Home Remedies for Hair Loss
Although having hair isn't crucial to life, loosing it can be stressful if not devastating. When your hair starts thinning, falling out, or disappearing, you may frantically search for ways to restore it. Sometimes the expensive solution is not always the best solution. Hair loss can be stopped and reversed for most people with one or a combination of simple home remedies. Let's discuss why hair falls out for most people to begin with and home remedies for hair loss as well as cautions in using herbal and home remedies.
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Why do most people loose hair?
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Most Used Herbal Remedies for Hair Loss
Scientists have discovered that the leading factor in hair loss for most men is DHT, which is a conversion of the male hormone testosterone. DHT also causes a condition of enlarged prostates within men. Because of this connection, scientist found hair re-growth solutions that were originally used to help men with enlarging prostates by blocking the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Some cultures have used herbal remedies over the centuries for the same purpose of helping those with enlarged prostates. Although there have been very few scientific studies to prove that they work, these herbal remedies are now gaining popularity as a hair loss solution. Saw Palmetto Saw Palmetto has become an accepted treatment for prostate gland enlargement and because of the similarities of over production of DHT, it is now generally considered an herbal remedy for male pattern baldness. Although we don't know how it works, it is believed that it blocks the testosterone to DHT conversion process. As with most remedies, saw palmetto can have side effects when used. Mild stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and bad breath are some of the more common side effects reported.
Pygeum Aficanum Pygeum africanum is an evergreen tree of Africa. Extracts from its bark are used in herbal medications to relieve urinary problems caused by an enlarging prostate. Although how it blocks the DHT production is unknown, it is believed to do so. It has never been the focus of a clinical study of hair loss remedies, and there isn't much by way of evidence that it actually promotes restoration of hair in consumer use. As it has very few and mild side effects though, it has become a popular alternative to medicinal DHT inhibitors. Nettle Root Extract Nettle root extract is derived from stinging nettle and is used in much the same way as its origin. It is applied to the scalp as a mild irritant that stimulates blood flow to the balding area, facilitates the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles and overall promotes hair growth. Some clinical testing has been conducted with positive results, even for those with male pattern baldness. It can, however, be an allergen that promotes strong allergic reactions and should therefore only be used when you have consulted a doctor. |
There are several reasons most people loose their hair. Scientists believe that 95% of men who loose their hair do so because of elevated levels of a male hormone commonly referred to as DHT. Hormonal imbalances when it comes to hair loss can be treated through diet, long term drug programs, and in some cases, surgery.
Another common reason people loose their hair is because of inadequate nutrition. If your diet is lacking in vitamin B6, folic acid, or key amino acids that are the building blocks of keratin you are much more likely to have thinning hair or loose it altogether. Increasing the amount of nutrient rich foods in your diet can have a huge impact on your hair growth.
If neither of the former are the reason for your hair loss, stress or anxiety can contribute to a rapid pace of hair loss. Other common factors in hair loss include sickness or treatments for illness, menopause or pregnancy for women, and unclean condition of the scalp.
If you experience excessive hair loss for any reason, a home remedy for hair loss may help. If loosing your hair is stressing you out, talk to a doctor to find out the underlying cause of your hair loss, and see if one of the home remedies for hair loss will work for you.
Home Remedies for Hair Loss
Herbs and different plants have been used by numerous cultures over the centuries to treat various hair loss conditions. Traditional recipes have not always been successful, but they do have their uses. There is no end-all home remedy everyone should use to prevent or reverse their hair loss, although some herbs are generally known, though not particularly scientifically proven, for their help in treating hair loss. Some of the most popular are saw palmetto, extract from the bark of pygeum africanum evergreen tree, and nettle root extract, which should be taken cautiously as quite a few people have allergies to the nettle. Most herbal remedies sold today include at least one of these three herbs. If you don't want to buy an herbal remedy for hair loss, you can make your own, or try other methods to prevent your hair loss.
One of the greatest advantages for home remedies for hair loss is that there are hardly any side effects from their use, unlike drugs or surgery. The chemical free nature of home remedies is also less expensive. Although home remedies for hair loss may take a bit of time to show their effect, they can be a lot more bang for your buck when it comes to re-growing hair than through clinical means. There are two general types of home remedies for hair loss: those that are applied directly to your scalp and those that you ingest.
