Hair Loss
Natural Remedies

Natural Solutions for Hair Loss: Effective Remedies for Regrowth

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Gloria (Gaithersburg, Md) on 10/24/2012
★★★★★

I suffered sudden hair loss about two years ago; hair was falling out of my head, it didn't seem to be held in there tightly. It would come out in the shower and also during the day. I didn't know the reason, but I figured it was stress, since I'd experienced a very stressful emotional crisis (involving harm to a loved one and worries about her) about 6 months previously, and I had heard that it can take 6 months for hair loss to occur following stress, OR the reverse; that it could take 6 months following "healing" to see results and hair restoration.

Unfortunately in my case, one crisis led to another, and I went through a period of about 15 months of a rollercoaster of stress. I had had stresses before in my life, but never had I lost hair over them.

I also want to add that I am currently 50 years old, female, caucasion, have not yet gone through menopause, have always had a very thick head of healthy, coarse/wavy hair. During this episode, I lost about 1/3 of my former volume. I have been alarmed to see a lot more of my scalp along my "part. " I think it is unattractive. It has made me sad.

But my dad is bald, and I'd always "heard" that as women age, we might inherit some of the hair loss from our father's side (who knows). I hoped not! But I thought my hair loss, so sudden, might be from stress, rather than genetics. It occurred mainly on the top/front of my head (which is where my dad's is).

I am writing to let all of you know that I have tried many things and made many changes in order to hope to help my hair loss. I do think that some of them have worked, but I don't know which ones. The hair "falling" slowed down and then stopped. I am not sure, though, if I am experiencing significant regrowth or restoration, though I think so.

Here are the things I have done: I went "no-poo" -- in other words, I stopped using ALL commercial shampoos, even organic ones. I went through an adjustment period, but now my hair is much healthier. I clean it with rinsing with water most days, and baking soda or borax and ACV about once a week. My hair is long. I do not brush my hair except in the evening before bed. I don't use a hair dryer on it. I let it dry in the air. I detangle it and separate the waves with my fingers. I do not use any commercial products, conditioners, gels, etc. on my hair. For gel, I use aloe. For conditioner, I use coconut oil (a little goes a long way). For scent, I use a few drops of essential oil in a water rinse. My hair is soft and looks healthy.

I also worked hard to clean up my diet. I eat more vegetables and fruits and stay away from processed foods. I cook most of my meals from scratch (at home). I use organic foods as much as possible.

I started sunbathing (I am fair, so I do this only for about 10-20 minutes at a time).

I also supplement with biotin, vitamin D, B-complex, vitamin E. About 4 days a week.

I have worked on de-stressing using Bach Flower remedies and other energy therapies including massage and self reflexology.

I have worked very hard to help stop hair loss and hopefully restore my hair... So far, I think something is working. I am happy with my hair, though it is not (yet?) as thick as it used to be. It no longer falls out, and it feels "tight" in my scalp. It doesn't break off, either. I hope some of this can give some of you who are suffering with this problem, some helpful ideas to try.

Sulfur-Rich Food
Posted by Nancy (Houston, Tx) on 10/17/2012
★★★★★

I had severe dandruff for about 5 years, saw a dermatologist, use tar shampoos, etc. One day I read severe dandruff was a sign of sulfur deficiency, and several good sources of sulfur listed was onions and garlic. Just so happened, I had followed a way of eating for years that excluded onions and garlic.

I didn't really believe it applied to me, I thought surely I consumed enough other sulfur foods to not have a deficiency. I immediately prepared a salad with raw onions, and within a day my dandruff was completely gone. That was several years ago, I have continued eating foods with onions regularly and it still works for me. The connection was amazing, and I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it myself.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Elaine (Nashville, Tennessee) on 07/25/2012
★★★★★

Coconut oil has caused my hair to grow back thicker. Also, before using coconut oil my scalp would itch terribly whenever I sweated... And my scalp was often itchy and irritated.... Also lots of dandruff. It has also given me beautiful nails for the first time in my life. It also takes care of my IBS... As long as I take it everyday. I take the capsules... 4 a day. It is my personal opinion that coconut oil helps IBS in people who have had their gall bladder removed. I would not be without my coconut oil!

