Fact checkedEvidence Based

Evidence Based

This article is objectively based on relevant scientific literature, written by experienced medical writers, and fact-checked by a team of degreed medical experts.

Our team of registered dietitian nutritionists and licensed medical professionals seek to remain objective and unbiased while preserving the integrity of any scientific debate.

The articles contain evidence-based references from approved scientific sites. The numbers* in parentheses (*1,2,3) will take you to clickable links to our reputable sources.

Sea Moss For Hair: What Is It? Benefits & How To Use 2024

Susan Adeosun

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN

sea moss for hair
Sea moss for hair is an underrated treatment getting popular. Photo: chokniti/Freepik

You might have heard of various hair care products and treatments, but have you ever encountered the unusual and intriguing ingredient known as sea moss? If not, let us introduce you to the wonderful world of sea moss for hair.

This unique, nutrient-packed underwater gem originates in the rocky coastlines of the Atlantic Ocean, and it’s been making waves in the beauty industry for its numerous benefits, including how it can strengthen hair

Does sea moss work as a hair supplement? In this article, we’ll answer, “Is sea moss good for hair?” We will dive deep into what sea moss is, the fantastic benefits it offers for your hair, and how you can incorporate it into your hair care routine. We will also see if there are any side effects to look for.

5 Sea Moss Benefits For Hair

Is sea moss good for hair? Yes, sea moss for hair is quite beneficial. It helps by:

  1. Stimulating hair growth.
  2. Improving the scalp.
  3. Improves circulation
  4. Strengthens hair.
  5. Moisture retention.

So, if you want to revitalize your locks and achieve healthy, luscious hair, sea moss might just be your magical solution.

Sea Moss For Hair: 5 Benefits

If you want to enhance the length and thickness of your hair, sea moss is the natural solution you’ve been searching for. Let’s explore how sea moss can benefit thinning hair and how to use it to promote hair growth. Here are added benefits of sea moss:

Promotes Hair Growth

Sea moss is a powerhouse of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can benefit you internally and externally. These nutrients, including iodine, iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E, are necessary for healthy hair growth. They nourish the hair follicles, strengthening them and promoting optimal conditions for new hair growth.

Improves Scalp Health

A healthy scalp is essential for promoting hair growth. Sea moss has natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties[1] that help maintain a balanced scalp environment. Topical application of sea moss preparations can soothe irritation, reduce inflammation, and prevent conditions like dandruff and itchiness, which can hinder hair growth. Due to its high vitamin A content, oral intake of sea moss fosters moisturizing[2] and hydrating properties on the scalp and in hair. 

Improves Circulation

Proper blood circulation is vital for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles. Oral sea moss can help improve blood circulation thanks to its iron content and ability to support cardiovascular health. Meanwhile, topical sea moss oil[3] helps enhance blood flow to the scalp, nourishes the hair follicles, and stimulates hair growth.

Strengthens Hair

Weak and brittle hair is prone to breakage, hindering hair growth progress. Sea moss contains vitamins, such as vitamins E and C, that offer antioxidant properties[4] when consumed orally to the hair strands to promote elasticity. This property helps minimize breakage, allowing your hair to grow longer and thicker.

Moisture Retention

Dry, dehydrated hair can hinder healthy hair growth. Sea moss is known for its excellent moisturizing properties,[5] and it helps to hydrate the hair and retain moisture. Sea moss also prevents dryness and breakage, creating an optimal environment for growth.

What Is Sea Moss?

Sea moss is a type of algae that grows in the ocean. It is a marine plant that belongs to the red algae family and is commonly found in coastal regions along the Atlantic Ocean, including Ireland, Scotland, and parts of North America. Sea moss grown in Ireland is appropriately termed Irish moss

Despite its name, sea moss is not a moss but a form of seaweed. Sea moss has a unique appearance with its fan-shaped fronds and comes in various colors, such as red, purple, yellow, and green. The coloration depends on the specific species and environmental conditions. 

Over the centuries,  It has been used in traditional Irish and Caribbean cuisines as a natural thickening and gelling agent in soups, stews, and desserts.

