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| Do Herbal Hair Loss Treatments Work? |
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Treating Hair Loss With Herbs And Supplements!
The problem of
hair loss has been around for about as long as there was hair on people’s heads
to lose in the first place. Throughout history, people have tried all sorts of
odd salves and concoctions to cure their hair loss. Greeks like the famous
Aristotle and Hippocrates used goat urine and pigeon droppings to treat
baldness. Some Chinese made use of ground-up herbs and animals to keep their
hair from falling off. Cleopatra even tried a mixture of deer marrow, bear
grease, and ground-up mice and horse teeth to keep Julius Caesar’s hair on his
head; while other ancient Egyptians made use of goose, snake, goat, or crocodile
fat. Funny and odd as their remedies may seem to us now, they may have had a
point, way back then: what we need to treat hair loss might just be found in
nature.
If you feel
averse to using conventional medicinal treatments for hair loss –whether it’s
because you’re unable to take them due to drug intolerance or allergies, find
the organic and natural route more appealing, or for just about any other
reason– there are several natural and herbal products available that have
similar effects which you may consider trying.
While these
products’ efficacy for treating hair loss might not necessarily be approved by
the Food and Drug Administration like the more popular
Rogaine and
Propecia, a number of them are still
supported by scientific research and clinical studies to ascertain their
efficacy and safety. It would be good to get yourself informed about them if you
ever consider using these products in the future; and getting informed opinions
about them from doctors and professionals wouldn’t hurt, either.
Dihydrotestosterone Inhibitors
Just like the
more conventional medical treatments finasteride and minoxidil, many of today’s
more popular herbal and natural remedies for hair loss were serendipitous
discoveries. Most of these treatments were originally intended for curing other
ailments, but as luck would have it, they exhibited anti-hair loss properties.
Examples of
such natural products are extracts from
saw palmetto, nettle root, and
pygeum. Curiously, all of these products were traditionally meant as
remedies for prostate problems –specifically prostate enlargement or
inflammation (benign prostatic hyperplasia). Not only that, but they all seem to
combat hair loss through a similar mechanism: by acting as dihydrotestosterone
inhibitors, suggesting a link between prostate problems and androgenetic hair
loss.
DHT is the
primary cause of androgenetic alopecia. Though it is a naturally occurring
by-product of our growth processes –being the resulting androgen from the enzyme
5-alpha-reductase’s conversion of testosterone- it also has an unwanted tendency
of attaching to and accumulating at our hair follicles. This interrupts our
hair’s growth processes, causing them to shrink and eventually fall out
–resulting in baldness.
Products like
nettle root and saw palmetto extract fight against hair loss either by
preventing the formation of DHT or by restricting the absorption of it in our
bodies (or both, for some).
Saw palmetto extract is quite
possibly the most popular and most studied natural treatment against hair loss.
It is taken from the fruit of the small palm tree,
Serenoa repens, which is endemic to
the south-eastern United States, and has been used as
a folk cure for a variety of ills such as urinary tract infections and prostate
inflammation for many years. In fact, the extract has been marketed in liquid
and pill form as a remedy for BPH and is available as an over-the-counter
medication in certain countries like Germany. Considering its quality as
an effective anti-androgen for treating prostate conditions, it’s speculated
that this same quality is what gives it its properties as a hair loss treatment,
combatting the effects of androgenetic alopecia. Studies show that saw palmetto
extract is effective against moderate amounts of hair loss.
Through
infrequent, cases have been reported wherein the use of saw palmetto extract
caused certain adverse effects, ranging from mild gastrointestinal distress and
muscle pain to reduced sexual performance and bleeding. For the former, it’s
suggested that saw palmetto extract be taken with food in order to minimize the
occurrence of such incidents; the latter suggests that further study is needed
to develop and ascertain saw palmetto extract’s safety and efficacy.
Pygeum
is an herbal remedy taken from the bark of African evergreen trees known as
Pygeum africanum, used to alleviate
the inflammatory effects of BPH. As a treatment for prostatic disorders, it is
sold under brand names such as Pygenil
and Tadenan. It prevents
5-alpha-reductase from converting testosterone into DHT, stopping the chain of
events which lead to increased cell growth in the prostate –thus preventing hair
loss caused by DHT in the process as well.