Accutane-Related Hairloss Remedies
Posted by Nickie (London Uk) on 11/14/2014

I've recetly started taking Diatomaceous Earth for my joints but read up on it first and was surprised at how many other things it clears up; parasites, hair, nails, blood pressure AND ACNE. Plus more.

I hope Nickodactyl reads this 'cos I think he's getting carried away with the science. Remember Occams Razor; simpler is best. You've been tackling the symptoms rather than the cause which is what most doctors do. Spots on the face, or anywhere, is the body telling us to take care of it. We've all got toxins and parasites and imbalances so chucking a pharmacoepia of supplements at it ain't going to fix it or lengthen your telomeres unless you clean it up first.

And you should NEVER screw around with hormones!!!! I've had thyroid problems and you don't want that, I can assure you. I never took contraceptive pills but there are probably thousands/millions of women out there who are experiencing a myriad problems because they did. They were the easy option, of course, and I guess you thought, when you used Accutane, that would be too. We are all prone to the temptation of the quick fix or instant gratification, particularly at eighteen. Been ther - done that. My Gran used to say - Lazy people take the most pains. - and it's true.

If you are still reading, first do a cleanse, then eat what is most nourishing with good protein for the hair and for vitamins and minerals do juicing. And try the diatomacious earth; tasteless, cheap and easy.

Nickie

PS. When your hair grows back, please wear it long or longish. Hair does so much for a guy. Michael Bolton is rubbish now.

P.P.S http://www.earthworkshealth.com/How-Diatomaceous-Earth-Works.php


Cold Water Shampoo
Posted by Tamara (Des Plaines, Il) on 02/10/2011
★★★★★

I've had hair loss for years; since I'm a high maintenance girl)), I've tried everything under the sun, including all the popular remedies listed on this website. What helped me is washing my hair under cold water. It helped after the first time. Also, If you are under stress I recommend meditation, relaxation techniques and spirituality since stress could be a reason of stress loss! Good luck to everyone! Love this website.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Tasha (Raleigh, Nc) on 09/07/2010
★★★★☆

I have had some success with using Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) topically for hair fall. I was diagnosed with diffused Alopecia areata long ago when my hair loss started at around age 19. My hair loss has slowly progressed for nearly a decade. I usually have increased hair fall in the summer and my scalp is ALWAYS tender. So much so that adding a barette or pulling into a ponytail causes my scalp to hurt so bad it causes headaches. I've tried some EC recommended remedies during this approx 2 month bout of intense shedding.

ACV, BSM, Idoral have not helped. The one thing that has reduced my shedding is applying coconut oil topically. I saturated my scalp, let sit for a couple hours and then attempeted to wash it out. This stuff is not going to wash away easily as my daily rinsing with white vinegar(make hair gorgeous! ) has yet to displace the oil completely. The next day my shedding was GREATLY reduced and is still reduced 3 days later. The downside for me is that I DONT care for my hair texture or the appearance of my hair(greasy) after the VCO application. My scalp sensitivity is also up (sebum cause by the oil?). BUT for those without my AA issues, I recommend highly trying VCO externally for hair shedding.


Biotin
Posted by Leelannee (Sussex, Nj) on 08/28/2009
★★★★★

YEA for biotin (hair loss)
YEA for iodine & borax (dandruff)

After the birth of my son 15 years ago, I had more hair loss every time I brushed or washed my hair than I had ever had before. I always had long, almost waist-length, thick hair. After the birth, I became so distressed over the thinning, dryness, & split ends that I cut my hair to chin-length. I kept trying to grow it long but every few years "chopped" it again due to split ends. My hair is medium-coarse and never seemed thin to people who cut my hair but I could tell the difference.

