Some hair care experts hail treatments like sage and apple cider vinegar for hair growth as great options for natural hair care. There are many schools of thought regarding hair loss that provide either conflicting or complimentary treatments for balding. Utilizing sage and apple cider vinegar is one method that falls within the category of natural cures for hair loss.
Scalp Health and Hair Growth
Many hair authorities believe that hair loss can be caused by an unhealthy scalp. Conditions such as dandruff, psoriasis, seborrhea may be the cause or a contributing factor in baldness. Some experts tout the claim that hormones play the major role in most forms of baldness, but there is never any harm in maintaining a healthy scalp.
Unfortunately, many chemically-derived ingredients in commercial shampoos are known scalp irritants that can also damage follicles. Also, a modern diet containing refined vitamin-bereft foods can also promote unhealthy skin, resulting in dandruff and other scalp problems. An unhealthy scalp that produces excess sebum can become a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus, and yeast, all microorganisms that may also have a part in hair loss or, at the very least, that further scalp irritation. The idea of a healthy, clean scalp free of toxins and damaging hormones is the same philosophy behind Nioxin as well as many topical hair loss regimens.
Some people, however, prefer to keep their hair loss program naturally geared, especially since chemicals can be a contributing factor to excessive hair thinning. Therefore, it is not unusual for a natural hair treatment regimen to contain essential oils and organic, plant-derived cleansing agents.
The Sage Story
Sage is a very aromatic herb with many health properties. In order to release these properties the essential oil in sage is extracted. Essential oils are extremely concentrated and powerful derivatives of the host plant essence. They contain all the healing and aromatic properties of the original plant in highly elevated amounts.
The essential oil of sage is valuable for conditions such as:
- Digestive Disorders
- Female Complaints
- Acne
- Boils
- Hair Loss
- Skin Wrinkles
- Excess Sebum
The oil is an antispasmodic, bactericidal, carminative, antiseptic, deodorant, euphoric, sedative, and nervine tonic. As you can see, sage has many valuable uses in the field of natural medicine, but, interestingly enough, many of its traditional uses are for skin disorders. This is the reason why sage can play a large role in your natural hair loss program.
Combining Sage and Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Growth
Sage is a helpful essential oil and can be combined with many other oils, like rosemary and lavender, to form a helpful hair loss topical. However, anyone who has researched natural cleaning agents has also read about the many uses of apple cider vinegar as a home remedy. Apple cider vinegar has a very high natural pH and is excellent at dissolving minerals, toxins, and dirt particles from your drains, floors and counters. It can also be safely ingested when diluted; in addition, this natural vinegar is high in malic acid and many other nutrients. Since it is a safe all-natural cleansing solution, many people apply it topically to their skin to fight conditions such as acne and dandruff (always dilute!).
The "Mother" Strain
You want to use the unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar that contains the mother strain. This mother strain is a rich source of probiotics that can also aid in maintain a healthy balance of natural bacteria on your scalp. In fact, raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar is one of the oldest folk remedies for a variety of ailments.
The Recipe
Try mixing four ounces of apple cider vinegar with four ounces of water. Then, add in ten drops of sage essential oil. Pour this mixture on your hair, making sure the solution comes in contact with your scalp. Wrap your hair with a towel and leave the mixture in it for thirty minutes or longer. Rinse and shampoo as usual. You can repeat this treatment every day, but, at least a once a week treatment is necessary to keep a clean scalp.
Precautions
One thing to keep in mind is that vinegar is highly acidic and can slightly dry out the hair. For people with oily scalps, this is a wonderful thing. However, if your hair is colored or chemically processed in any way, you may want to seek out a gentler remedy. Chemically processed hair already suffers a damaged stripped cuticle and apple cider vinegar can further the deterioration of the hair shaft. Otherwise, untreated uncolored hair will adore this cleansing. If hair does dry out, consider using conditioner to help restore some moisture.
Further Considerations
Both apple cider vinegar and sage essential oil can be purchased from your local health food store. However, there is no conclusive research to indicate the efficacy of sage and apple cider vinegar treatments. Both are unequivocally valuable for maintaining a clean healthy scalp, yet there is still no categorical proof that an oily or unwashed scalp is the cause of hair loss. Keeping a clean scalp is still an intelligent consideration if you have been experiencing excessive hair loss or thinning of the hair, and it cannot hurt to employ sage and apple cider vinegar for hair growth.
