Beauty in a Man's World :: Beauty :: Hair Care

Beauty in a Man's World
by author Cindy Mortimer

Looking good is not just the domain of women. Men too need to be aware and take care. Hair (and the lack of it) in particular can cause men many a sleepless night. The following home remedies and natural products will soon have you sleeping like a baby again.

Hair Loss Hassles

Male hair loss is genetic. By age 45, over half of men will encounter thinning or balding. Adding the herbs saw palmetto and licorice to your shampoo or taking them as supplements are easy ways to slow down the process. These herbs inhibit the male hormone testosterone from being converted into dihydrotestosterone, which kills off hair follicles. Regular scalp massages using tinctures of stinging nettle, rosemary, birch or horsetail-separately or in combination with olive oil-will help stimulate circulation, cleanse the scalp and increase hair growth. Massage your hair and then wash.

Did you know that silica, calcium, zinc and iron will help reduce hair loss? These nutrients can be found in green leafy vegetables, sea vegetables, swiss-style muesli, strawberries and dried fruits. In addition, the B vitamins-especially B₅ (pantothenic acid) and B₃ (niacin)–are important for hair growth. Bran, nuts, eggs, beans, carrots, peas, soybeans and cauliflower are rich in B₅ and B₃. It is also advantageous to take daily nutritional supplements of vitamin B-complex (100 mg) and zinc (30 mg) to fight hair loss and silica (1,000 mg) to ensure the formation of healthy hair.

Homeopathy and tissue salts can also assist in the treatment of hair loss. Take a homeopathic dose of 6C every 12 hours for up to one month for improvement. Lycopodium may help men who are prematurely balding and who sometimes experience eczema behind their ears. Men suffering from dandruff and greasy hair can use Natrum mur. Tissue salts are taken four tablets at a time, three times daily. Kali sulf may be helpful to men when hair loss is associated with dandruff and dry scaly scalp. Silica in tissue salt form will put the strength back into unhealthy hair.

Dandruff Woes

White flakes on a dark suit are annoying and look unprofessional. Every one has a few flakes, but 20 per cent of people have noticeable dandruff. These individuals produce and shed an overabundance of scalp cells. Herbal home remedies and natural dandruff shampoos should provide relief in two weeks.

If your scalp is dry and scaly, coat it with olive oil, let it soak for 20 minutes, then wash it with a tea tree oil anti-dandruff shampoo. Add 10 to 20 drops of tea tree oil to regular shampoo to make your own. Its antibacterial and antiseptic properties will help remove unwanted flakes.

A herbal rinse is another way to control dandruff. Mix a tablespoon of each of the following herbs: nettle (astringent), horsetail (silica), heart’s ease (healing) and lavender (antiseptic) into two cups of boiling water. Once the blend is strong, strain out the herbs and it’s ready to use. Shampoo normally; squeeze out the excess water and then pour on the mixture. Do not rinse.

Natural dandruff shampoo products have very similar ingredients, but incorporate them in one easy treatment. They contain emollient oils, anti-microbial, astringent herbs and herbs high in silica and cysteine, which help strengthen and repair damaged hair.

Cindy Mortimer is a kinesiologist living a holistic, vegetarian life in Toronto, ON.

Source: alive #216, October 2000

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