Preventing Hair Loss with Chinese Herbs

The days of hit and miss hair loss medication could well be over thanks to the discovery of seemingly miraculous Chinese herbs. Of course, these herbs have been used for centuries in Asian countries, but it was not until recently that people seem to be leaning more towards the use of these natural remedies to treat our ailments. Hair loss is an affliction experienced by too many of us, and something that many seek to rectify in a bid to remain healthy and youthful. Conventionally, and perhaps most commonly, baldness and the thinning of hair occurs as part of the ageing process, both in men and increasingly in women. However, there are many other causes of hair loss that we must account for, such as hormonal imbalance, disease and deficiencies in our diets. These are perhaps more important, as they could be linked to other more serious health issues and thus should be treated with appropriate gusto. At this juncture, it is easy to turn to manufactured medicines in a bid to enhance the health of your scalp, however, this may not be the best way to go about it.

The first herbal remedy to consider is Polygorum Multiflorum, or Fo-Ti. The properties possessed by Fo-Ti have shown to not only increase blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair follicles, but also restore greying hair to its natural colour. Fo-Ti seemingly reverses the ageing process to some extent, which is why it has been used for hundreds of years, and why it is being increasingly used in the battle against hair decay.

The Reishi mushroom is a highly regarding herbal cure for all manner of health complications. It is no surprise that this mushroom is known as ‘the mushroom of immortality’ due to its immune system enhancing, age-defying capabilities. This herbal cure acts similarly to Fo-Ti in that it reverses the ageing process, thus restoring hair to its former glory.

The battle against baldness begins with ensuring correct circulation around the human body. This is where Nu Shen Zi can be extremely beneficial, as it acts as a blood tonic, promoting blood flow to the scalp.

Correct circulation prevents dead hair follicles and enables hair to grow.

The health of hair and skin go hand in hand, which is why Wu Wei Zin is widely regarded as beneficial for hair loss.

Wu Wei Zin is known as a beauty enhancing product due to its unique skin cell beneficiaries and ability to prevent baldness.

As well as the aforementioned natural options, a whole host of Chinese herbal remedies can be used instead of manufactured drugs and laser treatments and surgeries. From types of seaweed to stinging nettles, herbal remedies allow the user to treat their hair loss through natural means, without worrying about the potential high risk of unnatural solutions. Of course, each remedy is subjective, and the patient should always consider what might be best for them and their situation. As such, it is always recommended that a good communication is made with your doctor before trying any new remedy.

4 Herbs For Longer Hair

People who have scalps that are easily susceptible to dry skin can gain the benefits of using herbs as opposed to chemical laden products. Choosing herbs over commercial products may greatly enhance hair growth for people who are trying to grow out their hair. Natural, chemical free herbal products are now even available markets which sell organic products, making your life easier. There aren’t any magical herbs that make your hair grow faster than a speeding bullet, but if you know which herbs have what effect on your hair, then you can follow an herbal regime that will optimize hair growth.

For Strength, Rosemary

You will find many hair products that make use of rosemary because it’s notorious for hair care. It works by vitalizing the part of your hair that needs the right kind of nudge – your hair follicles. According to research, not only does it help to encourage hair growth, it also makes your hair stronger in the long run. To gain the herbal benefits of rosemary without suffering the consequence of chemical induced products, start including rosemary in your diet or make your own rosemary hair rinse.
It’s almost like brewing tea. To make a rosemary hair rinse, take a few fresh rosemary leaves (or dry if they are out of season) and let them sit in simmering water. Let it be in this state for several minutes. Do not strain the liquid right away as letting the mixture cool down will allow for more rosemary to be extracted into the liquid. After that, pour it over your hair before rinsing it out. Beware that the use of any topical ingredients may lead to irritations or reactions on your skin – in which case it is recommended to take the herbs orally.

For Protection, Chamomile

Chamomile can help with hair growth and also adds a layer of protection to your scalp because it has multiple effects on your hair. Apart from nourishing your hair, preventing an itchy scalp and hair loss, chamomile also fights against infections. To optimize the positive effects of chamomile on your hair, you can massage a little bit of its essential oils on to your scalp. Do this during your shower, not before you’ve washed your hair but after. If not, you can make use a chamomile rinse using the aforementioned method.

