Why Dermatologists Are Using Green Tea to Cure Hair Loss
Have you drank a mug of green tea? If you are like many people on earth, your answer is absolutely. Next question, have you turned to green tea to enhance your well being? If your answer is no, then consider this: researchers continue to find multiple reasons why green tea should be used for elevating health and not just satisfying your mouth. If you have been near a television or radio over the past ten years, you have probably heard about the anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties contained in green tea. A group of researchers from Korea have found a novel medicinal application for green tea - baldness prevention. Yes, according Dr. Kwon of the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, green tea prevents hair shedding. For men and women who do not want to use drugs like minoxidil, finasteride or dutasteride to treat balding, green tea can be the solution they are seeking to find.
In 2006, Dr. Kwon and his colleagues aimed to test a unique hypothesis - might the anti-oxidants in green tea stop balding by fighting androgens in the head. Androgens are the hormones responsible for most types of hair loss for women and men. The investigative group in the Labaratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research recruited study subjects to contribute their hair follicles. The research group chose hair follicles that were in the anagen phase or growth phase and they grew the hairs in well dishes. The research group discovered was encouraging. Hair follicles in contact with green tea, in particular epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a natural element in green tea, displayed a greater ability to encourage growth and withstand hair follicle shrinking.
In order to understand why these discoveries are so remarkable consider the following: (1) A limited number of studies have been conducted by researchers, objectively testing how natural elements, like green tea, may prevent thinning hair. (2) Investigations that have taken place, frequently have questionable methods, which makes the reliability of the conclusions weak. (3) More natural treatments in the battle to stop thinning hair, and grow a woman or man's own hair are in need.
How Can I use Green Tea to Prevent My Hair Loss?
The answer is yes and no. Yes, the researchers discovered that green tea displays the ability to promote hair growth through a two-step process of hair proliferation and minimization of hair follicle apoptosis (death). The researchers didn't brew a mug of tea and pour it on the head of the participants. Instead, the doctors identified the epigallocatechin-3-gallate in the green tea and combined this solution with ethanol. This mixture was then administered to the scalps of the research participants.
It is believed that ethanol acts as a vehicle, which helps with absorption. This means the medicinal value of green tea is more readily realized by applying the green tea to the head within a mixture of ethanol. This doesn't mean that you cannot pour green tea on your head. It just means your results may not be the same as the impressive findings of the research - unless you know how to develop the same mixture. Unless you are a chemist or great at combining ingredients, a better answer is to learn about all natural thinning hair treatments that include green tea.
Published April 9th, 2010
Filed in Health