Losing your hair can be disturbing and upsetting. But before you opt for conventional treatments like medications or hair transplants, there are many natural home remedies backed by science that may help stop hair loss and encourage new growth. This comprehensive guide covers 30 evidence-based home remedies for different types of hair loss, along with tips on customizing your approach, when to seek medical support, what factors influence success, and frequently asked questions.
Causes of Hair Loss
Knowing what triggers hair shedding or thinning can point you to the right home remedies:
Male/Female Pattern Baldness
This hereditary hair loss stems from genetics, aging, and hormones. Hair follicles gradually get smaller and growth cycles shorten. Typically follows a pattern of receding front hairline and crown thinning.
Alopecia Areata
An autoimmune disorder causes hair to fall out often suddenly in patches. Can involve complete scalp or body hair loss though rare. Sometimes triggered by stress.
Poor Nutrition
Deficiencies in iron, zinc, protein, and vitamins (like B vitamins) can severely affect hair health and growth cycles leading to increased shedding, thinning, or loss of body hair. Those with restrictive, unbalanced diets are most at risk.
High Stress Levels
When under severe chronic stress like grieving the loss of a loved one or going through a divorce, excess stress hormones cause hairs to prematurely enter the shedding (telogen) phase in large numbers about 3 months later.
Postpartum Hormonal Shifts
Some women experience hair loss several months after giving birth due to estrogen plummeting back to normal. However, the hair regrows normally if that is the sole trigger and you are otherwise healthy.
Medications and Medical Conditions
Certain medications, infections, and autoimmune and thyroid disorders can trigger sometimes extensive hair loss called telogen effluvium. Hair growth typically resumes once the causative illness is cured or medication treatment ends.
Home Remedies to Try
If you know which factor above is behind your case of hair loss, the following home remedy solutions can help encourage regrowth:
For Male/Female Pattern Baldness
Saw Palmetto Supplements
Saw palmetto blocks DHT, the hormone exacerbating this type of inherited hair loss. Taking saw palmetto supplements for at least 4-6 months has been shown to aid hair regrowth and thickness when used continually. It works especially well paired with…
Scalp Massages
Use an essential oil “hair growth” blend with oils like rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and thyme to massage balding areas for 5-10 minutes daily. This stimulates blood circulation to bring nutrients to follicles.
Balanced, Nutrient-Packed Diet
Eat more cold-water fish, nuts & seeds, eggs, beans, colorful veggies, and low-glycemic fruits. These provide key nutrients that encourage thicker hair regrowth and healthier scalp tissue.
Stress and Anxiety Relief
Try yoga, meditation, moderate daily exercise, spending time outdoors/in nature, and journaling thoughts to lower stress hormone levels that can influence genetic hair loss. Stress management aids hair.
Quit Smoking
Smoking cigarettes adversely affects hair follicle health. Quitting allows oxygen and nutrients to better access scalp tissue and stimulates growth.
LT Phototherapy Treatments
Using laser combs and caps like the iRestore system delivers concentrated red light to the scalp. Red light boosts cellular activity to rev up hair growth, especially helpful for genetic thinning. May see results after 3-6 months of consistent treatments. An effective addition to the other home remedies above.
Microneedling
Gently puncturing the scalp triggers wound healing factors that promote new collagen and elastic fibers where hair embeds. Microneedle rollers with 0.5-1.5mm needles or special pens with fast vibrating needles do this with minimal discomfort. Boosts minoxidil absorption too. Use once weekly after cleansing the scalp.
Caffeine Hair Products
Look for shampoos and leave-in treatments containing caffeine – it constricts blood vessels to inhibit excess DHT levels for stronger hair anchoring and extended growth phases. Useful for pattern baldness when used regularly.
Avoid Tight Hairstyles
Tight buns, cornrows, and pigtails strain follicles already weakened by DHT in pattern hair loss. Avoiding traction prevents further damage so hair stays anchored longer before shedding.
