Young or old, we
love our hair, don’t we? Hair condition plays a deciding role in styling your
look. Hair fall, damage, split ends, and dandruff are some of the common hair
problems faced by all. Earlier hair loss used to be a sign of ageing. Given
today’s hectic lifestyles and work-related stress, hair fall is becoming
noticeable early on. Instead of resorting to over-the-counter solutions or
chemical treatments, why not try some holistic home remedies for hair growth
that are safe effective and better still, you will find all you need in your
kitchen! If you are impatient with home remedies that require lots of time and
patience, there is a work around. You don’t necessarily have to compromise on
your ‘beauty time’. Just scroll to the end of this article to find out how hair
loss prevention has been made smart and easy for the new age YOU. Others just
read on…
Home Remedies for Hair Growth
So how to grow
new hair naturally? There are many advantages of going natural with hair care.
The most important being the fact that it works and it is inexpensive. It’s
like having the cake and the cherry at the same time!
There are many
remedies from nature that deliver great results. We have split this list into
4 categories of Kitchen remedies, essential oils and dietary needs for better clarity.
A. Kitchen Ingredients
1. Onion Juice
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
3. DHT Blockers like Saw Palmetto And Pumpkin Seed Oil
4. Egg Mask
5. Fenugreek
6. Potato Juice
7. Henna Pack
8. Cayenne Pepper
9. Coconut Milk
10. Biotin
11. Green Tea
12. Coconut Oil
13. Cumin Seeds
14. Peppercorns
15. Hibiscus Flower
B. Essential Oils Treatment
16. Indian Gooseberry (Amla)
17. Garlic
18. Vitamin E Oil
19. Rosemary Oil
20. Argan Oil
21. Sage Oil
22. Lavender Oil
23. Jojoba Oil
24. Flaxseeds Oil
25. Olive Oil
26. Castor Oil
C. Diet For Hair Growth
27. Protein-Rich Foods
28. Vitamin A
29. Vitamin B
30. Vitamin C
31. Vitamin E
32. Green Vegetables
D. Natural Solutions
33. ‘Say No’ To Hair Styling Products
34. Regular Combing And Trimming
A.Kitchen Ingredients For
Hair Growth
1. Onion Juice
What You Need
2 red onions or
shallots
What You Need To Do
Peel the onions
or shallots and chop them into pieces.
Blend the pieces
and squeeze out their juice.
Apply the juice
on your scalp carefully and keep it on for 15 minutes.
Finally, rinse
off with a mild shampoo.
How Often Should
You Do This
You can apply
onion juice on your scalp once in a week to obtain the desired results.
Why This Works
Onion juice is
rich in sulphur that boosts collagen production in the tissues and helps in
regrowth of hair (1). It is one of the oldest and the most efficient home
remedy for hair growth.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
What You Need
Apple cider
vinegar
Water
What You Need To Do
Wash your hair
thoroughly with shampoo.
Mix 75ml of
apple cider vinegar with one liter of water. You can store it for further use
or make smaller batches.
After washing
your hair, use a cup of this solution as the final rinse.
How Often Should You Do This
You can rinse
your hair with apple cider vinegar solution every time you wash your hair.
Why This Works
Apple cider
vinegar gently cleanses the scalp, maintains the pH balance of the hair, and
accelerates hair growth (2).
3. DHT Blockers like Saw
Palmetto And Pumpkin Seed Oil
Ever wondered
why people go bald? Their body secretes a lot of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), a
sex steroid. DHT restricts blood supply to hair follicles. Affected follicles
die and fall off. DHT is the biggest enemy of your tresses and needs to be
blocked by DHT blockers.Kitchen ingredients rich in DHT blockers include
pumpkin seed oil, green tea and saw palmetto.
4. Egg Mask
What You Need
Want long locks?
Consult a Dermatologist for free at Lybrate. Get the right treatment for
hair growth.
1 egg white
1 teaspoon olive
oil
1 teaspoon honey
What You Need To Do
Take the egg
white in a bowl and add a teaspoon of olive oil and honey to it.
