Whatโs it like to be stuck in a small house for months. And the only view outside is a blanket of white ice.
A group of eight scientists had been staying on an Antarctic research station for over a year. The long darkness and harsh weather conditions took a toll on them.
They came back with their brains shrunk. Apparently, the scientists were doing little mental and physical activity. And thatโs why their brain lost some volume, like an unused muscle.
The shrinking is not just a problem of brain or muscles. Itโs also a problem of hair follicles.
Our hair follicles shrink too if we donโt stimulate it enough or undergo too much stress or have an imbalance of hormones. When this happens โ the follicles shrinking โ hair chokes and get thin and eventually fall out. Now the solution will be to remove triggers in the first place. So do a head massage, stress less and lead a healthy lifestyle.
But, what to do with the already shrunk or miniaturised hair follicles?
Well, you can take the help of bhringraj โ the famous ayurvedic herb for hair. Bhringraj can increase the size as well as density of hair follicles and encourage strong and healthy hair growth. Plus, if you have early greying of hair, bhringraj will tackle that too.
Thatโs a big promise. Do you want to know how bhringraj does what it does for hair? Then hold on a bit, letโs first get to know bhringraj.
Bhringraj or Eclipta alba belongs to the sunflower family. But its flowers are not at all big, they are actually quite tiny, the size of a button. Also, bhringraj is no ornamental plant. Itโs a short creeper that grows in the wild.
Bhringraj likes marshy wet areas, so you will usually site it by the river, canal, rice fields and ponds. Itโs native to India subcontinent where itโs also known as Bhringa, bhangra, maka and kesharaj โ meaning king of hair vitalizing herbs.
I remember when I was in high school, one of my friendโs mother would go by the canal and get fresh bhringraj plants. She would then crush the plant and apply it on her two beautiful daughtersโ hair. And perhaps bhringraj did work its magic, as both of them had such thick, dark, gorgeous hair.
But how do we know for sure their gorgeous hair was due to bhringraj. It could be that they were just born lucky with great hair. Or maybe itโs both. Letโs dig deeper and find outโฆ
Ayurveda puts bhringraj on the list of the most effective herbs for hair. It has been traditionally used in hair oil preparation to promote strong and healthy hair growth and reduce hair loss. But the claim is not just coming from the ancient texts.
There is some evidence that bhringraj is effective for hair growth.
Two animal studies have found that bhringraj not only stimulates hair growth, but itโs more effective than minoxidil, the conventional treatment (1, 2). The results suggest that application of bhringraj could stimulate the formation of hair follicles and, therefore, shift them earlier in the anagen phase, which is the active growth phase of hair.
And all this happens without the side effects of redness, scaling and itching, which minoxidil may cause. Even though the studies are done on mice, the evidence is promising.
The herb contains a variety of biological components including, flavonoids, phytosterols, polypeptides, and coumestans. Itโs thought that all of these components work synergistically to increase the number and size of hair follicles (2).
Itโs unclear which type of hair loss bhringraj would help. But from the findings at hand, it may help several, including male or female pattern baldness where the hair follicles shrink, causing the hair to thin and fall out eventually. It may also benefit those with telogen effluvium, in which hair follicles temporarily moves in an early resting phase.
So if you have hair loss due to either of these or god-knows-what, give bhringraj a go. This king of herbs is quite beneficial for hair. It can help rejuvenate the hair follicles and promote strong and healthy hair growth.
Letโs find out how to use itโฆ.shall we?
If you have access to a fresh bhringraj plant, by all means, go ahead and use it. Make a paste of fresh leaves and apply it to your hair. But I suppose that would be very few people.
Now, most of us will need to get bhringraj powder made from dried leaves. You can use bhringraj powder to make herbal hair oil. Follow the recipe of amla hair oil, either, substitute bhringraj for amla or use both.
I prefer to use bhringraj in a hair mask. My hair responds better to the herb in a hair mask than the oil. Here are my three favourites Bhringraj Hair Masks recipes to boost hair growth and darken hairโฆ
1. Volumising Bhringraj Hair Mask
This one is for fine, oily hair types. Bhringraj promotes hair growth and adding yogurt increases volume and thickness of hair strands.
What you will need:
Place bhringraj powder and yogurt in a bowl and mix well. You can also add shikakai powder for extra boost and hibiscus powder to condition and enhance shine. (And more yogurt to combine the herbs.)
Start with dry hair. Apply the mask to your scalp and hair. Let it sit for half an hour and wash it with homemade or sls-free natural shampoo.
For those of you with dry, tangly hair, combine hair-boosting bhringraj with hair-softening hibiscus. You can use the base as water, but for a more luxurious feel, use coconut milk.
This mask can also help with scalp conditions such as dandruff and flakiness. Thatโs because of bhringrajโs has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory benefits.
You will need:
Place bhringraj powder and hibiscus powder in a bowl. Next, add coconut milk and stir to form a paste.
Apply, section by section, all over your scalp and hair, and let it sit for 30 minutes to do its magic. Rinse it out with water. To shampoo or not to shampoo is your choice. See how your hair feels, you may be able to get away with an apple cider vinegar or reetha-shikakai hair rinse.
If your concern is both hair loss and greying, then a fantastic way to use bhringraj is by combing it with henna. Henna colours hair and bhringraj enhances the colour. Also, itโs said that using bhringraj regularly will reverse greying and turn your hair to its original colour (3).
How to do it:
When you prepare henna, add one tablespoons of bhringraj powder to it. Allow the henna and bhringraj to marinate overnight. And in the morning henna your hair.
You may also like: How to Henna to Colour your Hair (Ditch the Hair Dye)ย
Bhringraj is not at all expensive to buy. Since it can go by many names, itโs good to know the botanical name which is eclipta alba or eclipta prostrata.
You can buy bhringraj powder online or you can also get it in an Indian grocery store.
Although bhringraj is famous for its hair benefits, the herb has many other uses. The ayurvedic practitioners use bhringraj supplements to treat liver disorders, skin conditions, arthritis, poor sight, hearing and memory problems.
A word of caution, if you plan to take bhringraj orally, talk to your doctor before self-medicating, especially if you are pregnant or have a medical condition. Even though the herbs are natural, they can have side effects.
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Let me know if you have any questions and how bhringraj works for you.
Stay Happy and Healthy