Herbal Hair Loss Remedies That Offer Hope

Herbs hold an obvious appeal for many people because they support the body's natural healing mechanisms to target the cause of the problem, as opposed to merely tackling the symptoms. It would be wrong to present herbal hair loss remedies as a miracle solution for all sufferers - there is however growing evidence to support the view that some herbal remedies offer real hope to many people.

Let's examine the case for some of the more popular remedies to determine if they're worth trying.

Ginkyo biloba - this popular herb is thought to improve blood circulation to the brain and skin. Herbalists believe that the increased flow of blood to the brain area delivers more nutrients to the hair follicle thus promoting hair regrowth. The recommended dose is 120-160mg of dry extract each day spread over three doses.

Green tea (Camellia sinesis) - it is thought that catechins found in green tea may inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase that converts testosterone into hair-unfriendly DHT. It is therefore believed to be effective in preventing and treating male pattern type baldness. You should drink several cups of green tea each day or take it in capsule form as instructed by the manufacturer.

He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) - also known as Fo-Ti, this Chinese herb has traditionally been used to reduce hair loss. It is found in many commercial preparations, or in tea and capsule form.

Pygeum (Pygeum africanum) - derived from the bark of an evergreen, it works in a similar way to green tea. It is widely used to treat prostate problems and male pattern baldness. Users should take 60-500mg per day in pill or capsule form.

Saw palmetto (Seranoa repens) - this is the current treatment of choice for many men due to its ability to protect the prostate, slow hair loss and encourage hair regrowth. It forms the core element of many commercially prepared hair loss treatments but can easily be obtained in its pure form. The recommended dose is a 160mg capsule twice each day, but make sure the ingredients are made from the berry extract not the dried berries themselves.

Stinging nettle (Urtica diocia) - this has long been favored as a means of preventing hair loss due to its ability to block the conversion of testosterone into DHT. It can be taken in pill or capsule form with an optimum dose of 50-100mg per day. It is particularly effective when combined with pygeum and saw palmetto.

By Richard Mitchell

3 Quick Home Remedies For An Itchy Scalp

You don't need to suffer any more, as there are some simple home remedies for an itchy scalp that you can try for yourself cheaply and quickly. No need to go trudging over to the pharmacy to get some toxic chemical potion to put on your scalp. In today's fast-paced and technologically-minded society we often tend to forget that nature has provided us with many of the remedies and cures that we need. For thousands of years civilisations have used their extensive knowledge of the natural world to improve the condition of common ailments and assist healing using the simplest of naturally occurring ingredients.
It is important to note that the best way to tackle itchy scalp problems, as with any other affliction, is to find out the cause of the problem and do your best to rectify it there and then use these remedies as ways to assist healing and sooth the condition. If in doubt about anything, please don't hesitate to consult your doctor or dermatologist.
In this article I'm going to give you some great little home remedies for an itchy scalp, dandruff problems and other skin irritations, which you can make in as little as 10 minutes and using only natural ingredients and oils. Most of the products mentioned here can be easily found in any local health store.
Itchy Scalp Remedy No. 1
To relieve itching, natural oils such as Lavender, German Chamomile, and Eucalyptus can have a significant soothing effect when mixed together and dabbed locally on affected areas. The use of Neem oil can also have a profound effect on preventing dandruff and is often used to relieve conditions like psoriasis and eczema. These oils can be added to water (4 parts water to 1 part oil) and sprayed directly onto the scalp and/or added to your shampoo and conditioners also.
Itchy Scalp Remedy No. 2
Juniper berry is a good anti-inflammatory
Crush ½ cup of juniper berries into 2 cups of boiled water. Allow to cool and apply to areas of inflamed, infected or irritated skin to relieve inflammation and throbbing. Apply to your scalp, leave for 10 mins and rinse off.
Itchy Scalp Remedy No. 3
Chamomile for inflammation and conditioning.
Chamomile is a flower that is renowned for its cosmetic and conditioning benefits to skin and hair! It makes a great conditioner for hair and also enhances color in blond and red hair. Wash your face with chamomile tea a few times a week to add a glow to your skin. Chamomile is also good to use as a compress for inflammation and chamomile oil dabbed on scalp sores is very soothing.
Apply to the scalp to soothe itching. Chamomile tea is readily available from the tea section of your supermarket or you can make your own by boiling a pint of water and adding 2 teaspoons of chamomile flowers.

Anne Cresacre

10 Ways to Grow Long Hair Fast

Are you looking at your hair in the mirror and just wishing you could grow long hair fast? Are you tired of the trim, cut, grow, cut cycle?

It takes a huge commitment to grow your mane amazing lengths. But it can be done! Below, are the top 10 tips to achieving length in the least amount of time.

1. 1.You need to start off with the health of your hair. So, go to a place like Super Cuts and get a good trim of about ½ inch at least. Now you're ready for maximum growth.
2. 2.Wear protective styles every single day. No exception. This means French rolls, buns or other types of updos where your hair ends are not exposed to the air.
3. Eliminate any and all types of heat. Put away the curling iron. Hide the flat iron. Put the blow dryer in the back of the closet. They will not help you reach your goal.
4. Keep your ends moisturized. On a daily basis, add moisture to your ends in terms of a lotion moisturizer, oil like jojoba or a leave-in conditioner.
5. Keep your tresses super conditioned by using a moisturizing conditioner bi-weekly and a protein conditioner once a month to keep your hair nice and strong.
6. Treat your hair like super fine lace! Be gentle and take your time when combing, detangling, and styling.
7. Do not play in your hair. Style it for the day and leave it alone. Constantly fussing with it will only make it dry which leads to split ends.

8. Wear a protective satin or silk scarf when you go to bed at night. If you don't do either of those, then sleep on a satin pillowcase. These will keep you from getting tangles and dryness.
9. Make sure you're getting all of the proper nutrition by eating lots of vegetables and getting protein. Take a multi-vitamin to make sure you're getting all of the vitamins you need.
10. Use moisturizing products only. Learn about the ingredients in shampoos and stay away from harsh shampoos. Try brands by Neutrogena, Nexxus, Keracare.

If you're serious about growing long hair fast, I hope these tips will be a reference guide for how you can do it. Remember, it takes a commitment and is not something that can happen overnight. You must commit to taking better care of your hair for a long time and not give up because you don't see results as quickly as you'd like. Stick with it and I can guarantee you'll see results!

By Nina Dyoran