For Circulation, Ginkgo

This is a widely known herb in the world of hair care, as it boosts blood circulation in your scalp and even has healing properties for repairing damaged hair. The most useful method of using this herb for treating your hair is to take over-the-counter supplements.

Ginseng, The Super Herb for Hair

Ginseng is a multi-talented herb, which is why, like rosemary, it’s found in many products used for hair care. It boosts circulation, stimulating hair growth. It also helps your body get rid of toxins, offering holistic health benefits for your entire body.

Dandruff and other kinds of problems that are related to the scalp can inhibit hair growth, sometimes leading to hair loss. Products that contain ginseng which are in popular demand include ginseng tea and supplements. But you can also make use of fresh ginseng roots in your diet to reap the benefits of this herb to make your hair healthy and strong through nourishment.

Hair Loss Causes

We all lose hair every day. How much hair we lose varies from person to person, and when to be concerned about your hair loss really depends on what is normal for you. Generally, when bald spots start to appear, or when the hair seems to be shedding in clumps rather than a few strands, is when you may need to address the situation. Of course, there are the more common, genetic reasons we lose our hair. Take male pattern baldness, for example. This is something that will occur for many men across the world and something that is, generally, accepted as part of the ageing process in humans.

But what if rapid, or quantitative, hair loss occurs that cannot be put down to age or genetics? There are several other factors that need to be considered when seeking blame for the shedding of hair. Hormones, thyroid problems, infections, certain medications and diseases can all contribute to follicular malfunction.

In terms of hormones affecting hair loss, particularly in women, this can be to do with childbirth, either pre or post, as well as the menopause. In men, as they get older their hormonal composition changes which can affect many areas of their body, including their hair.

Thyroid disorders are perhaps the biggest hormone related cause of hair loss. Having both an over-active thyroid gland, and an under-active thyroid gland can lead to hair loss unless treated appropriately.

It is not just our hormones that affect how our bodies shed hair. In terms of nutrition, a lack of iron and/or zinc in your diet can contribute to a weakened follicular structure. Stress, both mentally and physically, is a factor that can also lead to hair loss. So anything from a hectic lifestyle or high pressure job, to a surgical procedure or loss of blood can cause you to lose your hair.

Some medications, such as beta-blockers and anti-depressants, can be linked to hair loss, which you may think is a sacrifice well worth taking in order to improve your health in other areas, but hair loss has been proven to affect us in number of highly negative ways.

Hair loss has been linked with lower self-esteem, body image and increased anxiety. So hair loss can affect us in many more ways than we may at first think. Although it does not affect us in a drastically physical way it can have a very negative effect on us mentally. In short, hair loss is something that most of us would like to avoid as it could mean losing more than just the hair on our heads itself, we could indeed end up with losing a sense of dignity and self-esteem. Fortunately, there are many options available for both blocking the causes of hair loss, as well as reversing the process once it has started.

Thyroid Related Hair Loss

Your thyroid regulates your hormones, so anybody suffering from a thyroid disease will have to deal with fluctuating hormone levels. This can have a negative impact on you emotionally and mentally, along with a variety of physical symptoms such as hair loss. It’s quite common to lose your hair when you have thyroid issues but it isn’t impossible to treat.

Hair Loss Due to Thyroid Hormones

The process of growing hair is a natural process, but at any one time, almost all of the hair on your head is going through the growing stages while a small part remains in the resting phase. The process can be affected by changes within the body, resulting in more hair remaining in the rest period and a smaller portion of hair that grows. This can lead to the thinning of your hair, hair loss and balding.

There are quite a few conditions, medically, that lead to hair loss, but it’s been found that thyroid disease is the most common one. There are two kinds of thyroid disease, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, which is an underactive and an overactive thyroid gland respectively. With either of these diseases, an abnormal amount of thyroid hormones are produced which has a detrimental effect on hair growth, other symptoms may follow. Production of hormone surplus makes your hair fine and thin, thinning to the point that your scalp may show. When not enough of this hormone is made, it results in hair loss all over the body.

