole range of health benefits for your scalp, too, you’ve got nothing to lose by giving this home remedy a try!