Mix it all well
to form a smooth paste.
Apply it to your
hair and scalp carefully. Leave it on for 20 minutes.
Rinse with cool
water and shampoo it off.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the egg mask once in a week for long and shiny hair.
Why This Works
Egg is rich in
proteins, sulphur, zinc, iron, selenium, phosphorous and iodine. The high
protein content makes eggs one of the best ingredients that promote hair growth
(3).
5. Fenugreek
What You Need
1 teaspoon
fenugreek paste
2 teaspoons
coconut milk
What You Need To Do
Mix coconut milk
and fenugreek paste well.
Apply it to your
hair and scalp and leave it on for 30 minutes.
Wash your hair
with a mild shampoo.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
this fenugreek hair mask once in 15 days.
Why This Works
Fenugreek serves
two purposes – it promotes hair growth and also protects the natural color of
your hair (4).
6. Potato Juice
What You Need
1 potato
What You Need To Do
Peel the potato
and extract juice out it by blending the potato slices.
Apply this
potato juice on your scalp and leave it on for 15 minutes.
Wash your hair
using a mild shampoo.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
potato juice to your hair every time you wash it.
Why This Works
This is a secret
home remedy. Most people are not familiar with the hair growth properties of
potato juice. Potato is rich in vitamins A, B, and C. These are essential for
healthy and strong hair (5). This can be used even if you are suffering from
alopecia i.e. thinning of hair.
7. Henna Pack
What You Need
1 cup of dry
henna
1/2 cup yogurt
What You Need To Do
Make a pack by
mixing the dry henna powder with yogurt.
Apply it all
over your hair from the roots to tips.
Leave the pack
on until it dries off completely.
Wash your hair
with a mild shampoo.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the henna pack once in a month.
Why This Works
Henna acts as a
natural conditioner and transforms dull and dry hair to smooth and shiny hair.
It adds color as well. It promotes hair growth by strengthening the roots of
your hair (6).
8. Cayenne Pepper
What You Need
1 teaspoon
pepper powder
2 teaspoons of
olive oil
What You Need To Do
Mix pepper
powder and olive oil.
Apply the
mixture on your scalp, especially at the place where hair thinning is more
prominent. Leave it on for 10 minutes.
Wash off with
cold water.
How Often Should You Do This
You can repeat
this treatment once in a month.
Why This Works
Cayenne pepper
stimulates hair growth and prevents thinning of hair. The presence capsaicin
makes cayenne pepper ideal for promoting hair growth. This ingredient, when
applied on the scalp, causes the nerves to activate and increase the blood flow
to the scalp. This results in increased absorption of nutrients and better hair
growth (7).
9. Coconut Milk
What You Need
Coconut milk
What You Need To Do
Extract the milk
of a coconut and apply it on the targeted areas or you can apply it all over
your scalp.
Keep it on
overnight.
Rinse off with
cool water the next day.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
coconut milk to your hair every time you wash your hair.
Why This Works
Coconut milk is
rich in proteins, iron, and other essential nutrients, and promotes hair growth
and prevents breakage (8).
10. Biotin
Biotin is
water-soluble B-vitamin found in green leafy vegetables. Its deficiency can
cause hair loss.
Why?
If you are suffering
from hair fall, vitamin B is your best bet as it renews hair follicles, making
hair fuller and healthier.
How To Use:
Biotin can be
taken as an oral supplement and can also be applied topically. To apply it
directly to hair, crush biotin tablets and mix it with any essential oil.
Massage it the scalp and leave it overnight.
11. Green Tea
What You Need
Green tea
What You Need To Do
Apply warm green
tea all over your scalp.
Leave it on for
an hour.
Rinse off with
cold water.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
this to your hair every time you wash it.
Why This Works
Green tea is
rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants prevent hair loss and boost hair
growth (9).
12. Coconut Oil
What You Need
Coconut oil
What You Need To Do
Gently massage
coconut oil all over your scalp.
