Natural Hair Loss Remedies: How Herbals Can Help Hair Growth

There are many causes of hair loss – hormonal imbalance, stress, exposure to harsh chemicals or environment, poor nutrition, for example, and hence it is a common problem in our society today. In response to this a massive industry has grown up around the problem, with companies offering all kinds of products to prevent hair loss and to assist hair re-growth. Some though, question the need to pay out for expensive products and maintain that a lot of people would get as much benefit by using age old techniques of scalp massage coupled with the use of herbal ingredients. Critics point out that there is a lack of scientific evidence to back up these treatments, but supporters say that there is a wealth of accumulated evidence to support their use.

One branch of natural traditional medicine is called Ayurvedic and is native to the Indian subcontinent, but has been taken up worldwide as an alternative medicine. An Ayurvedic treatment for hair loss would be to daily massage the scalp with coconut or almond oil.

Some hair experts give considerable credence to the use of herbal remedies for hair loss, especially when combined with a change to a healthy organic diet, supplemented with fairly high doses of vitamins, increased exercise, and scalp massage.

Herbal remedies for internal use:

• Gingko Biloba is thought to improve blood circulation to the brain and skin, and could therefore help deliver nutrients to the scalp.
  
• Green Tea (Camellia sineesis) – it is thought that the natural chemicals called catechins found in green tea may inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha reductase which converts testosterone into the hair damaging DHT Green tea is therefore recommended to to help prevent male pattern baldness.
  
• Pygeum derived from the bark of an evergreen is another inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase and also helps therefore to reduce DHT levels.
  
• Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) is another DHT antagonist that works by preventing it from binding to receptor sites in the hair follicle.
  

Herbal remedies for external use:

• Aloe Vera – has long been known to help counter hair loss, and it is thought now that its action in promoting nitric acid, plus its enzyme superoxide dismutase may work together to stimulate hair growth.
  
• Onion (Allium cepa) – has a high sulphur content which is known to help hair production.
  
• Sunflower oil (Carthamus tinctorious) – applied to the scalp is thought, like other oils to help stimulate blood flow.
  
• Nettles – infused in water and applied to the hair may produce benefit
  

Many other herbs have been used as an infusion and rinsed through the hair. They include: rosemary, mallow roots, catnip, artichoke leaves, jaborandi, willow leaves, and cloves

There is nothing in the world that can produce rapid hair growth since hair grows at its own natural pace, but it may well be the case that these remedies are at least as effective as many commercially available products. It is also true though that hair will often tend to grow again of its own accord after being lost from causes such as stress or trauma. There is however the reassurance that herbal remedies are safe and without side effects, as well as being cost effective