Hair Loss: Hair Care Ingredients

When you're choosing your hair care products, you should look for natural ingredients recommended by naturopaths for hair loss.

Polysorbate-80 is an FDA approved surfactant that is also approved as a food additive. It causes water and oils or fats to mix, and according to research, is of very little toxicity. Although it is not proven, Polysorbate-80 is said to remove deposits of DHT and cholesterol from the scalp. Polysorbate-80 is a common additive in shampoo and is also available in its stand-alone form in health food stores. It is being recommended by some naturopathic practitioners as an application for the scalp approximately 15 minutes prior to shampooing.

Jojoba: If one is predisposed to seborrhea, eczema, psoriasis, or dandruff, one might consider the use of jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba) oil. Mexicans and southwestern Native American nations have used jojoba oil traditionally for centuries to promote hair growth and the control of dandruff. Jojoba oil is great for hypoallergenic skin by being a great moisturizer and mimicking the scalp's own sebum. It absorbs readily into the scalp and helps remove deposits of sebum from the hair follicles, neutralizes acidity, and nourishes the scalp with all the B vitamins, vitamin E, silicon, copper, zinc, chromium, and iodine.

Aloe Vera has been used by Native Americans, Indians and many in the Caribbean to promote healthy hair and prevent hair loss. Aloe's positive effects on the skin are well known, and likewise it can help the scalp by healing it and balancing the pH level of the scalp while cleansing the pores. A common preparation of Aloe Vera gel with a small amount of wheat germ oil and coconut milk is used as a shampoo and has traditionally shown great benefit.

Henna: While Henna will not promote hair growth, henna is excellent for the maintenance of healthy hair. Henna is a natural clay conditioner that can help heal the hair shaft by repairing and sealing the cuticle, protecting hair against breakage and loss of shine. Henna comes in a variety of colors to safely color or highlight the hair temporarily, or one can obtain neutral henna if one does not desire color changes to the hair.