Lustrao Hair Science · Ingredient Research · August 2026
Does Peppermint Oil Increase IGF-1 for Hair Growth? What the Research Actually Shows
A focused review of the study linking topical peppermint oil with IGF-1 expression, hair follicle changes and hair growth, including what the findings can and cannot tell us about human hair loss.
Lustrao Research · Published August 2026 · Evidence-led hair science
2014
year of the main peppermint oil hair-growth study
3%
peppermint oil concentration tested
4
treatment groups in the controlled model
Yes, a 2014 controlled hair-growth study found that topical 3% peppermint oil increased IGF-1 expression in the experimental model. The same study also reported greater hair growth, follicle number, follicle depth and dermal thickness in the peppermint oil group. The important limitation is that the study was not a human clinical trial, so increased IGF-1 does not by itself prove that peppermint oil produces the same hair-growth effect in people.
Peppermint oil is often described online as a simple natural hair-growth ingredient, but the more useful scientific question is what it actually does at the follicle level. The IGF-1 finding is interesting because IGF-1 is involved in the biology of active hair growth and the anagen phase of the hair cycle.
This article examines the peppermint oil study in detail, explains what IGF-1 does in the hair follicle, compares the experimental groups, and separates what the research demonstrates from what it does not demonstrate in humans.
Research basis. This article is based on the peppermint oil evidence reviewed in the Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil literature review. The underlying research distinguishes human clinical evidence from animal, follicle and laboratory evidence. The main peppermint oil hair-growth study discussed here was a controlled animal model.
In this article
The direct answer
What is IGF-1?
What did the peppermint oil study actually test?
What did the researchers find?
Why might IGF-1 matter for hair growth?
Was the peppermint oil study conducted in humans?
How did peppermint oil compare with minoxidil?
Does peppermint oil affect the anagen phase?
Does peppermint oil block DHT?
Why is peppermint oil used in Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil?
Why the wider Hair Growth Trio matters
What the evidence actually supports
Frequently Asked Questions
References
The direct answerDoes Peppermint Oil Increase IGF-1?
Yes, the main published peppermint oil hair-growth study reported increased IGF-1 expression after topical 3% peppermint oil in the experimental model. IGF-1, or insulin-like growth factor 1, is one of several growth-associated signals involved in the hair follicle.
The study did not measure IGF-1 as an isolated outcome. Researchers also examined visible hair growth and tissue changes, including dermal thickness, follicle number and follicle depth. The peppermint group showed favourable changes across these measures during the four-week experiment.
That combination is what makes the paper interesting. It links a botanical treatment with both a biological marker and structural changes in the follicle. It still does not establish a clinical effect in humans, because the experiment was performed in a controlled laboratory model.
For the broader context, see the Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil literature review and our earlier review of hair loss and hair growth research.
Hair follicle biologyWhat Is IGF-1 and Why Does It Matter for Hair Growth?
IGF-1 is a growth factor involved in cell proliferation, survival and tissue growth. In hair biology, dermal papilla cells are one source of IGF-1, and IGF-1-related signalling has been investigated in relation to follicular growth and the anagen phase.
The hair follicle does not grow because of one molecule acting in isolation. Hair production depends on communication between the dermal papilla, matrix cells, epithelial compartments, stem-cell niches and local signalling pathways. IGF-1 is one part of that network.
Why IGF-1 matters in this context
It is associated with active follicular growth. IGF-1 is repeatedly studied in connection with the anagen phase.
It is produced locally by follicular cells. Dermal papilla cells can release growth-related signals that influence neighbouring epithelial cells.
It is a marker, not a complete explanation. An increase in IGF-1 does not by itself establish clinical hair regrowth.
It sits within a larger network. Wnt and beta-catenin, VEGF, prostaglandins, BMP, TGF-beta and other signals also affect follicular behaviour.
This broader point is important because the Lustrao Research Review 03 examines the hair follicle as a signalling network rather than treating any single pathway as the entire explanation for hair loss. Read the full review of DHT, inflammation, oxidative stress and hair-follicle biology.
Primary evidenceWhat Did the Peppermint Oil Hair-Growth Study Actually Test?
The study tested 3% peppermint oil against saline, jojoba oil and 3% minoxidil in a controlled hair-growth model over four weeks. The paper was published in Toxicological Research in 2014 by Ji Young Oh, Min Ah Park and Young Chul Kim.
Study · Peppermint OilPubMed 25584150
Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs
Oh JY, Park MA, Kim YC. Toxicological Research. 2014;30(4):297-304. DOI 10.5487/TR.2014.30.4.297.
