BACK TO ASK THE HERBALIST INDEX

ANSWERS FROM KAREN
NO HAIR GROWTH
QUESTION: Hi, its been about 6 yrs since my hair has grown!  It is always at the same length so I decided to layer it because I thought that this would help the problem and maybe promote my hair to start growing and now I'm stuck with layers forever!  I've also lost a considerable amount of hair over this time, its thin to begin with.  I'm a Healy eater most of the time, I smoke 2 to 3 cigarettes per day and have too much sugar with my coffee.   Anyway you can help would be much appreciated. 

ANSWER: I think you already nailed it. Give up the smokes and the sugar. That's an excellent first start. Also, the things you put on your hair can clog up the follicles or even kill them in some instances. Go for a pure, natural, organic shampoo if you can find it. Rosemary essential oil is also very good for the hair.

QUESTION: Hello I am 19 years old female and have started experiencing sudden hair loss, I lose a lot of hair when brushing but even more when washing. I am not sure what to do I have started using Chinese herbal medication for hair loss and growth, also use rosemary, lavender and wood oak oil which I massage into scalp and leave until the next day or even for two days because I try to avoid washing my hair so often. I have recently started using florasil, b complex and phyto me, sometimes I wonder if I'm taking too much stuff. I started washing my hair with organic biotin shampoo and I also use conditioner (conditioner makes my hair fall out even more). When I touch my scalp I can feel my hair growing but I am still very scared I had really
nice hair not very thick but normal, but it became very thin in about 3 weeks. I'm not sure what the cause  is. I noticed after I have taken a morning after pill it has started to fall out I was also stressed out at that time and still am probably because of my hair issue. Could morning after pill be the cause. I had my bloodwork done and urine, blood is fine but my bilorubeen is kind of high. I have an appointment with dermatologist next
week but I really want to hear your opinion, I prefer natural way Please let me know what you think of my case and if there is anything I should stop or start using Thank you so much

ANSWER: Well, if you've read any of my posts on Herbnet.com, you know I am not a big fan of Prescription meds. That said, I have no idea what's in your "morning after" pill, but if it's strong enough to cause an abortion, it can't be good for your system. The fact that your biliruben numbers are off tells me that something is going on with your liver. Of course, your hair, skin and nail condition is always an indicator of the health of the liver, so the fact that a seemingly healthy 19 year old girl is losing her hair would definitely cause some concern.
 
I can't tell you what to take and not take. That's a personal decision. The oils you are using in your hair, (although I don't know how much you are using, and hopefully they are diluted in a base oil and not used full strength), are known to be helpful in the growth of new hair. Again, the Florisil, not familiar with it, so I can't say. I don't like the use of anything synthetic or chemical, but I tend to be a bit of a purist.
 
I would check your diet. White sugar, White flour, preservatives and artificial sweeteners are all like poison and shouldn't cross your lips. If you are stressed, as most of us are these days, the B complex should help that if you are using a quality, sub-lingual product. B needs to be absorbed and if you are seeing bright yellow urine in the toilet, chances are, you're not absorbing much.
 
Lastly, I'd suggest a liver cleanse. Milk thistle and dandelion root are excellent for this. I have a tea on my website called Liver Cleanse. You can find it in the Apothecary at www.allgoodegifts.com

QUESTION:  heard on the radio that a recent study had findings that caffeine can regrow hair if applied directly to the scalp. Can you find out more info on this , such as how much and how often and where to get the caffeine?

ANSWER: I wouldn't put much stock in it. Caffeine has actually been linked to stunting hair growth.

QUESTION: I am a 19 year old female. I have always had very thick slightly wavy hair. I have colored it a lot probably  3 times a year for 5 years. I stopped coloring it about 2 years ago though. About 5 months ago I started noticing a lot of hair falling out when I wash it. (more than 100 strands a day) I can now tell that my hair is getting thinner. And it is still coming out a lot. Not in chunks, just hairs here and there. I have not changed my diet or been under a lot of stress.  Also balding or thinning does not run in my family.  I am on birth  control. I have switched a lot in the last year because of very irregular periods. I talked to my doctor briefly about it and she suggested that it may be  because I have never had my hair so long before and she said that some hairs just don't grow long. But my hair isn't that long. Only a little below the shoulders. Do you think that it could have something to do with the birth control? Do i need to see a doctor? And if it is just one of those things that happens, do you have  any suggestions on what can help me from becoming completely bald? Please give me advice!!

