Does eating peppermint grow hair faster?

[Kalamazoo]

I'm curious about eating peppermint. Does it work as well at speeding up hair growth, as putting it on your head? 🍭

[littlestarface]

i dont think so, but maybe lol I used to eat peppermint patties like a mad woman a few years ago and my hair did grow.

[lapushka]

Not that I've noticed. I eat peppermints every week and my growth is still 1/2inch a month. In fact, nothing I do in my diet (and I'm a very healthy eater) or on my head ever made a change in that number. Not that I watched *that* closely.

BUT!

I have been having "wild" growth lately, far over 1/2 inch a month, but that is not normal for me. And... I haven't done a thing differently. It is a proper mystery! :hmm: In fact I am questioning my sanity. LOL!

[Kalamazoo]

Lapushka! You're having a growth spurt?! That's WONDERFUL! Isn't it FUN?! Congratulations!

Actually, I've got another growth spurt of my own going on. On July 3, I was down to TBL, but my V hemline was so severe that I had about 3 hairs that were that length, and I just wanted either a blunt U shape or straight-across so badly! So I studied the hair-trimming tutorials, and figured out how to get what I wanted. I had said I was going to microtrim & take off 1/4". I actually took off 5", going up to WL. I'd have been mad if I'd gone to a beauty salon & paid them to take 1/4" & then they'd taken 5". Hopping mad! But I was the one who made the decision, & I got exactly the cut I wanted, & I didn't have to wait for months of micro-trimming before getting the look I was after. So I was happy. Very happy.

Well, today? My hair's 1" past WL. That trim was on the 3rd, today's the 13th, that's an inch in 10 days.

Yes, I've been eating a lot of peppermint patties & Snickers, but I've also been doing a whole bunch of other things that are commonly rumored to grow hair. I don't want to mess up my growth spurt by narrowing down to just one thing to do a proper test. My theory is that hair needs a "balanced diet" of lots of different things combined to get all the optimum nutrition; but I'm so thrilled to have a growth spurt again that I don't want to mess it up by being scientific about it!

So I figured I'd ask to see if anybody had already researched it.

[Kalamazoo]

i dont think so, but maybe lol I used to eat peppermint patties like a mad woman a few years ago and my hair did grow.


Hmmmmmmm. Interesting....

[Hedvig]

If anybody finds an experiment saying so then I will drink allll the peppermint tea. But I think my hair is too light to use it on my hair. Only for brunettes, right?

[Nightshade]

I don't think so. The idea of putting peppermint (or other warming essential oils) on your head (always properly diluted in carrier oils) is that it increases circulation which may (but probably won't) boost hair growth. Its the same train of thought as the inversion method.

Eating peppermint wouldn't accomplish this, and the main foods that can increase grown (presuming you were deficient in these things enough to be under your max rate of hair growth) are things that contain protein and silica, which are what your body builds hair with.

[Hexen]

Hmm....
possibly at least for one person, lol

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oy6SSDgWmfs/maxresdefault.jpg

[Kalamazoo]

If anybody finds an experiment saying so then I will drink allll the peppermint tea. But I think my hair is too light to use it on my hair. Only for brunettes, right?

Hedvig, what a beautiful rose-gold shade you've got going on!

It seems to me that putting peppermint tea on your hair would be risking turning your hair brown, since peppermint tea is brown.

However, peppermint EO (Essential Oil) is clear. I would think you could add a drop of EO to something else (carrier oil for massaging, or shampoo, or conditioner, or rinse water, etc.) without any blonde hazard. In fact, peppermint EO is a popular ingredient among manufacturers of hair care products, so you can easily find shampoos, conditioners, etc. already containing it.

(My opinion is NOT based on scientific experimentation, just "Well, it seems to me..." You need more factual advice than mine before you act.
Nightshade?)

[Kalamazoo]

Hmm....
possibly at least for one person, lol

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oy6SSDgWmfs/maxresdefault.jpg

And it makes reindeer fly, too, right?

[lapushka]

And it makes reindeer fly, too, right?

Yes that's the bonus!

[Kalamazoo]

Yes that's the bonus!

And we definitely need more flying reindeer around here! :horse:

[Kalamazoo]

Well, there is this study, comparing topical application on mice, of saline solution, jojoba oil, Minoxidil & peppermint oil:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289931/#!po=42.3077

The peppermint oil won hands-down, IMO, considering the photos.

But that's topical application.

I was asking about eating peppermint, because I figure that a per centage of what a person eats is going to make its way to the scalp, which is why nutritionists can do hair analysis to determine nutritional deficiencies.

So my hypothesis is that eating peppermint might help grow hair faster, especially if combined with other beneficial circumstances.

:yumm:

But IDK...

[AuntyMiki]

Oh God, I hope so! Peppermint anything is the bomb!

[Nightshade]

Hedvig, what a beautiful rose-gold shade you've got going on!

It seems to me that putting peppermint tea on your hair would be risking turning your hair brown, since peppermint tea is brown.

However, peppermint EO (Essential Oil) is clear. I would think you could add a drop of EO to something else (carrier oil for massaging, or shampoo, or conditioner, or rinse water, etc.) without any blonde hazard. In fact, peppermint EO is a popular ingredient among manufacturers of hair care products, so you can easily find shampoos, conditioners, etc. already containing it.

(My opinion is NOT based on scientific experimentation, just "Well, it seems to me..." You need more factual advice than mine before you act.
Nightshade?)


Peppermint tea might leave a very, very faint yellow-brownish cast to pale and very porous hair, but generally, no, isn't going to stain your hair :)

[Kalamazoo]

Thanks, Nightshade!

[Hedvig]

Hedvig, what a beautiful rose-gold shade you've got going on!

It seems to me that putting peppermint tea on your hair would be risking turning your hair brown, since peppermint tea is brown.

However, peppermint EO (Essential Oil) is clear. I would think you could add a drop of EO to something else (carrier oil for massaging, or shampoo, or conditioner, or rinse water, etc.) without any blonde hazard. In fact, peppermint EO is a popular ingredient among manufacturers of hair care products, so you can easily find shampoos, conditioners, etc. already containing it.

(My opinion is NOT based on scientific experimentation, just "Well, it seems to me..." You need more factual advice than mine before you act.
Nightshade?)

Thank you, for the compliment and for the info. I promise to research anything to death before putting it on my hair. It would be nice to be able to say that I drink all this herbal tea for a useful reason, though. 😂

[Kalamazoo]

Is there a thread on herbal teas that can be either swallowed or applied topically? I'm thinking rosemary, horsetail, amla, dandelion, and several others should all be on such a list. Basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro, chamomile, etc. ... I think peppermint tea should be on that list, too?

[Kalamazoo]

Oh God, I hope so! Peppermint anything is the bomb!

🍭 :wethree: 🍭

[Kalamazoo]

I don't think so. The idea of putting peppermint (or other warming essential oils) on your head (always properly diluted in carrier oils) is that it increases circulation which may (but probably won't) boost hair growth. Its the same train of thought as the inversion method.

Eating peppermint wouldn't accomplish this, and the main foods that can increase grown (presuming you were deficient in these things enough to be under your max rate of hair growth) are things that contain protein and silica, which are what your body builds hair with.

I probably should remember that Nightshade said that. But I like eating peppermint and having long hair, so I'm still chasing my fantasy of finding someplace where somebody said that eating peppermint's good for your hair. I mean, after all, we KNOW that reindeer fly, because we KNOW that that's how Santa gets around the world in 24 hours, every December 24; so if peppermint can make reindeer fly, then surely, eating it has to be good for your hair, right?

Ah, the joys of logic. Start with a false premise, and you can prove anything.

OK, I'm looking for older threads on herbal teas, to see if any of them mention peppermint tea.

So far I found one on rooibos tea: https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=80036 The results don't sound completely promising. It worked for some people & not others.

There's also https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=127707
which talks about "Tea Rinses: The Good, The Bad, The Useless"

Hmmm... It looks like not every plant out there works well when steeped in water & applied to the scalp.

OK, I'll keep looking for, & returning with, links to relevant info.

[Kalamazoo]

🍭Peppermint🍭 Thought for the Day #1

How's this for logic (on its ear)?

1. I like eating 🍭peppermint🍭;
2. therefore, eating 🍭peppermint🍭 makes me happy.
3. When I'm feeling happy, I don't feel depressed enough to cut my hair.
4. If I don't cut my hair, then it grows longer.
5. SO ... 😋






:crazyq:

[Hedvig]

I probably should remember that Nightshade said that. But I like eating peppermint and having long hair, so I'm still chasing my fantasy of finding someplace where somebody said that eating peppermint's good for your hair. I mean, after all, we KNOW that reindeer fly, because we KNOW that that's how Santa gets around the world in 24 hours, every December 24; so if peppermint can make reindeer fly, then surely, eating it has to be good for your hair, right?

Ah, the joys of logic. Start with a false premise, and you can prove anything.

OK, I'm looking for older threads on herbal teas, to see if any of them mention peppermint tea.

So far I found one on rooibos tea: https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=80036 The results don't sound completely promising. It worked for some people & not others.

There's also https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=127707
which talks about "Tea Rinses: The Good, The Bad, The Useless"

Hmmm... It looks like not every plant out there works well when steeped in water & applied to the scalp.

OK, I'll keep looking for, & returning with, links to relevant info.

Thank you for those links! Off to read.

[Hedvig]

��Peppermint�� Thought for the Day #1

How's this for logic (on its ear)?

1. I like eating ��peppermint��;
2. therefore, eating ��peppermint�� makes me happy.
3. When I'm feeling happy, I don't feel depressed enough to cut my hair.
4. If I don't cut my hair, then it grows longer.
5. SO ... ��






:crazyq:

I think you're on to something, that sounds like a legitimate causation to me. ��

[Kalamazoo]

Glad you liked that. I wonder if there are studies on how one's happiness level affects one's hair growth. No telling. That might be the biggest wonder drug out there. It's probably a pivotal ingredient in the Benign Neglect potion.

