Home Remedies For Hair Growth And Hair Loss

Home remedies for hair growth and hair loss. These two are combination problems. In many people with hair loss, there is considerable reduction in hair growth speed. People who suffer from hair fall often try a lot of treatment methods and even surgeries. But, there are some marvelous home remedies for hair growth which are natural and easily available in the kitchen .

According to me, hair growth and hair loss are intricately related. In order to get rid of hair loss, one also needs to use hair growth remedies. There can be innumerable cause of hair loss, some of which we even don't know. But, lets focus on the ways to get back the lustrous hair you once had.

Hair growth remedies are aimed at making hair grow faster, not at a snail's pace so you don't have to wait until next year to get long hair.

Hair loss remedies help you reclaim hair from already lost roots and lost patches.Yes, it is possible to regrow hair even in bald regions, but it takes a lot of effort and a really healthy diet.

Most of the remedies are mutually inclusive, what works for hair growth may also work for hair loss.

( Photo Courtesy: wicker-furniture )

Although you can apply almost everything natural, from tomatoes to potatoes on your scalp, and it will promote hair growth. But, we want concrete results and that too fast. For people with thinning hair and slow hair growth, it feels elating to find your hair growing faster.

Brilliant home remedies for hair growth

Most of these natural remedies are time tested. They really stimulate hair growth.

1. Onion Rub
These are the best remedies to induce hair growth, even in those scalp region where hair has fallen or has thinned. Simply extract its juice, then dilute it slightly with water and apply on the scalp. Keep it for few minutes and then rinse off using cold water. Men can also shave their head so that scalp is nicely exposed and then rub onion juice vigorously onto the scalp. The reason onion works is because it contains good sulfur content and it opens up the clogged hair follicle pores.

Ingredients
Fresh onions ( red ones are better )
Juicer
Water
Directions / How to use
Juice one onion and add 2 tablespoon water. Then put your fingers in this liquid and massage it on the scalp. Guys should do it with increased pressure on balding regions as it also works for hair loss.Massage for 5 minutes , then wash the onion juice with water. Do this after you have taken a shower and on a dry, non oily scalp.
Why it works ?
Onion juice is excellent for hair growth. Its sulfur rich amino acid content fuels hair growth. It brings more blood flow to scalp and improves blood circulation to pores. It also opens up clogged pores so that hair can regrow in balding and thinning regions.

You can see dramatic results in 4 weeks of treatment. Do this every 3 days, but not daily as it can be harsh on your scalp.

( Photo credit : graibeard )

2. Egg
Applying an egg solution may not be to everybody's liking, but is surely a wonderful remedy for promoting faster hair growth. It replenishes protein in hair and makes them stronger and healthier.

Eggs are perhaps the most undervalued of all natural cures. But, do not underestimate their power. Eggs are power packed with nutrients - vitamins and minerals, mainly biotin, folic acid and protein, all of which are great for hair.

Ingredients
1 - 2 raw eggs
Water ( to dilute )
Directions / How to use
Beat open eggs and add little warm water to them. Mix really well, even better than what you would when making an omelet.When it is nicely emulsified, apply it on scalp with your fingers. Avoid using nails on scalp as it can irritate the delicate skin. Keep it for 30 minutes. You have to withstand the awful smell of raw eggs, but believe me, it is a wonderful treatment for your hair.

Wash it off with warm water and then cool running water. After some time, shower and use a conditioner to change the awful smell.
Why it works ?
because of the high protein and nutrient content in eggs.They are rich in a special amino acid cysteine. This amino acid is required by our body to synthesize "keratin", the main structural protein of hair and nails.

( Photo credit : roosterfarm)

3. Indian gooseberry ( Amla ) oil
The oil of Amla ( Indian gooseberry ) is well reputed for its hair growth promoting effects on the scalp. It can really make the hair grow faster and also prevents early grey of hair.
You can easily get Amla hair oil. Try it on your hair and see how it all works out. If it suits you, doesn't cause hair loss and you prefer the smell, then it is a formidable treatment for hair growth.

Amla is a berry. It is kept in high esteem by the ancient Indian medicinal system Ayurveda. It is one of the best remedies for hair problems.

You can apply Amla hair oil once a week. This frequency is fine, as it keeps hair well oiled and moisturized. You can see increased hair growth in 1 month's time.

( Photo credit : Lalithamba )

4. Honey And Aloe Vera
Well, honey might be the last thing on your mind when it comes to hair growth, but it is great for this purpose.

Ingredients
Honey ( the filtered one is better as the raw and organic one is very viscous )
Aloe Vera leaves ( fresh )
Directions / How to use
Take an aloe vera leaf. Cut it into sections 1 inch thick and collect the gel exuding from its cut surfaces in a bowl. Add equal amount of honey to the aloe vera gel and mix them well. It takes some time for them to mix. Now, apply this gel only on your scalp using fingers. Avoid using it on the hair shafts. Keep it for 30 minutes and then rinse it off.