ANSWER: I could very well be the birth control. Also, whether we feel stressed or not, it's hard not to be living in this day and age. That also could be contributing to this. Hair and skin are windows into the state of the liver. It could be that you are toxic and it is manifesting itself this way. Are you taking the birth control solely to control/regulate your periods? I have a tea that may be beneficial. Actually several. A liver detox, a hair health tea,  and a hormone regulator tea. They can be found on my website at www.allgoodegifts.com  in the Apothecary. I also have a great hair oil that I developed called Crowning Glory Hair oil. It can be found in the Personal care section. But if you have things going on with your liver or hormones, I don't know if it will be very helpful. Always better to work from the inside out!

QUESTION: I recently heard that rosemary may promote hair growth and have purchased a bottle of rosemary essential oil.  I’m not sure how much to apply to my scalp and was wondering if you could enlighten me.   

ANSWER: Yes, Rosemary is very good for the hair and does help promote new growth. I wouldn't use it full strength however.  Mix it with a carrier oil like sweet almond or jojoba.  I have a hair oil called Crowning Glory that is especially formulated for my female friends with thinning hair. If you're interested, you can find it on my website, www.allgoodegifts.com in the Herb Shoppe under Personal Care Products.

QUESTION: I am 25 years old, diagnosed with PCOS 2 or so years ago.  When I was diagnosed, I hadn't had regular periods for 2 years (I rarely had a period during this time).  I have experienced excessive hair loss and weight gain of about 40 pounds, especially in my mid section.  My testosterone levels are "slightly elevated," my triglycerides are "dangerously high" and my good cholesterol is "dangerously low."  Apparently, my body is not handling sugars/starches properly and this had been considered the basis of my symptoms.  I was prescribed drugs that affect my metabolism and hormone levels; have experienced more regular periods with these medicines, but I am still experiencing hair loss from elevated testosterone levels.  Any suggestions that you have would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER: I don't know what drugs you are taking, but high testosterone levels should not be causing hair loss. If anything, you should be having problems with hair growing where you don't want it! Perhaps the hair loss is a side effect of the drugs you are taking.  Make sure you are taking a good quality B complex and lots of essential fatty acids like flaxseed oil, primrose oil, and fish oil.


QUESTION: My hair is thinning and I still lose a lot of my hair. I am really conscious about my hair and feel really insecure. I cannot part my hair through the middle it looks horrible. My dad is going bald, my mom has
really thin hair, my moms dad is bald and her mom has thin hair, my dad's mom is thinning and you can see through her scalp, yet my dads dad had a lot of hair before he died. I saw some home made recipes on line for regrowth of hair, because in the front the sides I have very little hair. I am 19 years old and this problem started when I was 16 years old. Please help me I have tried everything from natural path doctors for 2 years and that did no help I still kept losing it and some would grow back but it made no difference, now I have this oil I ordered from India,  that worked in the beginning but now my hair starting to fall out lots, I was wondering
if you can please give me a natural paste or some kind of oil treatment that would re grow my hair, I am desperate and I need help.

ANSWER: There is no magic oil or potion that re-grows hair. If there were, there would be no bald men! My first question would be about your diet. It has a strong effect on things like hair and nails and skin. Since everyone in your family is suffering from this, I'm also wondering if all of you have been exposed to anything toxic that you can think of. Some people have wonderful results from hypnosis. Others do not. That's a personal decision. I do offer a massage oil for the scalp that has essential oils believed to enhance and strengthen the scalp and hair - but it does not magically regrow hair. If you are interested, please e-mail me with the word ORDER in your subject.

QUESTION: I am a 24 y/o African American women and I have been dealing w/ hair loss for
about 5 yrs now. when i first noticed that my hair was falling out, it was severe breakage and I went to a dermatologist and he recommended discontinued usage of perms/relaxers, weaves/braiding, heat and excess stress because it could cause further damage to the folicals. well I have tried so many methods in the last 5 yrs. I have been a little successful. I cut all of my hair off and started from scratch, using herbs like zinc, vitamin B, C and E. I have even been using oxygen scalp treatments to open up my pores. all these things have worked some but it seems as if they have stopped working.  also at the beginning of the hair loss i admit i was over stressed, using marijuana, drinking and smoking cigarettes, not to mention being fresh out of high school and entering into the world of adulthood and living on my own. I had so much going on in my life during that time, but since then i have discontinued the use of marijuana, drinking, cigarettes, and eliminated some of my stress.  I even changed my diet but it seems as if nothing is working any more. can
you help me?????