Scalp Needling + PRP
Dermatologists can draw your blood, isolate the plasma containing regenerative platelets/proteins, and inject it into bald patches after needling/penetrating the skin. This powerfully stimulates localized healing and regrowth when other remedies alone prove inadequate.
Reduce DHT-Raising Factors
Lower DHT production by limiting meat and high-glycemic carbs, increasing healthy fats like avocado and coconut oil, avoiding toxins in skin/haircare products, staying active to regulate hormones, and limiting alcohol intake.
For Poor Nutrition
Assess and Improve Your Diet
Track your food intake and assess which hair-healthy vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and proteins you lack or seldom eat. Improve deficiencies by modifying your diet and/or high-quality supplements. Reassess after 2-3 months.
Protein at Every Meal
Getting ample high-quality protein from eggs, fatty fish, beans, dairy, poultry, nuts, and tofu ensures the amino acid-building blocks hair needs to maintain growth. Shoot for at least 20 grams per meal.
Iron + Vitamin C Food Combo
Pair vitamin C foods like citrus fruits, berries, melon, and bell peppers with iron-rich foods such as fortified nut milk and cereals, spinach, pumpkin seeds, and grass-fed meats. Vitamin C makes plant-based iron more absorbable to prevent deficiencies.
B-Complex Supplement
A daily B-complex vitamin tablet or liquid ensures you get adequate B3 (niacin), B5 (biotin), and B9 (folic acid). B-group vitamins curb stress shedding and greying, and folic acid maintains hair pigment.
Biotin Separately
Instead of mega-doses of biotin that can cause side effects, get ~30-50mcg of biotin by also eating nuts, sweet potatoes, spinach, raspberries, whole grains, and mushrooms. Biotin is crucial for thick hair but works best when consumed as part of a balanced diet.
Evening Primrose, Flax & Pumpkin Seed Oils
Taking 1 tsp each daily provides essential omega fats, vitamin E, and zinc that make hair glossy, hydrated, and growing optimally. Can also consume chia seeds, walnuts, salmon, or algae supplements, all high in omega-3s.
For Alopecia Areata Hair Loss
Antioxidant-Rich Foods & Herbal Tea
Eat brightly colored fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, drink green tea, and treat stress levels to curb excessive inflammation involved in autoimmune hair loss. Anti-inflammatory foods support calming cortisol levels while providing micronutrients that aid growth when consumed regularly.
Probiotic Foods or Supplements
Choose kefir, kombucha, kimchi, yogurt, fermented tea, pickles, and sauerkraut more often, or supplement with 50 billion CFU probiotics involved in immune regulation and gut-related absorption of nutrients hair depends on. Can gradually soothe inflammatory factors.
Adaptogen Herbs
Herbs like ashwagandha, holy basil, ginseng, rhodiola, and maca regulate stress hormones when taken daily in capsules or tea. Lowering cortisol through adaptogens combined with immune-regulating vitamins D, E, and selenium supplements counter autoimmunity.
Onion Juice Rinses
The sulfuric compounds in onion juice may stimulate follicles in alopecia areata patches by boosting collagen production. Blend onions and strain pulp to apply juice straight to thinning areas. Rinse after 30 mins. The sulfur stench fades fast.
Neem Oil Massages
Anti-inflammatory neem oil counters irritation and inflammation causing autoimmune attacks on hair follicles. Gently massage balding patches after diluting pure neem oil into a carrier like coconut oil. Boosts circulation as well.
Corticosteroid Injections
See a doctor for steroid injections applied right into stubborn bald patches when home remedies alone don’t restart growth. Reduces localized immune responses so hair can regrow in most cases. Can require repeat visits.
For High Stress Levels
Adaptogen Herbs
Herbs like ashwagandha, ginseng, Rhodiola, and maca balance cortisol and curb anxiety when taken in capsules daily. Lowering stress hormone activity minimizes stress-related hair shedding.