General Benefits Of Sea Moss

This marine plant is not only valued for its culinary uses but also for its rich nutritional profile.[6] Sea moss is packed with many vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds. It contains essential minerals like:

  • Iron.
  • Iodine.
  • Magnesium.
  • Potassium.
  • Calcium.
  • Vitamins A, C, E, and K. 

It also contains amino acids, antioxidants, and various polysaccharides, contributing to its health-promoting properties.

Due to its nutrient density, sea moss has become a superfood in recent years. It is believed to offer numerous health benefits,[7] such as supporting immune function, aiding digestion, promoting healthy skin, and improving cellular health. Additionally, sea moss has gained attention for its potential health benefits for hair and scalp.

Sea moss can be consumed in various forms. Some people prefer raw sea moss that requires soaking and processing before use, while others choose sea moss gel, capsules, or powders for convenience. Sea moss also comes in topical forms, such as a gel, a nourishing hair mask, or in other products designed to repair and moisturize each hair strand.

It can be incorporated into your diet, taken as a dietary supplement, or applied topically to better condition and protect your shiny locks. 

How To Use Sea Moss For Your Hair

As seen above, using sea moss in your hair can provide numerous benefits. You would see sea moss hair growth before and after. Here are a few simple methods you can try to use sea moss in your hair:

Sea Moss Hair Mask

Sea Moss Hair Mask
Using Sea moss for hair conditioning with hair masks. Photo: freepik/Freepik

Create DIY hair masks by blending soaked sea moss (previously soaked overnight) with water or aloe vera gel to form a smooth paste. Apply the mask generously to your clean, damp hair, from roots to ends. Massage it into your scalp and distribute it evenly throughout your hair. 

Leave it on for about 30 minutes to an hour, then rinse thoroughly with water and follow up with your regular shampoo and conditioner routine. 

Sea Moss-Infused Hair Oil

Sea Moss-Infused Hair Oil
Sea moss in oil delivers a concentrated, effective dose. Photo: freepik/Freepik

Prepare a sea moss-infused hair oil by blending soaked sea moss with a carrier of your choice, such as coconut or olive oil. Store the mixture in a clean, airtight container and place it in a cool, dark place for a few weeks to allow the oil to absorb the beneficial properties of sea moss.

Once infused, strain the oil and apply a small amount to your scalp and hair, gently massaging through the strands of each hair. Cover with a shower cap. Leave it on for a few hours or overnight for deep nourishment, then wash it with a gentle shampoo.

Sea Moss-Infused Hair Products

Look for hair products that contain sea moss extract or sea moss gel as an ingredient. These products, such as shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in treatments, are specifically formulated to provide sea moss benefits conveniently. You can also incorporate them into your hair growth devices. Ensure you follow the instructions on the product labels for best results.

Sea Moss Supplements

Sea moss is packed with essential minerals and vitamins, a versatile ingredient that has gained recognition for its potential health benefits, including its role in supporting hair and scalp health. You can add it to smoothies, oatmeal, salads, soup, pudding, waffles, yogurt, or nut milk! 

Sea moss supplements, extracts, and gels are also available to supplement your diet to promote hair growth.

Side Effects Of Sea Moss

There are numerous benefits of sea moss. Still, is it all good? 

There are a few side effects of using sea moss. Firstly, consuming too much sea moss can lead to excessive iodine intake. Sea moss contains high iodine content,[8] and this may hurt your thyroid. 

Additionally, sea moss may contain toxic metals like arsenic, mercury, and lead.[9] These metals can be harmful to your health. To this effect, people may also experience gastrointestinal issues after consuming sea moss, such as:

  • Stomach upset.
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Diarrhea. 

Remember, doing a patch test before using any new product or ingredient on your hair or scalp is essential. This is to ensure you don’t have any adverse reactions or allergies. Additionally, if you have any specific hair or scalp concerns, it’s always a good idea to consult your hair care professional for personalized advice.

The Bottom Line

We have seen how sea moss for hair growth works. Genetics, diet, and hair care practices influence healthy hair growth. While sea moss can be a valuable addition to your hair care routine, maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle is crucial for achieving your hair growth goals.