Keep it on
overnight and wash your hair the next morning.
Use the coconut
hot oil treatment for effective results.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
coconut oil every time you wash your hair.
Why This Works
This is the best
natural conditioner for hair. It has been used for centuries now. Rich in
potassium, coconut oil keeps your scalp healthy, promotes the growth of new
hair, and repairs damaged hair. It also reduces dandruff, hair breakage, and
hair loss. Coconut oil is also used as a preconditioning hair treatment for
damaged hair (16).
13. Cumin Seeds
What You Need
2 teaspoons
cumin seeds
½ cup olive oil
or castor oil
What You Need To Do
Soak cumin seeds
in olive oil or castor oil. Let them soak overnight.
The next
morning, apply the paste on the targeted areas.
Wash after 15
minutes with a mild shampoo.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the above paste once in a month.
Why This Works
Cumin seeds have
numerous nutrients essential for healthy and shining hair and applying the
paste on your hair promotes hair growth (11).
14. Peppercorns
What You Need
2 teaspoons
peppercorns
1/2 cup lime
juice
What You Need To Do
Blend the
peppercorns and lime juice to form a smooth paste.
Apply this paste
on the roots of your hair.
Cover your head
with a warm towel for deep penetration.
Rinse off after
half an hour.
How Often Should You Do This
You can repeat
this treatment once in 15 days.
Why This Works
The use of black
peppercorns is prevalent in the Ayurvedic medicine. They leave your hair soft
and lustrous and improve its texture (12).
15. Hibiscus Flower
What You Need
2 hibiscus flowers
2 teaspoons
coconut oil or sesame oil
What You Need To Do
Make a paste of
hibiscus flowers with coconut oil or sesame oil.
Apply it on your
hair evenly.
Rinse with a
mild shampoo.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
this to your hair every time you wash it.
Why This Works
Hibiscus is
truly said to be the “flower of hair care.” This flower is used for curing
dandruff and enhancing hair growth (13).
16. Indian Gooseberry (Amla)
What You Need
2 teaspoons amla
powder or amla juice
2 teaspoons lime
juice
What You Need To Do
Mix amla powder
or juice and lime juice.
Apply this
mixture on your scalp properly and let it dry for some time.
Rinse your hair
well with warm water.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
amla to your hair once in a month and maintain your strong and shiny hair.
Why This Works
Amla is a
powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamin C. It promotes healthy hair growth and
also improves the pigmentation of hair (10).
17. Garlic
What You Need
2 cloves garlic
– crushed
1 cup olive oil
or coconut oil
What You Need To Do
Boil the crushed
garlic cloves in olive oil or coconut oil.
Apply it to the
roots of your hair follicles.
Wash off
properly.
How Often Should You Do This
Try this
treatment thrice a week for the best results.
Why This Works
Garlic is widely
known as a home remedy for reducing loss of hair. It boosts the regeneration of
new hair and promotes blood circulation in the scalp (14).
B.Oil Treatments
18. Vitamin E Oil
What You Need
Vitamin E oil
What You Need To
Do
Massage vitamin
E oil into the scalp.
Leave it on
overnight.
Wash off with a
mild shampoo the next day for soft and smooth hair.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply it
to your scalp every time you wash your hair.
Why This Works
For ages,
vitamin E has been used as a home remedy for hair growth. Vitamin E oil is rich
in antioxidants and thus, helps to fight the free radicals. It helps in
increasing oxygen in the body and increases blood circulation in the scalp.
Regular massage with the essential oils promotes hair growth and reduces hair
fall and split ends. This makes your hair softer and smoother (15). Regular hot
oil treatments also reduce dandruff and give a shine to your hair.
19. Rosemary Oil
What You Need
1 teaspoon
rosemary oil
2 tablespoons
coconut oil
What You Need To Do
Mix rosemary oil
and coconut oil in a bowl and apply the mixture on your scalp and hair.
Keep it on
overnight and wash off the next morning.
