10 Amazing Sea Moss Benefits for Hair

Are you trying to avoid using chemicals on your hair? Do you love nourishing your locks with natural ingredients? If so, you need to hear about sea moss benefits for hair. 

Sea moss is a really popular natural ingredient that people have used for centuries to treat skin conditions or improve their health, and it also offers many benefits for hair. You might have seen it listed in the ingredients list on hair care products or heard that you can add sea moss to smoothies. 

But perhaps you’re at the start of your hair care journey and you’re curious to learn more about the hair benefits of this nutritional powerhouse. Perhaps you’d like to incorporate sea moss into your hair care routine and want more info before you start. 

This guide will help you discover more about sea moss for hair, how it can hydrate and strengthen hair, and support healthy hair growth. Read on to discover 10 fantastic sea moss benefits for hair.

What Is Sea Moss?

Sea moss is a type of tufted edible seaweed (red algae) found on rocks and in pools around the coastline of the North Atlantic Ocean. Its Latin name is Chondrus crispus, and it’s also widely known as Irish sea moss. 

Sea moss has many health benefits, thanks to its rich blend of vitamins and minerals. For example, the natural prebiotics and dietary fiber found in this seaweed can aid digestion and gut health. 

Is Sea Moss Good for Hair?

Sea moss is also a popular ingredient in hair care products, thanks to its nourishing and moisturizing effects. 

Using sea moss as part of a healthy lifestyle can improve scalp health, which is essential for good hair health. The nutrients it contains have many other benefits for hair health, including strengthening hair, promoting healthy hair growth, and making your tresses shinier. 

Sea moss is packed with a powerful blend of minerals that can benefit your hair and scalp, including iodine, iron, zinc, and magnesium. It is also rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C, D, and E, which promote hair growth. 

Is Sea Moss Safe for Everyone?

Generally, Irish sea moss is safe for everyone to consume or use externally on all hair types. However, there isn’t much research on whether it is safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers. For this reason, avoiding sea moss during pregnancy or when nursing is the safest option.

Seaweed has high levels of iodine, which can cause various side effects if consumed in large quantities. The FDA recommends consuming no more than 150 micrograms of iodine daily for people aged 4 and older. If you plan to eat sea moss, keeping your portion size to around 2 to 3 tablespoons is considered safe. 

It can also have a blood-thinning effect, so you should avoid it when taking blood-thinning medication. 

Additionally, if you have a hypersensitive scalp, you shouldn’t apply this seaweed to your scalp as it may cause irritation.

Sea Moss Benefits for Hair

The nourishing properties of Irish sea moss make it a great choice if you want to improve the health of your hair. Here are 10 of the main benefits for hair health:

Promotes Hair Growth

Sea moss contains high levels of vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which can protect your skin from oxidative stress. This is one of the most common causes of hair loss, so using sea moss can help promote hair growth. 

And because sea moss is rich in iron, it can also help reduce hair loss due to iron deficiency.

Strengthens Hair Strands

Curly hair is often dry and prone to breakage, making it hard to grow hair to your desired length. The rich nutrient profile of sea moss includes protein, which can strengthen your strands significantly and boost hair growth.

Prevents Hair Breakage

Stronger strands are less prone to breaking when you brush or comb them. Taking sea moss supplements or using it on your hair can reduce breakage and help with length retention. 

Boosts Scalp Health and Hydration

Healthy hair needs a healthy scalp but if your scalp is dry, itchy, and inflamed, you will likely have a flaky scalp and dry hair. Thanks to its anti inflammatory properties, sea moss will soothe and moisturize your scalp, helping to reduce irritation and eliminate dandruff.

Balances Sebum Production

Sea moss is rich in vitamin A, which increases the oily sebum your scalp produces. Sebum  keeps your scalp healthy and also moisturizes your hair as it travels down your strands, giving your mane additional shine and vitality.

Enhances Hair Shine

As well as increasing sebum production, Irish sea moss helps to smooth the cuticle on the hair shaft, making your strands smoother and shinier. Using Irish moss in your hair care routine can help transform dull, lifeless locks into a glorious, glossy mane.

Hydrates and Retains Moisture

Sea moss has natural conditioning properties, so using it is a great way to moisturize your locks without applying chemicals. As well as hydrating your hair and making it more manageable, sea moss will also help make detangling easier, reducing the risk of breakage and split ends.

Thickens Hair

If you have thin hair that needs a little extra body, the high protein content in Irish moss makes it an excellent option for your hair. The protein will help thicken and strengthen your locks, which makes sea moss a fantastic addition to your washday routine.

Protects from Environmental Stressors

Irish sea moss contains MAAs (mycosporine-like amino acids), which protect it from UV exposure in its natural environment. These MAAs are used in cosmetics and hair care products as a shield from UV damage. Applying sea moss will encase your strands in a protective layer, helping to reduce damage and combat oxidative stress.

