How to delay or stop hair loss naturally
Researchers found that onion juice, when regularly massaged into the scalp, helped grow hair.
When the FDA released the prescription drug Propecia on the market to treat male pattern hair loss in 1997, many men thought they could finally put baldness behind them.
Then the reports came in of sexual side effects, including persistent erectile dysfunction.
Unfortunately, few other medical treatments exist for hair loss in both men and women. Rogaine is still one of the most popular, and has shown to help conserve hair, but only in some cases will it help regrow hair that has been lost. For many, the only other option is surgical hair transplants or wigs and hairpieces.
Are there any natural alternatives?
Stopping Hair Loss Before it Shows Up
In most cases, it’s best to start treating hair loss before it becomes generally noticeable. One of the first early signs that many people miss is when the hair starts to break easily. You may find more hair in your brush or comb. Your hair may feel dry or brittle. Eventually, you may notice a gradual thinning on the top of the head, or circular or patchy bald spots.
Early signs of hair loss can also differ slightly between men and women. Men typically notice more scalp and fewer hairs at the front hairline and the top of the crown. Women, on the other hand, may see a generalized thinning all over the head, or may notice that getting the hair to go where it should becomes more difficult.
Always check with your doctor, as some medications and medical conditions can affect hair growth. Otherwise, taking steps during the early stages will help to preserve the hair you have for a longer period of time—the best approach to putting off hair loss.
Steps to Take Early On
- Vitamins and Minerals: Deficiencies in vitamin B, zinc, iron, or calcium may show up on your head. Be sure you’re getting enough of these vitamins, and consider your medications. Birth control pills, for example, deplete your body of vitamin B.
- Slow your biological clock. Hair loss is most often caused by changes in your genes that set off the graying/thinning process. Delay the aging in your body overall by eating a healthy diet, exercising, and consuming “super foods” like berries, garlic, and dark green vegetables.
- Jojoba oil: Regularly massaging jojoba oil into the scalp may help to stimulate the hair follicles, plus it conditions the hair you already have, making it less likely to break. Other great oils for hair include emu, almond, coconut, and kalaya.
- Have your thyroid checked. Hypothyroidism can cause hair to become brittle and break more easily.
- Avoid over styling. Appliances that overheat your hair, chemical treatments, and over washing can all cause your hair to break and fall out prematurely. Try low and cool settings, and don’t dye your hair more than one or two shades its normal color.
Once you start to lose your hair, try these tips, effective in both men and women:
- Reduce DHT levels. Propecia works by inhibiting the action of the enzyme that converts the hormone testosterone into DHT, which is believed to be responsible for murdering hair. (Note: testosterone is the “male” hormone, but both men and women have it.) Natural alternatives believed to do the same thing include green tea, stinging nettle, saw palmetto (the best-known natural DHT-blocker), pygeum extract, emu oil and pumpkin seed oil.
- Consider L-Lysine. Early research has found that L-Lysine may make drugs like Propecia more effective, so the addition of this supplement to your diet may make your natural DHT-inhibitors more effective, as well.
- Control your blood sugar. The more insulin you have in your body, the more impact testosterone will make on your cells. To reduce the effects of testosterone, minimize your carbohydrate intake, and balance your blood sugar with whole foods.
- Try spearmint tea. Research from the U. K. and Turkey suggest that drinking spearmint tea helped to reduce testosterone levels as well as improve the balance between follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, which may help in retaining hair.
- Consider biotin. It’s crucial for nail and hair growth, and has no known side effects. Try five-to-eight milligrams a day.
- Other potential herbs. Arnica, licorice, sage, safflower, and rosemary have been used over the years for hair loss. Try combining with almond oil, or create a tincture diluted with warm water and massage into the scalp for five-to-twenty minutes a day.
- Get the blood flowing. Herbs and spices that can get the blood flowing to the scalp can help stimulate hair growth. Try massaging in some ginseng, ginkgo, and red pepper with your oil combinations.
- Onion juice! A study published in the Journal of Dermatology found that when onion juice was massaged directly into the scalp twice daily for two months, participants began to experience hair growth after just two weeks, while renewed hair was apparent in 20 of 23 people at six weeks.
Do you have some natural remedies for hair loss? Please share!