Nettles
are perennial plants found growing in various locales in Asia, Africa, Europe,
and North America. Besides treating prostatic conditions, the plant has been
traditionally used as a diuretic as well as a cure for other ailments such as
arthritis, rheumatism, and coughs. It has also been used as a food source, with
a taste and nutritional content comparable to spinach. Studies show that in high
concentrations, nettle root extract can inhibit 5-alpha-reductase’s ability to
convert testosterone into DHT. It is commonly used in conjunction with other
natural products like saw palmetto and pygeum for increased potency.
Adverse
effects from making use of nettle root extract are usually limited to allergic
reactions for individuals who are sensitive to the plant.
Hair Growth Augmenters
There are
other natural products that combat hair loss through other means besides
blocking DHT. Some of these include extracts from
ginkgo biloba,
aloe vera, and
capsaicin, from cayenne pepper. Instead of preventing the effects of
DHT, they promote the growth of healthy hair by improving blood circulation and
by supplying more nutrients to the hair. Poor blood circulation in the scalp can
cause our hair’s roots to degrade and become weaker, making them more
susceptible to the effects of DHT.
Ginkgo biloba is a unique
non-flowering tree, originally found in East Asia, but later introduced to other
parts of the world. Extracts from its leaves have been used in traditional
medicine to treat a variety of complications such as cramps, depression, and
problems related to poor blood flow. It also boasts antioxidant and nootropic
properties, besides its ability to promote blood circulation.
By improving
blood circulation, ginkgo biloba allows more nutrients can be delivered to the
hair follicles, encouraging the growth of healthy hair.
Side effects
which may result from the use of ginkgo biloba include gastrointestinal
discomfort, headaches, dizziness, and heart palpitation. Allergic reactions to
the plant are also possible.
Aloe vera is a
succulent plant found mostly in the arid areas of the world such as North Africa
and the Arabian Peninsula, but has also been cultivated in other areas due to
its numerous medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary uses. Besides its moisturizing
and anti-inflammatory properties used to treat burns and other skin conditions,
the plant also has anti-bacterial and nourishing qualities –as well as an
ability to improve blood circulation.
Applied
topically, extracts of the plant can stimulate hair production by providing an
ideal environment for hair to grow in, keeping the scalp clean, moisturized, and
well-nourished.
For
individuals who are allergic to aloe vera, skin rashes might occur as an
allergic reaction to the plant. Discontinuing use of the product is recommended
in such cases.
Capsaicin,
a chemical extracted from cayenne peppers, has a curious effect of causing
irritation and redness when it comes to contact with skin. Given these
properties, it’s no wonder capsaicin has been used as an active ingredient for
things such as pepper spray and pest deterrents! Strangely enough, the chemical
is also used in topical ointments to relieve muscle pain, nerve damage,
arthritis, sprains, and other complications. What explains capsaicin’s seemingly
contradictory quality?
Capsaicin’s
method of action, whether in causing pain or taking it away, is through the
manipulation of blood as a cardiovascular stimulant. As an irritant, the
chemical interacts with neurons and draws blood into the affected area,
resulting in redness and a burning sensation. For alleviating pain, the chemical
promotes blood circulation, reducing congestion and inflammation, as well as
interacting with neurotransmitters responsible for the recognition of pain and
heat, reducing the painful sensations felt.
Capsaicin’s
blood-flow-improving qualities is precisely what makes it effective in promoting
hair growth, allowing more blood to flow into the scalp to deliver nutrients to
allow the growth of healthy hair.
In case you
find that these treatments feel too
natural for you, yet at the same time, still feel uncomfortable using the purely
medicinal treatments for hair loss, there are other hair loss treatments
available which make use of one or a combination of various natural ingredients.
Natural products such as Procerin,
Provillus, and Pofollica contain
some of these natural DHT inhibitors and hair growth augmentors as active
ingredients, providing an effective alternative to the harsher chemicals found
in conventional drugs for dealing with alopecia.
Remember to
keep your options for hair loss open –while at the same time keeping yourself
informed about them in order to treat it in the best possible way.
Profollica A Hair Loss Treatment Worth Considering!
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ANALYSIS
AND RANKING OF PROVACYL 