And its natural antioxidant effect can also help combat hair damage from toxins, leaving your hair and scalp healthier. 

Natural Alternative to Chemical Products

Many people are trying to reduce the chemicals they put in their bodies, so there’s a growing demand for products containing natural, chemical-free ingredients. Sea moss is a natural ingredient and is vegan-friendly, so it’s ideal if you’re looking for a kinder way to pamper your hair.

Potential Side Effects of Sea Moss on Hair

Irish moss is generally a safe ingredient to use on your hair, but there are some potential side effects to consider.

Allergic Reactions

Although it’s rare, some people are allergic to sea moss. In this case, using sea moss gel on hair could cause an allergic reaction such as itching, swelling, hives, or breathing difficulties.

If you experience any adverse effects after using sea moss, you should stop using it and seek medical attention immediately.

Consumption of pollutants

If you consume or apply sea moss that has been grown in contaminated water, it may contain pollutants like pesticides, heavy metals, and other chemicals. These can cause side effects such as fatigue, headaches, and digestive issues. 

You can avoid this problem by buying high-quality products from a reputable retailer.

Iodine overdose

Sea moss contains high levels of iodine, and consuming too much iodine can cause stomach upsets, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It can also lead to serious health issues like cancer or thyroid problems.

Clogged Pores

Sea moss is generally suitable for most hair and skin types. However, if you have oily or acne-prone skin, you may find that it can cause clogged pores and acne on your scalp.

How to Use Sea Moss on Hair

You can use sea moss to improve your overall hair health in two main ways.

Internally 

You can cook Irish moss in your meals, add it to smoothies, or take sea moss supplements in capsule form. However, it’s important to remember that cooking seaweed can reduce the level of nutrients in it.

Externally

Using sea moss gel on your hair and scalp is a great way to enjoy its benefits. 

It’s possible to make a sea moss hair gel at home; however, making the gel is time-consuming, and the gel goes off within a few days. You can also buy sea moss gel online, such as ACEYO Natural Irish Sea Moss Gel, which you can use to replace your usual hair gel or add the sea moss gel to your regular haircare products. 

Sea moss gel can be used after the LOC method or LCO method for a final boost of moisture and soft hold.

Sea Moss Hair Mask

Sea moss makes a great hair mask or deep conditioner. Apply the gel to damp hair after you’ve washed and conditioned it, being sure to coat your scalp as well. Leave for at least 30 minutes, then rinse your hair strands with lukewarm water. 

Sea Moss Leave-In Conditioner

Sea Moss can also be used as a leave-in conditioning treatment by applying just a small amount of the gel to damp hair and then styling it as usual. Leaving the gel in your hair overnight will give your hair more time to absorb the rich nutrients, encouraging healthy hair growth.

Sea Moss Pre-Poo

Applying sea moss before your regular hair wash routine makes an effective pre-poo treatment to add moisture to your locks. Work the gel through your strands and leave for 30 to 60 minutes before washing with your usual shampoo.

Sea Moss Infused Products

If you want to experience the benefits of sea moss for hair but don’t want to use the gel, you might like to try some hair care products infused with sea moss, which can give your hair a natural boost. Here are a few of the best sea moss products to get you started:

FAQs

If you would like more information about sea moss benefits for hair, here are some of the questions we get asked most often.

Can I Use Irish Sea Moss Daily?

It’s best to use sea moss on your hair a few times a week. You could start with a weekly hair mask and build up to using sea moss products 2-3 times each week.

Can You Use Sea Moss as a Leave-In Conditioner?

Yes, you can use sea moss gel as a leave-in conditioner to improve the look and feel of your hair. You can even leave the gel in your hair overnight, which will give your hair the maximum time to absorb the rich nutrients.

How Long Does It Take Sea Moss To Grow Your Hair?

Some anecdotal evidence shows that hair growth could be boosted after using sea moss consistently for 4-5 weeks. 

Is Sea Moss Safe for Colored or Chemically Treated Hair?

Yes, you can use sea moss safely on colored hair and chemically treated hair. It will help hydrate dry hair and protect your locks from further chemical damage. 

Conclusion

Irish sea moss, or Chondrus crispus, is a popular ingredient in many skin and hair care products. 

There are many sea moss benefits for hair. It can support scalp health, add moisture to dehydrated hair, and help make damaged hair softer, shinier, and more manageable. It may also help improve hair health, reduce hair loss, and promote hair growth.

Irish sea moss is safe for most people to use regularly. However, it isn’t suitable for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and people taking blood thinners.

You can take sea moss internally, either as food or in supplement form, and it can also be applied topically to your scalp and hair. The most popular ways to use sea moss are in the form of a gel or as an ingredient infused into haircare products like shampoos, conditioners, and serums.

However you choose to use sea moss for hair, it’s a powerful natural ingredient for maintaining healthy hair.