Herbal hair loss treatments are popular with those looking to slow their hair loss or to regrow hair. There is a lack of widespread clinical verification regarding their effectiveness, and support for most natural hair loss treatments is anecdotal, in that they act similar to a prescription drug on one part of the body.
The most widely used herbal hair loss treatments are those that mimic finasteride, the best-selling prescription hair loss treatment available and one of two drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat hair loss.
Saw Palmetto Extract
Saw palmetto extract is the most popular natural hair loss treatment available. Its popularity stems from the fact that it is used to promote prostate health, which was the original use of finasteride.
Saw palmetto is an anti-androgen that blocks DHT from attaching itself to hair follicles, which is the leading cause of pattern baldness. While saw palmetto has been studied as a prostate treatment, there is no firm evidence to accept it as a replacement for finasteride in treating pattern baldness.
For hair loss treatments, saw palmetto extract is typically used, as opposed to the entire berry.
Nettle Root
Nettle root, or stinging nettle, is another popular natural hair loss treatment. It is believed to act in the same manner as finasteride by blocking the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Nettle root may either be taken in capsule form or made into a tea and consumed, as both are used to treat hair loss. As with saw palmetto, there is little concrete evidence on nettle root's ability to act as a hair growth stimulant and it has been known to interfere with certain prescription drugs. You should consult your doctor before starting a hair loss treatment program that includes nettle root.
Cayenne Pepper
The premise behind cayenne pepper as a hair loss treatment is different from the others, as cayenne pepper is applied directly to the scalp. The pepper is believed to act as an irritant to the scalp and draws blood to the affected area, increasing circulation in the scalp region. One of the few scientific studies into the use of cayenne pepper as a hair loss treatment found that it may actually work best taken orally, as opposed to applied to the scalp. The study, conducted by the Graduate School of Medical Sciences at Nagoya City University in 2007, concluded those administered cayenne pepper daily, along with isoflavone, had a greater than 60 percent chance of showing improved hair growth.
References
- My Hair Loss Advisor: Herbal Hair Loss Remedies
- Hair Loss Haven: Top 3 Supplements Often Found In Natural Hair Loss Products
- Follicle.com: Androgenetic Alopecia
- PubMed: Administration of capsaicin and isoflavone promotes hair growth by increasing insulin-like growth factor-I production in mice and in humans with alopecia
Member Comments