Batana oil is a paste that is used as a skin treatment as well as to improve the appearance of hair. Produced by indigenous communities in Honduras who are known for their long, smooth hair, it is no surprise that batana oil has strong associations with hair care.
Batana oil is also sometimes marketed as encouraging hair growth. This article explores the claim that batana oil regrows hair, and looks at alternatives to batana oil for hair growth.
Batana oil - an overview
What is batana oil?
Also known as ojon oil, batana oil is extracted from the nut of the American oil palm for use as a skin and hair care product. In its final form, batana oil is actually a thick paste rather than the more liquid form the name suggests.
The American oil palm is rarely planted, but occurs naturally across the Muskitia region in the most eastern part of Honduras. The indigenous Miskitu communities harvest the American palm for various purposes, from using the leaves for building construction to using the fruit for cooking. The fruit, once dried in the sun and cooked, can be processed to leave a fibrous pulp and a seed. The layer that surrounds the seed is called the endocarp, and this is what the Miskitu communities use to make batana oil.
Batana oil benefits
Batana oil suppliers claim a long list of uses for their products, from bringing shine to beards to naturally dying white hairs. The communities who produce batana oil are known for their hair, with the Tawira Miskitu group’s name even being a reference to straight hair. Purported benefits of batana oil for hair include:
- Repairing damaged hair
- Encouraging thicker and shinier looking hair
- Darkening white or gray hairs back to their natural color
Purported batana oil benefits for skin include:
- Acting as an emollient to soften and soothe skin
- Helping to fade scars and stretch marks
- Exfoliating skin
How long does it take for batana oil to work?
Supplier recommendations range from applying batana oil and leaving it for 25 minutes before rinsing it out, through to leaving the product in overnight. Some suppliers claim their products instantly improve the condition of hair and skin. While this is an improbable timescale for all of the claimed benefits of batana oil, as an emollient, certain moisturizing effects are likely to be immediate.
It is not possible to say how long batana oil would take to work for hair growth, as it cannot be said with any certainty that it actually does work for this purpose.
How long can you leave Batana oil in your hair?
If desired you can leave Batana oil in your hair for 20 minutes or even overnight. However, most users desire to wash it out after short applications.
Using batana oil for hair growth
Batana oil has been traditionally used to improve the quality and health of hair by imparting oils essential to strengthening, straightening, and hydrating hair.
Does batana oil regrow hair?
In short, there is no direct evidence that using batana oil for hair regrowth works. There have been no direct clinical studies concerning batana oil for hair growth, and indeed many suppliers focus primarily on their product’s uses for improving the appearance and health of existing hair.
Does batana oil cure baldness?
Batana oil can be rich in unsaturated fatty acids, like oleic and linoleic acid. While there is limited research directly relating to hair loss and these compounds, certain unsaturated fatty acids have been reported to inhibiting 5 alpha-reductase, the enzyme responsible for the creation of DHT, a key factor in male and female pattern baldness. . However promising these reports are, these applications have not been clinically proven to reduce hair loss or improve hair growth.
Batana oil alternatives
If you are considering batana oil for hair loss, there are a host of alternatives to consider as well.There are other natural ingredients that may have benefits for hair health, and there are also products that are both specifically designed for hair loss and clinically proven to work. While batana oil may be a great option for improving the appearance of your hair, a targeted ingredient may be a more effective option for those primarily concerned about hair loss.
Do natural ingredients work for hair loss?
We have looked before at natural ingredients with potential hair growth benefits, including chlorophyll. The conclusion was that chlorophyll may have an indirect effect on hair growth, although there is a lack of clinical research to firmly support this claim.
One ingredient that has shown promise for hair growth in trials is a botanical extract called saw palmetto. The authors of a paper on saw palmetto were careful to stress that ‘robust high-quality data are lacking’, but that supplements containing the ingredient could be a treatment option for hair loss or thinning.
There is little doubt that a healthy, balanced diet is important for hair health, with research establishing a relationship between mineral balance and hair loss. In addition to a balanced diet, those hoping for hair regrowth can also use ingredients that very specifically target the underlying causes of hair loss.
Effective hair growth solutions
If you are concerned about hair loss, there are options available with more supporting evidence than the natural ingredients discussed above. Revela’s hair products are specifically formulated for hair loss and thinning, and use previously undiscovered ingredients that are more effective than what is already available.
Revela scientists use a cutting-edge AI engine to sift through millions of molecules, screening for desired benefits and avoiding potentially harmful side effects. Using this process, the team discovered ProCelinyl, which directly targets hair follicle health to reawaken dormant follicles.
97% of women in a six week clinical trial saw improvements in their hair’s appearance, 87% with tight hairstyles noticed less shedding and 82% noticed increased hair growth and thickness. While these results speak for themselves, you can also read customer stories and results on the Revela website.
Sources
https://learn.tearfund.org/en/resources/footsteps/footsteps-61-70/footsteps-65/ojon-oil
http://www.pacificfarmers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ETFRN-57.pdf#page=31
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1637346/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30547302/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33313047/
