Natural remedies for hair growth

Shahnaz Husain *

The most important aspect of improving hair growth is to pay attention to your diet. It should contain adequate amounts of proteins, vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc. The hair is fed by the nutrients in the blood stream. That is why the diet is so important. Have a small bowl of sprouts daily. It contains amino acids, which are most important for healthy hair. Ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements. Here are some natural remedies for hair growth:

It is said that coconut milk promotes hair growth. You can apply coconut milk on the hair at night. Leave on overnight and wash hair the next morning. Coconut milk not only promotes hair growth, but also softens dry hair.

Two tablespoons coconut oil can be mixed with one teaspoon castor oil. Heat and apply on the hair. Then do the hot towel wrap for better absorption. Beat an egg with 2 tablespoons sesame seed (til) oil.

Apply on the hair and again wrap a hot towel for 10 minutes. Eggs contain biotin, the vitamin which helps hair growth. They also contain protein and add body to the hair.

It is said that onion juice can be applied on the scalp to help hair growth, because onions contain sulphur.

In South India, curry leaves (Kari Patta) are said to be good for the hair and can help to promote hair growth. A paste made from the curry leaves may be added to yogurt and used as a pack for the hair. Or, mix it with aloe vera gel and then apply on the hair.

This helps to improve hair texture and also encourages hair growth. Coconut oil may also be used with curry leaves, to promote growth. Add coconut oil to the fresh curry leaves and boil them. This should be boiled till a black residue is formed. Cool the mixture and then add the black residue on the scalp. Keep it on for an hour and then wash the hair. This may be done 2 or 3 times a week. v To make your own hair oil for hair growth, take 10 to 15 gms of dry amla and one teaspoon fenugreek (methi) seeds. Grind both amla and methi seeds coarsely. Add them to 100 ml pure coconut oil or sesame seed (til) oil. Put all the ingredients in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Keep it in the sun daily for 15 days, shaking it each day in order to stir the ingredients.

After 15 days, strain the oil through a clean muslin cloth and keep the oil in a glass jar. This oil may be used to apply on the hair. It will benefit all hair types, as well as dandruff conditions.

Make your own natural cleanser with reetha, amla and shikakai, using the dried herbs. Make small quantities at a time. Take a handful of each herb, add them to one litre of water and allow them to soak overnight. The next day, simmer the herbs with the water on a low fire, till the water reduces to half the quantity.

Do not allow it to boil on a high flame at any time. Allow the mixture to cool and then strain it with a clean cloth. Use the liquid to wash your hair. This quantity should be enough for four to five washes. Keep your home-made hair cleanser in the refrigerator for further use.

Deep Conditioning Treatment for Dry Hair: Mix together one egg, one tablespoon pure almond oil, the juice of a lemon and one teaspoon pure glycerine. These ingredients should be well mixed. You can use an egg beater if you like. Massage this well into the scalp and apply on the hair too.

Wear a plastic shower cap and keep on for an hour, before washing the hair. Pure glycerin attracts moisture from the hair. Egg and almond oil nourish the hair and enhance growth, while lemon juice restores the normal balances. In fact, for dry hair, you can also apply egg yolk or curd half an hour before shampoo.

Hair Rinse: Marigold (“Gainda”) flowers can be used to prepare a hair rinse. It benefits oily hair and dandruff. Add a handful of fresh or dried marigold flowers to three cups of hot water. Allow it to stand for an hour. Strain and cool the water and use as a final rinse. It benefits oily hair with dandruff.

Hibiscus (Gurhal) flowers help hair growth and keep the scalp healthy. They cool and soothe the scalp. Both hot and cold infusions can be made from hibiscus flowers and leaves, though cold infusions are more common. For hot infusions, the flowers and leaves are added to boiling water and allowed to stand in it for 10 to 12 hours. The infusion is strained and then used on the scalp. It can be used as a last rinse after washing the hair.

For cold infusions, the flowers and leaves are allowed to stand overnight in cold water, in a ratio of one to six. The flowers are squeezed and the water is strained before use. Such infusions can be used to wash the hair and scalp, or applied on the scalp with cotton wool. Infusions, or the juice of the flowers, can be added to henna and applied on the hair. This can be a total hair-food and conditioning treatment.