Read The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies Online
Authors: Martha Schindler Connors
The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies (29 page)
| • Aloe (Aloe vera) | Aloe gel is an effective moisturizer for hair as well as skin, and, because it creates a semi-stiff surface when dry, can replace commercial styling gel or hairspray. |
| • Avocado (Persea americana) | The rich emollients in avocado pulp work as well as a commercial pomade or sculpting wax, delivering a dose of conditioning at the same time. |
| • Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) | Marshmallow contains humectants (chemicals that attract and hold moisture), which make it a natural hair-styling agent. |
| • Nettle (Urtica dioica) | Nettle contains astringent chemicals that are natural body-builders, making it a good stand-in for commercial volumizing products. |
| • Psyllium (Plantago ovata, P. psyllium) | Psyllium seeds contain mucilage, a slimy substance that does what many commercial gels and mousses do: coats your hair when it’s wet and holds it in place as it dries. |
The average American uses between fifteen and twenty-five personal-care products every day (including several hair care and styling products). But each product you pile on adds more chemicals to your hair and scalp, increasing the chance of a bad reaction (or just a lot of product buildup). In contrast, most herbs work alone or in combination with just a few other ingredients.
Dandruff is a broad term for a flaky, sometimes itchy, scalp. In many cases, it’s caused by a buildup of hair care products or dry skin on and around the scalp, something that’s easily remedied with a change in shampoo and conditioner. In other cases, the flakes are what’s technically known as seborrheic dermatitis.
Seborrheic dermatitis is a type of flaking and scaling of the scalp that’s caused, ironically, by excessive oil. (The word
seborrhea
means “too much oil.”) Seborrheic dermatitis can also create scaly patches on other areas, such as the inside of the ear, face, or torso. A case that develops in an infant is referred to as
cradle cap
(see
Chapter 6
).
Tea
(Camellia sinensis)
contains astringent tannins along with the antidandruff phytochemicals salicylic acid, sulfur, and zinc—close relatives of the chemicals used in commercial dandruff remedies. Steeping a handful of leaves (or a few tea bags) to make an extra-strong infusion gives you an easy, effective after-shampoo treatment for hair and scalp.
Seborrhea symptoms can also be associated with yeast overgrowth, although most experts say the condition itself isn’t caused by fungus.
Conventional dandruff treatments focus on removing flakes and fighting inflammation; some are also antifungals. Most of the time, doctors recommend OTC remedies, but severe cases might be treated with prescription-strength shampoos or topical cortisone treatments.
OTC dandruff treatments include shampoos made with salicylic acid (see “Acne and Oily Skin,” below), coal tar (a thick, black byproduct of the manufacture of gas and coal that contains known carcinogens), pyrithione zinc, and selenium sulfide; you’ll also see antifungal shampoos made with ketoconazole in the dandruff aisle. All can reduce symptoms, but they can cause side effects like stinging or burning and hair loss. Some people also use OTC lotions made with these ingredients, or OTC or prescription steroid creams or lotions, which can cause skin reactions and impair immune function. Here are a few antidandruff herbs:
| • Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) | Peppermint contains menthol, selenium, and zinc—all proven anti-flake ingredients that are also used in conventional dandruff shampoos. Juniper (Juniperus communis) contains the same chemicals, along with several antifungal agents. |
| • Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) | Licorice contains salicylic acid—the same ingredient in many pharmaceutical dandruff treatments—without all the unnecessary extras. You’ll also find a healthy dose of salicylic acid in calendula (Calendula officinalis). |
| • Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) | Tea tree oil is a potent antifungal that’s also drying—perfect to combat seborrheic dermatitis. Research confirms its effectiveness as an effective dandruff remedy. |
Your scalp is covered with hair follicles—about 100,000 of them—most attached to a sebaceous gland, which pumps out sebum. When sebum supplies are right, your hair and scalp are protected from environmental assaults, and they look (and feel) healthy. But if your sebaceous glands are putting out too much (or not enough) sebum, your hair and scalp will look oily (or dried out).
Biotin, a water-soluble B vitamin, is essential for healthy hair and scalp, and a deficiency can cause hair loss, dandruff, and a host of other problems. Biotin supplements can help, but so can eating plenty of biotin-rich plants, like whole grains, legumes, cruciferous vegetables, and herbs like soy
(Glycine max)
and garlic
(Allium sativum).
