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Castor Oil for Hair Growth

6 Mins Read

In all the research I’ve done on various ways to stimulate hair growth and keep hair healthy, perhaps the single most interesting and unexpected finding I’ve come across is using castor oil for hair growth. This is without doubt one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to having a full head of gorgeous hair. Castor oil is considered a vegetable oil, and it’s obtained by pressing the seeds (called castor beans, even though they aren’t true beans) of the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis).

The plant originates in the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, eastern Africa and India, but it is commonly grown as an ornamental plant throughout many tropical regions, especially variations with reddish leaves and flowers. It’s important to be aware that the plant and its beans constitute one of the most poisonous plants in the world. If you ate a handful of the seeds and didn’t get immediate medical attention, it could very well be fatal. The toxin it contains is called ricin, which is obviously removed from castor oil products. I only mention all of this in case you get the idea to grow your own plants and try to make your own castor oil. Don’t do it!

With that quick disclaimer, let’s get into the huge benefits you can reap by using castor oil for hair growth and health. If you’re like me, you’ll wonder how you haven’t heard of this wonder hair treatment before! Here are seven major benefits of using castor oil on your hair:

Castor Oil Hair Care

Reduces Hair Loss. With all the styling, drying, coloring and other things we do to our hair, not to mention the genetics we inherit, hair loss is an all too common and psychologically depressing occurrence for many people. Using castor oil on your scalp and hair helps protect it because of the ricinoleic acid it contains, which both protects your hair and stimulates nutrient-rich bloodflow to your scalp that keeps hair strong, healthy and intact. Ricinoleic acid makes up about 90% of castor oil, so it’s definitely one of the richest sources of this hair tonic you’ll find anywhere.

Stimulates Hair Growth. The act of applying castor oil by gently massaging it into your scalp and hair boosts circulation of blood to the scalp and hair follicles, which is essential to stimulating hair growth. But the oil itself also helps because of its high omega-6 fatty acid content, which is another important component in growing healthy hair. Well-nourished hair will be stronger, more resilient, and less prone to falling out prematurely.

Fights Scalp Infections. Various pathogenic microbes can take root in the scalp and cause all kinds of trouble, from bald patches to itchiness, all of which can stall out hair growth. Castor oil has natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and even anti-viral properties that will help wipe out any pathogenic organisms that can cause a variety of scalp and hair issues, including follliculitus, ringworm and peidra.

Controls Split Ends and Hair Breakage. Castor oils rich levels of vitamin E, amino acids, and omega-6 fatty acids help put a stop to both split ends and breakage by penetrating deep into your scalp and smoothening out rough hair cuticles (the hard, outermost part of the hair shaft).

Moisturizes and Conditions. There are omega-9 acids in castor oil that help lock moisture into both your hair and scalp, making it a surprisingly effective conditioner. Because dry scalp can lead to dandruff, making regular use of castor oil can help keep that problem under control as it moisturizes your scalp. Castor oil has the ability to penetrate dry and damaged hair to heal and restore it.

Gives Hair a Beautiful Shine and Silky Feel. By coating each shaft of hair and locking in moisture, castor oil leads to a natural luster as well as a smoother, silkier feel. Note also that castor oil tends to give hair a richer, darker hue due to its humectant effect and nutrients.

Increases Thickness of Hair. Both the omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids will help make your hair feel thicker, giving a real boost to its volume.

Heal and Regrow Eyebrows and Eyelashes. If you find yourself needing to regrow or thicken thin eyebrows, castor oil is probably your best bet. You can also use it to repair and strengthen your eyelashes as well. Use a mascara brush to apply it to your eyelashes.

How to Use Castor Oil for Hair Growth?

The first thing to be aware of is that you want to use an unrefined castor oil product because that will have many more of the nutrients that make your hair healthier. Also know that castor oil is quite viscous, meaning you’ll find it a lot thicker and stickier than other oils, so you might consider mixing it with a lighter oil to make it easier to work with. Coconut, olive or almond oils are good choices to mix with castor oil. Choosing an oil with a pleasing odor will also make your hair smell great (who doesn’t like the smell of coconut?).

A good rule of thumb here is that the longer you’re going to leave it in, the less you should use. It’s powerful stuff, and you don’t want to overdo it. If you only use a small amount, feel freet o use it on a daily basis as an added conditioner. Leave it in a good 15-30 minutes before washing your hair with your favorite shampoo. For longer treatments, use less, massaging it into your scalp and throughout your hair in sections, then wrap your hair in a moist, warm towel for an hour. If you leave it in overnight, be sure to wear a shower cap. To reduce the messiness of the whole process, you can also try using an applicator like a hair dye dispensing bottle or brush instead of your hands. Although you won’t see substantial improvements immediately, after about a month or so of regular use, you’ll notice all of the amazing benefits of using castor oil for hair growth and health.

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In Hair Care

How to Avoid Dry, Brittle Hair?

5 Mins Read

Summertime is always an interesting time for hair. On one hand, all the sun feels great and can even give you a quick boost of nutrients. On the other hand, your hair can get dried out and brittle, putting you at risk for hair loss.

No one wants that, and that’s why we want to discuss hair moisture. To know how to prevent the problem, you need to know what’s causing it.

What’s Happening When Hair Feels Dry?

