Help for hair loss: if your locks suddenly fall out, here's how to take action - Beauty - Brief Article

Natural Health, August, 2002

IT'S NORMAL TO LOSE 100 STRANDS A day. But increased hair loss may occur two to three months after you've suffered an acute emotional strain of a physical stress, says Jeanette Jacknin, M.D., a dermatologist in Scottsdale, Ariz. Your hair will typically return to normal within a few months, but, she says, you can speed the regrowth with these tips:

Pick Herbs. Massaging essential oils of cayenne (Capsicum annuum) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) into your scalp daily increases blood flow to stimulate growth. In a small bottle, mix 1 to 2 drops of cayenne essential oil, 1 ounce of rosemary essential oil, and 1/4 cup of a warmed base oil (like almond of sesame). Apply a small amount to your scalp and massage for 10 minutes. Then shampoo and rinse.

Feed Your Head. An adequate protein intake ensures a healthy scalp and head of hair. Eat several servings a day of soy, nuts, chicken, of fish. Also take a daily multivitamin, 50 mg a day of biotin (a B vitamin that may indirectly stimulate hair growth), and 250 mg twice a day of silica (which helps strengthen hair).