Do this treatment as often as possible, best is everyday before shower.
Why it works ?
Honey provides antibiotic activity to scalp skin, helping it clear minor infections, blockages, dandruff and excess sebum. Aloe is a wonderful humectant. It attracts and retains moisture on the scalp. In fact a dry scalp is a main reason for brittle hair. So, it ensures hair gets enough hydration through the roots. This nourishment makes hair grow longer.

5. Rosemary Water As Hair Rinse
The process for preparing this water is time consuming but very fruitful. You can prepare a large amount of this water and then use it everyday. Here is the process.

Step 1 :
Get some fresh rosemary twigs. Place them in a clean cotton cloth, wrap it up and place it somewhere in hanging position. Keep it for 2 days. Air enters cotton fabric and dries out the rosemary. Now, powder it in a blender. Keep a large stock of rosemary.

Or you can directly use dried rosemary and save all the hassle.

Step 2 : Preparing the tea
Put 1 handful of dried rosemary to a 1 liter of water. Boil this water repeatedly ( 4 -5 times ) and then leave it off the heat for 3 - 4 hours. This allows rosemary to steep nicely.

Step 3 : Using the rosemary water
Add 1/2 cup of this this herbal tea and add it to about 500 ml water. Use this water to pour over your scalp. Avoid further rinsing to keep the rosemary on scalp. It really steps up the hair growth process.

Frequency : Use this after every shampoo and you would see your hair grow faster.

( Photo credit : richardnorth )

6. Hot Oil Treatments
A sincerely done hot oil is excellent for hair growth. It takes some time, so you cannot do it everyday, but once a week is great. You can keep varying the oils, but the effects can be similar.

The Process
Warm some pure oil. Then massage it onto scalp very gently. You can massage it on hair shafts as well. Place a shower cap on your hair and keep it that way for a minimum of 4 hours. After that, rinse this off with warm water and then with cool water. Then you can perform your regular hair care routine.

Hot oil treatment is very nutritious for the scalp. Most natural oils are good for scalp and hair health. When scalp is healthy, hair grow faster.

Oils to use in hot oil treatment

Castor Oil
Jojoba Oil
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil

Caution : Do not use pure viscous oils as hair oils. They are only good for hot oil treatment. If you use them as hair oil, it leads to excessive oiliness and hair fall.

( Photo credit : Wikipedia )

7. Hibiscus juice
The flowers of hibiscus are excellent for promoting hair growth. However, one should use the flowers quickly otherwise they would not have that much effect.

Pluck fresh flowers of hibiscus. Grind them to a paste and then extract their juice using a juicer. Dilute this juice in ample water and them use this water as a hair rinse. Make sure it reaches the scalp. Wash hair afterwards with plain water.

( Photo credit : kabacchi )

8. Apply hair oil more frequently
Find a hair oil that goes well with your hair and then apply it regularly. Make a habit to use oil as frequently as it takes for the hair to lose shine. In some people, hair oil creates long lasting shine ( almost a week ) while in others, hair oil shine may last only a day. So, make sure to massage the scalp with healthy hair oils as and when required.
It protects the scalp, moisturizes and nourishes it, gives shine to hair and binds them together.

9. Improve circulation To Scalp
Improve flow of blood to all areas of scalp using techniques of yoga, exercise, stretches and diet.

Yoga Poses
The following "asanas" help to imrpove hair growth and prevent hair fall. You can look them up and learn how to do them at home.

Rabbit pose ( Sasangasana )
Standing forward bending (Uttanasana )
The Downward Dog Pose ( Adho Mukha Svanasana ) ( Svana means dog )

Any kind of exercise that boosts circulation throughout the body, like cardio or strength training or pilates are great for promoting hair growth.

But frankly speaking, diet is more important than exercise when hair growth is concerned.

10. Hair Growth Diet
This is a very important topic and one which requires significant attention. It is pretty much sure that after genetics, diet is the most important factor which governs how much healthy your hair are.

In general, diet should be very healthy. You should take your daily requirement of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. But, conventional diet may not be enough to stop hair loss when it has initiated. In that case, one needs to focus on a diet rich in specific vitamins and minerals. These are the vitamins for hair growth, the lack of these causes hair loss.