[Kalamazoo]

Here's the Wikipedia article on peppermint:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppermint

[Longlegs]

Not that I've noticed. I eat peppermints every week and my growth is still 1/2inch a month. In fact, nothing I do in my diet (and I'm a very healthy eater) or on my head ever made a change in that number. Not that I watched *that* closely.

BUT!

I have been having "wild" growth lately, far over 1/2 inch a month, but that is not normal for me. And... I haven't done a thing differently. It is a proper mystery! :hmm: In fact I am questioning my sanity. LOL!

That is exciting! , if it was me I would be obsessing over every thing I've done and eaten since it started, to try to figure it out.

[The-Young-Maid]

*feverishly brews every variety of mint tea in the house*

[Kalamazoo]

*feverishly brews every variety of mint tea in the house*

I've used peppermint (chewing gum, Altoids, chocolate-covered peppermint patties, tea, & EO) for many years now, to deal with my allergies, hay fever, asthma, congestion, the common cold. It's excellent at clearing out my sinuses.

HOWEVER, there IS such a thing as too much of a good thing. It has sometimes made me feel woozy, like I was anemic. Turns out, peppermint inhibits iron,
https://draxe.com/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/
http://jacknorrisrd.com/herbal-teas-inhibit-iron-absorption/
https://theironmaiden.ca/things-you-should-avoid-when-consuming-iron/

which is how it dries up my post-nasal drip. (Sorry, I can't find a reference on that right now.)

Here's a link about anemia symptoms:
https://healthprep.com/articles/anemia/7-indications-that-you-may-be-anemic/

So, personally, I eat liver rather frequently, take fermented cod liver oil, and often use iron frypans or cooking pots.

So I encourage you to listen to your own body, and back off the peppermint for a while, when you need to. It's one of those things that I keep coming back to.

[Kalamazoo]

Not that I've noticed. I eat peppermints every week and my growth is still 1/2inch a month. In fact, nothing I do in my diet (and I'm a very healthy eater) or on my head ever made a change in that number. Not that I watched *that* closely.

BUT!

I have been having "wild" growth lately, far over 1/2 inch a month, but that is not normal for me. And... I haven't done a thing differently. It is a proper mystery! :hmm: In fact I am questioning my sanity. LOL!

Maybe Lapushka's been doing hair-healthy stuff so long that it's finally caught up with her...

[The-Young-Maid]

*spits out tea*

Dang it thats the last thing I need right now!

[Kalamazoo]

I think the most important parts of my one-&-only previous growth spurt were baggying an egg-&-oil mask overnight combined with the Inversion Method. But I never did only that. I was adding a bunch of other ingredients into the egg & oil.

But when I say "growth spurt", I was seeing up to 1 1/2 inches growth within 24 hours of each hair mask.

I'm busy putting together a longer, more detailed reply.

[blackgothicdoll]

I think the most important parts of my one-&-only previous growth spurt were baggying an egg-&-oil mask overnight combined with the Inversion Method. But I never did only that. I was adding a bunch of other ingredients into the egg & oil.

But when I say "growth spurt", I was seeing up to 1 1/2 inches growth within 24 hours of each hair mask.

I'm busy putting together a longer, more detailed reply.

Would you happen to have documented this with pictures? That's pretty hard to believe!

[Kalamazoo]

Actually, I've got another growth spurt of my own going on. On July 3, I was down to TBL ... I actually took off 5", going up to WL. ... Well, today? My hair's 1" past WL. That trim was on the 3rd, today's the 13th, that's an inch in 10 days. ... Yes, I've been eating a lot of peppermint patties & Snickers, but I've also been doing a whole bunch of other things that are commonly rumored to grow hair. ... My theory is that hair needs a "balanced diet" of lots of different things combined to get all the optimum nutrition


That is exciting! , if it was me I would be obsessing over every thing I've done and eaten since it started, to try to figure it out.

Things I've been up to:

1. It's a very hot & humid summer here right now. There's a reason why people don't build saunas in this part of the world! (Houston, TX)

2. I found a Jack Russell Terrier in January. He needs lots of exercise. He's my new fitness coach.

3. I massage my scalp a lot. The inversion method's good, but I don't stop at 4 minutes, nor at once a day, nor after a week. I may massage with just my fingers, but I prefer using a wooden comb, or TWO wooden combs, one in each hand!

4. My hair wash water is bottled spring water, ACV, peppermint EO, clove EO, tea tree oil. Lately, I've started adding rosemary tea & shave grass tea to the pot, which I heat on the stovetop to a pleasant lukewarm temperature & carry to the shower, to dip & pour over my hair. (I try to avoid using tapwater, because it makes me itch. This is an industrial city, & there's a lot of run-off in the city water.) (This week, I added basil tea to my hair wash water.)

5. To wash out the mask, I may need to shampoo as much as 6 or 7 times (for which I may use tapwater, but my final rinse has to be bottled water). For shampoo, I'm using mostly Earthly Delight, but I've started using BILT. Occasionally I use Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap; but for me, castille soap leaves scum. I think Earthly Delight's the best.

6. I do hair masks on all of my hair, from scalp to tip, & then cover everything with plastic (shower cap &/or Saran Wrap), including my eyebrows. (Yes, my eyebrows are looking thicker & darker now than they have in a long time!) My ingredients include:
• egg yolk
• George's Aloe Vera
• Captain's Choice Aftershave
• Thayer's Original Astringent Aloe Vera Witch Hazel
• black walnut hull extract
• peppermint EO
• clove EO
• rosemary tea
• horsetail tea
• Kalpi Tone (enough to make a thick glop like toothpaste. This makes the mask non-drippy.)
• Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Pure Butter
• Earthly Delight Pomade
• coconut oil
• neem oil
• other oils

7. After rinsing out the mask & shampoo (with my hair wash water. See #4.), I spray or pour the following liquids on my hair: George's Aloe Vera, rosemary tea, fenugreek seed soak water.

8. Between masks & shampoos, I liberally apply as needed:
• Captain's Choice Aftershave
• Thayer's Original Astringent Aloe Vera Witch Hazel
• Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Pure Butter
• Earthly Delight Pomade
• cocoa butter
• fenugreek seed soak water

9. I may pour my hair wash water (See #4.) through my hair any day between shampoos, to freshen it up.

10. My first growth spurt, 2 years ago, it appeared to me that my hair grew as much as 1 1/2" after a good night's sleep after applying a mask. I was doing a mask about once a week. (I stopped, because I wasn't sure about shampooing 6 or 7 times to get the mask out; and because wearing that mask under all the plastic for 8 hours was inconvenient. I'm resuming now because I think maybe I can get by with only an hour with goop on my head, & because I think that if my hair's growing that fast, then the shampoo must not be hurting it very much. After all, I've got a whale of a lot of good conditioning ingredients going on!)

[Kalamazoo]

Would you happen to have documented this with pictures? That's pretty hard to believe!

I know. I'll take my camcorder to the library & see if I can upload those pictures.

[lapushka]

That is exciting! , if it was me I would be obsessing over every thing I've done and eaten since it started, to try to figure it out.

That's just not me. We have a meal plan here that rolls around monthly, so nothing changed there. And... yeah, nothing differently. I did change my prescription from a brand name to a generic medicine recently that sort of coincides with that... oddness, though. Well, we'll see if it lasts!

[Kalamazoo]

*spits out tea*

Dang it thats the last thing I need right now!

I still use peppermint EO extremely frequently. It's very necessary for me to not be totally ennervated by all my allergies, hay fever, etc. It's just a balance thing. Almost everything is bad for you if you get too much.

[Kalamazoo]

Things I've been up to:

1. It's a very hot & humid summer here right now. There's a reason why people don't build saunas in this part of the world! (Houston, TX)

2. I found a Jack Russell Terrier in January. He needs lots of exercise. He's my new fitness coach.

3. I massage my scalp a lot. The inversion method's good, but I don't stop at 4 minutes, nor at once a day, nor after a week. I may massage with just my fingers, but I prefer using a wooden comb, or TWO wooden combs, one in each hand!

4. My hair wash water is bottled spring water, ACV, peppermint EO, clove EO, tea tree oil. Lately, I've started adding rosemary tea* & shave grass tea to the pot, which I heat on the stovetop to a pleasant lukewarm temperature & carry to the shower, to dip & pour over my hair. (I try to avoid using tapwater, because it makes me itch. This is an industrial city, & there's a lot of run-off in the city water.) (This week, I added basil tea to my hair wash water.)

5. To wash out the mask, I may need to shampoo as much as 6 or 7 times (for which I may use tapwater, but my final rinse has to be bottled water). For shampoo, I'm using mostly Earthly Delight***, but I've started using BILT. Occasionally I use Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap; but for me, castille soap leaves scum. I think Earthly Delight***'s the best.

6. I do hair masks on all of my hair, from scalp to tip, & then cover everything with plastic (shower cap &/or Saran Wrap), including my eyebrows. (Yes, my eyebrows are looking thicker & darker now than they have in a long time!) My ingredients include:
• egg yolk
• George's Aloe Vera
• Captain's Choice Aftershave**
• Thayer's Original Astringent Aloe Vera Witch Hazel**
• black walnut hull extract**
• peppermint EO
• clove EO
• rosemary tea*
• horsetail tea
• Kalpi Tone* (enough to make a thick glop like toothpaste. This makes the mask non-drippy.)
• Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Pure Butter*
• Earthly Delight Pomade
• coconut oil
• neem oil*
• other oils

7. After rinsing out the mask & shampoo (with my hair wash water. See #4.), I spray or pour the following liquids on my hair: George's Aloe Vera, rosemary tea*, fenugreek seed soak water.

