Natural Hair Loss Remedy

Naturally dyed hair with indigo and henna. 

The aging process. Sometimes it’s a thorn in my side, other times, it feels comforting. You know… like that warm feeling you  get when you’ve given someone  a good piece of advice based on your past  experiences so that they might not have to climb those rocks you did…and then they thank you for it cause it really worked for them. Yeah! A great feeling. But then there’s that thorn….a thorn that no matter what you do or whose advice you follow, it just won’t come out.

     My thorn: chronic hair loss. I’d really been fighting this uphill battle for about 3 years now. Initially, I was convinced that my age (I just hit 50) was the leading factor. My MD said, “It’s your age. Women approaching Menopause often experience this problem. Eat a healthy diet and take vitamins. But, it probably won’t help. It’s most likely an Estrogen issue.” Hmm, ok…an Estrogen issue. So I loaded up on Phytoestrogens, vitamin supplements like C, D, E, and Zinc along with my healthy diet and….my hair kept falling out. Next possible solution: Stress reduction. Everyone knows that stress can have some pretty serious side effects on the body; one of those being hair loss. I had a lot of stress, to put it lightly. So I eased back on my business, started practicing Yoga on a regular basis, and taught myself how to not take everything so severely. Yes, I’m a bit Type A. Not extreme, but it’s in my nature to be a bit of a perfectionist. Well, guess what? My hair STILL kept falling out…in handfuls. The situation really was getting scary. I thought, “If this keeps up, I’m going to need to start wearing a wig in a year or two.”

     And then I stumbled across several blogs and websites written by women (of all ages) who had suffered from hair loss problems and/or were providing information about addressing the issue as allergy related and not nutritional or age. OMG! Why hadn’t I ever thought of that? I’m so puritanistic about the foods I put into my body: Gluten free, no processed sugar, high fiber, minimal animal protein, etc. But, I never once thought about the products I put on my head. After all, these high end store bought concoctions smelled so good and WOW, did they make my hair shiny! How could they be bad for me? The more I began to research, the more I recognized the symptoms I was experiencing were allergic reactions.  Even many of the advertised “All Natural” products aren’t really as natural as they claim. They’re full of toxic chemicals like PPD (Para-Phenylenediamine: found in almost all hairdyes, even the natural ones!), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (in many shampoos, yes even the natural ones but under different names; sneaky!), and Parabens (in many conditioners). These are just a few of the nasty chemicals found in most common store bought products and the list is endless. Many of the companies that produce hair products alter the ingredient names so that they sound natural and…healthy.

     So, once I discovered this well-kept secret, I decided to find the most natural products I could for myself and then try them out to see was I really having nothing more than allergies? To make a long story short, I settled on homemade Soapnut/castille soap shampoo, Argan oil (for combing out – I have long hair), no conditioner, and henna/indigo dye (every 3 weeks). Result: my hair stopped falling out immediately! Oh yes, I do have normal daily hair fallout, but the handful days are gone and my bathroom trash is now full of tissues and Q-tips and not my long beautiful tresses. My hair is healthier and fuller, too! Hair has even started growing back in places that were beginning to bald. I’m ecstatic! And…my thorn is gone.

I’m listing my favorite places where I get my supplies from so that, hopefully, if you or anyone you know is suffering from mysterious hair loss this article might be of service to you and those you care for. Have a blessed day full of love, peace, and good health!

1. Mountain Rose Herbs – www.mountainroseherbs.com

     This is where I get all of my herbs and oils from. One of the few places online to find Soapnuts. Small quantities and bulk pricing available.

2. Mehandi – www.mehandi.com

     Favorite online source for Henna and Indigo dye. Their products are tested for purity and this site has a wealth of information concerning Henna, Indigo, and the hair coloring process. Their customer service is very helpful if you have questions.  (By the way, using henna isn’t just for achieving red hair! For dark hair, blend henna and indigo to get a fabulous dark color mix. My hair is medium dark brown with red undertones. If you don’t want red undertones, then add Amla to the mix and it will tone down the henna. I add fresh ground Cloves and Cardamom to my mix and my hair smells divine for weeks.)Messy… but so worth the trouble!

3. Trader Joes – www.traderjoes.com

     Best price I’ve found for Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Pure Castille Soap. My favorite is the Peppermint!

Dried Soapnuts

Soapnut Shampoo Recipe –
     5-6 soap nuts
     2 Cups Water
     ¼ C. Liquid Castille Soap (optional) 

In a small pot, boil Soapnuts in water at medium heat for about 20 minutes. Let cool. Strain liquid into glass jar/container. Add Castille Soap & then mix. (You can add more Castille soap if you really prefer a lot of lather in your shampoo. Soapnuts do not lather.) Pour needed quantity onto hair, work well into scalp and hair, and clip up for about 5 minutes while you’re shaving and showering. Rinse thoroughly. (Note: this shampoo needs to be refrigerated; will keep for about 4-5 days. Also, don’t get this in your eyes. It burns!! If you do, rinse your eyes really well. It may take several tries. You won’t go blind and, trust me, you’ll never let it happen again.)