Your hair can dry out in one of two different ways:

  1. Your scalp isn’t producing enough natural oil to properly moisturize your hair.
  2. Your hair strands are letting moisture escape.

Both of these conditions can either be hereditary (in your genes), or they can develop over time. As you get older, most people’s scalps simply produce less natural oil. If you’re not making up for this loss of moisture with other products, your hair will be dry and more prone to breakage.

How much moisture your hair strands retain depends on your cuticles. When hair cuticles are tight together, moisture stays in and your hair will look shiny, full and healthy. Loose cuticles (also brought on by age or genes) let the moisture escape.

How can you tell if your hair is dry? Well, you will definitely feel a difference when you run your fingers through your hair. It won’t be as smooth or as silky as it normally is. The other key part to check is your ends. Split ends are one of the main signs of unhealthy or dry hair.

What Causes Dry Hair?

Realizing that your hair is dry or brittle can be a bit shocking. The truth is, it doesn’t just happen overnight. Most of the time dry hair is caused by slow, consistent exposure. And we’re not just talking about the weather.

It’s certainly true that natural elements like sun, wind and extreme heat can contribute to dry hair, but one of the most overlooked factors is heat abuse from styling tools.

Flat irons, blow dryers, hot rollers, curling irons…all of the tools that we use everyday to make our hair look great are can strip your hair of its natural moisture if you’re not careful.

In fact, the heat from these everyday styling tools can actually break down your hair’s structure. Yikes. That’s what happens when you put a 400 degree tool directly on your hair.

What Should I Do About My Dry, Brittle Hair?

When your hair is dry to the point that the hair strand is damaged, there’s no way to reverse it. If you have split ends, you should immediately cut them before the split end rises up your hair strands and does damage to the root.

Experts say that your yearly trims are enough — you should be getting a haircut every three to six months. Not only does it keep your ends looking good, it can provide a better growth environment for your healthy strands. When your healthy hair looks fuller, your damaged hair will not be as noticeable.

For hair that is just dry, and not completely damaged, there are a few ways that you can breathe new life into it. But before you look into ways to give your hair more moisture, you need to be understand how to prevent it in the first place.

How Can I Prevent My Hair From Drying Out?

Prevention is absolutely key. If you know that you’re going to be out in the sun, or other extreme conditions, you should look for a light styling spray that protects it from the elements. A quality styling spray provides a very thin layer of protection that prevents the sun, wind, and water from penetrating your hair strands.

Another great way to prevent damage is by wearing protective hair styles like french braids or buns. These hairstyles reduce the amount of stress on your hair follicles and they don’t require much (if any) hair styling product or the use of any hot tools.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your styling tools altogether. You just have to make sure you’re protected. Before using your flat iron or blow dryer, make sure that you have a quality heat protectant serum. Not only will it create a shield between your hair and your tools, it will also make it easier to style your hair at lower (and safer) temperatures.

Always look for products that contain all-natural products. Serums with hair growth vitamins and nutrients like biotin, vitamin E, and iron can help your hair grow at its full potential.

Other Ways to Keep Your Hair Moisturized

Even though it’s tempting to simply wash your hair every time you shower, you really should only be washing it 2 or 3 times per week. Washing your hair too much can strip it of its natural oils. If your hair is feeling dry, take a few days off so it can get its moisture back.

While you shouldn’t be washing your hair everyday, you certainly can use a good conditioner every time you shower. If your hair is really dry, look into a leave-in conditioner that will boost your hair with nutrients.

Another key tip: use a boar bristle brush. Boar bristles are great for dry hair because they help spread your natural oils throughout the rest of your hair. It makes your hair look and feel healthier, and it even lets you wash less as often.

Keeping your hair properly moisturized is something that needs to be attacked from multiple angles. Even if you’re doing everything right product-wise, none of it will be very effective if your diet is lacking, or you’re not drinking enough water. Take care of yourself, and your hair will look much better.

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In Hair Growth

What Most Hair Growth Supplements are Missing?

5 Mins Read

Hair growth supplements companies are doing their best to formulate a product that gets your hair to grow. Often these products may work somewhat, and the ones that work best are usually the ones that include the most ingredients.

In fact, many of the hair growth supplements have ingredient lists that look similar to what’s in a multivitamin / multimineral formula.

That’s because there are three primary reasons for why your hair may not be looking its best is that you could have some vitamin or mineral deficiencies. For example, if you have a zinc deficiency, you could end up with hair loss. The zinc will affect hair growth and reproduction.

There are a few other reasons why you could have hair loss and need hair growth supplements.

1. You have an infection of the scalp, which is bacterial, parasitical, or fungal.
2. Your hormone levels are out of balance. You may have high testosterone and low estrogen as a female, or high testosterone as a male, which kills the hair follicles.

Each of these respond to better nutrition although if your hormone levels are out of balance, it’s best to work with your doctor to get them leveled out. And of course, if you do have an infection of the scalp, it’s best to get that treated so your hair can start to grow again. Some types of microbes will cause hair breakage, which contributes to further hair loss.

What Do Most Hair Growth Supplements Contain?

The primary ingredients found in hair growth supplements are any of the following:

  • B vitamins especially biotin, inositol, choline and vitamin B6
  • Antioxidant vitamins vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E
  • Minerals zinc, selenium, iodine, copper, and iron
  • Amino acids L-methionine and L-cysteine
  • Alpha-lipoic acid, MSM, and N-AC
  • Omega 3

Some supplements may only contain five or six of the ingredients listed above. Others may contain almost all of them. A few may contain all of them.