8. Between masks & shampoos, I liberally apply as needed:
• Captain's Choice Aftershave**
• Thayer's Original Astringent Aloe Vera Witch Hazel**
• Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Pure Butter*
• Earthly Delight Pomade
• cocoa butter
• fenugreek seed soak water

9. I may pour my hair wash water (See #4.) through my hair any day between shampoos, to freshen it up.

10. My first growth spurt, 2 years ago, it appeared to me that my hair grew as much as 1 1/2" after a good night's sleep after applying a mask. I was doing a mask about once a week. (I stopped, because I wasn't sure about shampooing 6 or 7 times to get the mask out; and because wearing that mask under all the plastic for 8 hours was inconvenient. I'm resuming now because I think maybe I can get by with only an hour with goop on my head, & because I think that if my hair's growing that fast, then the shampoo must not be hurting it very much. After all, I've got a whale of a lot of good conditioning ingredients going on!)

I'm editing this to point out
* Blonde Hazard
** Contains Alcohol
*** Contains Wheat

[Six Seeds]

I don't know, but herbal peppermint tea that's cold brewed or iced is delightfully refreshing in the summer :) The Bigelow Mint Medley is my favorite.

[Kalamazoo]

I don't know, but herbal peppermint tea that's cold brewed or iced is delightfully refreshing in the summer :) The Bigelow Mint Medley is my favorite.

True. Very true.

[Kalamazoo]

Would you happen to have documented this with pictures? That's pretty hard to believe!

Yes! This selfie is from 9:38 a.m. yesterday, July 17, 2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37713&d=1563426008

More coming!

[Kalamazoo]

Also yesterday, July 17, 2019, but at 5:35 p.m.:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37714&d=1563428772

Yes, it looks like my hemline's above waist, but remember, my hair's fine, so individual strands aren't showing up very well; and also, when I trimmed it to WL on July 3, I s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d my ponytail to figure out where waist-length was. Once I made my cut, the hair's waviness made it spring up.

[Kalamazoo]

July 18, 2019, 1:14 a.m.

Here we go! Stretched!

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37715&d=1563430764

[Kalamazoo]

Cousin It style selfie from June 28, 2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37716&d=1563431463

[Kalamazoo]

Cousin It style selfie from July 17, 2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37717&d=1563431831

And that's in spite of having trimmed 5" on July 3.

Now that I've figured out the technology a little, hopefully, my photography will improve...

[Kalamazoo]

I wanted to mention, I ate so many chocolate-covered peppermint patties that I couldn't stand to look them in the eye any more, so I discarded the remainder of the bag, Tuesday night, July 16. (That's the only way I can get myself to stop eating them!)

So, to make myself feel better, I pulled out my cast-iron casserole pan & made my favorite sauerkraut & sausage dish.

So NOW, I can do a mini-experiment on whether eating peppermint affects my hair growth rate: I plan to continue doing everything else that I've been doing that I think accelerates hair growth, but just not eat any peppermint. (I'll still be applying peppermint EO topically, just not ingesting it.) So, I'll be able to see if my hair growth slows down. My hypothesis is that my hair will keep growing just as fast without eating the peppermint, but we'll see.

Stay tuned!

Time to do a hair mask...

[Kalamazoo]

Hmmm... Well, I haven't gotten around to doing another hair mask yet. I've just sort of been using Thayer's Witch Hazel &/or Captain's Choice 45th Parallel Aftershave to deal with my scalp getting so sweaty from just walking outside for a minute. (It's VERY hot & humid here! And having to walk the dog a lot makes it seem even more so!) I do that in place of using dry shampoo. (I tried a DIY dry shampoo comprised of blue cornmeal & seasalt. It turned to paste in my hair & was super-difficult to get out. I had to wash my hair to remove it! ... which sort of defeats the purpose of a dry shampoo ... Witch hazel works SO much better!)

I just stumbled across "Early Morning Henna Ponderings" at
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=145920
I thought I wasn't going to be interested, because after henna turned my hair orange (due to my being blondette & having enough native yellow to mix with the red henna to make orange) & I blueberried it out, well I'm just not going to mess with anything to color my hair red, now ... but that thread started talking about amla making hair curlier. I was wondering why my ends were suddenly acting 3c after a lifetime of thinking I had straight hair! The Kalpi Tone has amla in it.

Hmmm... This just might affect what goes in that next hair mask of mine! But then, maybe not. I mean, I want to take advantage of the hot & humid summer weather to grow my hair fast while I can...

I've got to carry in the milk! 'Bye!

[Kalamazoo]

So it's good to know that amla causes TEMPORARY curls, because now I won't be S&D-ing out those curls, because of thinking that they're damaged. (Oh! The things I don't know!)

[Kalamazoo]

OK. Hair mask on!


https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37765&d=1563784160



Tonight's ingredients:
1. egg yolk
2. George's Aloe Vera
3. Jāsön's Vitamin E Skin Oil
4. Hesh Kalpi Tone (I'm finishing up my old box & starting a new one. I notice that the ingredient lists are different.)
5. Captain's Choice 45th Parallel Aftershave
6. Gaia Black Walnut Fresh Green Hulls Herbal Extract
7. Thayer's Witch Hazel Aloe Vera Formula Astringent Original
8. Kalonji Oil (Black Seed Oil)
9. Earthly Delight Pomade
10. Neem Oil, Grandma's Home Essential Oils, best before December 2018 (Technically, it's expired, but it smells as bad as ever, so it must be all right.)
11. Peppermint Extract, Now Essential Oils 100% Pure
12. (I did put some Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Pure Butter on my scalp a few days ago, & haven't washed it out yet, so that's present, too.)

I kind of feel like I'm trying to prove unicorns exist, by snapping a picture of one in the wild.

But hey! The kids believe!

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37766&d=1563785078

That's Sandy The Dog & Angel The Cat eagerly awaiting their favorite unicorn's appearance!

[Hexen]

And it makes reindeer fly, too, right?


And we definitely need more flying reindeer around here! :horse:








I kind of feel like I'm trying to prove unicorns exist, by snapping a picture of one in the wild.

But hey! The kids believe!

To be honest with ya, im not sure there is any real definitive evidence that Santa Claws even exists.

BUT...I hear unicorn blood has some very interesting properties :D ....:horse:.....:stirpot:.......:toast:.....:rocke rdud

:rollin:

[Kalamazoo]

Results.

Well, 80 hairs fell out. I actually counted them! Normal daily hairfall for me is 10-20 hairs. So that's GOOD! 80 telagen follicles returned to anagen phase!

And, last night, I got my next-door-neighbor to take a few photos for me. It's a horrible photo, because you can tell that I was sopping wet from having taken Sandy The Dog for a walk in all the heat & humidity; BUT, my hairs are down to waist without being stretched:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37783&d=1563921933

So it looks to me like I gained an inch, this time around.

I'll take some selfies in the clothes I wore in the earlier pix for a more accurate comparison.

[Kalamazoo]

BUT...I hear unicorn blood has some very interesting properties :D ....:horse:.....:stirpot:.......:toast:.....:rocke rdud

:rollin:

Unicorn blood? Do they sell it on eBay? What properties are you talking about? :couch:

[Kalamazoo]

6:44AM, 7/24/2019

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37787&d=1563968921

contrasted with 7/17/2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37717&d=1563431831

[Kalamazoo]

7/24/2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37788&d=1563970102

compared with 7/17/2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37714&d=1563428772

It looks like it's increased more in the thickness department, as opposed to length; but still, it's more hair!

ETA: And wishing for thicker hair was what initiated my current hair journey, back in December 2016. So, no complaints here!

[Kalamazoo]

7/24/2019 stretched:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37789&d=1563970134

vs. 7/17/2019 stretched:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37715&d=1563430764

[Kalamazoo]

7/24/2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37790&d=1563972530

against 7/17/2019:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37713&d=1563426008

[Kalamazoo]

And, for anybody who's curious, I'm 63. So in reply to that other thread, "Possible to grow your hair long in your 30s?", the answer is, "Nope. I'll never see 39 again! Maybe my 130s, if I live so long..."

[Kalamazoo]

I suppose that this outcome would properly be known as "a stall", so I looked up what to do when your hair doesn't grow as fast as you're used to, & found https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=86

Actually, I'm really not disappointed, because I DID have an unusual-for-me number of hairs fall out, & that's the way a healthy growth spurt has started for me in the past. So, it's a case of the newer, shorter hairs growing & catching up with their longer sisters. (That has to be what happened, because how else could my hair look so much thicker?)

The first growth spurt I had, 2 years ago (for which I still haven't yet posted pictures), one big surprise I had was that the 2 sideways darts of my hairline, above my eyebrows, started growing! (What are those parts of the hairline called? They aren't the widow's peak. That's in the middle.) Well, anyway, previous to that 2017 growth spurt, I never had anything but vellus hairs there. Suddenly, within a month's time, they turned into 6"-long strands. Is there a name for those parts of the hairline?

So anywho, I'm planning to do another deep conditioning quite soon here. Last time, I spaced them about a week apart. That seems to be about the right amount of time to let the hair "digest" its food, grow, & relax, before "heading" on. (Punny, punny...)

And meanwhile, tonight, I put more witch hazel on my scalp (because I got quite sweaty today & needed to dry it out), inverted, & massaged with my fingertips. (The witch hazel made my hair too wet to use combs on it.) (ETA: But I DID 2-comb massage & detangling early in the morning, before getting all hot & sweaty. Each comb was coated with aftershave & cocoa butter.)

More pictures coming a day or two after the next mask.

Good night!

[Kalamazoo]

These hairs -- What are they called? Temple? Forehead? Peyot?

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37795&d=1564104961

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37796&d=1564105092

[milosmomma]

This is a great thread, you guys had me chuckle a few times.
I was thinking though that maybe theres a connection between sugar and speedy growth. I have a pretty fast average growth rate but I also have a pretty high average sugar intake. Not a terrible amount and I watch my weight and fitness, but for sure way more than recommended or needed. Perhaps Santa gets his long luxurious hairs from all that sugar!?