About a year ago I started taking biotin. I take 5mg per day, and I get a bottle of 300 capsules (10 months' supply) for $12, so this is a very affordable, no fuss remedy! It took a month or two to notice a real difference, but my hair loss became minimal. My hair is now so thick, and has grown past my shoulder blades for the first time in 15 years! Also, there are very few split ends--even though this doesn't make much sense, as only the new growth would be affected by the biotin, but it's true (a few months ago I bought some very sharp scissors and trimmed my split ends, but they haven't come back). And my hair is growing a little faster; it used to grow no more than 1/2 inch per month (I color my hair 3-4 times per year, and occasionally measure) and now it is growing almost 1 inch per month.

Another hair problem I had for about 20 years was dandruff. This started when I was 16. I tried many, many supplements, diet changes and topical remedies over the years with no results (except for a liquid zinc treatment for excema--this helped but didn't cure). I eventually tried a dandruff shampoo, which would give me relief for no more than 24 hours. I really didn't want to do this, but if I didn't I would actually get scabs in addition to incessant itching & painful inflammation.

A few weeks ago I bought a "liquid kelp" iodine supplement, took a dropperful twice a day in water and within 48 HOURS I had ZERO FLAKES! This is after 20 years of discomfort, self-consciousness, and not being able to wear black or use nicer shampoos! I recently found another supplement that has 150mcg iodine per drop, and I take 2-3 drops per day.

About 2-3 weeks after starting the iodine, I had a VERY slight return of the dandruff. But now I am not using dandruff shampoo at all. I shampoo, douse my scalp with a borax solution (1-2 tablespoons in 2 cups of water), let that sit for a couple of minutes, then condition. My scalp is super clean, I can go several days without shampooing (when I had the dandruff I had to shampoo every other day), and my hair seems softer & less frizzy.

Blackstrap Molasses, B Complex, ACV
Posted by Caitlin (Austin, TX) on 06/01/2009

Yes! Those brown streaks are more than likely because of your mixture, especially if she did not have this condition before. I would be very wary of using so much iron while you are breastfeeding your daughter. Babies do not need THAT much iron. When I breastfed my daughter, I noticed that anytime I ate garlic, she would have garlic breath. Also anytime I drank cow's milk (I'm allergic to milk protein) my daughter would have excruciating stomach pains. When I stopped drinking milk, her pain disappeared. PLEASE, be very careful of what you give yourself while you breastfeed. Loss of hair is common after having a baby due to hormone adjustment and stress. I would suggest y9ou simply eat as healthily of food as you can while your body adjusts itself; don't stress over your hair so much right now. (By the way, a good stress soother for you and the baby is stewed apples with cinnamon. Just heat 2 sliced apples in pot or microwave until soft and add cinnamon and eat when warm. I found that my baby would sigh with pleasure whenever I ate this before or while breastfeeding; we both felt calmer and it safely soothed her stomachache) Please go on line and check what excess iron can do to babies and their brains. If it was me, I would wait until I finished breastfeeding before putting such potent (toxic for the baby) concentrations into my body. Please check before going further.. Best wishes for you both...


Olive Oil
Posted by Faris (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) on 01/09/2009
★★★★★

Hi, This is with regards to my hair loss problem. I am facing alopecia this problem since 10 years without any success treating the same. I have used all kinda oils, medicines.

The only product that has given me immediate relief is Olive Oil. Mind you , it should be Extra Virgin Olive Oil (First cold press). The other ones dont work so good.

I apply a tablespoon of olive oil all over the scalp and hair and leave it at night and shampoo the next morning with mild shampoo. (The shampoo should not be harsh or which causes hair falls).

Right after the first application, my hair loss the next day reduced and after a few days application it has reduced significantly.

Now I hope i get back all my hair...And hope this information helps those who are desperately in need of the same.

Regards
Faris Kadri


Cayenne and Vodka Scalp Treatment
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 03/19/2024
★★★★★

Baldness cures have been around as long as bald men. From ancient Egypt to the present, bald men have always been able to buy sure-fire, guaranteed, grow-your-hair-back potions. And now there's even impressive "before and after" photographs. Yet after all the "cures" and all the promises, bald heads are everywhere.

