Could it be possible that our ancestors got it right with some of their traditional hair loss remedies?
Folklore tells us they certainly went to great lengths to find solutions to thinning hair.
Although each culture had its own approach influenced by local conditions, there seem to have been many examples of common practices. Nettles, for example, formed an important element of traditional hair loss remedies throughout the world.
The samples outlined here have been sourced from the very informative work “Hair Loss Prevention Through Natural Remedies” by Peters et al. This book provides a wealth of information on this topic and can be easily purchased through Amazon or other good booksellers.
Rosemary Solution – this herb crops up frequently in herbal texts for its ability to cleanse the scalp and stimulate the hair root. Here is one recipe that features rosemary as its core ingredient.
Recipe: boil rosemary, sage, peach leaf, nettle and burdock in water. Strain and use to wash hair daily.
Apple Cider Vinegar – this is mentioned often in folk remedies for hair loss. It is believed to exert a normalizing effect on the scalp’s oil glands and has a strong cleansing effect.
Method: Part hair into sections. Apply two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar directly to the scalp with a moistened cotton ball. Allow between fifteen minutes and three hours before shampooing.
Essential Oils – essential oils distilled from plants have long been recognized for their ability to improve scalp circulation and encourage cell generation. Amongst the most useful are cedarwood, clary sage, eucalyptus, lavender and rosemary.
Method: mix ten drops of essential oil with one ounce of carrier oil (jojoba or olive oil). Massage it into the scalp for a minimum of fifteen minutes before shampooing.
Cayenne Pepper Hair Tonic – the ability of this herb to irritate the skin, increase blood flow and stimulate cell division is well known.
Recipe: mix four ounces of cayenne pepper with one pint of one hundred proof vodka or pure alcohol diluted with 20 percent distilled water. Let it stand for two weeks, shaking the mixture once each day. Strain through several layers of fine cloth until the mixture is free of pepper. Once or twice a day, rub a small amount onto the thinning areas of the scalp.
