Natural Treatments for Hair Loss

Diet

A diet that contains whole foods, particularly the outer skin of plants such as potatoes, cucumbers, green and red peppers, and sprouts can give strength to hair because they are rich in the mineral silica. Foods that are high in iron, such as lean meats, are important for people with a known iron deficiency.

Nutritional Supplements, Vitamins & Herbs

Saw palmetto - Saw palmetto oil is an accepted treatment for benign prostate hyperplasia in men. It appears to interact with various sex hormones, including dihydrotestoseteron (DHT). DHT is produced from testosterone by enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. Like most enzymes, it can be inhibited. There has been great medical interest in substances

that have the potential for inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase, and thereby preventing or treating benign prostate hyperplasia. Theoretically, saw palmetto could have also be used to block DHT and prevent hair loss. Saw palmetto is believed to have a similar mechanism of action to the anti-androgenic drug finasteride (Propecia), which has been used in low doses for hair loss.

Folic acid, biotin, vitamin B5, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), and silica are supplements that may help maintain the color and thickness of hair.

Be sure to check your daily intake of zinc through supplements. Intake of 30 mg or higher for more than three months can induce a deficiency of copper, and low copper levels can result in hair loss. Speak to a health practitioner before supplementing copper to avoid copper overdose.

Aromatherapy

The results of one research study suggest that the essential oils of thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood mixed with an oil and applied on the areas of hair loss may stimulate hair growth. This double blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 84 people who who massaged either these essential oils or a non-treatment oil into their scalps each night for seven months. Results showed that 44% of people in the treatment group had new hair growth compared to only 15% in