You can also
apply rosemary oil by mixing it with your shampoo or conditioner.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the oil twice a week for the best results.
Why This Works
Rosemary oil is
prepared from the distillation of the rosemary herb. The oil increases cell
division and expands the blood vessels, thus stimulating blood circulation. It
increases hair growth and also acts as a hair tonic (17).
20. Argan Oil:
Argan oil is a
revolutionary gift of nature and is called ‘liquid pure gold’ because of the
magic it works on thinning hair.
Why?
It improves hair
quality by moisturizing hair follicles and enhancing hair growth. It loosens
dry skin cells around hair follicles and stimulates the scalp to secrete more
oil to keep your hair healthy and shiny.
How to use:
To use Argan oil
for hair, rub a small amount of it into your palm and then apply to your hair
starting at the ends. You can also massage it into the roots and leave it
overnight. Wash it off with a mild shampoo.
Summary:
Repeat these steps once or twice per week for silky, smooth, glossy, irresistible hair.
Repeat these steps once or twice per week for silky, smooth, glossy, irresistible hair.
21. Sage Oil
What You Need
1 teaspoon sage
oil
2 tablespoons
coconut oil or olive oil
What You Need To Do
Mix sage oil and
coconut oil (or olive oil) in a bowl and apply it to your scalp and hair.
Keep it
overnight and wash off the next morning.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the oil twice a week for the best results.
Why This Works
Sage oil is used
for a host of health benefit and is excellent for treating hair loss. Sage oil,
when combined with apple cider vinegar or other essential oils like rosemary,
proves to be an excellent promoter of hair growth (18).
22. Lavender Oil
What You Need
1 teaspoon
lavender oil
1 teaspoon
rosemary oil
1 teaspoon thyme
oil
1 teaspoon
jojoba oil
What You Need To Do
Prepare an
essential oil mixture by adding lavender oil, rosemary oil, thyme oil, and jojoba
oil in equal proportions.
Apply this to
your scalp and wrap your hair with a shower cap.
Leave it on for
an hour.
Wash and rinse
thoroughly thereafter.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the oil twice a week for the best results.
Why This Works
Lavender oil is
known as the beauty oil and is widely used for curing alopecia and hair loss (19).
Apart from boosting hair growth, it also reduces sleeplessness and stress.
23. Jojoba Oil
What You Need
1 teaspoon
jojoba oil
2 tablespoons coconut
oil or olive oil
What You Need To Do
Mix jojoba oil
and coconut oil (or olive oil) in a bowl and apply it over your scalp and hair.
Keep it on
overnight and wash off the next morning.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the oil twice a week for the best results.
Why This Works
Jojoba oil is
known for its moisturizing and hydrating properties. Jojoba oil stimulates hair
growth by improving the blood circulation and moisturizing the hair
follicles. It also repairs dry and damaged hair (20).
24. Flaxseed Oil
What You Need
Flaxseed oil
2 tablespoons
coconut oil or olive oil
What You Need To Do
Mix flaxseed oil
and coconut oil (or olive oil) in a bowl and apply the mixture on your scalp
and hair.
Keep it on
overnight and wash off the next morning.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the oil twice a week for the best results.
Why This Works
Flaxseeds are a
rich source of essential fatty acids that help to transform dry, damaged, and
brittle hair to healthy and shiny hair. The omega-3 fatty acids in the oil
promote healthy hair growth (21).
25. Olive Oil
What You Need
Olive oil (as
per the requirement)
What You Need To Do
Include olive
oil in your daily diet.
Use it as a
pre-shampoo treatment.
You can also mix
it with lavender, sage, and rosemary oils for hot oil treatment.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the oil twice a week for best results.
Why This Works
Olive oil helps
in preventing as well as curing hair loss. It stimulates the formation of new
hair. Regular use of olive oil prevents the formation of DTH hormone and thus,
facilitates hair growth. It also acts as a natural conditioner by making your
hair soft and silky. Olive oil stimulates hair growth as it is extremely rich
in antioxidants (22).