There are some additional ingredients that may be found in hair growth supplements.
Some may contain herbs such as Korean red ginseng, the mushroom Polygonum multiflorum, Eclipta alba, Thuja orientalis, rosemary, or Fo-ti. These are herbs that have been used historically for centuries for hair loss and hair improvement.

Which supplements are the best? Certainly, the it would be the ones that contain the most ingredients in the right amounts your body needs.

Choosing the supplement with the most in it is much better than taking only one nutrient, thinking it will work. One ingredient by itself may or may not work, You will never be deficient in one nutrient alone; it doesn’t happen in nutrition since nutrients work together. It makes more sense to take a supplement that contains the most ingredients aimed at helping improve your hair.

The Missing Ingredient From Hair Growth Supplements

What is quite interesting is that many of the supplements on the market are overlooking a basic fact about hair, skin, and nails, muscle, and bone: these tissues are connective tissues that depend upon dietary silica for them to become strong.

It’s no wonder that they don’t add silica to their supplement. The nutrition boards of doctors that determine what nutrients are essential for the body don’t even acknowledge that silica is worthy of essential element status. Yet, when you do a little research on silica, you’ll find that not only has the soil been vastly depleted of this nutrient, but also there are only a few foods that have the mineral in it. Some of those foods include cucumbers, parsnips, and bell peppers.

Some hair growth supplements may contain small amounts of silica, but they are nowhere near the amount that is needed to get an excellent result in the hair and for hair growth. The dosage recommended is the amount of silica found in one heaping tablespoon food grade diatomaceous earth twice daily. This amount is usually added to protein shakes, juice, milk, or water. Diatomaceous earth isn’t tasteless but it is not a bad taste either.

For the past three years, I’ve recommended dietary silica in the form of diatomaceous earth to patients with all sorts of health issues that are related to connective tissue disorders. They might have hair loss, lack of hair growth, gum disorders, blood vessel disorders, bone and joint disorders, or muscle problems such as strain, tears, or injuries.

Every one of these problems has healed in record time, and I’ve been especially impressed with the results seen for those whose hair never grew much. They report that they have to get their hair cut about two weeks earlier than usual, and their hair has reached a new length they never had before in their entire life. I remember one patient in her 60s whose hair had grown past shoulder length. She was exceptionally happy about this and had wished she had found her secret to hair growth years earlier.

With diatomaceous earth, small hair loss patches on the scalp start to fill in, and over time look a lot better.

When it’s time for you to decide on a comprehensive hair growth supplement, choose wisely. Then start taking it regularly. Go the full distance and add the extra missing ingredient – dietary silica. You’ll be very happy with the results.

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Hair Essentials for Hair Growth, A Review
In Hair Care

Essential Oils for Hair Explained

5 Mins Read

Essential oils (or simply EOs) are a popular natural hair care product. Sadly, when it comes to hair oils, not many people understand how different types of oil should be used and what affect they have on our hair and scalp. In this article, I’m going to talk about what essential oils are, how to use them and how they differ from other types of hair oils.

Essential Oil Basics

Let’s begin with the name. Oils are called essential because they carry a very strong essence (or scent) of the plants that they have been extracted from. Essential oils penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and should be used with care – only a few drops of EO are usually used.

Now, most hair care regimens recommend mixing EOs with carrier oils such as castor, almond, olive, jojoba, sesame and so on. Carrier oils help to hold essential oils, making them easier to apply and preventing any unwanted side-effects of using strong EOs. Hard oils, such as coconut oil, are rarely mixed with EOs.

Popular Essential Oils

Below are quick descriptions of some of the most popular essential oils out there.

Peppermint oil: A very strong essential oil that has a strong scent and a pleasant cooling effect on the scalp. Peppermint oil should not be used undiluted, because it can easily burn the skin causing serious damage. Normally just 2-3 drops of peppermint EO is enough to give any hair oil mixture pleasant cooling and refreshing properties. The main benefit of using peppermint oil on hair is that it stimulates blood flow to the scalp, thus helping your body deliver more nutrients and minerals to the hair follicles.

Tea Tree oil: Another popular EO that is known for its superb fungus-fighting properties. Tea tree oil is often used to treat issues with itchy and flaky scalp. These annoying conditions are usually caused by fungus that can also cause dandruff and tea tree oil is a good all-natural way to keep this fungus growth under control.

Remember that tea tree oil should not be applied undiluted in its pure form as it may cause damage/burns. Mix it with a carrier oil or put a little tea tree EO into your normal shampoo/conditioner. Another thing to keep in mind is that too much tea tree oil (or simply using it too often) can lead to scalp/skin dryness, which is not a good thing.

Rosemary oil: This oil has a very, very strong scent that is also quite pleasant. For this reason, it is often added to other oils to improve the way your hair/skin smells after an oil treatment. Some people claim that rosemary EO can help with hair regrowth, though it’s really hard to confirm these reports because rosemary oil is practically always used as an ingredient in a mix of different oils. Do not use rosemary oil undiluted!