[Kalamazoo]

Thanks, milosmomma! There may well be a sugar connection. I confess, I bought more Snickers yesterday. (But I'm sticking to my word & not eating any more peppermint right now. There are so many variables! I don't see how anybody could be thoroughly scientific & check for everything.

Daddy used to have a book by Adele Davis. Unfortunately, I don't recall the title. But she talked about an experiment in which newly weaned babies were fed either according to the scientifically determined optimal dietary guidelines, or according to demand. (They were only exposed to healthy baby food, no junk, no TV ads, no reactions from the nurses feeding them like "Oh, that's yucky!", etc.) The infants who were fed exactly what they wanted, when they wanted, & as much as they wanted, were all totally healthier at the end of the experiment than the children fed according to doctors' orders. The human body is such an incredibly marvelous invention! To have a built-in appetite that automatically guides one to eat the most nourishing foods for whatever health needs one has! (If only we could insulate ourselves from junk food & social pressure!) But I am guided in my choices of what to do for my hair by ... can I call it my hair's appetite? I mean, I tried horsetail tea in my hair wash water, & I just feel like I really want to do that again!

Sugar. It's true, sugar can cause a bunch of problems; but I'm convinced that ALL of the artificial sweeteners are worse.

I've read about dieting causing hair loss. I think that, for me, the healthiest way to slim down is to eat more!, to add in more vegetables, meat, chocolate, butter, cheese, whatever I'm craving -- and to exercise more. At least, that's what worked for me 40 years ago. But then, I gave in to social pressure to eat less, & the weight came back. But while I was losing, I had to eat at least 2,100 calories/day to keep my energy level up enough to exercise constantly. On days when I ate less, I was lethargic, exercised less, & gained weight.

So I think that losing weight can be compatible with growing hair. I sure hope so.

[Joules]

Our hair growth is closely correlated with our hormones. Testosterone is a death sentence for hair (hence why androgenetic alopecia is a thing that exists). Some herbs have anti-androgenic properties, not enough to throw every process in your body out of whack, but just enough to balance things out in case of a mild imbalance. I can't recite every anti-androgenic herb by heart (I have a list in my computer at home, I'm at work rn), but the one that instantly comes to mind is nettle. I read about it and I have noticed that whenever I start to drink herbal tea that containes nettle my periods become more regular (they're regular anyway, but with nettle tea it's a whole other level of regular, like, to the hour).

If I'm remembering correctly peppermint is in that list of anti-androgenic herbs too. So drinking peppermint tea and applying it topically could be beneficial for hair growth.

ETA: I don't suggest drinking anti-androgenic herbs if you have any sort if an issue that requires actual medical attention or if you're on hormonal birth control. Remember the Saw Palmetto scandal on youtube? A couple of years ago the youtuber Tati Westbrook launched a supplement that contained Saw Palmetto extract, which is a very potent anti-androgen that can mess with birth control. People were pissed (to put it lightly). So yeah. Do your own research, it is a fascinating topic.

[Kalamazoo]

Wow. Thank you, Joules! ... And I suppose sugar can be anti-androgenic, too, in that it can contribute to gaining fat, and I think fat secretes estrogen?

[Joules]

Wow. Thank you, Joules! ... And I suppose sugar can be anti-androgenic, too, in that it can contribute to gaining fat, and I think fat secretes estrogen?

No, in women fat acts completely opposite (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16647374/)

Plus sugar disrupts collagen production and leads to premature ageing. So yeah. Don't eat too much sugar.

[Kalamazoo]

I don't think that that sugar logic of mine works for men, either, or else we wouldn't have fat bald men & trim men with full heads of hair.

[maplesyrupgirl]

Wow, all this information was really interesting! I've used the "roots" hair mask from Lush a number of times (which has peppermint in it) and have always loved the tingly sensation, and I noticed it helped promote hair growth when I was going through a stall. Now I'll be drinking peppermint tea along with it ;)

[Kalamazoo]

Wow, all this information was really interesting! I've used the "roots" hair mask from Lush a number of times (which has peppermint in it) and have always loved the tingly sensation, and I noticed it helped promote hair growth when I was going through a stall. Now I'll be drinking peppermint tea along with it ;)

🍭 :wethree: 🍭




... Out of curiosity, when I type 🍭, what I see on my phone is a peppermint lollipop. Is that what everybody else sees?

[Kalamazoo]

Joules, I'd be eternally grateful for a copy of your list of anti-androgenic herbs... :pray:

[Kalamazoo]

And, is there already a comprehensive list of ALL the herbs, worldwide, that help with hair growth? :confused: If not, I want to start one; but I don't want to reinvent the wheel... :brickwall I think what we need is an alphabetical list of just the names of all the herbs, without enumerating any of their properties. Then, when one wants to try out something new, one could go to the list, pick a plant, & go research it before deciding to try it. Or maybe the list should be divided into categories, and one herb could be listed under each of its attributes. So neem might get listed under "Fast Growth", "Combats Premature Gray", "Reduces Hairfall", "Contraceptive", "Insect Repellent", "Smells Bad"... etc.

Surely, such a list already exists?

[Kalamazoo]

No, that second list idea's too complicated. Just an alphabetical list of names only...

[Reservechic]

My mother stays stocked up on peppermints, not the ones that are hard but the news that are softer and that easily dissolve into your mouth. She keeps such around for use when her sugar gets low. She also uses them, for snacking on when she gets a but hungry inbetween meals. She has been doing this for years. She has not experienced any major growth spurt because of it. As, she has gotten older her hair has thinned out and diabetes medication alone can contribute to thinning of hair. Everyone in. My family that I know of have eaten peppermints, just not it being something that they always do in a major way on a daily basis daily (and I'm referring to any type of peppermint in general), and I have never seen any type of increased growth spurt from they're airing of peppermints at any times during their lives. I am a person of multiracial descent, so I have seen individuals in my family who are mixed racially have long hair, I also know that the female individuals on my Mexican side of the family naturally has long hair, and the Caucasian female members of my family naturally have long hair. I can't attest to the African females in my heritage from very, very long ago in regards to their hair length, because that happened such a super long time ago and I have absolutely no idea to who they even are. So, there was never any issues with growing long hair within my huge multicultural family. I know that products that I have used with MSM (sulfur) in them have some type of effect on my hair in terms of growth, however the products weren't used directly for hair growth, I was using them because of the line (Qhemet Biologics) being a natural based one, and I was using products that they offered for my hair after I had decided to start wearing my hair in it's naturally textured state. Also, anytime I have used any natural hair oil that contains 100% pure peppermint oil in it or anything else or any other hair are product that has peppermint oil it hasn't provided me with a hair growth spurt or even caused my hair to look thicker in in way. Plus, I'm honestly not a huge fan of really eating pepper mints anymore, as I very rarely do so at all anymore, or even like dealing with the strong smell that comes with peppermint oil at all, anymore. It just often doesn't sit well with my stomach. Also, besides peppermint oil providing my scalp with both a tingling and cooling sensation, I just haven't ever experienced anything major from it. The growth that I get is largely relative to my hair's own natural growth rate, genetics, and a really good hair care regimen, and the same can definitely be said for my mom's hair as well too.

Also, I do suffer with scalp eczema and I don't feel that peppermint oil is a good oil of choice when it comes to having come in contact with my scalp anymore, because it AIDS in making my scalp feel more sensitive. Which is why, I honestly avoid such like the plague. i also do not currently take any hair vitamins, herbal supplements, use any hair growth aids, or practice any special method that's supposed to help with increased hair growth, nor am I eating or drinking anything special for increased hair growth. I just let my hair naturally grow on its own, do my very best to retain the length I get and just keep things as easy breezy as I can with my hair care regimen, which does include not using any harsh chemical processes on my hair, practicing very minimal manipulation to my hair in-between hair washes, and only air drying my hair, and using direct heat on my hair on a super limited basis. My hair care regimen doesn't always consist of using all natural products, but I do try to stick with such the most.

My best recommendation would be to use a product with MSM (sulfur in it) on your scalp. Whether it's an oil or within a hair care product that you happen to use towards styling your hair with. Onion juice does have sulfur in it, so adding it to a hair oil or oil mixture, and massaging it into ones scalp is another alternative. As, our hair is largely made up of keratin protein, which is high in sulfur content.

[Kalamazoo]

Dear Reservechic. You made several excellent points. I have to reply piecemeal, because I need to be getting ready to go to work.

But I'd really like to say, if peppermint turns your stomach, then peppermint is NOT for you! Try some other herb instead, or leave herbs alone entirely, or ... But you're someone who could perhaps benefit from looking at a List of Herbs that Help Hair Grow. Just pick something else.

About your mom & her diabetes:
1. I am not a doctor. She needs to consult hers.
2. I am not diabetic, & have never taken insulin. I do things that influence my blood sugar level, things that could potentially not work out for someone who's taking insulin, because their dosage would need to be changed. If anybody who's diabetic is reading this & wants to try out any of my ideas, PLEASE! Talk to your doctor, FIRST!

That said, I know that eating sugar can cause my blood sugar level to spike, & then to plummet, even though I've never measured it. Things I've done in the past to help myself, and need to do again:
1. Get myself entirely off sugar.
2. I have never used artificial sweeteners. My personal opinion is that they are worse than sugar. I consider Splenda, Sucralose, Erithrytol, and almost all commercial forms of stevia to be artificial sweeteners. The stevia that I consider safe has either come from a plant that I bought and grew at home, or else https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/stevia-seeds/profile or https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/stevia-leaf/profile or https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/stevia-leaf-powder/profile
3. Exercise.
4. Eat more meat & fat & vegetables.

