Women in Japan, China and Southeast Asia have spent centuries using rice water as a hair wash. But has rice water shown scientifically proven advantages?
Rice water is the stuffed water left behind from cooking rice or soaking it. It's intended to make the hair shiny and smooth, and help it grow quicker.
The quality of rice water treatments is explored here and whether scientific evidence confirms the alleged findings.
Rice Water for Hair
Rice water is the starchy water that is left after rice is soaked or cooked. It is believed to contain many of the rice-containing vitamins and minerals including antioxidants, minerals, vitamin E, vitamins B, and amino acids.
Beauty advice blogs and product creators have caught up in this trend in recent years. Now the trend toward rice water is spreading. As the popularity of using rice water for hair rises, anecdotal evidence on its benefits is increasing. But do the arguments prove anything scientifically?
A paper from 2010, at first glance, indicates they could be. The researchers state that rice water can reduce friction on the surface and increase elasticity in the hair. However, the analysis relies on historical examples to draw conclusions which are not confirmed.
A Japanese research facility has also developed an imaging method that visualizes the enhancing effect of inositol on hair. Inositol is found in rice water. Note that this research has been published by a facility whose interests are commercially driven.
The benefits for hair from rice water remain unproven to date. More research is required to support anecdotal evidence of the benefits to hair from rice water.
Rice water can also benefit the skin, in addition to its possible beauty benefits for the hair. A research in 2002 found that starch in rice water has helped people with dermatitis recover damaged skin.
Washing hair in rice water is a historically popular beauty treatment in many Asian countries. This alternative remedy has gained attention online and is now popular around the world.
Many people think rice water is a good remedy for hair. Historical examples and anecdotal evidence indicate that rice water can boost hair strength, texture and development. Most scientific evidence about the treatment is ambiguous, so there is a need for further studies to prove the benefits of rice water.
Although its hair benefits remain unproven, it is safe to try at home using a rice water hair rinse and can be used on the skin too. In people with dermatitis, it has been found to improve skin health.
