Amla (Indian Gooseberry) for Hair Health

Research suggests that amla (Phyllanthus emblica) may have potential benefits for hair health, particularly in the context of scalp pest control. One randomized controlled trial conducted in Thailand found that a shampoo formulation containing amla extract achieved 100% lice mortality in laboratory conditions within 15 minutes and cure rates of 95–100% in real-world use on infested individuals, outperforming both standard chemical treatments and commercial shampoos. The evidence base is currently limited to a single study focused specifically on head lice rather than broader hair health outcomes such as growth, strength, or scalp condition, so broader conclusions should be drawn cautiously. Additionally, while the trial compared amla-based shampoo against chemical pediculicides and commercial products, it did not isolate amla's effects from the other herbal ingredients in the formulation, making it difficult to attribute the observed results to amla alone.