Recap: Wednesday's Hair Growth Tips!

Growing healthy hair from the inside out. Click on the links below for a full post on each tip.

WEDNESDAY'S HAIR GROWTH TIPS:
1. Maintain a clean scalp.
2. See a doctor regularly.
3. Exercise.
4. Drink green tea!
5. Essential oil massage.
6. Drink your water!
7. Eat sufficient protein.
8. Eat hair foods!
9. Get adequate sleep!
10. Take your multivitamins!

Ginkgo Biloba and Blood Circulation

Ginkgo biloba extract. It is an antioxidant that mitigates poor blood circulation. It is typically used to improve memory, but has also been shown to slow the progression of vitiligo as well as stimulate hair growth. Additionally, antioxidants have been linked to reducing oxidative stress, which has been associated with cancer, other diseases, and aging. Ginkgo biloba extract can be found in supplement form at your local grocery store. The extract may be more beneficial to those seeking hair regrowth -- for example in the temples or the nape where hair loss was suffered -- than for those seeking to increase their growth rate.

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MORE READS:
GINKGO BILOBA & HAIR REGROWTH

Final Wednesday's Hair Growth Tip!

10. Take your multivitamins!

I'm sure many of you have heard this before, so this may just be a reminder. For optimal hair growth, our body needs adequate nutrients from the foods we eat. Halt! Did you know that canned and frozen vegetables and fruits contain fewer vitamins than fresh vegetables and fruits? Did you know that boiled, steamed (yes, steamed), and microwaved veggies contain fewer nutrients than raw veggies? The same is true for certain meats, dairy products, etc. Therefore, it is possible that some of us are not absorbing sufficient nutrients from the "healthy" foods we do eat. With that being said, be sure to purchase and prepare your food for optimal nutrient absorption, or at the very least, invest in a good multi-vitamin to make up for that slack.

SOURCE & OTHER READS:
WOMEN & VITAMINS
VITAMIN DOSAGE
VITAMINS & COOKING METHODS
VITAMIN B-12 & MICROWAVE
VITAMIN B-6 & MICROWAVE
VITAMIN C & COOKING METHODS
VITAMIN C & FOOD PREPARATION
MULTIVITAMINS & CANCER

Wednesday's Hair Growth Tip!

9. Get adequate sleep!

Sleep is an opportunity for the body to recuperate from a day's worth of activities and stress. Without this resting process, our body -- including our hair -- may suffer. According to one study, "losing sleep for even part of one night can trigger the key cellular pathway that produces tissue-damaging inflammation." In other words, insufficient sleep can be detrimental to our health. What does this mean for hair growth? Well, healthy growing hair begins with a healthy lifestyle, and adequate sleep is a part of a healthy lifestyle. For your hair to reach its optimal growing potential, be sure to rest up!

SOURCES & OTHER READS:
SLEEP STUDY
ANOTHER STUDY
SLEEP MYTHS
SLEEP DISORDERS
RELATED BLOG POST

Wednesday's Hair Growth Tip!

8. Eat hair foods!

Because healthy, growing hair begins from within a diet containing hair foods is key. For a list of some of these foods, check out:

HAIR FOODS: click here

As always, please speak with your doctor before changing your diet!

Wednesday's Hair Growth Tip!

7. Eat Sufficient Protein.

Our hair is mainly comprised of keratin, a type of protein. Without a source of amino acids for building keratin, hair growth and thickness will suffer. For that reason, a diet sufficient in protein is critical for hair formation.

Not so fast! Don't go downing several pounds of red meat to get your fill of protein for the day. Instead, consume healthier alternatives -- such as the foods in the list that follows. Also, be careful not to absorb excessive portions of protein relative to other essential nutrients in your diet; health risks, such as kidney disease, osteoporosis, and heart disease can result. Read the first few links below to determine whether you are getting enough of protein.

Some Healthy Protein Foods:
salmon - click here for post
sushi - click here for post
beans - click here for post
peanut butter soy smoothie - click here for post
eggs - click here for post
chicken (white meat) - post coming soon

SOURCES & MORE READS:
GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN?
HIGH-PROTEIN DIET - THE GOOD & BAD
PROTEIN REQS & WEIGHT
HEALTHY SOURCES OF PROTEIN
H&H PROTEIN POSTS
HAIR NUTRIENTS
HAIR BIOLOGY

Study || Peppermint Essential Oil for Hair Growth

The use of peppermint oil for hair growth is not new at all to the natural hair community. Search the archives of hair care forums and blogs, and you will find at least one thread or article devoted to it. Nonetheless, there has not been a concrete study on peppermint oil for hair growth … until now.

1. Let’s talk about previous research of peppermint oil

Over the years, the benefits of peppermint oil have been evidenced in other regards.

“… peppermint has been reported to show anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities as well as strong antioxidant activity, and antiallergenic and antitumor actions. Several clinical trials examining the effects of peppermint oil (PEO) on irritable bowel syndrome have been reported. However, experimental trial of PEO in its hair growth activity has not been fully reported.”

In December 2014, a thorough study on the growth benefits of peppermint oil was finally published.

2. The study: methodology and experiment

“The aim of this study was to address the therapeutic potential of peppermint oil (PEO) for hair loss via the comparative analysis between PEO and minoxidil.”

Some of us are already familiar with minoxidil for hair growth, whether first-hand or through hearing the experiences of others. Research also supports this use and doctors widely recommend topical minoxidil (Rogaine®) to treat some forms of alopecia.

This particular study was aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of peppermint oil versus the widely used and researched treatment for hair loss, minoxidil. For the experiment, 100% pure peppermint essential oil was diluted in jojoba oil (a carrier oil). The mixture was then applied topically once a day, six days a week, for approximately a month.

The experimental design was as follows:

“This study investigated the effect of peppermint oil on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. The animals were randomized into 4 groups based on different topical applications: saline (SA), jojoba oil (JO), 3% minoxidil (MXD), and 3% peppermint oil (PEO). The hair growth effects of the 4-week topical applications were evaluated in terms of hair growth, histological analysis, enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), known bio-markers for the enhanced hair growth.”

3. The findings

The results of the study showed that peppermint oil had the most pronounced effect on hair growth compared to the other three compounds. Additionally, the oil showed significant increases in follicle count, or hair density. Here is a snapshot of the results:

- “At week 4, PEO showed hair growth at about 92%, whereas MXD about 55%”
- “The depth, size, and number of hair follicles were also markedly increased in PEO treated skin.”
- "PEO showed remarkably increased IGF-1 mRNA expression at week 2, whereas MXD at week 4.” (NOTE: IGF-1 supports cell growth and survival while also playing a role to increase hair thickness.)

4. So what does this mean?

For those of you who use peppermint oil for hair regrowth, you might actually be onto something!

“In conclusion, our experimental data suggest that 3% PEO facilitates hair growth by promoting the conservation of vascularization of hair dermal papilla, which may contribute to the induction of early anagen stage. In addition, PEO effectively stimulated hair growth in an animal model via several mechanisms and thus could be used as a therapeutic or preventive alternative medicine for hair loss in humans.”

SOURCE:
Ji Young Oh, Min Ah Park, and Young Chul Kim. "Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs". Toxicology Research, Volume 30, Issue 4 Dec. 2014, pp. 297–304.