Model
Controlled laboratory hair-growth model using C57BL/6 mice
Treatment groups
Saline, jojoba oil, 3% minoxidil and 3% peppermint oil
Application
Topical treatment once daily, six days a week, for four weeks
Measurements
Hair-growth score, follicle number, follicle depth, dermal thickness, alkaline phosphatase activity and IGF-1 expression
Key finding: The peppermint oil group showed the most pronounced hair-growth effect among the groups and was associated with greater follicle number, follicle depth and dermal thickness. The study also reported increased IGF-1 expression.
Limitation: The experiment was conducted in mice. The concentration and treatment schedule were specific to the model, so the findings cannot be treated as proof of the same effect in humans.
The inclusion of both jojoba oil and minoxidil is useful because it gives the peppermint treatment more than one comparison. Jojoba oil helps separate the peppermint effect from the general effects of applying an oil vehicle. Minoxidil provides a conventional positive control in the same experimental setting.
What was measuredWhat Did the Researchers Find?
The peppermint oil group showed improvements across several hair-growth measures, not just a change in one biomarker.
Outcome
Reported peppermint finding
Why it matters
Hair growth
The peppermint group showed the strongest hair-growth score in the model.
Provides the main visible outcome of the experiment.
Follicle number
Greater follicle number was reported.
Shows a structural change in the treated tissue.
Follicle depth
Follicles were deeper in the peppermint group.
Follicle depth is related to the structure and stage of follicular growth.
Dermal thickness
Dermal thickness increased.
Provides another histological measure of tissue change.
IGF-1
IGF-1 expression increased.
Provides a possible growth-related mechanism for the observed effect.
Alkaline phosphatase
Activity increased in the peppermint group.
Provides another experimental marker associated with follicular activity.
The interesting point is the agreement between several endpoints. The researchers did not simply observe that the skin looked different and then speculate about a mechanism. They also measured tissue structure and growth-related markers.
That still does not turn the study into a human efficacy trial. It makes it a useful mechanistic and preclinical study.
MechanismWhy Might IGF-1 Matter for Hair Growth?
IGF-1 matters because it is involved in signalling associated with active follicular growth and the anagen phase. Hair follicles depend on local growth-factor signalling to maintain matrix activity and support continued production of the hair shaft.
Research on IGF-1 and hair biology has investigated its role in dermal papilla signalling, epithelial cell behaviour and follicle growth. The broader Literature Review 03 includes clinical and mechanistic evidence connecting IGF-1 with hair regeneration and alopecia.
The important distinction is between an increase in a growth-associated signal and a demonstrated clinical treatment effect. A laboratory study can show that a treatment changes IGF-1 expression. A clinical trial has to show whether that biological change translates into a meaningful outcome in people.
The peppermint study is interesting because the IGF-1 finding was accompanied by measurable changes in hair growth and follicle structure.
Lustrao synthesis of Oh et al., 2014
Evidence levelWas the Peppermint Oil Hair-Growth Study Conducted in Humans?
No. The main 2014 peppermint oil hair-growth study was conducted in mice. That is the most important limitation to remember when interpreting the result.
Animal models can be useful because they allow researchers to control treatment concentration, application schedule, timing of the hair cycle and tissue collection. They also allow direct histological measurement of follicle depth and tissue structure.
But human hair loss is more complicated. Androgenetic alopecia involves genetically susceptible follicles, androgen receptor signalling, local dermal papilla responses, follicular miniaturisation and a wider set of biological pathways. A mouse model cannot reproduce all of those features.
For that reason, peppermint oil should currently be described as having promising preclinical hair-growth evidence, rather than established clinical proof.
ComparisonHow Did Peppermint Oil Compare With Minoxidil?
In the 2014 experimental model, 3% peppermint oil produced a stronger hair-growth effect than 3% minoxidil on several measured endpoints. The peppermint group showed greater dermal thickness, follicle number and follicle depth in the experimental model.
This comparison is often repeated online without the context that it came from an animal study. The result is therefore useful as a preclinical comparison, not as evidence that peppermint oil outperforms minoxidil in humans.
How to interpret the comparisonEvidence boundary
What the study supports
Peppermint oil produced strong hair-growth and histological effects in the experimental model.
What the study does not support
Peppermint oil has not been clinically shown to outperform minoxidil in humans.
Why this distinction matters: Animal comparisons can identify promising treatments and mechanisms, but human clinical trials are needed to establish efficacy, tolerability and appropriate dosing for people.
For a direct human comparison involving a botanical hair-growth ingredient, see our article on rosemary oil and 2% minoxidil, which discusses the randomized six-month trial in men with androgenetic alopecia.
Hair-cycle biologyDoes Peppermint Oil Affect the Anagen Phase?