Daily Meditation
Just 5-10 mins of focusing your thoughts through breathing reduces cortisol, adrenaline, blood pressure, anger, and anxiety. In turn this minimizes inflammation and improves scalp circulation for healthier follicles less prone to stress-related hair loss. Apps like Calm or Headspace simplify starting.
Moderate Intensity Exercise
Aim for 30-60 minutes daily of activities like brisk walking, cycling, dancing, or gentle jogging which balances hormones and neurochemicals in ways that buffer stress. Increases scalp blood flow as well.
Relaxing Massage
Weekly massages or releasing muscle knots using a foam roller tamp down stress signals and tension causing hair loss. Have someone massage the scalp too using lavender/geranium/rosemary oils to improve local microcirculation.
Positive Self-Talk and Reframing
Combat pessimism and perfectionism with realistic thoughts of past success at problem-solving, times you showed resilience, and instances where a broader perspective shifted your negative feelings. Foster self-compassion – treat yourself like you would a distressed friend in need of support. Self-care eases stress immensely.
Support Groups
Find community and understanding by joining groups related to your stressor or attending meetups focused on conditions causing major life changes like chronic health issues or grief support. Shared experiences provide meaningful peer validation and coping strategies. Reduces isolation and loneliness driving mood changes affecting hair.
Passion Flower, Lemon Balm, and CBD Oil
Taking passion flower, lemon balm supplements, or a few drops of cannabidiol (CBD) oil 3 times daily notches down anxiety, overthinking, and hypervigilance straining the body. Combined with lifestyle stress relief delivers a one-two punch against stressors thinning hair.
For Postpartum Hair Loss
Patience
Shedding from hormonal shifts slowly resolves on its own within 6 months of giving birth for most women. Hair rebounds fully in 1 year once estrogen rebalances provided nutrient intake is adequate.
Nutrient Dense Food
Eat plenty of protein, iron, and omega-3 foods including meat, poultry, fatty fish, eggs, pumpkin/chia seeds, spinach, and fruits like citrus, berries, and pineapple. Feed your whole body what it needs to adjust postpartum.
Sea Buckthorn Oil
The essential fatty acids and vitamin E in sea buckthorn oil applied to the scalp and skin enhance cellular membrane health – critical for hair and skin recovering from massive hormonal adjustments after a baby. Quickly absorbed. Use 2-3x a week at minimum.
Nourishing Herbal Hair Rinses
Rotating rinses made with infusions of rosemary, horsetail, nettle, marshmallow root, or oat straw soothe and moisturize while delivering vitamins and minerals through the scalp after washing. Rinse out after 5-10 mins with cool water 1-2x a week.
Relaxation Techniques
Carving out daily quiet time to nap, gently stretch, meditate, or sip calming herbal tea (like chamomile, passionflower, or lemon balm) gives senses a break from new baby stimulation. Restorative relaxation eases postpartum stress influencing hair cycles.
Normalize Eating Habits
As life with a newborn settles, make time for regular nutritious meals again, stay hydrated, and take a good whole food-based multivitamin to normalize intake supporting hair follicles. Lifestyle influences hair growth.
Certain Most Common Reasons for Hair Loss
When Should I Seek Medical Treatment?
Visit your doctor or dermatologist if:
- Hair shedding rapidly progresses over just a few months, or bald patches expand rapidly
- You experience pain, itching, or burning around bald spots
- You suspect an infection, fungus or autoimmune disorder underlies hair loss
- Home remedies show no improvement after 6+ months of diligent use
- Hair loss causes significant psychological distress or affects job performance
Testing can help accurately diagnose the cause. Medical options like prescription medications, injections, or PRP therapy often help regrow hair better than home remedies alone when handled professionally. Seeing an expert also ensures any underlying conditions get managed properly so they don’t worsen hair loss or trigger other health issues. Don’t delay getting assessed if hair loss obedience is concerning or distressing.
Maximizing Success With Home Remedies
Certain factors influence how much success you’ll have using home remedies alone to improve hair growth:
- Speed of onset – Sudden hair loss continuing rapidly across a few months likely requires stronger medical treatment. Gradual thinning worsening over the years responds better to solely home remedies and dietary changes.
