Born with beautiful tresses that were once soft, lustrous, and dense? Hair is every woman’s pride, and rightly so! It makes you look beautiful and adds character to your personality. But, when your hair begins to thin or fall, hell breaks loose, does it not?
It is easy to fall for glamorous advertisements and use hair products laden with chemicals. Little do we realize that these products do more harm than good, and barely a few years later, our lovely locks of hair end up looking thin and damaged.
Owing to genetic factors, pollution, and abuse, we can all suffer from hair fall and thinning, whether at 20, 30, or 40!
If you are plagued with hair woes like thinning hair, it is time you go back to your roots and adopt more natural means of nourishing and pampering your hair. Say sayonara to run-of-the-mill shampoos, conditioners, and gels, and welcome the good old nourishing techniques like oil massages and herbal hair potions.
Not sure where to begin? Worry not, for help is at hand! Here are a few remedies that will help you reverse thinning hair and also stimulate new hair growth.
1. Hot Oil Treatment: Your granny was right, a hot oil massage can do wonders to your hair. And if you suffer from hair fall, this is a remedy you must try. Massaging the scalp helps improve blood circulation and thus stimulates hair growth. Plus all the good fats, proteins, and vitamins in any good quality oil is the magic your hair craves.
Remedy:
Use an all-natural oil like virgin coconut oil for best results. Warm a few teaspoons of coconut oil in a small bowl. Dip your fingers into the bowl and use circular motions to gently rub the oil into your scalp. Apply gentle pressure and knead every few strokes to increase circulation. Wrap your hair in a warm towel around your head and leave it on for about half an hour before shampooing. This will not just stimulate hair growth, but also will help with dandruff caused by dry scalp. Be sure to use an SLS free and harsh chemical free shampoo. Most hair and scalp problems can be linked to harsh chemicals in hair care products. So make sure your hair routine is gentle and natural.
"I was having lots of issues with my hair. Lots of itchiness, lots of dandruff...I heard about Apasra...I ordered oil and a shampoo. I feel the difference now. [All of my] itchiness is gone. Hair fall is almost gone...I still do have some dandruff, but I feel it is improving a lot. I definitely recommend all the hair products."
2. Use Indian Gooseberry (amla): Do not underestimate this tiny berry’s magical powers! This little berry has been used since time immemorial in hair care.
Ayurvedic medicinal potions for hair and scalp issues are incomplete without amla. If you suffer from dandruff or thinning hair, you will benefit greatly from this remedy. Not only does it help reduce hair fall and fight dandruff, but also promotes hair growth.
Remedy:
Mix 1 cup of Indian Gooseberry aka amla, in a pan with 2 cups of sesame oil. Simmer for 3 hours. Let it cool down. Strain the oil and apply it on your scalp. Also, apply the oil on your hair. Leave on for a few hours or overnight. Then shampoo with a gentle and natural shampoo.
3. Lemon Juice Remedy: Who does not love a tall glass of chilled lemonade on a hot and humid day? What if we were to tell you that your favorite drink can help you deal with thinning hair? Include lemon in your skin and hair care routine, and you will be flabbergasted at the results.
Lemons are chock full of vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, and C, apart from other vital hair-friendly nutrients such as folic acid and antioxidants. When massaged into your scalp, lemon juice can support follicle health, which means better hair growth.
Remedy:
Mix one part of freshly squeezed lemon juice with 6 parts of olive oil. Use your fingertips to massage this oil into your scalp. Leave it on for about 45 minutes and shampoo. Repeat this twice a month. Lemon juice when properly used can leave your hair shiny and vibrant.
4. Use the Goodness of Fenugreek: A bottle of fenugreek off your kitchen rack is all you need to reduce hair fall. Methi, as it is popularly known, has the ability to promote and encourage hair growth. It is rich in protein and lecithin that work together to strengthen and moisturize every strand of your hair. No wonder it has been used in Ayurvedic hair care for thousands of years.
Remedy:
Soak a cup of methi seeds in a cup of warm water overnight. Grind the seeds in the morning. Apply this paste generously on your scalp and hair. Let this hair mask sit for at least 2 hours before you shampoo and condition. Repeat once a week to fight hair loss.
Your lifestyle is also an essential part of hair growth. Watch this video to learn what Sheetal's top essential tips are to get stunning hair. Enjoy and please subscribe to my YouTube channel!
5. Coconut Milk to Promote Hair Growth: We all know coconut oil is nothing less than elixir to hair, but did you know that you could also use coconut milk to improve
your hair health? The milk derived from this tropical fruit contains vitamins B, C, and E. It also has copious amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium, among other numerous nutrients. What do all these nutrients do? (No brownies for guessing right!) These nutrients work in alliance with each other to nourish and pamper your hair. Within a few applications, you will see less hair in your brush and more hair on your scalp!
Remedy:
Gently massage your scalp with a cup of freshly extracted coconut milk. Leave it on for 2 hours and you are ready to shampoo and condition your hair. You can also prepare a highly effective hair mask using a quarter cup of coconut milk, two teaspoons of wheat germ oil and a tablespoon of aloe vera gel. Coconut milk and wheat germ oil promote hair growth, and aloe helps promote healthy hair follicles.
6. Change Your Diet to Grow Your Hair: You are what you eat! We have all heard it, but most of us probably do not believe it fully. However, it is prudent that you eat the right type of food for a fit and healthy body that can have enough reserves to promote thick and healthy hair. When you eat green leafy veggies and fruits rich in B vitamins and protein, it will do a whole lot of good to your hair too. Your follicles need a regular supply of vitamins and minerals to grow healthy and strong hair. Oranges, bananas, cauliflower, pumpkin, and melon are a few of the many foods you must include in your daily diet to sport lustrous and soft hair. In addition, including supplements like flaxseed oil, zinc, and copper can stimulate hair growth and keep your hair healthy and bouncy.
7. Say a Big No to Toxic Hair Care Products: This is a no brainer. As tempted as you may be to turn your curly locks straight, resist the urge to do so. Usage of run-of-the-mill hair products filled with harsh chemicals can promote issues like too much hair fall and discourage hair growth. Make a switch to natural hair care products and definitely use a high-quality natural hair oil 1-2 times a week.
8. Regular Combing and Trimming: Basic hair care like combing and trimming can go a long way to encourage hair growth. Be sure to comb your hair once a day and
trim once in every three months. If you are like me and do not like to comb your hair, you can dry-massage with your fingertips instead. This too will stimulate circulation to your scalp, which promotes hair growth.
As for regular trimming and how it encourages long hair, one scientific explanation (hypothesis) could be that your follicles get stimulated when some of your hair lengths are trimmed. How does this happen? Perhaps we don’t understand yet. But in the meantime, we can certainly get a trim regularly to encourage healthy hair.
Try these remedies and tips, and you will soon look no less than a diva with long beautiful tresses! Share your comments below.
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Go natural. It is good karma!