The 2014 study supports an effect on active hair growth during the experimental period, but it does not prove a specific human anagen effect. The researchers used a synchronized hair-growth model and then measured hair growth and follicle structure during the four-week treatment window.
Anagen is the phase when the follicle actively produces the hair shaft. A follicle entering or remaining in anagen is therefore a central part of the biology researchers investigate when testing potential hair-growth treatments.
The relationship between anagen, IGF-1 and other signalling systems is broader than peppermint oil alone. Wnt and beta-catenin, dermal papilla signalling, VEGF, BMP, TGF-beta and prostaglandins can all affect the balance between growth and regression.
This is one reason we treat peppermint as one component of a larger hair-growth evidence base rather than describing it as a complete explanation for hair loss.
A separate questionDoes Peppermint Oil Block DHT?
The published peppermint oil hair-growth study does not establish that peppermint oil blocks DHT in humans. Its main findings concerned hair growth, follicle structure, IGF-1 and related experimental markers.
DHT and androgen receptor signalling are important in androgenetic alopecia, but an ingredient needs direct evidence on the relevant pathway before it can be described as a DHT blocker.
For comparison, the ginseng literature is more directly concerned with 5-alpha-reductase and DHT-related signalling in experimental systems. See our dedicated article on Panax ginseng and hair-growth research.
From research to formulaWhy Is Peppermint Oil Used in Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil?
Peppermint oil is included in Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil because the published literature provides a plausible preclinical hair-growth mechanism alongside rosemary oil and Panax ginseng.
The Hair Regrowth Oil contains six botanical oils:
The six-ingredient formula
Rosemary Oil, which has the clearest direct human clinical trial evidence among the six.
Peppermint Oil, with the controlled animal evidence discussed in this article.
Panax Ginseng, with human hair-follicle and dermal papilla research involving ginsenosides and follicular signalling.
Castor Oil, with supporting evidence around ricinoleic acid, inflammation and conditioning.
Argan Oil, with evidence more strongly related to hydration, elasticity and hair quality.
Olive Oil, alongside olive-derived compound research including oleuropein and follicular signalling.
The formulation should not be understood as six identical "hair-growth actives". The literature suggests different roles and different evidence levels across the ingredients.
Explore Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil
The wider routineWhy the Hair Growth Trio Consistency Kit Matters
The Hair Growth Trio is designed for people who want to build the oil into a broader, repeatable hair-care routine. It combines the Hair Regrowth Oil with the Lustrao Growth Shampoo and Growth Conditioner.
This matters because hair care is not only about follicle signalling. Hair-shaft condition, scalp cleanliness, hydration and breakage also affect the appearance and retention of hair.
The broader Lustrao research programme reviews ingredients used across the oil, shampoo and conditioner, including rosemary, peppermint, ginseng, tea tree oil, lavender, hydrolyzed silk protein, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera. The evidence varies by ingredient and by outcome, which is why the research review keeps these roles separate.
For readers who are interested in maintaining a routine rather than using a single product intermittently, see the Lustrao Hair Growth Trio Consistency Kit.
For the evidence behind rosemary, peppermint, ginseng, castor, argan and olive oil together, see the Hair Regrowth Oil literature review.
What the evidence supportsDoes the Research Prove Peppermint Oil Regrows Hair?
No. The research provides promising preclinical evidence, not clinical proof of human hair regrowth.
The strongest peppermint oil paper found that 3% topical peppermint oil increased hair growth measures, follicle number, follicle depth, dermal thickness and IGF-1 expression in a controlled laboratory model.
That is a meaningful result. It suggests that peppermint oil can influence biological processes associated with active hair growth. But the next step in the evidence hierarchy would be a well-designed human clinical trial that measures outcomes such as hair count, hair density and shaft diameter over time.
Question
What the current evidence supports
Does peppermint oil increase IGF-1?
Yes, in the main controlled animal study.
Did the same study find hair-growth changes?
Yes. Hair-growth score and follicle measurements also changed.
Was the study conducted in humans?
No.
Has peppermint oil been clinically proven to regrow human hair?
Not from the evidence reviewed here.
Does the study prove peppermint oil blocks DHT?
No.
Is peppermint oil scientifically worth investigating for hair growth?
Yes. The combination of hair-growth and biological findings provides a reasonable basis for further study.
The strongest conclusion is also the most precise one: peppermint oil has a credible preclinical hair-growth signal, including increased IGF-1 expression, but human clinical efficacy remains unestablished.
Lustrao evidence synthesis
Frequently Asked QuestionsPeppermint Oil, IGF-1 and Hair Growth
Does peppermint oil increase IGF-1 for hair growth?
