Here are some tips to solve some common hair problems that I encountered over the past year.
Have you ever look in the mirror to realize that you suddenly have more gray hairs than the day before or that your hair just looks thinner? How about when you look in the shower drain after washing your hair and you gasp at the sheer amount of lost hair? If so, then you are not alone!
Stress, hair loss and graying
Any type of stress can cause one to loose hair, making it appear thinner over time. Stress is also responsible for graying hair. Yes, oxidative stress is not your friend! Stress is really anything that can cause metabolic dysfunction in the body. It can be from the foods we eat, an unexpected illness, or changes in life circumstances, etc., with the list going on and on.
I personally had quite a year to remember! From my husband retiring from a 27 year Army career to buying our "forever home" and returning to "civilian life" to an unexpected heart surgery for a congenital birth defect to a "Global Pandemic", 2019-2020 will go down in the record books! Yes, stress took a toll on my hair!
Castor Oil to the Rescue!
A stimulating oil that has stood the test of time.
By using castor oil as a weekly treatment on my scalp, the hair loss returned to normal. Yipee! No more huge clumps of hair in the shower. Here is the recipe I used:
1 Tsp Castor Oil
4 Tsp Almond Oil
Mix the oils and apply to the scalp with a light message. Then let your hair rest in a plastic shower cap for 30 minutes. Wash and rinse as usual. I applied this weekly for two months and then every two weeks or so after that.
It is necessary to use the almond oil as a carrier oil because castor oil is heavy and sticky, making it very difficult to remove on it's own. Castor oil and almond oil can be found in the health and beauty section of most grocery stores.
What about those gray hairs?
Catalase is a powerful antioxidant enzyme that neutralizes hydrogen peroxide, which is the oxidant responsible for graying hair.
I decided in August 2018 that I wanted to let my "silver" hair shine and decided to color my hair no more. Fast forward two years and almost all of the old color has grown out with only an inch or two remaining at the ends. My hair now has various shades of brown, silver, and white. I decided to experiment with Catalase to see if it would reverse any of my silver and white hair. Much to my surprise, many of the white strands began growing in as brown. I could literally see a line where individual hairs changed color over night! So, if you have silver or white hair and want to see if reversing it is possible, give catalase a try. The product I personally used is found at https://shop.suzycohen.com/products/catalase.
Here's to hoping this will help you Be Your Best Self!