- Severity – Minor thinning with no bald patches frequently improves more with home remedies than extensive, widespread hair loss or smooth bald areas larger than a coin. Monitor progress every 4 months.
- Type of hair loss – Pattern baldness genetically programmed to worsen over decades may use home remedies to help slow (not stop) progression. Causes like temporary hormone changes, stressors, or nutrient deficiency are more reversible.
- Consistency – Sporadically trying a home remedy once a week or so will unlikely yield any noticeable result. Daily or almost daily consistent effort for at least 4-6 months is vital to see improvements that compel you to keep using the homemade approaches. Documenting progress with monthly photos assists with consistency.
- Dietary habits – Those eating a highly balanced, nutrient-dense whole foods diet tend to see better hair growth results from home remedies than people consuming a lot of processed foods or following fad diets. Poor nutrition directly thwarts hair health.
- Stress levels – How well you actively cope with and lower daily emotional stress in your life positively correlates with the degree of hair regrowth you’ll achieve. Stress management fuels home remedy results.
In essence, the earlier you start home treatment after noticing thinning, the more minor hair loss is, the fewer complicating factors like deficiencies or severe anxiety are present, and the better your daily consistency, then the more successful regrowth becomes using home remedy solutions alone. Consider seeing a doctor sooner rather than later under other circumstances for a tailored treatment plan best supporting your hair goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will hair lost from temporary causes fully regrow?
Yes, hair lost due to changeable conditions like postpartum hormone shifts, dietary deficiencies, high stress levels or medication side effects can completely grow back over around 3-6 months once triggering factors are resolved either on their own or via home remedies and diet improvements. Permanent follicle damage causing irreversible baldness generally does not occur unless thinning has been long-standing for years – giving home remedies ample time to encourage full regrowth when applied diligently day in and day out.
How long until I see some results using natural remedies?
It takes consistency with natural remedies and overhauling dietary nutrients for at least 4-6 months to witness visible improvements like enhanced hair density, thickness, or rate of growth. Progress can stay modest the first few months because time is needed to undo nutrient deficits or lifestyle habits suppressing follicles. Stick with chosen home remedies daily rather than sporadically so slow changes accumulate.
If my hair regrows, do I have to keep using home remedies forever?
If hair loss was due to temporary but intense shedding from a nutrient deficiency, high-stress period or postpartum, regrown hair should stay once triggering factors resolve or dietary intake improves permanently. The exception is genetically programmed male/female pattern hair loss – grown back hair may gradually re-thin if DHT-blocking remedies like saw palmetto supplements are halted after several years. For non-genetic causes, monitor regrowth progress for 9-12 months before tapering home remedies.
Can I re-perm/color regrowing hair once thick enough?
It’s best to wait at least one full year after achieving desirable thickness to process previously thinning hair now recovering from chemical treatments, aggressive styling damage, or processing that exacerbated shedding initially. Let hair continue regenerating with gentle natural styling before attempting permanent chemical procedures again or else shedding can recur. People focused on disguising genetic thinning rarely need to return to harsh chemical processing, however.
What ingredients should I look for in the best hair regrowth shampoos?
Quality ingredients to seek on labels when comparing anti-hair loss shampoos in stores or online include: Saw palmetto extract, niacin, biotin, natural DHT blockers like pumpkin seed oil, caffeine, zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, pyridoxine, iron, amino acids like arginine, folate, B vitamins, glycoproteins, keratin, antioxidants from fruit/plant extracts and fatty alcohols for moisture.
The Bottom Line
Science confirms that many home remedies complemented by dietary changes can improve hair growth within 6 months. Consistency is key – along with realistically factoring in variables like how rapidly hair loss has occurred and whether underlying issues like high stress or nutrient deficiencies need addressing first before attempting to regrow hair using only homemade treatments. Being diligent gives home remedies the best chance of success before pursuing medical options.