About sulphur & MSM:
1. There is sulphur in egg yolks. Since I'm putting an egg yolk in my hair mask, & eating egg yolks (and throwing away the albumins), I am supplementing sulphur, biotin, protein, & more healthy things than I can list, in their natural forms. My instinct says I'd be messing up a good thing if I tried using a shampoo containing MSM. I did actually buy a bottle at a health food store, but then I was too scared to open it, so it just sat in my shower for a year 'til I finally threw it away, unopened. I just had a really bad feeling about it. (I recognize that my opinion is NOT the majority's view, here at LHC. I respect everybody else's right to have their own opinions & find different solutions.)

I have to go now. I'll be back later.

God bless you, & after carefully considering your options, do whatever's best for you.

[Kalamazoo]

I've thought about putting onion juice on my hair, but I don't think I could tolerate the onion smell. (One bad asthma attack I had was due to Mama cooking with yellow onions. I had to get outdoors immediately.) Some people have said they couldn't wash it out for a long time. That's one of those things that definitely works for other people, but I'm not planning to try it myself.

[Kalamazoo]

My mother stays stocked up on peppermints, not the ones that are hard but the news that are softer and that easily dissolve into your mouth. She keeps such around for use when her sugar gets low. She also uses them, for snacking on when she gets a but hungry inbetween meals. She has been doing this for years. She has not experienced any major growth spurt because of it. As, she has gotten older her hair has thinned out and diabetes medication alone can contribute to thinning of hair. Everyone in. My family that I know of have eaten peppermints, just not it being something that they always do in a major way on a daily basis daily (and I'm referring to any type of peppermint in general), and I have never seen any type of increased growth spurt from they're airing of peppermints at any times during their lives.

OK, that's definitely proof that eating peppermint will NOT increase hair growth for everybody! However, it may work for some.

Everybody has different nutritional strengths & weaknesses, different allergies, different environmental factors, different genetic profiles, different hair textures ... What would you do if I told you I detangle with a fine-toothed comb? (It's true. I do!) That's definitely NOT something that everybody can or should do. But it works for me.

There are some gorgeous African-textured heads walking around out there. I can admire them, but any attempt on my part to look that way would involve perming, dying, & destroying my hair. Curly Girl method is wonderful for some people. It's not intended for my hair type.

But I'm really grateful that CG is around, because of how much more aware women have become of their own needs, and the way that the marketplace has responded by providing a great variety of products. I enjoy reading about CG, because there's information that I can use to figure out how to deal with the kind of hair that I actually have. I really eat up all the soul-searching about what a woman's hair means to her, because I'm just beginning to get in touch with my own feelings about my own hair.

It's a good time to be alive, if I'm looking for freedom to pursue alternatives. And what I'm doing to my hair, is definitely alternative!

[Kalamazoo]

And, is there already a comprehensive list of ALL the herbs, worldwide, that help with hair growth? :confused: If not, I want to start one; but I don't want to reinvent the wheel... :brickwall

Surely, such a list already exists?

Actually, the list already exists. Just google "herbs grow hair" or something similar. Sorry, I've been reinventing the internet.

[maborosi]

Not sure about eating it, but I feel like there might've been a thread/some research about topical application?

[Joules]

Just a kind reminder that nothing can really make your hair grow faster. Your hair grows as quickly as it grows. If you have a serious nutrient deficiency or a certain condition (like alopecia) your hair might grow slower, therefore solving this underlying issue will speed up hair growth for you. If you are otherwise healthy, then sorry, you only need patience.

Anti-androgenetic and anti-hairloss remedies work by making hair follicles less sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (the thing that kills hair, basically), blocking enzymes that turn testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, and/or increasing the percentage of hair in anagen phase. Therefore, to see any effect from those remedies you would need months if not years of regular treatment. And the effect certainly won't be fast growth. Your hair would just shed less, new hairs would grow back stronger, therefore becoming thicker and longer overtime. Also, I'm not including minoxidil or other chemicals here, I believe they work in a different way.

List of anti-androgenic herbs and oils for hair (I underlined those that I know are researched and proven to be effective)

Saw Palmetto
Nettle (not researched, but here in Russia nettle tea is the oldest and the most well-known remedy for hairloss, so I think there’s something to it)
Salvia
Rosemary
Peppermint (some say drinking peppermint tea can help with hirsutism, but I haven’t seen any research to back this up)
Wheat germ oil
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Sesame oil
Evening primrose oil
Jojoba oil (did not perform well in studies though)

Now, that’s a list of herbs/oils that can help when applied topically. Not all of them contain phytoestrogens to counteract DHT. Some fatty acids can block (or make follicles less sensitive to) DHT.
There’s also a list of herbs that impact hormone levels when brewed and drunk, there’s no mention of them as remedies for androgenetic alopecia, so I’m not gonna list them here.

Again, I’m in no way suggesting treating advanced androgenetic alopecia with herbs and drinking herbal tea that could impact your hormone levels without consulting your doctor first. In fact, if you do have hormonal issues (particularly in terms of reproductive hormones), I'd suggest avoiding those herbs altogether unless your doctor advises you to take them.

P.S.: also some research showed that ketoconazole in shampoos blocks dihydrotestosterone. Take that as you will.

[Kalamazoo]

Just a kind reminder that nothing can really make your hair grow faster. Your hair grows as quickly as it grows. If you have a serious nutrient deficiency or a certain condition (like alopecia) your hair might grow slower, therefore solving this underlying issue will speed up hair growth for you. If you are otherwise healthy, then sorry, you only need patience.

Anti-androgenetic and anti-hairloss remedies work by making hair follicles less sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (the thing that kills hair, basically), blocking enzymes that turn testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, and/or increasing the percentage of hair in anagen phase. Therefore, to see any effect from those remedies you would need months if not years of regular treatment. And the effect certainly won't be fast growth. Your hair would just shed less, new hairs would grow back stronger, therefore becoming thicker and longer overtime. Also, I'm not including minoxidil or other chemicals here, I believe they work in a different way.

List of anti-androgenic herbs and oils for hair (I underlined those that I know are researched and proven to be effective)

Saw Palmetto
Nettle (not researched, but here in Russia nettle tea is the oldest and the most well-known remedy for hairloss, so I think there’s something to it)
Salvia
Rosemary
Peppermint (some say drinking peppermint tea can help with hirsutism, but I haven’t seen any research to back this up)
Wheat germ oil
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Sesame oil
Evening primrose oil
Jojoba oil (did not perform well in studies though)

Now, that’s a list of herbs/oils that can help when applied topically. Not all of them contain phytoestrogens to counteract DHT. Some fatty acids can block (or make follicles less sensitive to) DHT.
There’s also a list of herbs that impact hormone levels when brewed and drunk, there’s no mention of them as remedies for androgenetic alopecia, so I’m not gonna list them here.

Again, I’m in no way suggesting treating advanced androgenetic alopecia with herbs and drinking herbal tea that could impact your hormone levels without consulting your doctor first. In fact, if you do have hormonal issues (particularly in terms of reproductive hormones), I'd suggest avoiding those herbs altogether unless your doctor advises you to take them.

P.S.: also some research showed that ketoconazole in shampoos blocks dihydrotestosterone. Take that as you will.

Oh, Joules, thank you! Thank You! THANK YOU! :thudpile:

[CosmoCat]

I live on peppermint (for the last ten years, when I quit smoking), my hair grows the same as always.

[Kalamazoo]

Maybe when it's something that one does all the time, perhaps that makes it less effective than when it's something new & different? (I don't know how these things work. I'm looking for answers, myself.)

:shrug:

[Kalamazoo]

Not sure about eating it, but I feel like there might've been a thread/some research about topical application?

:graduate: I had a bright idea. :bow: I looked up "peppermint" in the little Search Box at the upper right-hand corner of this page! :google: I found all kinds of interesting articles. Here's the first few:

Is it OK to apply peppermint EO directly to scalp?
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=143580

Peppermint drops breastfeeding moms' supply
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128833

NAHA: National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy: Safety Information (Dermal Safety / Pregnancy Safety / Eye Safety / General Safety / Gynecomastia/Puberty
http://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety

Study on Peppermint EO and Hair Growth
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131157

Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289931/


Perhaps

Study on Peppermint EO and Hair Growth
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131157

is the previous thread that maborosi was talking about?

[Kalamazoo]

Just a kind reminder that nothing can really make your hair grow faster. Your hair grows as quickly as it grows. If you have a serious nutrient deficiency or a certain condition (like alopecia) your hair might grow slower, therefore solving this underlying issue will speed up hair growth for you. If you are otherwise healthy, then sorry, you only need patience.

Anti-androgenetic and anti-hairloss remedies work by making hair follicles less sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (the thing that kills hair, basically), blocking enzymes that turn testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, and/or increasing the percentage of hair in anagen phase. Therefore, to see any effect from those remedies you would need months if not years of regular treatment. And the effect certainly won't be fast growth. Your hair would just shed less, new hairs would grow back stronger, therefore becoming thicker and longer overtime. Also, I'm not including minoxidil or other chemicals here, I believe they work in a different way.

List of anti-androgenic herbs and oils for hair (I underlined those that I know are researched and proven to be effective)

Saw Palmetto
Nettle (not researched, but here in Russia nettle tea is the oldest and the most well-known remedy for hairloss, so I think there’s something to it)
Salvia
Rosemary
Peppermint (some say drinking peppermint tea can help with hirsutism, but I haven’t seen any research to back this up)
Wheat germ oil
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Sesame oil
Evening primrose oil
Jojoba oil (did not perform well in studies though)

Now, that’s a list of herbs/oils that can help when applied topically. Not all of them contain phytoestrogens to counteract DHT. Some fatty acids can block (or make follicles less sensitive to) DHT.
There’s also a list of herbs that impact hormone levels when brewed and drunk, there’s no mention of them as remedies for androgenetic alopecia, so I’m not gonna list them here.

Again, I’m in no way suggesting treating advanced androgenetic alopecia with herbs and drinking herbal tea that could impact your hormone levels without consulting your doctor first. In fact, if you do have hormonal issues (particularly in terms of reproductive hormones), I'd suggest avoiding those herbs altogether unless your doctor advises you to take them.