Important vitamins for hair growth

Biotin( Vitamin B 7 ) : Biotin is essential for hair growth. This vitamin controls the secretion of healthy natural skin fats which moisturize it and protect it from pathogens. You can get biotin from foods like peanuts, tomatoes, almonds, eggs and onions. How much biotin to take daily ? Well, it varies from person to person, but 2.5 mg to 5 mg is the ideal range.
Folic Acid : This vitamin is not only needed for normal hair growth but many other bodily functions.One should get more than the daily recommended intake of 400 mcg of folic acid from diet. Folic acid is found in high amounts in Spinach, Brussle sprouts, eggs and liver meat or animals or fish.
Omega 3 fatty acids : This is technically not a vitamin, but it helps a lot in preventing hair loss. Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid which has powerful anti-inflammatory action. Best source of omega 3 is salmon, which is a common fish. In vegetarian foods, it is found in flaxseed oil in sufficient amounts.

11. Essential Oils For Hair Growth
Essential oils from numerous natural substances have the power to improve hair growth. These can be added to a shampoo to turn it into the best shampoo for hair growth. A very popular essential oil based shampoo recipe is this -

100 ml shampoo base
10 drops rosemary essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil

Mix them well together and use this shampoo for washing your hair. Other essential oils noted for hair growth are carrot essential oil and geranium oil.

( Photo credit : Wikipedia )

Home remedies for hair loss ( alopecia and other causes )

Hair loss can be initiated by one of many causes, which are very diverse indeed. However, in most people, hair loss is generally the common pattern baldness - both male and female. This kind of balding has characteristic features. In men, hair starts to fall from the sides and at the crown. With advancing age, both grow in size to meet . In women, hair loss is prominent in the center hairline and there is more overall thinning.

Hair loss can be completely stopped at a level, by using home remedies in some people, but it is quite difficult to reclaim lost hairs. This is the hardest part, but it is possible, so don't lose hope.

1. Treat Iron deficiency
Get your blood iron concentration checked after visiting a doctor. Anemia also causes stunted hair growth and causes hair loss. Start eating foods that increase iron concentration in the blood. One of them is cumin. Take citrus fruits along with meat to increase absorption of iron from meat.

In many people, hair loss mystery just ends here, at anaemia. It can have many causes , like iroc deficiency, folic acid deficiency, low hemoglobin or Vitamin B 12 deficiency. Once anemia is treated, mild hair loss can even reverse.

2. The Onion Cure
Most of the people suffering from hair loss use the onion cure as mentioned above. It is an excellent remedy to regrow hair.

3. Aloe Vera Gel
If you have fresh aloe vera, then take its gel. Prepare juice from this gel in a juicer. Add this thin juice to your shampoo in equal parts. Using this shampoo prevents hair loss and promotes hair growth in balding or thinning regions.

Why it works ?
Aloe vera contains all the essential amino acids and it provides nutrition to scalp. Plus, it has cooling effect which reduces inflammation.

4. Fenugreek seeds paste
Get some fenugreek seeds. Soak them overnight. Crush them into paste the next morning. Add a little water and mix it well. Apply this paste on the scalp and keep it for 30 minutes. Then wash it off with water.

Why it works ?
Fenugreek seeds are rich in amino acids. They help in strengthening hair follicles. It contains protein which provides strength to the hair, making them less prone to falling. It may help in regrowing hair.

5. Castor Oil
It seems counter intuitive, but actually an oil as thick as castor oil may help with hair loss. It is used by many women to thicken their eyelashes and eyebrows. It is also useful as a hair loss treatment.

Ingredients
Cold pressed hexane free organic castor oil ( this is not tough to get )
Directions / How to use
Take 2 tablespoon castor oil on your palm. Dip some fingers in it and very gently place it on the scalp. Avoid hair shafts. Slowly massage it in the scalp. Leave it overnight and wash it off in the morning. Do this scalp treatment once weekly.

See the results after 3 weeks. It works fast and is slightly effective in making hair thicker, lustrous and shinier.

Drawback - It has got an awful smell that may even make you puke. So you got to put up with that. i personally hate the smell of castor oil. But if it works for your hair loss, that's great news.

6. Eat For Your Hormones
As we enter our twenties, or maybe right after teenage, our hormone levels may drop. Characteristic hormones for men and women are testosterone and estrogen. If these characteristic hormones are not ideal, it may lead to hair loss and many other conditions.

So, you should find out foods and activities which boost production of these hormones. This strategy can have significant health benefits and healthier hair too.

At a Glance

Egg	Provides essential nutrients
Gooseberry (Amla)	Excellent Vitamin C source
Onion	Opens clogged pores
Yoga	Reduces Anxiety
Henna	Calms the scalp

Besides these, there are some more specific treatments for hair growth and hair loss.

Henna : This herb is very popular in Asia and Middle East. It is used as a paste for the hair. Henna cools the scalp and promotes the body to grow hair. This remedy has been known since the Ancient Egyptians.
Mesquite leaves : The leaves of this tree found in Mexico are useful in regrowth of hair.
Mullein is a useful herb from America and UK which helps in hair loss.
Saw Palmetto is a herb which is well known for male pattern baldness. You can consult a trained herbalist on the dosage and safety issues of Saw Palmetto.