+ 9 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. Robertson, R.C., Guihéneuf, F., Bahar, B., Schmid, M., Stengel, D.B., Fitzgerald, G.F., R. Paul Ross and Stanton, C. (2015). The Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Algae-Derived Lipid Extracts on Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Stimulated Human THP-1 Macrophages. Marine Drugs, [online] 13(8), pp.5402–5424. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/md13085402.
  2. Suo, L., Sundberg, J.P. and Everts, H.B. (2014). Dietary vitamin A regulates wingless-related MMTV integration site signaling to alter the hair cycle. Experimental Biology and Medicine, [online] 240(5), pp.618–623. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1535370214557220.
  3. Shunmugiah Mahendran, Pandiaraj Maheswari, Vanaraj Sasikala, Jeba jaya Rubika and Jeyaraj Pandiarajan (2021). In vitro antioxidant study of polyphenol from red seaweeds dichotomously branched gracilaria Gracilaria edulis and robust sea moss Hypnea valentiae. Toxicology Reports, [online] 8, pp.1404–1411. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.07.006.
  4. Liu, J., Hafting, J., Critchley, A.T., Banskota, A.H. and Balakrishnan Prithiviraj (2013). Components of the Cultivated Red Seaweed Chondrus crispus Enhance the Immune Response of Caenorhabditis elegans to Pseudomonas aeruginosa through the pmk-1 , daf-2/daf-16 , and skn-1 Pathways. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, [online] 79(23), pp.7343–7350. doi:https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01927-13.
  5. Jesumani, V., Du, H., Aslam, M., Pei, P. and Huang, N. (2019). Potential Use of Seaweed Bioactive Compounds in Skincare—A Review. Marine Drugs, [online] 17(12), pp.688–688. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/md17120688.
  6. Usda.gov. (2024). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168456/nutrients
  7. Lomartire, S., João Carlos Marques and Gonçalves, A.M.M. (2021). An Overview to the Health Benefits of Seaweeds Consumption. Marine Drugs, [online] 19(6), pp.341–341. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/md19060341.
  8. Aakre, I., Lidunn Tveito Evensen, Kjellevold, M., Dahl, L., Henjum, S., Alexander, J., Madsen, L. and Maria Wik Markhus (2020). Iodine Status and Thyroid Function in a Group of Seaweed Consumers in Norway. Nutrients, [online] 12(11), pp.3483–3483. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12113483.
  9. Rubio, C., Napoleone, G., G. Luis-González, A.J. Gutiérrez, D. González-Weller, A. Hardisson and C. Revert (2017). Metals in edible seaweed. Chemosphere, [online] 173, pp.572–579. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.01.064.
Susan Adeosun

Written by:

Susan Adeosun, Dr.

Medically reviewed by:

Kathy Shattler

Dr Susan Adeosun (MPH, MD) is a Medical Doctor and Public Health enthusiast. She has over five years' worth of experience in public health and preventive medicine and is a firm believer in the famous phrase by Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus, “prevention is better than cure.” Her journey through public health, combined with her love for writing, has resulted in the publication of several health articles on various blogs, websites, and peer review journals. When she is not advocating for better health education, she spends her time reading, cooking, and hanging out with friends.

Medically reviewed by:

Kathy Shattler

Journal of Physical Education and Sport

Trusted Source

Go to source

SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

Trusted Source

Go to source

African Journals Online

Non-profit Platform for African Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of The American Board of Family Medicine

American Board of Family Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

Informit

RMIT University Library

Trusted Source
Go to source

European Food Safety Authority

Science, Safe food, Sustainability

Trusted Source
Go to source

OrthoInfo

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Trusted Source
Go to source

American Academy of Family Physicians

Strengthen family physicians and the communities they care for

Trusted Source
Go to source

Agricultural Research Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Trusted Source
Go to source

The American Journal of Medicine

Official Journal of The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Lippincott Journals

Subsidiaries of Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute on Aging

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Translational Research

The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cell

An All-science Publisher

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of Translational Medicine

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

Federal Trade Commission

Protecting America's Consumers

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Human Genome Research Institute

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Food Production, Processing and Nutrition