26. Castor Oil
What You Need
Castor oil (as
per the requirement)
What You Need To Do
Warm up castor
oil.
Apply it on
clean scalp. Massage it well. Leave it on for at least 20 minutes before you
shower.
Wrap your hair
in a warm moist towel and keep it on for 20 minutes.
As the oil is
very sticky, you can add a little lemon juice to it that will make it a bit
smooth and also eradicate dandruff problems on your scalp.
How Often Should You Do This
You can apply
the oil twice a week for the best results.
Why This Works
Castor oil is
one of the most beneficial oils that can make your hair grow faster, stronger,
and lustrous. It is claimed to be the best natural treatment for hair growth
that boosts hair growth while reducing possible bald patches (23).
C. Diet For Hair Growth
Before we
discuss the diet for healthy hair growth, here is a small brief about the hair
growth cycle. Each strand of our hair goes through three stages in its entire
life cycle:
The Anagen stage – A phase where you can actually notice the growth of your hair. The
follicle divides and contributes to the lengthening.
The Catagen stage – This is more of a transitional phase. Here, the hair growth stops and
the shaft of the hair is pushed up closer to the surface as the follicle shrinks.
The Telogen stage – This is the resting phase and lasts for about two to four months. Once
this phase is over, the hair sheds on its own accord.
A few dietary
modifications are very important for stimulating the process of hair growth and
preventing hair loss. Abolition of junk and processed food, aerated drinks,
smoking, and drinking is very beneficial for your hair and scalp health.
Include vitamin and mineral-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein-rich food in your diet. These
are rich in phytonutrients that are beneficial for hair growth.
Below are the
lists of some foods you can include in your daily diet for better hair.
27. Protein-Rich Foods
Our hair is made
of a special protein called keratin. Try to include eggs, chicken, tofu,
soybean, kidney beans, and other similar foods in your diet. These are
the richest source of proteins for hair. They promote the growth of new
hair and make your hair shiny and smooth (24).
28. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is
beneficial for hair growth (25). Mango, papaya, orange, prunes, carrots are few
foods that have a high content of vitamin A.
29. Vitamin B
Vitamin B
stimulates the production of hemoglobin in our blood that acts as the oxygen
carrier. This increases blood circulation in the scalp. Include potato, banana,
chicken, oatmeal, fish, and beans in your diet (26).
30. Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps
in collagen production and fights off the free radicals in the skin. Do not
forget to include lots of fruits like amla, oranges, kiwis, and guavas in your
daily diet (27).
31. Vitamin E
The scalp
capillary function is stimulated by the intake of vitamin E in your diet. It
increases blood circulation and promotes hair growth. Cereals, sunflower oil,
soybean oil, tofu, etc. contain good amounts of vitamin E (28). You must try
and include as much of these foods in your diet as you can.
32. Green Vegetables
Try to include
lots of dark green vegetables in your diet. These contain iron that is
essential for hair growth (29).
D. Natural
Solutions
Proper care and
prevention will surely help to cope with any type of scalp or hair trouble. All
the natural solutions will show their effect only when you are capable of
fighting against indiscriminate hair loss.
33. ‘Say No’ To Hair Styling
Products
A popular
proverb says, ‘no style is the best style’. This proves to be true when it
comes to hair. Many of the hairstyling products contain harmful chemicals and
superficial agents, which can be highly dangerous at times. You may look
attractive for a few days by applying a hairstyling product, but you never know
how it affects your hair and scalp in the long term. Therefore, you should
minimize the application of harmful styling products like hair colors, serums,
and straighteners.
34. Regular Combing and
Trimming
Comb your hair
thrice a day and trim it every three months. Regular combing and trimming are
extremely important for expediting the growth of new hair. Combing is essential
as it provides good blood circulation and stimulates hair follicles, helping
them produce new hair naturally.
Try out these
effective home remedies for stronger and shinier hair. Do you have any secret
home remedy for promoting hair growth? Please share your views in the comments
box below.
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