P.S.: also some research showed that ketoconazole in shampoos blocks dihydrotestosterone. Take that as you will.

OK, so I looked up ketoconazole and found the Wikipedia article, which led to another Wikipedia article on hirsutism

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirsutism

This is fascinating stuff!

So, if I'm reading the "Causes" section of the Wikipedia "Hirsutism" article correctly,


The following are conditions and situations that have been associated with hyperandrogenism and hence hirsutism in women:

Hyperinsulinemia*(insulin excess) or*hypoinsulinemia*(insulin deficiency or*resistance*as in*diabetes).

What causes either hyperinsulinemia or hypoinsulinemia? Is it eating too much sugar? So is there some truth to what milosmomma said about sugar & faster hair growth, after all?


This is a great thread, you guys had me chuckle a few times.
I was thinking though that maybe theres a connection between sugar and speedy growth. I have a pretty fast average growth rate but I also have a pretty high average sugar intake. Not a terrible amount and I watch my weight and fitness, but for sure way more than recommended or needed. Perhaps Santa gets his long luxurious hairs from all that sugar!?

But I don't want diabetes to be the reason for me to grow long hair! So, as of July 27, I've cut out sugar, & am trying to cut out all the foods that Doug Kaufmann (of www.KnowTheCause.com ) says he believes lead to fungus growth, which causes (in his opinion) a host of diseases, including diabetes. I've misplaced that cookbook I bought from him. Need to re-find it...

[Kalamazoo]

But it's really interesting, if peppermint both causes hair to grow faster AND inhibits hirsutism!

[share801]

I'm curious about eating peppermint. Does it work as well at speeding up hair growth, as putting it on your head? 🍭

I surely hope not cause I hate peppermint and would not eat it!

[Joules]

What causes either hyperinsulinemia or hypoinsulinemia? Is it eating too much sugar? So is there some truth to what milosmomma said about sugar & faster hair growth, after all?

But I don't want diabetes to be the reason for me to grow long hair! So, as of July 27, I've cut out sugar, & am trying to cut out all the foods that Doug Kaufmann (of www.KnowTheCause.com ) says he believes lead to fungus growth, which causes (in his opinion) a host of diseases, including diabetes. I've misplaced that cookbook I bought from him. Need to re-find it...

I think i already said that but I'll repeat: sugar is harmful for hair. Milosmomma fast growth is most likely genetic. I eat a lot of sugar too (not proud of it at all) and my growth is very average.

Hyper- and hypoinsulinemia happen when your pancreas doesn't work right. Basically it either secretes too much insulin (hyper~) or too little (hypo~). Sugar can't cause abnormal insulin production in healthy pancreas. Eating crappy diet all the time will eventually damage your pancreas and lead to diabetes. I had hyperinsulinemia as a teenager (went away on its own), wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I had to be put on medications to control it.

[Kalamazoo]

I surely hope not cause I hate peppermint and would not eat it!

All the more for me!

[Kalamazoo]

I think i already said that but I'll repeat: sugar is harmful for hair. Milosmomma fast growth is most likely genetic. I eat a lot of sugar too (not proud of it at all) and my growth is very average.

Hyper- and hypoinsulinemia happen when your pancreas doesn't work right. Basically it either secretes too much insulin (hyper~) or too little (hypo~). Sugar can't cause abnormal insulin production in healthy pancreas. Eating crappy diet all the time will eventually damage your pancreas and lead to diabetes. I had hyperinsulinemia as a teenager (went away on its own), wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I had to be put on medications to control it.

Sorry you had to endure that. Glad it went away. The good thing about something bad happening is that you can feel really happy when it finally quits.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Kalamazoo]

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37897&d=1564925894

ETA: Whuhduhyuhno?! (What do you know?!) I took a picture of a unicorn, & the picture disappeared!

[Kalamazoo]

Hair Mask Ingredients, 7/30/2019

I inverted (bent over frontwards, standing) & massaged the following vigorously into my scalp for -- I don't know -- an hour? Maybe only 30 minutes. I don't know. (I read that thread about 300 seconds of massaging in the conditioner making the conditioner more effective ~
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=67634
~ So, I'm sure not going to let that little tidbit of info slip by me when I'm trying to make my own experiment work better!)
It's very good to be able to relax like that. I came home from work with quite the headache today! I didn't have to take an Advil or anything -- just massage my scalp upside-down! I don't have any dizziness problems, so no bad side effects there! And cheap? :twocents:
So I massaged in:
1. Sunny Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil Pure Butter
2. Cocojojo 100% Pure All Natural Butter Pure Argan, mixed with Jāsön Vitamin E 5,000 IU Skin Oil
I also applied the Argan/E mix to my length, tips, & face; but I really focussed on the scalp. The JBCO also got applied to my eyebrows & eyelashes.
I lost several hairs while massaging. 30? 80? I don't know. I didn't count. They were long ones. The more follicles converted from telagen to anagen, the merrier!
I covered it with a plastic shower cap.

6:27 ~ Had to stop & go walk the dog. How come Sandy always needs to go for a walk in a thunderstorm? Ah well. So I made use of one of those satin bonnets from the Ethnic Hair Care section at Walmart. Put it over my shower cap. Those satin bonnets are REALLY a good thing! At least I don't look so weird with my hair mask on, that I can't do normal life! (This is a revelation to me. Maybe I can do these hair treatments more frequently, now that I just discovered that.)

As of 11:00PM, mixing up the rest of the mask: didn't happen yet. Guess I'm not doing it tonight, 'cuz there's work tomorrow morning...

1:07AM, Sat., 8/2/2019
So I wore plastic over the oils for about 6-7 hours, then removed the shower cap & Saran Wrap before sleeping, & washed my hair the next morning. I put about 5 drops of peppermint EO into a 1/2 bottle of shampoo, but it wasn't enough to smell it nor feel any tingle. There were also peppermint, clove, & tea tree oil in my spring water for hair-washing. After lightly blotting my hair I sprayed it with fenugreek seed soak water, rosemary tea, & George's Aloe Vera; & finished drying it in the car while driving 10 minutes to work.
Last night, I detangled with a fine-toothed black sandalwood comb, with the downward side lightly oiled with Earthly Delight Pomade.
My hair feels EXTREMELY silky right now!

[Kalamazoo]

Results:

I got a friend to photograph the back of my head today. It took me only a minute to detangle [ETA: using my fine-toothed cherrywood comb, pre-treated with Captain's Choice 45th Parallel Aftershave ~ which smells like cherries ~ and cocoa butter ~ which smells like chocolate] before handing her my comb to arrange my hairs pre-picture. I was able to tell her to just comb my hair straight down. I think she had fun doing that, because she's very curly-headed. Right now, it feels extremely smooth, soft, & silky, & is completely SLS-free & coney-free, and free of everything that I consider to be "chemical".

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37899&d=1564949106

I think, for now, I'll hold off on really changing my diet, because I want to continue this growth spurt long enough to make it obvious that something is happening; and from perusing other threads, it looks like NOT every diet supports hair growth.

I'll try to step up the frequency of the hair masks & see what happens.

[Kalamazoo]

More photos that my friend took today:

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37900&d=1564950813

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37901&d=1564950871

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=37902&d=1564950982

[Kalamazoo]

Elfynity posted that some of the ingredients I've been using are actually emulsifiers. I didn't know that, but that could account for these egg & oil masks working better for me than they've performed for some other folks. https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=150452&page=3&p=3707339#post3707339

Boy oh boy! Am I ever learning a bunch of stuff! :run:

[maborosi]

:graduate: I had a bright idea. :bow: I looked up "peppermint" in the little Search Box at the upper right-hand corner of this page! :google: I found all kinds of interesting articles. Here's the first few:

Is it OK to apply peppermint EO directly to scalp?
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=143580

Peppermint drops breastfeeding moms' supply
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128833

NAHA: National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy: Safety Information (Dermal Safety / Pregnancy Safety / Eye Safety / General Safety / Gynecomastia/Puberty
http://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety

Study on Peppermint EO and Hair Growth
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131157

Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4289931/


Perhaps

Study on Peppermint EO and Hair Growth
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=131157

is the previous thread that maborosi was talking about?

Yes, I believe that was the one!

[Kalamazoo]

Yes, I believe that was the one!

Thanks, maborosi!

[Kalamazoo]

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38006&d=1565330865

Maybe she'll stick around this time...

[Kalamazoo]

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38044&d=1565590018

Hmmmmm... Yup, it's another hair mask all right!

Funny how time escapes. How long since I've done a mask, & I was going to step up the frequency? Oh well.

So tonight! 8/11/2019! Tonight's hair mask ingredients:
1. Duck egg yolk... No, the whole egg this time! (except for what I just spilled. Lucky it was in the sink!)
2. George's Aloe Vera
3. Neem oil (Yeah, it's expired. I think it used to smell worse than it does now. That's OK! Some things, I'm just not going to complain about...)
4. Black walnut hull extract
5. Thayer's Alcohol-Free Toner Cucumber Witch Hazel w/ Aloe Vera
6. Kalpi Tone
7. Peppermint EO
8. Clove EO
9. Tea tree oil

Already in my hair:
1. Thayer's Witch Hazel WITH Alcohol
2. Cocoa Butter
3. Captain's Choice 45th Parallel Aftershave

10:10PM ~ Just finished stirring it up. Now to invert & massage in some Earthly Delight Pomade.

10:41PM ~ Then I sprayed scalp & hair with Rosemary Tea, before massaging in Tonight's Hair Mask, & covered it all with a plastic shower cap & a few layers of plastic cling wrap. (So I guess that means I inverted & massaged for about 30 minutes.)

I refrigerated the left-over Mask so that I can do another treatment tomorrow with a little less bother. I want to try to do one every day for a while here... but I can only do a couple days before ... Well, we'll see how long I can keep this up.

