With new chemical innovations popping up left and right that claim to promote hair growth, it can get a little confusing. But it’s important to keep in mind that ironically, subjecting your hair to some of these harsh chemicals can dry out and make your strands more susceptible to dryness and breakage.
That’s why when you’re looking for healthy, sustainable ways to grow your hair – Mother Nature knows best. Why pile chemicals into your precious strands when you have a variety of herbs that are highly effective for preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth – for a fraction of the price?
Here’s a roll call of the best hair growth herbs on Earth!
Ginkgo Biloba for Hair Growth
There’s a reason why Ginkgo Biloba has remained popular after all these years. It’s effectivity as a natural remedy and multitude of uses is unrivaled. One of it’s popular uses is as a hair growth stimulant. It works both as a topical treatment and ingested as a supplement. It aids in improving blood circulation, which results in a greater supply of oxygen and nutrients (such as proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals) to the follicles to stimulate hair growth.
Japanese researchers have been doing intensive studies which link Ginkgo Biloba to hair growth – a recent study concluded that the hair growth rate of mice treated with Ginkgo Biloba is significantly higher than those that weren’t. Another study also deduced that a concentration of 0.1 – 1% of Ginkgo Biloba is recommended for those with thinning hair.
Green Tea for Hair Growth
Green Tea has been studied by experts and proven to aid in preventing hair loss thanks to a component named EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate (yes, it’s the same one proven to help with weight loss). As to how it aids hair growth, it does so by blocking hair loss – EGCG prevents production of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), which has been heavily associated with hair loss.
And it’s particularly great for stopping hair loss in men – the high catechin content present in green tea also inhibit a specific hormone in males that causes an increased rate of male pattern type baldness.
Saw Palmetto for Hair Growth
Saw Palmetto is probably the most well-known herb for hair growth – it’s where most people turn to for a natural solution as soon as hair loss starts rearing its ugly head. Its popularity is due to the similarity of Saw Palmetto results to another clinically proven hair loss drug called Finasteride. Aside from this, research has also shown that Saw Palmetto is also effective in blocking 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme in males that converts testosterone to a hormone that causes hair loss.
There has also been a growing number of studies conducted on humans who use either topical or oral treatments of this herb, and results are very promising. While this herb is still pending FDA approval, Saw Palmetto’s been used for centuries and it’s got a loyal following of both men and women who swear by its ability to prevent dreaded bald spots.
Stinging Nettle for Hair Growth
This herb works very similarly to Saw Palmetto in terms of how it prevents hair loss – it blocks the production of DHT, that tends to cause male baldness. If you’re already diagnosed with Alopecia, Nettle can still help.
As a mild irritant, applying nettle on scalm improves the circulation of blood which signal the flow of oxygen and other vitamins toward the hair follicles. This has been a hot topic amongst scientists, who continue to study the possibilities of Nettle as treatment to male pattern hair loss.
And for both men and women, its nutrient rich composition is also full of nutrients such as Vitamin B, Vitamin C plus other nutrients that are essential for stimulating healthy hair growth.
Comfrey for Hair Growth
This herb has gotten a bad rap for being toxic in nature, especially when exposed to broken skin. Despite this, it’s still a favorite when it comes to preventing hair loss amongst men and women. The roots of Comfrey contains allantoin, a copper peptide that has been show to speed up growth when applied topically.
It’s hypothesized that the metal content is responsible for stimulating hair growth, since many chemical cures with metal in the formulation tested very well in laboratories – but comfrey is all natural. It is also effective in repairing tissue and cell damage, which benefits both the skin on your scalp and the hair follicles that may be producing hair at a slower rate.