Is their a link between spearmint tea and facial hair reduction? With the dramatic increase of public awareness regarding the world of prescription drug side effects, many people are turning towards natural healing methods to aid their strange symptoms. Herbs have long been used in small villages and folk medicine to balance and heal all sorts of bodily conditions. Recent research has been spotlighting spearmint tea as a possible means to treat hirsutism, a condition that results in excess female body and facial hair.
Hormones and Unwanted Hair
Many females suffer from a few unwanted hairs on their chin, face, or even around the region of their nipples. However, some women are unfortunate enough to experience a true excess of facial and body hair that can mimic almost a masculine quantity of hair. It is not uncommon to see elderly females with small forming beards, but rarely does it affect the young. Females suffering from a condition known as poly-cystic-ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, are also known to experience a beard-like growth or an excess of hair on their chest and faces.
So what is thought to be the cause behind this awkwardly placed hair growth? Medical researchers have long determined that a hormonal imbalance is the real player behind this abundance and masculine appearance of hair. Androgens are identified as being the masculine hormones, and females with an excess of androgens will often display more male characteristics such as beards, lower voices, higher muscle tone, etc. Testosterone is an androgen that plays a key role for men, but this hormone is also manufactured by the female body in small amounts. The important point is that testosterone is still necessary for females. In fact, many androgens are essential for forming muscle tone, energy, maintaining a normal blood pressure and even an adequate sex drive. As females get older their natural testosterone drops and this can have a noticeable effect on their emotions, energy level, and overall health.
However, when testosterone is produced abundantly in the female body, the effects are not desirable. A female may display several physiological effects such as facial hair or hair loss along the scalp. Oestrogen is a female hormone that helps to keep androgens in check throughout a woman's life. As women get older, however, their oestrogen levels tend to decline and therefore, androgens like testosterone can flourish and result in conditions like hirsutism.
The Link Between Spearmint Tea and Facial Hair
Conventional medicine promotes treatments for hirsutism such as antiandrogens and oral contraceptives. The birth control pill is used to increase oestrogen levels that will battle androgen production. Antiandrogens like spironolactone can prevent the body from reacting to certain androgens. However, no prescription medication is without side effects and both spironolactone and the birth control pill have been known to cause some serious side effects. Hence, it is no wonder that people are exploring alternative treatments to prescription drugs.
Research has shown some promising results regarding the link between spearmint tea and facial hair. Spearmint tea is thought to have an antiandrogenetic effect in the body and this suppression of androgens is a key factor in treating hirsutism. Turkish studies have determined this effect to be true and now many post-menopausal women are drinking between two to five cups of spearmint tea daily in order to reduce their mild symptoms of excess hair.
How was the link between spearmint tea and facial hair discovered? Well, it was noted long ago that the drinking of spearmint tea had the ability to reduce a man's sex drive. Scientists hypothesized that this effect might be due to a reduction in androgens.
Repeating the Results
Dry spearmint leaves were used in the aforementioned trial. Women infused one teaspoon of dried spearmint leaves in a cup of boiling water for between five to ten minutes. Depending on the severity of your excess hair, you may want to drink up to five cups a day. There are no known toxic effects regarding spearmint.
A Cost Friendly Treatment
Many women resort to professional laser hair removal treatments to remove unwanted hair. However, these laser or electrolysis treatments can be very costly, especially because most will involve several follow-up visits before a permanent reduction in hair takes place. Spearmint tea may soon play a major role in the treatment of hirsutism because of its affordability and overall safety. Moreover, like many herbs, spearmint tea is a holistic treatment that will help other areas of the body as well as the unwanted main condition. Drink up!