ANSWER:  Well, your diet and your lifestyle probably contributed to the hair loss. We are what we ingest and from the sounds of your letter, you were poisoning your body. It sounds like you are on the right track with the vitamins you are taking. Keep that up. Eat a healthy diet. Give up the caffeine and sugar and any processed junk food. Stay away from the cornrows and braids. Although lovely, they really can do damage to the hair shaft. I have an oil that I make that encourages new hair growth. If you are
interested, e-mail me with the word ORDER in the subject line for more information.

ANSWERS FROM DAVID:
QUESTION: I am a 30 y/o woman w/2 children, ages 3 and 1 w/considerable hair loss. I want to know what I can do to help my hair grow again.  My hair started falling out B4 I married and I was tired all the time, especially after I would drink a soda or eat something w/a lot of sugar in it so I had a test done @the hospital and the results came back "Hypoglycemia".  Since then I watch what I eat but my hair has not grown back.

I am severely depressed about it because my hair is long and since my hair loss I have had to wear my hair back all the time to cover up the most of it.  It is all over hair loss, but most of it is in the center top, back.
I have also had a hair analysis done but the man that did it wanted to charge me for the interpretation of his findings and give me some herbs to take but at the time I didn't have the $.

I still have sugar problems.  Especially in the morning, I have to have something as soon as I get up although I do take Garden of Life supplements to help w/the sugar balancing and other supplements as well.  I am also still breastfeeding (which I have heard causes hair loss as well). Anything you could advise would help as I have tried many many things.

ANSWER: I'm sorry you're having this problem. Although hormone imbalance can definitely contribute to hair loss in women, you said you had the problem before your pregnancy. Since you have been diagnosed with Hypoglycemia, hopefully you are staying away from the sweets as this can also aggravate the problem. Hair loss like you described as well as the fatigue can sometimes be attributed to thyroid problems, so that may be something you'd like to discuss with your doctor.

B complex, C and E vitamins as well as Zinc are all beneficial to the growth and health of hair. Also, foods high in biotin like  brewer's yeast, brown rice, bulgur, green peas, lentils, oats, soybeans, sunflower seeds, and walnuts will promote healthy hair and skin.

A rinse made of apple cider vinegar and sage tea will help hair growth. In addition, All Goode Gifts has a wonderful formula that has had much success. It contains 2 drops of cedarwood essential oil, 3 drops of lavender eo, 3 drops of rosemary eo and 2 drops of thyme eo. Mix this in a carrier oil of 1/2 teaspoon of jojoba oil and 4 teaspoons of grapeseed oil. Perform a 2 minute scalp massage every night. This mixture should not leave your hair greasy. If you would rather purchase this, please e-mail me and we can
provide it for you.

Lastly, calendula flower, marsh mallow root and nettle leaf are all excellent when combined in an infusion or a rinse for dry hair to nourish it and encourage new growth.
 

HERBS FOR HAIR LOSS
QUESTION:   Could you tell me if it is true that the Herb Trifolium pratense (better known as Clover) is a good source of oestrogenic substance which may be beneficial to your hair, especially if you are suffering, as I am, from thinning hair.

ANSWER:   Red Clover, Latin Name:  Trifolium pratense is a great non toxic, pleasant tasting and very effective herb.  Red clover is richer than Soy in isoflavones, these Phytoestrogen are not the human form of estrogen but a chemical which has a similar structure to Human estrogen or affects the body like Human estrogen.  Red Clover is rich in flavonoids and rich in minerals.  Other sources of Phytoestrogen are all the Legumes (i.e. all the beans) including the popular Soy.

It maybe reaching a bit to say Red Clover would have the hair thickening and growth stimulating effects of Human estrogen on your body, but there is only one way to find out give it a try.  It would also include a daily intake of legumes in a soup or salad.

Here are a couple other herbs which could be considered to help with Hair Growth.

Ginkgo to help with circulation to the hair follicles and skin.

Horsetail tea or powdered herb for the reach mineral content including silica which is essential for healthy skin, nails and hair.

Han Lian Cao, "Drought Lotus Grass", Latin Name: Eclipta  prostata or Eclipta alba
was used in an infused oil in China to help with Hair regrowth.