Yes, a 2014 controlled animal study reported increased IGF-1 expression after topical 3% peppermint oil. The same study found greater hair growth, follicle number, follicle depth and dermal thickness in the peppermint group. It did not establish the same effect in human scalp follicles.
What does IGF-1 do for hair follicles?
IGF-1 is one of the growth-associated signals involved in active hair-follicle growth. Dermal papilla cells can produce IGF-1, and the pathway has been studied in relation to anagen activity and follicular proliferation. IGF-1 is only one part of a much larger signalling network.
Was the peppermint oil hair-growth study conducted in humans?
No, the main 2014 study was conducted in a controlled mouse model. This allows precise tissue and hair-cycle measurements, but it means the results cannot be presented as a human clinical trial.
Did peppermint oil outperform minoxidil in the study?
Yes, 3% peppermint oil produced stronger hair-growth and histological results than 3% minoxidil in that experimental model. This does not mean peppermint oil has been shown to outperform minoxidil in humans because the experiment was conducted in mice.
Does peppermint oil increase hair follicle number?
Yes, the 2014 controlled study reported greater follicle number in the peppermint oil group. Follicle depth and dermal thickness also increased, which added structural evidence to the hair-growth finding.
Does peppermint oil stimulate the anagen phase?
The experimental evidence supports an effect on active hair growth, but it does not establish a specific human anagen effect. The researchers measured hair growth and follicle changes during a controlled hair-cycle model, while anagen regulation involves several additional pathways.
Does peppermint oil block DHT?
The main peppermint oil hair-growth study did not show that peppermint oil blocks DHT. Its measured outcomes focused on hair growth, follicle structure, IGF-1 and related markers rather than direct inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase or androgen receptor signalling.
Is peppermint oil good for androgenetic alopecia?
Peppermint oil has promising preclinical evidence relevant to hair growth, but its effectiveness for androgenetic alopecia in humans has not been established by a comparable clinical trial. The biological rationale is interesting, but androgenetic alopecia involves multiple pathways including androgen signalling, Wnt regulation, vascular changes and oxidative stress.
How long did the peppermint oil hair-growth study last?
The main study lasted four weeks. The experimental treatments were applied once daily, six days a week, during that period, after the hair cycle had been synchronised for the model.
What percentage of peppermint oil was used in the hair-growth study?
The study used 3% peppermint oil. The concentration was part of the experimental design, so it should not be assumed that any concentration of peppermint oil will produce the same biological response.
Is peppermint oil in Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil?
Yes, peppermint oil is one of the six botanical ingredients in Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil. The formula also contains rosemary oil, Panax ginseng, castor oil, argan oil and olive oil. View the Hair Regrowth Oil.
Is peppermint oil also included in the Hair Growth Trio Consistency Kit?
Yes, the Hair Growth Trio includes the Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil, which contains peppermint oil. The Trio also combines the oil with the Growth Shampoo and Growth Conditioner as a broader routine. Explore the Hair Growth Trio Consistency Kit.
Selected References
Oh JY, Park MA, Kim YC. Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs. Toxicological Research. 2014;30(4):297-304. PMID 25584150. PubMed.
Philippou A, et al. Further Clinical Evidence for the Effect of IGF-1 on Hair Growth and Alopecia. PMID 29765966. PubMed.
Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in Hair Regeneration: Mechanistic Pathways and Therapeutic Potential. PMID 41020895. PubMed.
Yano K, et al. Control of hair growth and follicle size by VEGF-mediated angiogenesis. PMID 11181640. PubMed.
Kwack MH, et al. Dihydrotestosterone-inducible dickkopf 1 from balding dermal papilla cells causes apoptosis in follicular keratinocytes. PMID 17657240. PubMed.
Choi K-Y, et al. Targeting of CXXC5 by a Competing Peptide Stimulates Hair Regrowth and Wound-Induced Hair Neogenesis. PMID 28595998. PubMed.
Ryu YC, et al. CXXC5 Mediates DHT-Induced Androgenetic Alopecia via PGD2. Cells. 2023. PMID 36831222. PubMed.
Panahi Y, et al. Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. SKINmed. 2015;13(1):15-21. PubMed.
Natarelli N, Gahoonia N, Sivamani RK. Integrative and Mechanistic Approach to the Hair Growth Cycle and Hair Loss. J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):893. PMID 36769541. PubMed.
The complete evidence base is presented in the Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil literature review and the Lustrao Research Review on hair follicle biology.
Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil
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Peppermint oil is one of six botanical ingredients in Lustrao Hair Regrowth Oil, alongside rosemary oil, Panax ginseng, castor oil, argan oil and olive oil.
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