Let it be said at the outset that there are many things capable of producing hair on a balding head. If you rub your head with a mixture of vodka and cayenne peppers you may see some hair growth. Ethyl alcohol and propylene glycol can stimulate some growth (for this reason they are common ingredients in many baldness treatments). Italian barbers have passed a scalp massage technique down through the generations that seems to grow hair. Irritating the scalp in any number of ways can cause hair growth. The point of a baldness treatment is not just to grow hair. A treatment is of interest to a balding man only if it grows enough hair to improve his appearance and if he is able to keep that hair.

From the book: The Bald Book by Klenhard 1986 page 46.

Cayenne Pepper Hair Tonic:

The ability of this herb to irritate the skin, increase blood flow and stimulate cell division is well known.

Recipe:

– Mix four ounces of cayenne pepper with one pint of 80 proof vodka.

– Let it stand for two weeks, shaking the mixture once each day.

– Strain through several layers of fine cloth until the mixture is free of pepper.

– Once or twice a day, rub a small amount onto the thinning areas of the scalp.

Note: Alcohol is list as a remedy for Alopecia in the Mereck Manual 1899, page 86. If you do not like the idea of alcohol, substitute with apple cider vinegar.

Rub your scalp every morning with a mixture of cayenne pepper and vodka. Rub a small amount of this mixture into your scalp in the morning. This will help to stimulate your hair follicles and promote blood flow to your scalp, according to stylist and hair expert Riquette Hofstein, owner of Riquette International Salon in Beverly Hills, in her book "Grow Hair Fast: 7 Steps to a New Head of Hair in 90 Days."

Capsaicin in Cayenne can trigger the vallanoid receptors in hair follicles and may boost hair growth (3). The spice may also stimulate hair growth by inhibiting substance P (a peptide). In a study, participants with alopecia showed hair growth in a 5-month period when they ingested capsaicin and isoflavone (4), (5). Most peppers in the same family as cayenne pepper are rich in vitamins A, C, and E, and folate (7). These vitamins are known to play a role in hair loss (8).

A Treatise on Materia Medica and Therapeutics Including Pharmacy, Dispensing By Rakhal Das Ghosh 1922. page 542 states:

Externally. – The action of Capsaicin is like that of volitile oils and to some extent that of cantharidin. In other words, it is a powerful irritant, rubefacient and therefore counter-irritant. Like cantharidate, capsaicin may be used to promote the growth of hair.


Cayenne Pepper and Aloe Vera
Posted by Vinny (Atlanta, GA) on 05/16/2008
★★★★★

Not only does Cayenne Pepper & Aloe Vera prevent hair loss and help in its growth, it also SUBSTANTIALLY diminishes and/or gets rid of acne where ever it is applied. I would suggest not to use the household cooking spice (if you can help it) only because I believe the Cayenne Pepper tablets are much stronger.

I mix Cayenne with Aloe Vera and put it on my face and after application, I get more Cayenne Pepper to mix it in just to make sure there is enough C.P

Be cautious that it does not go in your eyes as it will burn! In fact, after application, it will burn but you have to be strong! I usually keep it on my face for about 20mins so I try to leave it on there. It will burn but after you rinse your face with COLD water (carefully making sure it does not go in your eyes), you will be glad you did.

After an hour or so, you should see a huge difference, if not right after your rinse.

EC: Vinny, can you please tell us how you apply the cayenne and aloe vera to prevent hair loss? Measurements, application process, etc. Thanks!

Coconut Oil
Posted by Sri (Nyc, Ny) on 11/10/2009
★★★★★

You can apply the coconut oil to your scalp when it's dry, let it absorb for about an hour or two and then get into shower. You do not need to use the conditioner after shampoo. Coconut oil is a very good conditioner too.

On the other hand, you can eat/drink two to three spoonfuls everyday. But, I believe doing both is a sure shot way.


Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Jake (Kansas) on 07/07/2021

ALL baking soda is aluminum free. I don't know where this nonsense started, but at some point because of some uninformed person confusing baking powder, with baking soda (two completely different things), and it just took off like wild fire. There is a major company that sell it, and grains, that has been making a mint by claiming that his baking soda is aluminum free. He knows none contain aluminum, which makes him a con-artist. Don't buy into the lie.

EC: The nonsense only started years ago when Bob's Red Mill, the company you are referring to, started marketing their new "aluminum-free baking soda." There are old posts on Earth Clinic in the baking soda remedies section about it.. at least 10 years old now.


Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Mary (Newark, New Jersey) on 01/04/2008
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Dear Earth Clinic, I just wanted to let you know that I think on Ted's Posts it should say in bold at the beginning, or where it can't be missed to read the recipes carefully. I had a small bald spot on my head, found this website, and read some things Ted wrote. I read something about hydrogen peroxide and acv for scalp problems and hair loss. It did not say how much to use in the blurb I read. I thought I would try it. Well I just made a solution up and put it on my head. Left it on overnight. Well, Now I am loosing all my hair!!! So this was not a remedy in the little problem I had, instead, it is causing all my hair to fall out. I would like to spare future readers from this, so please put a warning, and make sure people read Ted's postings very carefully, and if they do not see a recipe, have them contact Ted before just making one up themselves. I know most people would be more careful, but there are us haphazard people out here you know. Thank you.

Multiple Remedies
Posted by Joe Merritt (Toronto, Canada) on 07/13/2007
★★★★★

I just wanted to thank Ted for his brilliant work and I will help add some feedback if I can. I am 30 years of age and have had some hair thinning for about 5 years, but I truly believe with Ted's remedies and my nutrition formula i am on the way to growing a thicker, fuller main of hair. I have also delayed the loss with some of my nutrion techniques but needed to clear my pores to kick up the growth to a new level.

here is my formula: firstly i tried all of Ted's hair bath's, cider vinegar, tea tree oil etc. I found the one that truly removed the dissolved minerals(feels sticky and block's pore's on hair follicles) on my scalp was 1 teaspoon of borax in a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution. So add 1 big teaspoon of borax to a big salad bowl. then add 1 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide(this is the only concentration i can get here in canada) and then add 2 cups of normal water to dilute the solution down to 1%-like Ted says. mix the contents and soak your scalp in it while pouring a cup of it over you head and making sure in flows back into the salad bowl. do this for three minutes. and make sure to not get this mixture in your eyes, as it will sting.

Now put a teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water and mix and pour over hair to rinse the borax/peroxide solution. Then i like to wash hair with Dr. Bronner magic soap with tea tree oil or any other good quality health food store shampoo with tea tree oil.

O.K now we have cleared the pores, time to build the bodies supply of protein and minerals.

Firstly hair is mostly protein(then minerals) by dry weight, so eat adequate protein. Free range eggs, free range lean meats and poultry, only wild seafood(i.e. not farmed such as tilipai, basa, atlantic salmon etc.) it is full of pesticides which i am sure erode health. Actually do not eat to much sea life in general, it has good nutrition but lots of toxins. many people are allergic to dairy so organic is better for most and consider goat and sheep milk products too. also a pure whey protein isolate can build hair too.

Now onto minerals. The first source of minerals is sea salt, any good sea salt contains most trace minerals that build hair-put it on food and in soups. also my favorite product in the world is Bioforce(A. Vogel) Herbamare. it is a blend of sea salt and herbs and kelp and contains all minerals needed by the human body. Season all foods with it and especially soups and rice dishes and stocks and liquids so it dissolves and releases the nutrition.