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

BMC Gastroenterology

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

ACS Publications

A Division of The American Chemical Society

Trusted Source
Go to source

Annual Reviews

Independent, Non-profit Academic Publishing Company

Trusted Source
Go to source

PubChem

National Center for Biotechnology Information

National Library of Medicine
Go to source

PLOS Journals

Nonprofit Publisher of Open-access Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Thieme E-books & E-Journals

Peer-reviewed & Open Access Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences

Peer-reviewed International Journal Publishes

Trusted Source
Go to source

Royal Society of Chemistry Publishing Home

Chemical Science Journals, Books and Database

Trusted Source
Go to source

Frontiers

Publisher of Peer-reviewed Articles in Open Acess Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

De Gruyter

German Scholarly Publishing House

Trusted Source
Go to source

Hindawi

Open Access Research Journals & Papers

Trusted Source
Go to source

Oilseeds and Fats, Crops and Lipids

EDP Sciences

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cambridge Core

Cambridge University Press

Trusted Source
Go to source

FoodData Central

U.S. Department Of Agriculture

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of the American Heart Association

Peer-reviewed Open Access Scientific Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The Americans with Disabilities Act

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Organization of Food and Nutrition Professionals

tr
Go to source

Sage Journals

Database From Sage Publications

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute of Drug Abuse

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The ClinMed International Library

A Repository and an Open Access Publisher for Medical Research

Trusted Source
Go to source

The Royal Society Publishing

United Kingdom's National Academy of Sciences

Trusted Source
Go to source

APA PsycNet

Database From American Psychological Association

Trusted Source
Go to source

The Pharma Innovation Journal

Peer-reviewed And Refereed Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development

Peer-reviewed Bimonthly Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

British Pharmacological Society

Journals - Wiley Online Library

Trusted Source
Go to source

American Psychological Association

Scientific and Professional Organization of Psychologists

Trusted Source
Go to source

AAP Publications

Database From American Academy of Pediatrics

Trusted Source
Go to source

Karger Publishers

Academic Publisher of Scientific and Medical Journals and Books

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Database From Cambridge University

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute of Mental Health

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

MDPI

Publisher of Open Access Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Bulletin of the National Research Centre

Part of Springer Nature

Trusted Source
Go to source

The New England Journal of Medicine

Massachusetts Medical Society

Trusted Source
Go to source

Economic Research Service

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Trusted Source
Go to source

MedlinePlus

Database From National Library of Medicine

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

National Institute of Health

An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Trusted Source
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The BMJ

Weekly Peer-reviewed Medical Trade Journal

The British Medical Association
Go to source

The British Psychological Society

The British Psychological Society is a charity registered in England

Database From Wiley Online Library
Go to source

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

PubMed

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source

DailyMed

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source

Google Scholar

Go to source

Science.gov: USA.gov for Science

Government Science Portal

Go to source

ResearchGate

Social Network Service For Scientists

Find and share research
Go to source

American Heart Association

To be a rentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives

Go to source

BioMed Central

Research in progress

Go to source

JAMA Network

Home of JAMA and the Specialty Journals of the American Medical Association

Go to source

Springer Link

Database From Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Springer - International Publisher Science, Technology, Medicine
Go to source

ODS

Database from Office of Dietary Supplements

National Institutes of Health
Go to source

Federal Trade Commission

Bureaus of Consumer Protection, Competition and Economics
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database From U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Governmental Authority
Go to source

Oxford Academic Journals

Oxford University Press

Trusted Source
Go to source

Taylor & Francis Online

Peer-reviewed Journals

Academic Publishing Division of Informa PLC
Go to source

WHO

Database from World Health Organization

Go to source

Journal of Neurology

Peer-reviewed Medical Journal

American Academy of Neurology Journal
Go to source

ScienceDirect

Bibliographic Database of Scientific and Medical Publications

Dutch publisher Elsevier
Go to source

Wiley Online Library

American Multinational Publishing Company

Trusted Source
Go to source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. National Public Health Agency

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database from U.S. National Library of Medicine

U.S. Federal Government
Go to source

U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Federal Agency

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

PubMed Central

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source
Feedback

Help us rate this article

Thank you for your feedback

Keep in touch to see our improvement