Tincture or Infused oil of Arnica is also supposed to stimulate hair growth when applied to the scalp, Arnica is one herbs which is normally not recommended for internal use today.

Birch oil when added to shampoo supports hair growth and is best used in combination with Queen of the Meadow oil.

Finally our favorite herb:

Rosemary, Latin Name:  Rosmarinus officinalis has been used in the past as a daily rinse on the scalp and hair to promote hair growth.

Other things to consider when hair loss occurs, infection, increased stress, aging, hormonal fluctuations and changes, deficient diet, lack of circulation and blocked pores can affect hair growth.

Read my other answers on Alopecia online.

BLACK COHOSH
QUESTION:  I have been using black cohash for a while with pretty good success for
hot flashes.  I recently noticed more hair loss then normal and was
wondering is this is a known side effect of black cohash use?

ANSWER:  Normally Black Cohosh is given for most post menopausal issues, but anything is possible everyone reacts differently to herbs, supplements and drugs.  Black Cohosh is not know for this side effect.

Here is one suggested formula for hair loss due to lack of estrogen production.

If you are a woman whose hair is starting to thin due to loss of estrogen production, there are herbs you can take to simulate estrogen in your system and to stimulate the adrenal glands. Mix equal parts of wild yam root, licorice, motherwort, black cohosh, chamomile, valerian root and skullcap. Take twice a day.

HAIR LOSS
QUESTION: I am a 24 year old female, who is currently suffering from hair loss. I have been to the doctor's and they say it may be stress. I recently read that there are some herbs used as oils(?) on the scalp to induce hair growth. Is this true? And which herbs are they? I'll try anything.

ANSWER: I would deal with the stress, symptom relief does not get rid of the problem. What is the stress in your life, how do you deal with it, utilize stress relieving techniques or eliminate the stress. You may want to utilize adaptogen herbs which help the body deal with stress, the ginsengs are of this class. Start with Siberian Ginseng which is the mildest, American Ginseng would be the next and Chinese Ginseng would be the last to be utilized.  And also read the following answer as well.

ALOPECIA AREATA
QUESTION: My daughter (9 years old) has Alopecia Areata. This is an autoimmune disease, which causes hair loss. Someone suggested she take a pill made from the Montana Yew tree. This tree also is used to make Taxol. Do you think this pill would be harmful or helpful for her to take. I would appreciate your opinion...

ANSWER: 
Without knowing everything about your daughter.

Here is some information about Alopecia.
Alopecia areata is a loss of hair from scalp to other places on the body where hair normally grows. It usually starts in patches, and can encompass the entire scalp or body. 

Hair loss to the entire scalp is called Alopecia totalis. 

Hair loss to the entire body is called Alopecia universalis

The scalp is the most effected area. Alopecia can occur in either male or female of any age, but children are normally affected the most often.

An interesting fact is the hair folllicles; although they have shrunken and hair growth does not appear above the surface of the skin, are still alive and spontaneous regrowth can happen anytime, days, months or years after the original onset with full hair recovery.

I would suggest it is a diet, environmental, stress or circulation problem.

For diet, make sure she is eating whole foods, eat organic, eliminate refined or processed foods, eat lots of vegetables, drink lots of water. Start taking a good multivitamin like Rainbow Light brand. EAT amla fruit, it was traditionally used to strengthen hair, connective tissue and muscle. Get Horsetail and other super green food sources in diet to increase hair strength.

For environmental, stay away from chemicals, insecticides, herbicides, cosmetics and aerosol sprays. She should stay natural and clear of man made pollutants or chemicals.

For stress reduce it, or have her learn to release it. Learn stress reduction techniques. Use adaptogen herbs which help the body deal with stress. These include the Ginsengs, I would probably start with Siberian Ginseng for her.

For children use Chamomile and Catnip to calm them down, these two herbs are good for nervousness which is shown as stomach or GI upset.

For circulation use Ginkgo, Hawthorn, Rosemary.

Use a Rosemary rinse on the scalp, it has been traditionally used to help with hair loss.

It has also been suggested that this is an Autimmune disease, if so Immune Amphoteric Herbs are appropriate, such as Medicinal Mushrooms (Reishi (The Gano dermas), Shiitake, Maitake, Chaga), and or the other Immune Amphoteric herbs Astragalus, Shisandra and Licorice, which are also Adaptogens.