Hair's the truth behind the viral Adivasi Oil promoted by influencers like Elvish Yadav (2024)

What makes a product viral? If you think we'll say the quality of the product, well, you're highly mistaken. The product, just like your reality star (read: Indian Idol), needs to have a background story that appeals to the consumers, which creates the recipe for a perfect viral product - one that everyone wants to get their hands on.

Brownie points if celebs and influencers are talking about the product.

One such product that has managed to create quite a buzz is Adivasi Hair Oil. The reasons behind this product being the talk of the town for almost a year are pretty clear.

The product comes packaged with the story of a hair oil that came out of the tribal areas of Karnataka.

Not only this, but today, Adivasi Hair Oil has reached influencers like Elvish Yadav, as well as household names like comedienne Bharti Singh, choreographer Farah Khan, and many others. No doubt, it has generated a significant buzz among almost all demographics of Indians, from younger to older generations.

But just how effective is it? We try finding out.

'Original Adivasi hair oil'

If you’ve ever taken a road trip from Bengaluru to Mangalore, you might have noticed a long stretch of over 50 stalls along the highway, near the city of Hassan, all selling hair oils that promise to solve all your hair problems.

These hair oils are marketed by models, both male and female, boasting long, lustrous hair. They claim that the oils are responsible for their hair growth and even assert that those who are bald can reverse their baldness with these products.

The people selling these Adivasi hair oils are members of the Hakki Pikki community, a Scheduled Tribe in Karnataka. The tribe is a semi-nomadic tribe traditionally engaged in bird catching and hunting, living in forest areas in the west and south of India.

But here’s the thing, various people from the same community sell their hair oil, and all of them claim that their hair oil is ‘original’.

Everyone has a similar story to sell, apologies, tell, a hair oil from the tribal areas of Karnataka, and every hair oil has a few potential benefits.

Potential benefits of Adivasi hair oil

India Today searched through various ‘original’ websites and found that these hair oils can supposedly:

• Control dandruff
• Give you healthy and long hair
• Regenerate hair (even for bald people)
• Deal with hair loss

Sounds like a dream come true, packed in a bottle that can cost you something between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000?

How did it become so famous?

Today, Adivasi hair oil is everywhere. From celebs to influencers to vloggers, everyone is promoting this hair oil, but none of them have actually used it nor done a review.

If we go online and find reviews from people who have actually used the product, the feedback is, well, not very good, with some even calling it a “scam.”

Now, back to these videos promoted by influencers and vloggers - they all have a similar theme: they arrive in Bengaluru, visit the area where this oil is supposedly made, and immerse themselves in the Adivasi culture.

Content and themes like these have made the oils quite viral.

The storyline of the hair oil, especially the claim that it 'comes from tribal areas' and is all-natural, also helps increase its popularity.

Finally, the long hair of the models, especially the male ones, helps build trust amongst people, making them think that it might somehow aid in hair growth.

What do experts have to say?

First things first. If you're also wondering why the people selling the hair oil have long, lustrous hair, some experts speculate that it may be due to their genetics and living conditions. The Hakki Pikki community is still dependent on many natural ingredients, with the forest as their main natural resource.

Living so close to nature and continuing to use natural products can have a positive impact on their hair, so it might not be just the hair oil that has been a miracle to their hair as they claim.

Now, let us try and look at each one of the claims of the Adivasi hair oil, and what experts have to say about each one of them.

1. Reverse baldness?

Dr Sayyad Ajara T Hamid, a consultant dermatologist and hair transplant surgeon, at The Eterne Clinic, Powai, Mumbai, tells India Today that baldness or especially male pattern baldness, is the most common type of hair loss and is influenced by various factors.

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• Dihydrotestosterone (DHT): The primary cause of male pattern baldness is the sensitivity of hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative of testosterone. DHT can be formed in the body genetically due to higher levels of testosterone or is also increased through a diet rich in red meat or excess dairy.

• Prostaglandin imbalance: Prostaglandins are lipid compounds that have hormone-like effects and play a role in hair growth regulation. An imbalance between certain prostaglandins can inhibit hair growth.
• Micro-inflammation at hair roots: Chronic, low-grade inflammation around the hair follicles can contribute to hair loss by disrupting the normal hair growth cycle and causing damage to the hair follicles.
• Genetics: A strong genetic predisposition plays a crucial role in male pattern baldness, says Dr Ajara.
• Nutritional deficiencies: Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, and Vitamin D, can impair hair follicle function and contribute to hair thinning and loss.

According to Dr Ajara, one needs to identify the cause of baldness and then fix it for treating it. Hair oil alone can never reverse baldness, according to her.

"Topical treatments alone may not be sufficient to address the multifactorial nature of male pattern baldness. Oral medications are often necessary to achieve more significant results in hair restoration," says Dr Ajara.

2. Help with hair loss?

Just like baldness, your hair loss is also not associated with one reason. The American Academy of Dermatology Association states that hair fall can be because of various reasons, from hormonal changes to stress to just pure genetics.

Dr Ruben Bhasin Passi, a consultant of Dermatology and hair care expert at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, explains, "If your cause of hair fall is dandruff, you'll fix dandruff. A hair oil won't help with this."

"Hair oils and treatments work better at preserving and enhancing the health of existing hair than they do at encouraging the growth of new hair in regions where follicles have stopped functioning," Dr Passi adds.

3. Removes dandruff?

Dr Passi says the main purpose of hair oil is to 'lubricate your hair', and it has no connection with dandruff; rather, excess oil in your hair can cause dandruff.

"These companies say that to see results, one needs to use this oil daily, which can actually increase your dandruff, as fungi and other bacteria grow in moist environments," she adds.

'Too many ingredients'

The various makers of Adivasi hair oil claim that it is made from 108 or 180 ingredients - all natural, although not listed on the bottle. However, according to experts, a high number of ingredients does not guarantee that it can solve all hair problems.

Dr Ajara explains, for instance, that minoxidil works by increasing blood flow to hair follicles, thereby stimulating hair growth and slowing hair loss. However, she says that the ingredients apparently used in Adivasi hair oil have no scientific backing, although some have allopathic properties.

For example, amla (Indian gooseberry), an ingredient in this oil, is known for its antioxidant properties, which help combat oxidative stress and protect hair follicle cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Similarly, neem leaves (Azadirachta indica) contain azadirachtin and nimbidin alkaloids, which have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, potentially helping reduce scalp inflammation and prevent infections that may worsen hair loss.

However, Dr Ajara also warns that these benefits are anecdotal and lack scientific proof.

"People see 'herbal' and 'botanical' and are drawn to the product without even checking the ingredients. If someone launched something called 'herbal minoxidil' tomorrow, people would buy it," she adds.

Final strand

Like all tall claims, deal with this too with a generous pinch of salt. It is always better to consult an actual expert - a doctor, we mean, not an influencer - before believing in 'miracle cures' like the Adivasi hair oil.