To make matters worse, the treatment of an underactive thyroid includes taking a hormone called levothyroxine, which apart from other effects includes hair loss. However, this is common only during the initial phase of the treatment and is often the case for children rather than adults. Once the treatment is over, your hair growth normalizes and the hair loss automatically goes away.

Thyroid Disease’s Symptoms

Hair loss is not the primary symptom of thyroid disease to watch out for. People who have a problem with their thyroids will experience mood swings, the inability to deal with extreme temperatures, be it hot or cold, insomnia or lethargy and fluctuation in their weight. They are also prone to muscle weakness, dry skin and hair as well as showing signs of not having the most active memory and attention span. Women are prone to abnormal menstruation cycles.

A blood test is required to see if you have thyroid disease.

Treatment for Hair Loss and Thyroid

Once you have been diagnosed with a thyroid disease, because hair loss is a symptom of it, the treatment for the disease should solve the problem of hair loss.

However, it takes a certain amount of time to figure out the optimum treatment dosage, and then a bit more for it to take effect. In the instance that you feel conscious of your hair before and during treatment, you can always opt to wear a wig or try a hairstyle that can hide your hair loss. You can even consult with a doctor if there’s any topical medication you can take to make your hair grow, such as minoxidil (Rogaine).

Bear in mind that, as aforementioned, thyroid disease affects other parts of your body apart from hair growth. Discuss with your doctor to confirm that hair loss is indeed the result of thyroid and then seek treatment accordingly.

Improve Circulation For Better Hair Growth

Increased Circulation For Faster Growing Hair

Your blood circulation affects you in more way than you think. It can result in low amounts of blood flowing to the scalp, which hinders the flow of nourishment to your hair. These weak follicles eventually leads to hair loss. Because the circulation system delivers nutrition to your hair through your hair follicles, in the case where there is low circulation to hair follicles, your hair will suffer from not getting the important nutrients required to make it healthy and thick. The best way to fix this problem is to use natural methods to increase circulation, targeting your hair follicles. Through increased blood stimulation, your hair will gradually become healthier and full of life.

Herbal Supplements

The Chinese strongly believe in an herb called Gingko Biloba. This herb is believed to increase blood circulation, specifically targeting the head region. Traditional customs have resulted in the Chinese using the herb for centuries. So famous are its effects that many students take supplements during their exam periods, believing that it will stimulate blood flow to their brains making them smarter!

While the brain-boosting capabilities of the herb remain an open debate, people still believe it has the ability to boost blood circulation. Following the application instructions meticulously is important for the herb to be effective, as taking any more or less of the recommended amount will render its usage obsolete.

Scalp Cleansing

If your scalp is dry, the skin at the top of your head becomes flaky and itchy. If your scalp is cleansed regularly, it increases blood flow to your follicles as well as balances the quality of the skin on your scalp. You have a wide variety of options to choose from when cleansing your scalp, from homemade remedies such as cedar vinegar to more commercial products available in the market such as skin relaxers and scalp cleansers. It’s important to use what suits your skin as certain products can cause irritations depending on the individual. Stick with the treatment that helps your skin feel relaxed and smooth.

Yoga

Yoga in the modern context is a form of exercise that encourages the stretching of your body through various poses – and it can be used effectively to increase blood flow to your head, and therefore your hair follicles.

There are various kinds of poses practiced in Yoga that can direct blood flow specifically to your hair. Some of these poses invert your body so that blood flows more to the head than any other parts of your body as a result of gravity.

Head Placement

This method is similar to using yoga for stimulating your blood circulation, but is a less extreme way to go about it. Its effect is similar to the practice of yoga as it targets increased blood circulation to your head. However, it’s easier than yoga and the instructions are fairly simple. Place yourself at the edge of your bed in a manner so that your upper chest, neck and head are sticking out. After you have positioned yourself, lower your neck and upper chest below the place where your heart is. Hold this position for as many breaths as you can and return to the former position.

Helpful Products

There are currently many products on the market that help to alleviate low hair follicle blood circulation. Many of them are all natural herbal solutions that can be effective without producing any medical side effects.