Is Help For Hair Loss Hiding In Your Kitchen?

Many people suffer quietly with hair loss.

At first it might not seem like a big deal… you comb your hair out or shampoo it in the shower and notice strands in the drain.

…Did you shed that many last week? Is this normal?

The truth is some shedding is normal. It’s when your hair fall becomes excessive that you start to notice a receding hair line or thinning where you don’t remember seeing any.

Was your scalp always that visible?

Hair loss is not just an issue affecting men, Many women struggle with it too. It affects all ages and ethnicities.

What causes hair loss?

There’s a long list of causes. Genetics, diet, stress, lifestyle all play a part. The products you use on your hair do, too. Even regular exposure to the environment such as sun and moisture can lead to premature hair loss. We wrote more about the many causes of hair loss in another blog post.

When it comes right down to it, one of the biggest factors of hair loss is the health of your scalp.

A healthy scalp has strong blood circulation. This circulation delvers the needed nutrients to your scalp so that it can grow and hold on to your hair. It also helps keep the hair follicles and shaft strong.

Too often, products that we use to clean, condition and style our hair cause the scalp to become clogged, or worse – fills the follicles with harsh ingredients that interrupt your cells from doing what they are supposed to do.

Everything in your body needs energy.

Even growing your hair!

To create energy, the cells in your body use nutrients, delivered by the blood stream, and convert them into energy. It’s a complex chemical process that takes many steps. The conversion from nutrients to energy can also cause a bit of stress, known as oxidative stress. A side effect oxidative stress is the production of harmful compounds called ‘free radicals.’ Your body also has a way of managing oxidative stress from free radicals: it uses antioxidants from the foods you eat. These are delivered to your cells by the circulating blood in your body.

Oxidative stress can be caused by the environment (pollution, sun exposure), diet, stress, lifestyle and the products you use.

It’s one reason we are mindful of every ingredient we put into our hair care products.

Like rosemary.

Out of the Kitchen

You may be familiar with rosemary, and you may even have it in your kitchen… But were you aware of it’s healing abilities? This perennial herb grows natively in the Mediterranean, where it’s been used for centuries as both food and medicine.

Much like oregano and peppermint, rosemary is frequently used as an essential oil. Essential oils are highly concentrated, distilled extracts of plant compounds. Essential oils are used for cooking, cleaning, beauty, health, and aromatherapy, among other things.

As an essential oil, rosemary is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. I can soothe skin and promote beeter circulation. It is also reported to help memory enhancement and hair growth.

Can rosemary treat hair loss?

Like peppermint essential oil, which is also used to promote hair growth, rosemary essential oil strengthens your circulation. As a result, it could prevent hair follicles from being starved of essential nutrients and dying off, which can lead to hair loss.

According to some scientific studies, rosemary also benefits nerve tissue. In one study, carnosic acid, an active ingredient in rosemary, healed tissue and nerve damage. This may also rejuvenate nerves in the scalp, which may restore hair growth.

More recent studies show that rosemary directly helps protect against hair loss. A 2015 trial put rosemary essential oil against minoxidil, which is also known as Rogaine. Both ingredients were used on human subjects with male or female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia).

Results showed that rosemary essential oil was just as effective as minoxidil, and it healed the side effect of itchy scalp more successfully than minoxidil.

In another study, rosemary leaf extract (different from the essential oil) actually stimulated hair growth. Two additional clinical reviews also acknowledge rosemary’s hair growth potential. One specifically calling out its ability to improve circulation in the scalp.

Does rosemary stimulate hair growth?

Beyond stimulating hair growth, rosemary:

Has antioxidants
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Promotes nerve growth
Improves circulation
Is used to prevent premature graying and dandruff
Relieves dry, itch scalp

We think that a healthy scalp definitely helps you to have healthy hair. It’s why we’ve included rosemary (both the essential oil and the leaf extract) in our Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner. Plus, it smells great!