Lavender oil: This commonly used EO is a little controversial as it is thought to increase estrogen production, especially in young boys. The effects that this strange property has on adults are not very well studied. Lavender oil is often used as an ingredient in complex EO and carrier oil mixes as well as found in many hair care products.

Ylang Ylang oil: Another oil that has a very strong scent and should be used sparingly. Ylang Ylang smells a bit like jasmine and can be overwhelming if overused. Whether this EO helps with hair growth is very difficult to tell, but it does seem to help moisturize and relieve tension from the scalp! Just remember to mix Ylang Ylang with other EOs as well as some carrier oil/oils – do not use it on its own!

Thyme: Used to treat various skin, ear and mouth infections, thyme oil is also found in most potent hair growth products. It is not clear exactly how and why it works so well to treat certain types of hair loss, but it has been proven to work over and over again (only when used in a special mix with other oils though)!

How to Use Essential Oils

One thing that you must remember about essential oils is not to use them undiluted! They are usually very strong and, if overused, can cause serious skin burns as well as other health issues (such as high blood pressure, headaches and so on). People with high blood pressure should avoid using rosemary oil.

Now, for hundreds of years people have been using EOs to treat hair loss, so they are definitely worth trying. Most people either mix 1-3 drops of their favorite EO into shampoo/conditioner or add some to their pre-shampoo oil treatments.

Another thing about EOs that seems to come up time and time again is that they work best when used in conjunction with other oils. This makes it very difficult to pinpoint exactly why EOs help with hair loss and growth.

One of the most popular (and potent) essential oil recipes for hair growth is:

  • 2 drops of Cedarwood EO
  • 2 drops of thyme EO
  • 2-3 drops of rosemary EO
  • 2-3 drops of lavender EO
  • 3-5 teaspoons of grape seed oil
  • About half a teaspoon of jojoba oil

Mix all of the above oils together and then massage the mixture into your scalp (especially the areas where hair loss is occurring). Wrap your head in a towel or something to keep it warm. Now, depending on how your scalp and hair react to this treatment, you have two choices: either wait 30 minutes and then wash it all out, or keep it in overnight and wash your hair in the morning. Do not overdo this; just two treatments per week should be enough.

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In Hair Care

The Best Spring Hair Care Tips and Tricks

6 Mins Read

Most of the United States looks forward to spring with great anticipation. Warmer weather, sunshine, and lots of outdoor activities make everyone eager for the change.

Spring also means a change in how your hair reacts to weather. Having the right spring hair care tricks can ensure that your look transfers easily from winter to spring and beyond.

Expect More Growth!

Many experts believe that the increased amount of sunlight triggers your hair to grow more quickly. When your hair grows more quickly, it affects a lot of your spring hair care routines.

First, you have to make sure that if you color your hair, you keep an eye on how quickly your roots are showing. You may need to color your hair more often starting in the spring as your hair grows.

Secondly, you may need more regular cuts. If your hair grows quickly anyway, the difference may not be extreme, but you may find that you need an extra hair appointment during the spring.

What’s you take

There are many natural ways you can encourage your hair to grow more quickly, including getting the right vitamins in your diet.

Use Spring Hair Care to Air Dry

In the winter, going out with wet hair can be both dangerous to your health and difficult on your professional image. As spring appears, however, you have an opportunity to allow your hair to dry more naturally.

If you can’t allow hair to air dry over time, then use your hair dryer further from your head. The heat will be more gentle, and your hair will benefit.

Drying your hair can cause damage, including breaking down the protective cuticles and leaving hair brittle. Of course, proper spring hair care means air drying your hair properly, not just letting it go on its own.

Get a Trim to Start Off Spring

The cold and dry air of winter takes a significant toll on your hair. Getting rid of split ends is a great way to start off your spring hair care.

You don’t have to get a major cut unless you want a new look – taking just a little bit off can get rid of dry split ends and make your hair feel as fresh as the new season.

Trims have a lot of benefits for your hair, improving the look and feel as well as reducing breakage, lessening flyaway strands, and making hair look thicker and shinier.

Change Out Shampoo and Conditioner

Similar to the way that we switch out winter clothes for lighter and airier looks, it’s important to switch out shampoo and conditioner as well. You probably use moisturizing products during the winter to fight the dry air, but in the spring, that’s not as necessary.

In the spring the increase in humidity can combine with your hair products and put too much moisture into your mane, which can mean major frizz. To avoid this, consider changing to a formula designed for normal hair once warmer weather moves in.

Another important consideration is that sometimes your hair becomes too accustomed to your hair products and they lose their effectiveness. Changing your shampoo and conditioner seasonally can help keep your hair looking fabulous.

Consider More Natural Highlights

As the days lengthen, it’s a good time to consider your hair color. If you color your hair, you may think about a less structured highlight style. For your spring hair care, ask your stylist about balayage, which is a technique that involves painting color onto strands more randomly.

With a less structured highlight, your locks look more sun-kissed and ready for summer. Not only that, but it will grow out more naturally, which can save you time and money at the salon.

Balayage works with any color of hair, as long as the lighter sections are just one or two shades lighter than your overall color. You don’t need dramatic contrast, just a soft, subtle look.

Control Your Hair on Rainy Days

April showers may bring out May flowers, but they also bring out the absolute worst in your hair. Having a go-to hairstyle to keep the humidity frizz at bay can do a lot to get you through a dreary month.