Hmmmmmmmmm....... 160 days 'til Christmas. Wouldn't it be crazy to grow an inch a day? Let's see here, 160" + the 33" I've already got. (Oopsy. My profile says I've got 36". Guess I didn't update it after that July 3rd trim.) Let's see, 193" = 16'1". That's too long. No. No way.

12:02AM, Monday, 8/12/2019

Shower Time! I just want to get the goop out and go to bed. Only, it's not that simple. 1st, remake the bed with clean sheets... Or no, make the Horsetail- Rosemary Tea first... No, feed the critters first! ... After washing the dishes, so there are some bowls to feed them... (And that's why these hair masks haven't been happening more frequently... !)

2:30AM: Hair Wash Time (for real!)

Well, actually, 4:00AM was when I started washing, for real, so from beginning to massage the mask in 'til the plastic came off = 5 hr. 50 min.

4:45AM, finished towelling down. Hair's still damp.

11:42AM Hair was dry by the time I woke up.

Interesting thing was, I only needed to shampoo ONCE!!!!! to get all the gunk out. I think it's because I used the egg white this time, instead of only the yolk. I mean, egg albumin has some real sudsing properties, as anybody who's ever made a soufflé can attest. So from here on out, I'm using the whole egg when I make a hair mask, because it'll save water, shampoo, time, & $! (And MusicalSpoons graciously explained that biotin in a hair mask isn't going to absorb, anywho. https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=150496&page=4 )

I think that the reason I've never had a problem with eggs scrambling in my hair, in spite of using comfortably warm water to rinse out egg et al is that I've always been using other ingredients besides just egg & oil. I mean, all the tannins in the witch hazel must have some effect on the egg's cooking process, right? I mean, they use tannins to cure leather, right?

I'll do another length photo later...

[Kalamazoo]

P.S. I think the reason my hair actually dried last night while I slept is because that was the first time I draped a silk scarf over my pillow instead of using a satin (polyester) pillowcase. I actually didN'T get all sweaty last night! I tried that out because I read someplace that silk keeps you warm in the winter, cool in the summer, & keeps your face from wrinkling. It must've been an ad for silk pillowcases...

http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=163687311822&category=20460&pm=1&ds=0&t=1560262523000&ver=0&cspheader=1
says: "Why Silk
Natural mulberry silk is of many wonderful skin healing and health promoting properties. It is also called the "queen of natural fiber". Modern science has proven that it is 98% of protein containing 18 amino acids. It is the oldest natural fiber been used as surgical internal sewing thread, and it works a wonder for people with burnt skin and eczema on clinical trials...

Silk Care Instruction
Hand wash, or machine wash cold in delicate cycle, separately from other items.
Hang dry, or cold air machine dry.
Please do not expose silk under the strong sun."

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Soft-100-Mulberry-Pure-Silk-Pillowcase-Covers-Queen-Silk-Anti-Ageing-Beauty/133037508723?var=432334762667
says:

"Description:

Luxurious and attractive
Temperate, perfect for all weathers
Softer, feels much softer than cotton against the skin
Natural, silk is naturally hypoallergenic
Help to Beauty, keeps your hair tangle free and helps to fight wrinkles
Material: Mulberry Silk"

[Kalamazoo]

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38062&d=1565712169https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38063&d=1565712191https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38064&d=1565712215https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38065&d=1565712231https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38066&d=1565712245https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38067&d=1565712258

ETA: Yes, my hair's passing under my belt.

[Kalamazoo]

Just editing to subscribe to the thread!

[Kalamazoo]

I got some help from Lapushka & MusicalSpoons on this other thread,

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=150545

because I was wondering what a clarifying shampoo was, & if I needed one.

Actually, when I use the Earthly Delight, I DO get both my scalp & length squeaky clean; but they (LP & MS) have assured me that it's NOT an SLS-containing 'poo. This is super-good news for me, because Pantene made me itch like crazy, & my allergies can't tolerate most of the shampoos on the market.

The last time I did a hair mask, and used a whole egg instead of just the yolk, I whipped the egg with a fork 'til it frothed a little before adding the other ingredients, which I also whipped in. In the past, I've mixed up the mask with a spoon. So I guess using the egg albumin & whipping it with a fork really amps-up the cleansing power of the shampoo.

[Kalamazoo]

Thought you might like more details about my hair wash water.


4. My hair wash water is bottled spring water, ACV, peppermint EO, clove EO, tea tree oil. Lately, I've started adding rosemary tea & shave grass tea to the pot, which I heat on the stovetop to a pleasant lukewarm temperature & carry to the shower, to dip & pour over my hair. (I try to avoid using tapwater, because it makes me itch. This is an industrial city, & there's a lot of run-off in the city water.) (This week, I added basil tea to my hair wash water.)

9. I may pour my hair wash water (See #4.) through my hair any day between shampoos, to freshen it up.

I have 2 covered kettles, stainless steel (but enamelware is OK, too. Just don't let aluminum come in contact with the water, to avoid contaminating it with fluorine/fluoride.) Each pan holds 2.5 gallons. Usually, when not doing a mask, just shampooing, I need less than one potful to wash & rinse my hair.

I fill each pot with bottled, store-bought spring water (always checking the label to be sure its source is someplace healthy-sounding, as opposed to some big city's municipal water supply) (or worse, they don't mention where the water came from!).

I heat the water on the stovetop. (Do NOT microwave! My most recent roommate had breast cancer, & the doctor put her on a heart monitor & gave stern instructions to stay FAR AWAY from any microwave! She got curious & researched it. We threw away my microwave oven.)

I heat the water to lukewarm, & add 1 drop each of peppermint EO, clove EO, & tea tree oil to each pot. Or maybe 2 or 3 drops of each. Sometimes I throw in some ACV, about 1 Tblsp/pot. (Maybe 2 Tblsp.? I don't measure.)

I carry the pot(s) of water to the shower & use an enamelware breakfast bowl or a stainless steel measuring cup with a handle to dip water out of the pot & pour it over my head.

I shampoo, usually using Earthly Delight. I pour the shampoo into my palm & directly apply it to my scalp, lengths, & ends. I am diluting, only in the sense that I wet my hair before adding the shampoo. I work up a lather by massaging the shampoo on my scalp. I also shampoo the lengths and ends. (Earthly Delight appears to be a very mild shampoo, so it's OK, at least for me.)

Then I pour more bowlfuls of water over my hair, rubbing it firmly to make sure it squeaks. If one lather doesn't result in it getting squeaky-clean, then I lather up again. I get both the scalp & the length to squeak.

Usually, if I haven't pre-oiled, I only need to do one lather & rinse. However, if I'm doing a hair mask, then I need to spend time just rinsing the gook out before even starting to shampoo. And even after rinsing the mask out, I may need to lather 7 or 8 times. The solution is to heat one potful of water very hot, carry it to the shower, put the second pot in the shower empty, & line up 4 or 6 gallons of room temperature bottled spring water within easy reach. Then use the empty pot to mix the hot & cold waters to make a happy lukewarm medium.

Egg White Shortcut: If I use the whole egg (instead of only the yolk), & whip it with a fork (or use a whisk) 'til it's a little frothy, then whip in the other ingredients, then the whipped albumin adds enough sudsing action so that I only need to apply the Earthly Delight Shampoo once.

I'm constantly changing my routine around, so I probably shouldn't refer to it as "a routine"...

And I also use my same hair wash water for bathing, as well as using my shampoo lather as my bath soap.

[Kalamazoo]

Hair Diary

8/15/19 ~ drove 1,000 miles to niece's wedding. Unable to find decently priced hotels, so slept in car 2 nights.

8/17/19 ~ quickie shower & put witch hazel on hair before the reception. (Good choice! The witch hazel kept the mosquitos away! :cool: )

8/19/19 ~ washed hair at hotel

8/21/19 ~ washed hair at hotel

8/22/19 ~ 2:03AM arrived at home//Hair Mask & Shampoo in the afternoon before work

8/24/19 ~ My hair doesn't appear to have grown noticeably after the 8/22 hair mask. I did two things differently: 1) I shortened the marinating time under plastic to about an hour. & 2) as I mentioned before, I used the albumin along with the yolk. (I've read that the white contains avidin, which inhibits the biotin. For my hair, I don't think it grows as fast if I use the egg white.) My hair's incredibly silky right now, but it got kind of tangly after getting washed twice without the egg/oil/etc hair mask. I also feel like my hair really doesn't want to be washed more than once a week. (If I get all hot & sweaty, my hair really likes being scalp-soaked & massaged with witch hazel &/or aftershave, in between masks.) (My hair absolutely despises dry shampoo.)

Side note: Staturewise, I seem to have shrunk 1/2" while driving so much & sleeping in the car. I think whatever's good for the body as a whole is also good for the mane, & vice versa. I really was feeling cramped-up & getting considerably less exercise than usual. So, it's time to get back on my callisthentic routine. It'll help my hair, I'm sure. Spine, stretch out!

Anyway, I'm abandonning my attempt to step up my hair mask schedule. Once a week is plenty.

[Aurora O.]

I don't know, I prefer drink it.

[Kalamazoo]

Yeah, at the moment, I'm sick of eating candy, so I'm not on that particular binge any more. I'm not in the mood for peppermint tea right now, either, so I'm just putting it on my hair.

Aurora, do you notice drinking peppermint tea making any difference in how fast your hair grows?

[Kalamazoo]

Hello & Howdy!

Well, I'm back to trying to trigger another growth spurt.

There's another thread that asks, "What did you eat for your hair today?" I'll answer here in this thread, because it'll be easier for people to try to duplicate my results if I put all the info on what I'm doing in just one thread.

