(This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.)
I love the herbs used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. I also like the fact that this system of healing is thousands of years old. It offers natural remedies designed for various conditions, including baldness or thinning hair.
Although I’m Catholic and don’t subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Ayurveda, I appreciate the vast deposit of knowledge about the body, collected over a long period of time.
In the past I’ve taken an Ayurvedic herbal mix for my overall health. More than 15 years ago, I developed painful nerve inflammation that came on suddenly. It progressed rapidly. After a few months I could barely walk.
Backed against the wall, I overhauled my lifestyle. I cleaned up my diet and got rid of my chemical-based household cleaners. (Homemade cleaning solutions work just as well.) Then I replaced my cosmetics with plant-based alternatives.
At the worst of my illness, my hair became noticeably thinner. As I recovered, it grew back. So I’m an advocate of using natural remedies whenever possible, even for hair loss. Update: More than a year after this article was written it happened again. But I was able to successfully manage the problem with natural remedies.
Does Hair Loss Treatment Work?
Drugs are commonly prescribed for hair loss. However, they can cause some potentially serious side effects, including chest pain and shortness of breath. Although these are relatively rare, they require immediate medical attention. Some of the more common reactions include bloating and swelling of the lower extremities.
These pharmaceuticals can also cause hair growth in places not intended, such as the face or arms, which creates a cosmetic problem, especially for women. Minoxidil also may not restore hair on the head. In one study, only about 40 percent of men who used a 5 percent solution of Minoxidil for up to 6 months had hair regrowth.
Natural Remedies for Baldness
Hair loss drugs are heavily advertised. Less well known are the growing selection of herbal remedies designed to stop hair thinning, and to promote the regrowth of new hair. They work the same way as prescription drugs, by blocking the action of a hormone that leads to baldness, in both men and women. Essential oils are also used to combat thinning hair. You may also be interested in another post about essential oils for hair loss.
Ayurvedic Remedy for Hair Growth
The Ayurvedic hair formula seen below is sold by ElanVeda. This is a family-run business based in California that sells herbal remedies and essential oils. It was started after the owners had health problems of their own, including infertility, due to the use of prescription hair loss medication, according to the company website. Using an herbal formula to promote hair growth solved both issues.
Traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine has a long track record of safety and effectiveness. ElanVeda Healthy Hair contains a blend of five herbs. These are amalaki, brahmi, vishnukrantha, jatamansi and bringraj. The capsules contain no genetically modified ingredients.
One of the plants in this formula, bringraj, has traditionally been used in India for general hair health, including loss, as well as premature graying, according to the company website.
Herbalists often recommend herbal blends because it’s believed a synergy is created when several different herbs are taken together. This is why various recipes have been created, and used for centuries.
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Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. People with health concerns should discuss them with a doctor. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use herbal remedies, unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional. People taking certain drugs should also check with their doctor before taking an herbal medicine.
I’m not a healthcare professional, so all of the above statements are my personal opinion, and are not intended as medical advice.
For Additional Reading
Natural Shampoo for Hair Regrowth