Throwing your hair in a top knot can help you get through a rainy day. So will going easy on hair products, which behave differently in high humidity. A sleek, smooth braid is another great trick.

Finally, if you do end up with wet, messy hair due to the weather, be sure to use a comb to detangle it. A brush can damage wet hair, while a wide-tooth comb can detangle your locks without causing problems – or pain.

Fight the Frizz

It isn’t just rain that causes more frizz in the spring. The rapid increase of humidity after a dry winter can create wild hair and flyaways on even the sunniest days.

You can use an anti-frizz serum on damp hair to help seal and smooth the cuticle. To avoid a greasy look, only use the serum from the midpoint of the strand to the tip. There are also anti-humidity sprays that can help tame your tresses. Mist these sprays on dry hair near the roots, without overdoing it.

Carrying an anti-humidity spray with you to work can help you get a midday touchup or avoid frizz when you leave the office for lunch. Coconut oil can also help while encouraging hair growth at the same time. Overall, though, you’ll do best on humid days if your hairstyle is similar to your natural look. Don’t fight your hair!

Spring Hair Care Can Be Fun

The best way to handle spring hair care is to embrace what the new season brings, challenges and all. Yes, you’ll get more humidity and rainy days. But you’ll also get beautiful sunshine, warm breezes, and more reasons to be outside than ever.

By keeping your hair with a natural look, you can avoid having to fight your mane’s natural tendencies. Spring is not the time to force curly hair into a super-straight style, and it’s not the time to try to bring significant volume and curls into extremely straight locks.

Whether you’re trying to encourage longer, thicker hair or simply trying maintain your current style, spring can be tough. With these spring hair care tips and tricks, you’ll be on your way to beautiful spring tresses!

What’s your take on these spring hair care tips? Join the conversation in the comments section below!

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In Hair Growth

Iron Deficiency and Hair Growth

3 Mins Read

Iron deficiency is frequently linked to hair loss, although this very simple condition often goes misdiagnosed or ignored until it’s too late. In this article, I’m going to give you some basic information on how iron and other minerals affect hair growth and what you should do about it.

How Does Iron Affect Hair Growth?

Since hair growth is a continuous metabolic (hence “growth”) process, it requires a constant supply of essential vitamins and minerals in order to function well. It’s long been known that iron and vitamin D are both extremely important to our metabolism and any deficiencies can have serious adverse effects.

Curiously, hair growth is considered to be a non-essential process (by the body), which means that it’s always one of the last things on your body’s to-do list. For this reason, vitamin and mineral deficiencies have such a strong effect on hair growth: there’s simply not enough “fuel” left over for these not-very-important processes, and so they are ignored.

Now, practically anyone can suffer from an iron deficiency. Some of the most common risk factors are:

  • Following a vegan or vegetarian diet.
  • Women of menstruating age (blood loss during periods leads to chronic iron deficiency when combined with an unhealthy diet).
  • People who suffer from various health conditions such as anemia.

Possible iron deficiency symptoms are: difficulty sleeping, increased anxiety levels, chronic fatigue, depression, skin that’s very sensitive to cold, brittle nails, muscle weakness, and so on. The most important thing is to get proper blood tests done. These tests are not expensive, just ask your doctor to check your blood iron levels. Never self-supplement with iron without a proper diagnosis.

Does Supplementation Help?

If your hair loss was caused by an iron deficiency, taking supplements will surely help. Sadly, making an accurate diagnosis can often be very difficult, because hair loss can be caused by a huge range of factors. Normally however, both men and women with severe iron deficiency experience slow, gradual decline of hair density on the scalp (which, unlike pattern baldness, affects the entire scalp).

Iron deficiencies are almost always accompanied by other vitamin/mineral deficiencies as well as the inability to absorb certain minerals from food (either due to a medical condition or poor diet). For this reason, most people who take iron supplements should also be taking a multivitamin that includes vitamins C and D. Vitamin C is particularly important for absorption of iron.

Foods like lean red meat (sirloin steak), green leafy vegetables (spinach), lentils, beans (especially kidney beans), dried apricots, and so on also contain iron. Studies show that protein-based iron sources are by far the best way to replenish our iron supplies (which means eating lean red meat, skinless and boneless chicken breast, turkey breast, etc).

Remember that iron deficiencies take a long time to develop and an even longer time to go away completely. Sadly, normal hair/nail growth can take many months (normally between 3 to 6 months) to resume, so be patient and do not just assume that your treatment didn’t work.

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Hair Loss? Consider Taking Prenatal Vitamins for Hair Growth, Some Say

5 Mins Read

Have you heard celebrities talk about the benefits of taking prenatal vitamins for hair growth? The big question is whether or not this is true.

Many women find that their hair does grow exceptionally long during pregnancy, but does that mean that the two are related? Pregnant women also do other things like eat odd food combinations; maybe these are related!

Two Physiological Reasons Why Hair Grows During Pregnancy

The fact is that a woman’s hair grows fast during pregnancy, not because she is taking prenatal vitamins for hair growth, but because of her hormones. The higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy allow the hairs to essentially stay on the head longer before they are shed.

Scientifically speaking, the estrogen-influenced hairs stay in the anagen phase (when they grow) before they progress to the telogen phase where shedding occurs. This results in thicker and longer hair.

