Do you remember the heavy metal “hair bands” of the 1980s? Groups like Bon Jovi, Poison, and Twisted Sister…
These bands were as well-known for their big hair as they were for their music.
Today, I talk to my patients about a different kind of heavy metal hair… the kind that causes hair loss.
An increasing number of alopecia cases are a direct result of exposure to heavy metal toxins in the environment.1
Of course, most professionals still blame hair loss on your genes or your age. While these factors can play a role, they’re not the root cause of alopecia.
Genes can’t explain the dramatic 70% increase we’ve seen in both male and female alopecia over the last 40 years.
And it’s not an age-related problem… Almost a quarter of people in their 20s and 30s say they are starting to deal with thinning and bald spots — that’s two decades earlier than previous generations.2
I discovered that a major cause of hair loss is directly linked to our environment.
Heavy metal toxins like mercury, thallium, arsenic, aluminum, and lead are used in the manufacturing processes of things like pesticides, glass, paint, batteries, and ink… not to mention hair coloring products and cosmetics.
Almost every patient I see at the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine has some degree of heavy metal contamination. So, one of the first things I do is help them detox.
At my clinic, I use chelation to remove these toxins. But, I also recommend they eliminate heavy metals with activated charcoal.
Drinking a solution of 20 grams of this fine, black powder mixed with water over a period of one to two weeks can wipe out decades of toxic heavy metals from inside your body.
But, I also recommend using activated charcoal on your scalp. Let me explain…
All those heavy metals you are exposed to don’t just end up in just your bloodstream and organs. Your hair is also sensitive to these toxins. Your hair follicles come under attack — and as a result, they become inactive. Eventually, your hair follicles die and your hair falls out.
You’re familiar with activated charcoal face masks. But your scalp is skin, too.
And using a charcoal mask on your scalp helps draw out impurities from your follicles. It helps “unplug” the gunk that causes heavy metal hair loss.
And detoxing your follicles helps clean and renourish your hair to regrow.
It’s easy to make your own charcoal hair mask. I recommend using it a couple times a week. You simply combine a tablespoon of activated charcoal powder with 2 teaspoons each of baking soda and coconut oil. Massage it into your scalp for 20 minutes, then rinse and shampoo as usual.
2 tips to naturally regrow your hair
At the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging, I help my patients regrow their hair using natural oils. Here are a couple to try…
- Rosemary oil. This oil is packed with antioxidants that help combat thinning hair. In a recent study that looked at 100 men with androgenetic alopecia, rosemary oil applied to the scalp showed to be equally as effective as 2% minoxidil (Rogaine®) at increasing hair growth.3 That’s impressive and a lot safer than drugs.
Rosemary oil can irritate the skin, so I recommend using it with a carrier oil. My favorite is coconut oil. Just mix 3-4 drops of rosemary oil with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and massage it into your scalp each night before bed. Wash as usual in the morning.
- Black cumin seed oil. In one study, a group of people were treated with black cumin seed oil for three months. Results showed 90% of the black seed group had increased hair thickness compared to only 7% in a placebo group.4
Don’t get black cumin confused with the common kitchen spice cumin. They come from different plant families. You can also find oil pressed from black cumin seeds. Look for organic 100% pure black seed oil. You can rub it into your hair and scalp.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
References:
1. Yu V, et al. “Alopecia and associated toxic agents: a systematic review.” Skin Appendage Disord. 018;4:245–260.
2. Chen S. “Chinese people losing their hair earlier than ever before, research shows.”
3. Panahi Y, et al. “Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: A randomized comparative trial.” Skinmed. 2015;13(1):15-21.
4. Sawarkar PS, et al. “Nigella sativa seed, a novel beauty care ingredient: A review.” Int J Pharm Sci Res. 2016;7(8):3185-3196.