Now also maple syrup in teas. Maple trees roots dig deep into the ground and pull up minerals in the sap of the trees and are reduced to make the syrup. They are powerful mineral concentrates. use in teas such as stinging nettle combined with rosemary and mint. etc. put in all teas and even coffee. Now here is a big one. Most alternative physicians will talk of an algae product called spirulina (and others like chlorella) and will recommend high doses of it. THEY ARE WRONG. Because it is a superfood and one of the most concentrated sources of nutrition on the planet it will mess up your hormones at medium to high doses. TAKE ONE OR TWO PILLS EVERY ONE OR TWO DAYS - NOT MORE. You are using it as a homeopathic mineralizer, not a food.

lots of stews, stocks, teas, and water based liquids with herbs, veggies, sea salt, herbamare, to build up minerals.

Drink tap water filtered with brita and changed every two weeks to a month, unless you are in a farming area and your tap is full of nitrates, then find another source.

Do not drink distilled water as it has no minerals.

i also like Ted's vitamin C water with 1/8teaspoon of baking soda to balance PH.

also waking in nature, such as a side street or park or forest to oxygenate the body and scalp. One of the causes of hair loss is a lack of oxygen i.e. when people were baseball caps. i had the thickest hair on the planet and i thinned it by wearing a ball cap when i was in my teens -stupid me.

Also stretching and yoga will oxygenate the body.

So i believe the causes of hair loss are:

fungus/minerals in hair follicles/hats or low oxygen
lack of quality protein
lack of minerals
low scalp oxygen
unbalanced hormones.

low fatty acids (eat cold water fish oils, flax oil, olive oil, cold filtered raw oils , not cheap processed oils.)

Now this is just a start and there much more i could write but the most important point to consider is all body types are unique so take this info with a grain of salt and experiment with what works for you.

good luck and god bless

Vitamin C, Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Danny (Los Angeles) on 02/17/2007
★★★★★

use apple cider to wash your hair and put lavender and tea tree oil take vitamin c as sodium ascorbate. These 3 things will help in hair re growth and complete hair loss. thanks


Treat for Fluoride Toxicity
Posted by Ginger (Fort Wayne) on 10/02/2022
★★★★★

I have been dealing with alopecia for over a year following an injury as well as exposure to black mold. I have since detoxed from the mold. However, the hair loss continues along with other GI issues. I am now detoxing heavy metals like fluoride. We recently switched to a Berkey water filter and got an aqua home shower filter. I am noticing considerable improvement in the condition of my hair after showering as is my husband with his. I take Iodoral 12.5 mgs and other supplements. If you are experiencing hair loss, I recommend ruling out fluoride or heavy metals as a possible cause. We only recently purchased the shower filter and I am seeing very little hair loss now. This is a big improvement. I hope soon that I will see regrowth in the bald areas of my scalp. I love this site as it offers lots of good alternatives for health issues. Thanks everyone for sharing your remedies.

Palmolive Shampoo
Posted by Science (Cyprus) on 03/22/2022 21 posts
★★★★★

Palmolive Shampoo

At age 33 my hair start to fall a lot. I started trying different shampoos. One of them was Palmolive Shampoo, which writes 2 in 1 on it and it is in an orange bottle color. My hair stopped falling!!! I use this shampoo for about 15 years. I still have my hair. Grateful to this product that saved my hair. I never expected that a commercial product that is sold in Supermarkets and not in pharmacies, would have such excellent results. Recently I reccomended this shampoo also to a friend of mine. She told me that her hair stop falling. Recenly I used also blue color palmolive, which is for dandruff. I saw that also blue palmolive stops hair fall. Simply amazing results!


Anesthesia-Related Hair Loss
Posted by Teresa (Arkansas) on 04/24/2016
★★★★★

Hair loss most likely from surgery, not the ACV! Anesthesia is murder on hair! Your hair dresser will caution you not to color or perm within 6 to 8 weeks of any surgery because of its effect on your hair. Keep the ACV.


Diatomaceous Earth
Posted by Jenna (Salem, Or) on 08/04/2015
★★★★★

Food grade diatomaceous earth for hair loss! Start with a tsp and mix into smoothies, oatmeal, mashed potatoes or even water, juice or tea/coffee. Work your way up to a TBSP. LOTS of vitamins/minerals and a great detoxer.



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