Another reason is that the circulation is expanded in the pregnant woman’s body so that the baby can get more nutrients it needs, especially oxygen. Extra blood vessels and capillaries begin to grow and every part of the body including the scalp receives more blood flow. With more blood flow, it’s easy for hair follicles to grow.

It’s a coincidence that the woman is taking prenatal vitamins for hair growth. Or is it?

What About Nutritional Reasons?

Actually, we have to identify what’s in prenatal vitamins for hair growth to see if the nutrients may be part of the reason why a pregnant woman’s hair does grow thicker. Comparing a prenatal vitamin to a regular multivitamin, you won’t find much difference. The average prenatal vitamin formula has more iron and more folate and usually more biotin.

The nutrients cited in medical studies that may be responsible for hair growth include biotin, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, and vitamin D.

The average prenatal vitamin contains the following amounts of these hair growth nutrients:

• Biotin – 300 mcg
This amount is 100% of the estimated value for adults. A biotin deficiency will cause the hair to fall out. If someone is deficient in biotin, the amounts taken to correct it are 3 mg, 5 mg or even 10 mg. Thus, it’s easy to see that a prenatal isn’t providing a nutritional cushion for those with deficiencies or those with hair loss.

• Iron – 30 mg
This is more than the 18 mg a multivitamin for women would contain for a menstruating woman because the needs are greater in pregnancy, and anemia can seriously harm a developing baby as well as the mother. Iron deficiency causes hair loss.

• Zinc – 15 mg
This is the amount everyone needs as an adult. There’s nothing special with this amount, and it won’t cure a deficiency. Zinc deficiency causes hair loss.

• Iodine – 150 mcg
This amount is 100% of the estimated value for adults. This is an interesting amount to have in a prenatal vitamin since the American Thyroid Association recommends 250 mcg for pregnant and lactating women. Iodine influences thyroid health, which controls how fast the hair, grows. (Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol, 2012 Sep; 94(9):677-82.)

• Selenium – 100 mcg
The usual amount in supplements is 70 mcg so the 30 mg extra could provide a small buffer, but not enough to be considered a replacement if a woman is deficient. Deficiency is associated with hair loss, as is toxicity. Toxicity is exceptionally rare.

• Vitamin D – 400 IU
Prenatal vitamin companies haven’t caught on to the idea that up to 75% of the population may be deficient in this nutrient, and if so, could need up to 10,000 IU per day for three months in order to correct the deficiency.

Higher circulating levels of vitamin D in moms during pregnancy are associated with improved mental and psychomotor development in infants. (Pediatrics, 2012, Oct; 130(4):e913-20.)

Animal studies are beginning to show an influence of vitamin D on hair growth and regrowth, too, although it’s not definitely proven. However, since vitamin D controls over 1000 different genes that are related to illness, it’s not far-fetched to think that one of those 1000 could possibly be connected with hair growth.

Prenatal Vitamins Can Supplement But Never Be Enough

From this summary, it’s easy to see that prenatal vitamins really aren’t going to do much for hair growth, let alone for pregnancy! Prenatal vitamins are pretty inadequate in providing all the woman’s needs for pregnancy. Surprisingly, prenatal vitamins are one area of medicine not addressed much, as ob-gyns simply hand out prenatal vitamins as if one size fits all.

The problem is that all of us are living far underneath our nutritional potential and have dietary and nutrient imbalances. Nutritional studies have found deficiencies in every group of people, young or old – and it’s not only one deficiency; it’s multiple ones. It’s conceivable that your nutrition can be boosted to optimal and your hair loss could stop.

By adding prenatal vitamins for hair growth, you can temporarily give yourself a boost of some nutrients and notice that you’re feeling better, but there are better ways to approach hair loss that are more scientifically sound. By using a whole panel of nutritional tests and hormonal tests, you can detect the cause of your hair loss.

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6 Tips for Maintaining Your Healthy Hair

5 Mins Read

Just like the rest of your body, your hair needs to be maintained and well kept to stay healthy. Obviously vitamins are a great way to help keep your hair healthy and strong, but there are other things you can do to make sure you have a nice set of hair on your head. Hair washing techniques, hair products and natural remedies can all be utilized to maintain healthy hair.

How to Make Hair Grow Faster

There are a lot of ways to make your hair grow faster besides just loading up on vitamins. If you’re not satisfied with the rate your hair is growing at, don’t panic; consider some of these great tips to help your hair grow faster.

  • Stop loading up on chemicals: Throwing a bunch of chemicals at your hair to help it “look better” is doing more harm to your hair than you can imagine. Chemicals weaken your hair and slow growth. The same way throwing tons of preservatives into your food harms your body, constantly using chemicals on your hair causes harm to your hair.
  • Scalp massages:The great thing about scalp massages is not only will they help promote hair growth, but they’re also a great way of giving yourself a little treat! Scalp massages help to generate blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair growth. Consider hot oil treatment as well with your scalp massages. Heating up some olive oil (rosemary oil works well as well) and using it as a part of your scalp massage will help provide your scalp with much needed nourishment.
  • Improve your overall health: Living a healthy lifestyle helps improve your immune system which helps stop your vitamins from diminishing. And when you’re healthier you feel better, which may encourage you to take better care of your hair.
  • Wash your hair: Make sure you’re keeping your hair clean to help reduce build up of residue, dead skin and dandruff. These menaces can congest hair follicles and stunt hair growth.