Remedies Applied Directly to the Scalp
When you first notice that your hair is thinning, one of the best things you can do to slow the progression of your hair loss, stop it altogether and promote healthier growth is through scalp massage. Blood and oxygen flow to the scalp must be healthy in order for hair to grow. Massage stimulates blood flow and adding aroma therapy to your massage regime has been found to effectively control hair loss better than massage alone. Blend lavender and bay essential oils in a base of almond, sesame, or soybean oil and massage into the scalp and let sit for at least twenty minutes before washing it out.
Vigorous rubbing of your scalp while washing and drying your hair can have much of the same effect of controlling hair loss. Your scalp should be rubbed vigorously until it starts to tingle. This activates the sebaceous glands in your scalp which produce the oil that protects the hair and skin from drying out and being irritated. It also stimulates blood flow to the scalp.
Mixing bay or other essential oils into your regular shampoo can also have beneficial effects, particularly with strengthening your hair. Changing your shampoo to an Aloe Vera based shampoo can also help. Aloe's positive effects on the skin are well known, especially for healing, but it also balances the pH level of the scalp and cleanses the pores. To make your own traditional Aloe Vera shampoo, you can mix Aloe Vera gel with a small amount of wheat germ oil and coconut milk. This allows your scalp a chemical free wash that promotes healthy skin and healthy hair growth. Using plain coconut milk as a hair rinse can also have beneficial effects for hair loss prevention.
Using traditional herbs and teas as a shampoo for your hair has also been shown as beneficial for hair loss. Geranium leaves, Rosemary, and Sage boiled in water, and strained can be used a shampoo that stimulates hair growth and thickening of hair. Lavender and lemon juice mixed together to form a shampoo can also be beneficial. Boil hibiscus leaves in water and lime juice to the liquid when it has been strained to use as an herbal rinse before shampooing. Green tea used as a shampoo has also been shown to have amazing hair re-growth effects for thinning hair.
If you are loosing hair due to unclean scalp conditions caused by hormonal imbalance or unsatisfactory hygiene habits, you should use a paste made from fenugreek seeds that is highly effective at removing impurities and dandruff from the scalp. Soak two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds overnight in water. In the morning, grind the softened seeds into a paste and apply directly to your scalp. Leave the paste on your scalp for thirty minutes then wash your hair and scalp thoroughly. This should be done approximately once a week until your scalp conditions change to a healthier state that promotes healthy hair growth.
There are many other home remedies for hair loss that you apply directly to your scalp including henna shampoos, massaging the scalp with uncooked egg yolks, amaranth shampoo, amla oil, pastes of lime and black pepper, etc. The possibilities for home remedies for hair loss are endless. Finding the one that is right for you is the trick. It is important to find the underlying reason for your hair loss before trying to treat it so your treatment can be effective.
Ingested Home Remedies
While home remedies for hair loss that are applied directly to the scalp can help, they don't always go to the heart of the problem. The two most common reasons for hair loss, an abundance of DHT and poor nutrition, can both be helped and sometimes corrected through a healthy diet. Most people don't eat enough essential nutrients in their typical diet, which can cause a plethora of health and cosmetic problems, one of the most common of which is thinning of the hair or hair loss. Ingested home remedies for hair loss can help.
Having a well-balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and seeds is essential to healthy hair growth and preventing and reversing hair loss. Lettuce and spinach, as well as other leafy green vegetables, are considered the most nutrient dense foods you can eat. Combining the juice from leafy greens with fruit juices forms a great tasting drink that can accelerate your healthy hair growth and prevent hair loss. Apples eaten daily are also a great prevention method. Apple poly phenols help keep DHT at healthy levels, nourishes the scalp and hair follicles, and promotes healthy hair growth.
Other home remedies you eat include mustard seed boiled in water and drunk, green tea and herbal teas used on a daily basis promote healthy hair growth, and a diet low in fat and high in water can also prevent or reverse hair loss.
A Word of Caution
Home remedies for hair loss can really save you time, money, and keep your body from harmful chemicals, but sometimes using home remedies alone is not enough. There is no guarantee that an herbal or home remedy for hair loss will work, and trying one remedy after another after another can be time consuming and depressing. No daily dosage for home or herbal remedies has been established, so you may be taking to little or too much. Although most home remedies don't have any harmful side effects, some do, or you could have side effects particular to you. Always research what you are using and talk to a doctor before starting a home remedy regime.