Many people have dry skin—on their bodies and faces as well as their scalps—and can experience itching and flakiness (and dry, dull hair) as a result. To restore moisture to parched skin and hair, you can look to commercial products, which most certainly contain ingredients you don’t need along with the emollients you do. Or you can try these herbs:
| • Almond (Prunus dulcis) | The oil from this ubiquitous nut—it’s grown all over the world—can moisturize both skin and hair without leaving too much grease behind; unlike many other plant and synthetic oils, it’s got a light texture and is absorbed into the tissues quickly. Almond oil is also rich in scalp-friendly omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). |
| • Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) | Cocoa butter, the semi-solid fat derived from cocoa beans, is a rich emollient and protectant that’s great for dry skin. It also contains lactic acid, a proven remedy for rough, scaly skin. |
| • Flax (Linum usitatissimum) | Whether used topically or internally, the oil from flaxseeds locks moisture into the scalp and hair and delivers omega-3 acids, which restore the skin’s natural moisture balance. When taken orally, omega-3s seem to work best when combined with omega-6 acids, which are found in borage (Borago officinalis) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) oils. |
Trying to remedy a case of the greasies generally means hitting the shampoo aisle in search of the strongest shampoo you can find. But that strategy can leave you with dried up, damaged hair and scalp. Herbs offer a better solution:
| • Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) | Horsetail is an astringent herb that was used by several Native American tribes as an oil-inhibiting hair wash. Willow (Salix alba) and juniper (Juniperus communis) are two more remedies for oily scalp. |
| • Nettle (Urtica dioica) | Nettle leaves are also a good source of astringent chemicals, and a nettle infusion makes an effective rinse for oily hair and scalp. Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) can produce similar results. |
If you’ve noticed your hair getting thinner—or showing up in greater-than-normal quantities in your brush or shower drain—you’re probably not happy about it. Hair loss, or
alopecia,
can affect anyone, at any age, and can be caused by many things. Some cases will resolve on their own, while others will continue until a large amount of hair (if not every last strand) is gone.
Essential oils—highly concentrated herbal extracts—have been used for centuries to keep hair and skin healthy. Research shows that applying a combination of rosemary
(Rosmarinus officinalis),
lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia),
Atlantic cedar
(Cedrus atlantica),
and thyme
(Thymus vulgaris)
essential oils can significantly improve symptoms of alopecia areata, a type of hair loss that affects both women and men.
At any given time, about 90 percent of the hair follicles on your head are in the growing stage and the others are resting. When its resting phase is over, the follicle sheds its hair and starts growing a new one.
Most people lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day. Losing significantly more than that can mean a few things, including:
• Hereditary (androgenic) alopecia:
This condition, known as male-pattern and female-diffuse balding, is the most common type of hair loss. Androgenic alopecia is progressive, meaning it won’t resolve itself and will only get worse as time goes by.
• Alopecia areata:
Alopecia areata typically produces round, completely smooth patches on the scalp (and occasionally progresses to complete baldness). Many experts think it’s an autoimmune disorder. In most cases, hair returns on its own.
• Telogen effluvium:
This is a temporary condition in which an abnormally large number of hair follicles enter the resting stage at once, meaning you’re losing more than you’re replacing. It can be caused by physical or emotional stress, thyroid abnormalities, nutritional shortfalls, and certain medications (including pain meds, anticoagulants, and antidepressants).
Conventional medicine typically treats hair loss with drugs: minoxidil (Rogaine), which started as a prescription but is now available OTC, and finasteride (Propecia, Proscar), a prescription. Side effects of minoxidil can include dizziness or fainting and fast or irregular heartbeat. Propecia can cause sexual side effects. Alopecia areata is often treated with cortisone injections, which can cause suppressed immunity and other problems. But herbal medicine has some alternatives:
| • Eclipta | Eclipta, also known as false daisy, is an Ayurvedic staple with a long tradition |
| (Eclipta alba, E. prostrata) | of use as a hair treatment. In modern studies, it’s been proven more effective than minoxidil (Rogaine) in promoting hair growth. |
| • Garlic (Allium sativum) | Both garlic and its cousin onion (Allium sepa) contain oleic acid, a natural antialopecia agent. Research shows that topical extracts of either onion or garlic can help stimulate regrowth of hair lost to alopecia areata. |
| • Nettle (Urtica dioica) | This plant is a classic European and Native American hair tonic (the indigenous people of British Columbia recognized its ability to promote the growth of long, silky hair). Nettle’s astringent properties also make it useful for combating excess sebum, which has been shown to contribute to hair loss. |
| • Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) | Taken orally, saw palmetto extracts seem to inhibit the hormonal process that has been blamed for androgenic alopecia. |
| • Soy (Glycine max) | Soy can help you keep your hair in a few ways: It’s used in many commercial shampoos as a gentle scalp cleanser (it contains natural surfactants and astringents), and it also works internally. Soy contains the chemicals inositol and beta-sitosterol, which have been shown to inhibit hair loss. |
| • Tea (Camellia sinensis) | Regularly consuming green tea (or applying it to your scalp) can produce significant regrowth. Research shows that the polyphenols in tea can help reduce androgenic alopecia. |