Choosing the Right Shampoo

Knowing what kind of shampoo works best for your hair is essential in maintaining healthy hair. There are several factors to consider when choosing the type of shampoo that works for you. Ingredients are probably at the forefront of things to consider when choosing your shampoo. Make sure you know what the ingredients in your products are and what they do. Stick to products that have natural ingredients and are not loaded with a bunch of chemicals that you can’t pronounce.

A lot of people make the mistake of assuming that just because a shampoo advertises the fact that they include certain vitamins, they are somehow superior. This is not true. Vitamins aren’t well absorbed through the scalp and you’re better off including vitamins in your regular diet. Vitamins taken in through food are much better absorbed than those in shampoo.

Another thing to consider when choosing your shampoo is your hair type. Is your hair curly, straight, limp or dry? The answer to this question will help you make the best decision for your shampoo.

  • Fine Hair: You will probably want to avoid creamy shampoos that were made for curlier hair. You’ll need something that will be gentle on your hair. And you may be able to skip on the conditioner as well. Generally, if you can manage to run a comb through your hair after washing it, conditioner isn’t necessary.
  • Curly Hair: As opposed to fine hair, you can go ahead and use creamy shampoo for your curls. Look for shampoo with natural oils such as coconut oils to help moisturize your hair. These creamier shampoos are usually moisturizing as well which is what you should be looking for.
  • Dry Hair: If your hair is dried out or damaged, stick to creamy shampoos instead of thinner or clear shampoos. Creamier shampoos will help detangle your damaged hair and help provide some moisture to combat the dryness.

Natural Dandruff Remedies

One of the most irritating things about trying to keep healthy hair is getting rid of dandruff. There are plenty of dandruff shampoos on the market and chemicals that promise to get rid of dandruff, but you may want to try out some of these natural dandruff remedies as a way of getting rid of dandruff and keeping your hair healthy at the same time.

  • Vinegar: One of the most popular and well known home remedies for getting rid of dandruff is washing your hair with vinegar. White wine vinegar seems to be the most popular option. You can use straight vinegar or make a mixture of water and vinegar.
  • Olive Oil: Similar to vinegar, washing your hair with olive oil is another great natural way to get rid of dandruff. The oil keeps your hair from drying up and flaking, thus preventing dandruff.
  • Lemon Juice: When life gives you lemons, use it to get rid of your dandruff. Use the juice from lemons to massage your scalp and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Not only will it fight dandruff, but it also gives your hair some shine!

Other Hair Growing Tips

One easy way to help your hair grow is putting down cigarettes if you’re a smoker. The smoke from cigarettes alone is enough to damage your hair, and all the chemicals you’re inhaling into your body aren’t helping at all. Another thing you can do to help out with hair growth is try to keep stress at a minimum. This will save you some headaches as well.

If you follow these tips and take our advice, you can help prevent hair loss and maintain healthy hair. Stick to natural products and avoid chemicals whenever possible. Your hair is a part of your body and health and should be treated as such. This state of mind will help you keep a healthy set of hair for a very long time.

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Biotin for Better Hair Growth

3 Mins Read

There is no doubt in my mind that vitamins and hair growth are linked in a million different ways and that some vitamins, such as B7 (or simply Biotin), are extremely important for maintaining healthy, strong and shiny hair. Now, many beauty products that contain Biotin claim that this magical ingredient can make hair grow faster, re-grow lost hair and even make your hair thicker. Let’s find out whether these claims are true or just marketing hype.

What is Biotin?

Biotin, also called vitamin B7, is a part of something known as the vitamin B complex, which is a whole group of very important vitamins that aid everything from cell growth to balancing hormonal levels in the body. Biotin is created naturally in the intestines and can also be acquired from various food sources as well as supplements.

One very important thing to understand about Biotin and most other vitamins (including B-complex vitamins) is that they do not aid hair growth/re-growth directly. Many hair beauty products claim that B vitamins can improve hair growth – that’s not true!

Now, this doesn’t mean that supplementation is useless! Biotin plays an important role in hundreds of different processes within the body, some of which are crucial to maintaining/producing healthy hair. This is exactly why vitamin B (including B7) supplements seem to have a different affect on different people. If your inner processes are working slower due to mineral or vitamin deficiencies, correcting them will certainly produce great results. In some cases, however, taking vitamin supplements will have no noticeable effect (if your hair loss is genetic, for example).

Oh and remember that vitamins for hair/nail growth should always be taken orally. Topical creams, shampoos and various other solutions that contain Biotin are next to worthless.

Sources and Usage

As with all vitamins, the best way to increase your daily intake is by changing up your diet. That’s because vitamins from dietary sources are much better absorbed by the body. Some of the most common Biotin-packed foods are: green leafy vegetables, lentils, walnuts, almonds, Swiss chard, milk, carrots, berries (raspberries, strawberries) and many others.

Another way to get more Biotin into your system is by taking vitamin B supplements. While this method is not as effective as eating a healthy and balanced diet, it is often the best option for people with Biotin deficiencies and conditions that could benefit from Biotin supplementation.