So, so far today, I:
1. drank some spring water
2. ate a banana
3. brushed my teeth with spring water & My Magic Mud Whitening Activated Charcoal Toothpaste Cinnamon Clove
4. drank some kefir (which I made from raw milk)
5. and am just now finishing up my breakfast cereal: Kretschmer Original Toasted Wheat Germ, Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin (the stuff used to make fillings for pumpkin pies), Spirulina, Red Ape Cinnamon (ethylene oxide free), McCormick Ground Ginger, Hungarian Pride of Szeged Paprika, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables Dulse, more kefir, Coombs Family Farms Pure Maple Syrup Grade A Dark Color Robust Taste, & Badia Bee Pollen.

Well, that's another reason why that trip to my niece's wedding killed my growth spurt: It's SO difficult to find good food on the road when you're travelling! It's not like you can take your whole pantry with you, unless you have an RV. (I'm praying for one in my future!)

The other growth spurt I had, back in '17, also ended about a month after it started. Both spurts were confined to the hottest part of the summer. So I'm experimenting here to see if I can trigger another one when the weather's cooler.

Will keep you posted.

Yikes! Gotta get to work!

'Bye!

[Kalamazoo]

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38472&d=1568285394

Another day, another hair masque! :silly:

[Kalamazoo]

You know what? This is only the 3rd complete hair mask I've done since starting this thread. So, no, I haven't backed down from saying that my hair grows as much as 1.5" within 24 hours of doing a mask...

ETA: I'm rechecking my data. Actually, that was the 5th hair mask...

[Kalamazoo]

Is this TBL?

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38541&d=1568573664

And, praise God! I'm back to sitting & sranding tall again...

[Kalamazoo]

OK, I decided to measure while cooking!

Scrambled Egg Yolks

In a cast iron skillet, melt 2 Tblsp. salted butter. Sprinkle 1 Tblsp. white hulled sesame seeds over the butter. Brown a little, stirring. Add 4 duck egg yolks. (Discard the whites, or use for some other project.) Stir. Season to taste with Hungarian paprika.

[Kalamazoo]

🍭Peppermint🍭 Thought for the Day #2

Extracted from "As Some Day It May Happen" as sung by Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner of Titipu, in the Comic Opera, The Mikado, by Gilbert and Sullivan:

As some day it may happen that a victim must be found
I've got a little list - I've got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground
And who never would be missed - who never would be missed!
There's the pestilential nuisances who write for autographs
All people who have flabby hands and irritating laughs
All children who are up in dates, and floor you with 'em flat
All persons who in shaking hands, shake hands with you like that
And all third persons who on spoiling tête-à-têtes insist
They'd none of 'em be missed - they'd none of 'em be missed!

He's got 'em on the list - he's got 'em on the list
And they'll none of 'em be missed - they'll none of 'em be missed

There's the banjo serenader, and the others of his race
And the piano-organist - I've got him on the list!
And the people who eat peppermint and puff it in your face
They never would be missed - they never would be missed!

ETA: Disclaimer: I :heartbeat banjo-players!

[Kalamazoo]

:chocolate: Fudge & Hair Tea

Please keep in mind that all my measurements are extremely approximate.

In the gallon jar that will eventually hold the Hair Tea, place 1 Tblsp. fenugreek seeds & 1 c. spring water. Set in fridge.

Fill the bottom pan of a double boiler with bottled spring water. Add 1 Tblsp. each of: rooibos, rosemary, catnip, & horsetail. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the heated burner. Cover with the top pan.

In the top pan, melt & stir: 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, 1 stick salted butter, 12 oz. almond butter (just ground-up roasted almonds), 1/4 c. raw local honey, 2 Tbsp. Red Ape Cinnamon, 2 Tbsp. dulse, 2 heaping Tbsp. food-grade diatomaceous earth (BE SURE IT'S FOOD-GRADE!), 2 Tbsp. white hulled sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds, 2 Tbsp. flax/hemp/chia seeds mix.

Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Spread a thin layer of the chocolate mixture on the bottom of an 8"X8.5" almost-square baking dish. Slice one banana over the first layer of chocolate. Spread a 2nd chocolate layer. Put 1 c. frozen cherries in for the next layer, then bury under the 3rd layer of chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap & chill in fridge. It's ready to enjoy whenever you are.

Cover the bottom pan (containing the water & herbs) with the lid & leave it to steep until it's cool. (Could be anywhere from 10 minutes to 24 hours.) Pour the tea into the jar containing the soaking fenugreek seeds. Add enough spring water to make 3 quarts, or dilute as desired. Keep in the fridge. Strain before pouring into a spray bottle. Add the tiniest drop possible of kalonji oil (OK, maybe it was a 1/4 tsp., but I was trying for just a drop!) to the spray bottle. That spray bottle is my leave-in conditioner.

The remainder of the Hair Tea tastes good as an herbal tea. I like it cold & straight. :bottomsup:

[Kalamazoo]

Streamlined Hair Mask
11/7/2019, 3:34 p.m.:

I'm trying to cut down on how much gunk I put in my hair when I do a Hair Mask. Hopefully it'll wash out with less shampoo, not take so long (both marinating & washing out), still make my hair grow super-fast, & be less complicated so I won't feel like I need to space out hair treatments so far apart, so I can grow my hair more days per month.

Today's ingredients:
1/2 tsp. egg yolk (I saved the rest to make scrambled egg yolks.)
1/2 tsp. Earthly Delight Pomade
a little bit of Captain's Choice 45th Parallel Aftershave
" Thayer's Witch Hazel
" neem oil
1 drop peppermint EO
1 drop clove EO
1 drop tea tree oil

So I only made about 2 Tblsp. of Hair Mask instead of my usual cup-and-a-half, and I aimed to put it only on my scalp, instead of all my hair from end-to-end.

My apartment just put a new showerhead in, so I tried it out. Nice! I used bottled spring water only for the final rinse, which was my Hair Tea (spring water, fenugreek seed soak water, catnip tea, horsetail tea, rosemary tea, rooibos-mango tea, kalonji oil, apple cider vinegar, peppermint EO, clove EO, tea tree oil), heated on the stove to a pleasant lukewarm.

An interesting thing was that I didn't feel the need to use any shampoo. I just rinsed under the shower (using the city tapwater) until I felt like it was done, then poured Hair Tea through it, & sprayed George's Aloe Vera at it. (Note: Ayurveda considers egg yolk to be a natural shampoo, & there's glycerine in both the Thayer's & the Captain's Choice; so I didn't go totally without any cleansing agent.) (I think Ayurveda also considers fenugreek to be shampoo.)

Also, following Brad Mondo's advice ("Hair Washing Hacks That Will Save Your Hair" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nchrj-dzVgs ), I refrained from turbanning my hair, instead squeezing it & blotting with the towel.

Result: I only lost 10 or 15 hairs in the shower. :p

Wonder how long it'll take to dry. I also wonder if my hair will seem clean to me. Also wondering if I can jumpstart another growth spurt this way, in spite of Summer having up and left. (I mean, I went out & bought myself a new winter jacket & boots!) I'm thinking maybe I can use fewer ingredients per treatment, but rotate through them, and so keep my scalp from getting overly accustomed to one routine. After all, hair needs a balanced diet!

And, after dabbing & massaging the egg mixture onto my scalp, I put a plastic shower cap on it, inverted for 4 minutes, then showered the rest of me before rinsing out the hair.

Things I've Eaten Recently:
1. almond butter
2. applesauce
3. avocado
4. avocado oil
5. banana
6. blueberries
7. blue corn tortilla chips
8. boiled chicken
9. bread containing wheat, rye, barley, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, millet, poppy seeds, honey, molasses, sesame seeds (& other ingredients that I consider less-than-healthy, like added vitamins & dough conditioners & stuff normally found in commercially baked bread)
10. Brussels sprouts
11. butter
12. butternut squash
13. canned oysters
14. catnip tea
15. cinnamon-raisin bagel
16. cottage cheese
17. dulse
18. Green Pasture (TM) Blue Ice (TM) Royal Blend Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Concentrated Butter Oil, Cinnamon Tingle Gel
19. homemade kefir
20. Hungarian paprika
21. liverwurst
22. moringa powder
23. onion
24. peppermint tea
25. raw milk
26. sauerkraut
27. seasalt
28. soaked fenugreek seeds
29. spirulina
30. spring water
31. Swiss cheese

4:27 p.m.: My hair feels mostly dry. I've just been letting it air-dry here in the apartment. (I do have a few air ionizers running, so the extra ozone may be speeding up my air-dry time.)

11/10/2019, 2:30 p.m.
To my astonishment, my hair came out beautifully! It seems clean to me! (& this is 3 days later!)

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary), of course.

But, by considering my mask ingredients to be "shampoo", & "shampooing" only the scalp, I seem to have cut out the need for "real" shampoo.

This is the first time I've tried this, so I don't yet know if the egg's eventually going to build up & make me feel like I "need something more".

For anybody who's experienced the scrambled-eggs-on-hair effect, I must say that that's a distinct possibility, because eggs & oil do scramble in my frypan on a regular basis; but I think adding witch hazel &/or aftershave has prevented that from happening for me, up to this point.

YMMV. DON'T do this if something seems like a bad idea to you personally. I mean, if you're allergic to peppermint, leave it out! There's plenty of other stuff out there that will grow your hair, including Benign Neglect. And if you're on insulin, talk to your doctor before doing moringa, please! It's so good for you that it can drastically change how much medicine you need, & pregnant women should also consult their doctors before doing moringa (because it could possibly induce contractions), and I'm no physician & I don't know you personally, so there's absolutely no guarantee here that what appears to be working for me will work for you. Use your own common sense.

I am freely mixing & matching any & all techniques & ingredients that seem good to me & are readily available to me at the present time. I am not doing a scientific test of any one particular item. I'm just trying to grow my hair fast & healthy.

And I am extremely grateful to everybody who has contributed to this thread, & to LHC as a whole, because you've taught me a lot. Thank you! This wouldn't be possible without you.