Remember, however, that you should have your vitamin B levels tested (ask your doctor to perform a blood test) in order to determine what daily supplement dose you should be taking. While Biotin deficiencies are rare, some people suffer from various other vitamin B deficiencies that can have devastating effects on hair growth/health and should be treated with a full B-complex vitamin supplement.

In very rare cases your body might be unable to properly absorb vitamin B. When this happens, you will experience brittle nails, weak/breaking hair, slow hair growth and many other related symptoms. In such cases, ask your doctor to recommend a good sublingual vitamin B supplement instead of pills/tablets. Sublingual supplements are absorbed directly into the bloodstream and have a much quicker and more powerful effect.

And remember that any vitamin/supplement regimen will normally take 2-3 months to start showing measurable benefits. So be patient, eat healthy and don’t lose hope!

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Choosing the Right Hair Dryer for You

6 Mins Read

You’re getting ready for a night out and you sit in front of your mirror. You switch on your hair dryer and it dies in your hand.

Nightmare.

You know that letting hair dry naturally is the more healthy choice. It means you have fewer cracks along your hair cuticles, which means less breakage.

But you don’t really want to go out with wet hair.

Ever found yourself in a situation like this?

You probably didn’t give a lot of thought to the replacement dryer. You just knew you needed one.

And with the huge number available, maybe you checked a few reviews and just bought the one in your budget.

But is it the right hair dryer for you?

Using the wrong dryer could even cause brittle hair.

Read on to discover what you should look out for in your new dryer.

The best hair dryer for thick/long hair

A high-wattage model is a brilliant choice if you have a lot of hair.

Why?

Because it has more wind power, it’ll cut down how long you need to use the dryer. So you don’t need as much heat. Low-wattage models give more heat and less wind so you expose your hair to more damage. It’s like baking your hair instead of drying it.

You don’t want to end up cooking your hair or destroying the natural water in the hair. That’ll leave you with easily breakable hair and frizzy ends.

Look for a hair dryer that has 1800 – 2000 watts. Some professional dryers will go up to 3600. The beauty of high-watt models is they also don’t burn out as fast. So they’re a more long term investment.

Or you can look for a titanium hair dryer. They keep the temperature steady by using titanium as a construction material. The dryer ends up being a lot hotter. So don’t use them on hair that is prone to damage. But they can really speed up drying your hair.

The other advantage is that titanium is lighter than ceramic. That’s a real issue if you’re drying your hair for more than 20 minutes.

The best dryers for frizzy hair

You could try an ionic hair dryer. This is truly space age technology. Water ions carry a positive charge. But ionic dryers use negative ions.

So an ionic dryer bursts the droplets of water onto your hair. That means it can’t soak in and cause frizz. You’ll get a sleek finish because the ions remove moisture and close the cuticle.

It also speeds up the drying time. So it makes the ionic dryer a great choice for straight hair too. If you’ve got a lot of money to spend, try a tourmaline dryer. Tourmaline is a semi-precious mineral and these dryers have a coating inside.

That gives even more negative ions for your buck. But don’t use an ionic hair dryer if you have flat or oily hair. Looks that need volume are also a bad match for ionic dryers.

If you want a bit of variety, look for a dryer that lets you flip between the two modes.

Dryers for fine or dry hair

Look for ceramic or porcelain dryers. Their internal parts are coated with these materials which keep the temperature more consistent. They also emit a softer heat.

Ceramic dryers also give off negative ions which will make drying quicker. If your hair is prone to frizz, the negative ions will help smooth it out.

Combine a ceramic dryer with a concentrator nozzle to battle frizz. Concentrating the heat means you won’t blow the hair about while drying.

A concentrator nozzle is also a brilliant way to add volume and lift at the crown if you have fine hair.

An infrared hair dryer penetrates the hair with longer energy wavelengths. That dries hair from the inside so it’s great for dry hair.

If you’d like longer, thicker hair then check out our 5 expert tips.

Need a dryer for curly hair?

Ceramic or porcelain dryers are also a good choice for curly hair. Blasting curls with heat can make them lose definition.

So you want a slow and steady heat to keep them intact.

Too much heat can also damage naturally curly hair. Research shows that straight hair is much better at handling heat because it dissipates it differently.

So in addition, use a diffuser with your hair dryer. It’ll hold up your hair so you can build up the volume at the roots.

A diffuser also cuts down on the air flow, making the heat less fierce. That also helps with keeping the definition of your curls while avoiding as much damage.

It does take longer to dry your hair with a diffuser, but a porcelain dryer will still do the job.

Other bonus features that can help

You might wonder why you’d need a hair dryer with a cool button. But they’re great if you want to maintain your style because cooler air can seal the cuticle.

You can even switch to the cool setting when your hair is around 80% dry. That way you can dry your hair but avoid overheating it.

Look for adjustable heat settings, especially if you share your dryer with someone else.

And there’s no reason to use the highest temperature setting. Lower settings will still dry hair without damaging it as much. A cheap dryer might do the job. But they’re not designed to take care of your hair at the same time.

A professional level dryer will provide the accessories and settings that help you dry according to your hair type and style.

Ultimately, if you’re going to invest in a hair dryer then choose a model that won’t ruin your hair. You don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune. Just buy a model with the functions that your hair needs.

You should also invest in a routine that will care for your hair. Why not try these essential vitamins for hair growth? If you look after your hair and your dryer, then they will look after you.

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