Thickening thinning hair

Hallo people, hope everyone is great. I apologize for the loud silence....I'm trying to finish up somethings then I will be back. Enjoy this follow up of the thickening of hair using Garlic and Onions. Hope it helps...


To prevent further thinning of hair, I got a couple of tricks to do it
1. Avoid any Sodium Laureth Sulfate. What is this you may wonder? It's a degreasing chemical used in shampoo to lift trapped dirt and oil.
The only problem is that it leads to hair loss and will soon thin your hair out with continued use. Aim for natural haircare products such as those containing healing ingredients.



2. Eat more nutritious foods that contain hair-growing minerals and vitamins. Yes you need certain vitamins for healthy growth functions in the body, but you also need some for the healthy growth of your hair.All vitamins do not benefit the growth of your hair. Go for the use of biotin, vitamin B, vitamin C, and even ginkgo biloba as an aid to restoring the natural growth of your hair.

3. Work on your Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, DHT is abiologically active metabolite of the hormone testosterone. A great way to fight this off is to drink four cups of green tea daily.

4. You could do one of the easiest and fastest things which is to buy a weave or just attach artificial hair to your thinning hair. ( I don't recommend this though)


5. Be happy and less stressed. Stress increases hair loss in both men and women.



6. Massage your scalp. This helps stimulate the hair follicles, unclog any blocked oil glands in the scalp, and help promote a healthy scalp and new, healthy hair growth. Plus, it’s relaxing and it feels good, so it’s not such a chore!

Bye Bye Michael

I have always said I won't mix My Dreadlocks blog with any other subject other than hair, but this time around I guess I will have to break my own rules and pay tribute to the Great King of Pop....It Might be already a whole week since he passed away but, his greatness will never be matched, it might be challenged but no one can ever replace him.....Here is a picture I found online with a message I guess most of us should try and apply in our lives



To My Dreadlocks readers sorry for the silence, I will definitely be back soon with more great tips on maintaining locks.

Motown Girl

A blogsphere friend suggested this website and I thought I should share it with you. It is very informative and educative hope you will like it, you can check it out from here

Maintaining Locks

My Dreadlocks is a blog about the locking journey, everyone is welcome to share their experience and also to learn from others. I just got a comment from a reader and I thought I should post it for all of you to read it. Some great tips shared by Shasta from Nairobi, hope all of the readers enjoy them and thank you Shasta for the tips.



Shasta said...

Well shampoos in the kenyan market 98% are bogus we kynda have a culture of just buying cosmestics without looking and caring about the ingredients at all.I dont use shampoos on my hair coz most of them have chemicals dat workup the scalp like drying it n covering the spores hence hindering hair growth so when you think of buying shampoos sulphites,petrolatum and any chemical you learned in chem shouldnt be the ingredients.I usualy use the locally made aloe vera soaps infact if you want the best ones go for the less commercial one which are advertised everywhere with fancy boxes they are no better,just know dat commercial products do more damage than good in your beautiful hair.I have always considered when using wax in your hair you aint growing natural locks.So many of my rasta friends use mashed avocado mixed with olive or coconut oil to twist locks which stay on the head for two weeks without rotting or doing anything to the hair but the only problem with avocado is dat it kynda builds up in your hair hence if you use it in very large quantity over regulary your hair root will weaken so be cautious with dat.Honey also works wonders infact dats is what l use to lock my friends with soft hair and the good thing is dat if you wash your hair with hot water it wont leave any residue hence has less buildup but again it if used for long periods can turn your hair brown to much sugar but if you wash your hair properly dat wont be the case. Washing your hair,as much as people say dat you can wash your hair as many as to 3 times a week is good,a big no the most recommended is washing you hair after two weeks,if you oil your hair regularly and leave it open most of the time after every one week will be fine if you rarely oil your hair and keep it covered most of the time after every one month will be fine or when you feel they are dirty. Dust is the main culprit in making dreadlocks dirty so when you keep your locks covered most of the time less dust in your locks,if you keep then open n oil you hair alot dat attracts alot of dust hence regulary washing but if you dont oil it dat much it attracts less dust.Alot of water is good for your locks when it is the one flowing from a natural stream or unpolluted river l wonder where you will find those in nairobbery.But if its then coming from the tap your locks need limited of it coz it has alot of chlorine used to purify it for drinking so the more you use it in your locks the more the damage unless you neutralise it with other natural herbal remedies.Swimmers also beware of the large amoumts of chlorine in the pull so after every swim thorougly wash your hair.I will putting more natural tips for locks up only dat we cant fully grow natural locks the Mau Mau one were the natural ones all the way from locking to maintenance.Peace.

Onion

Use of Onion to thicken hair works more or less in the same way as using garlic for the same reason. Onion juice rejuvinates hair follicles and boosts the scalp circulation, so it should likely help the re-growth of strong hair. Onions contain a quantity of important nutrients, like vitamins C and vitamin B6. Onions also contain calcium and magnesium, along with potassium and germanium. The onion is also high in sulphur, which is a mineral contained in every single cell in the human body.
Sulphur has its highest levels in the hair, the skin and in the nails, which is why it is known as the "beauty mineral".

Here is a recipe to try out.

Apply the onion juice to the top of the scalp and massage deep into the hair roots - but again, do gently, so as not to cause traction alopecia.
You will need to leave it onto the top of the scalp for around 30 minutes and then shampoo.

Garlic to thicken hair

Yet another cooking item finds it's way to your hair. After Lisa asked me about treatment for hair loss/thinning I went to work on it immediately and I found out using this famous Garlic Recipe you can reduce thinning of hair. It might not smell as good as the Rosemary or honey, but I guess it helps a lot and that's what matters.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of aloe gel

1 tablespoon of honey

1 tablespoon of garlic juice

2 egg yolks

3 tablespoons of chamomile (tea bag content is fine to use)

24 fluid oz of water

Instructions:

1) Peel garlic and use a garlic press to squeeze the juice out

2) Mix it with honey and place the bowl in the fridge

3) Boil water with chamomile tea for about 30 minutes

4) Stir occasionally

5) When tea is done, take the bowl with honey and garlic juice out of the fridge

6) Stir in an egg yolk into the garlic juice/honey mix

7) Add Aloe Vera gel to the mix.

8) Use the mix and gently rub it in your scalp. When you run out of the paste, wrap a towel around your head.

9) Keep on your head for 20 minutes and wash once with a neutral shampoo (I used Johnson's Baby shampoo). Rub in the second egg yolk and wash off using only warm water.

10) To finish off, wash your hair off with the previously prepared chamomile tea.

It seems garlic prevents hairloss by killing parasites and bacteria on your scalp that may be causing the hair loss and also by nourishing your hair follicles.

You could also try this:
60 minutes before you go to sleep, crush up a garlic clove and then rub the clove into the area of hair loss. It is important that the juice of the clove is smeared over the area fully and firmly.

Do NOT rub the the crushed clove too hard against the scalp, or you may cause traction alopecia - baldness caused by pulling on hair.

Leave for 60 minutes and then apply olive oil, gently rubbing the olive oil into the scalp.

For sleeping, you will need to wear a shower cap or something similar.

When you awake the next day, the first thing you should do is shampoo your hair.

(Adding a garlic extract to shampoo can also help to further strengthen hair and stop any breakage, while, at the same time, it can add good body to the hair and a nice gloss).

This hairloss and baldness remedy will work best if you can do this for a few weeks.

Hopefully, the hair will no longer be falling out and may start to re-grow.

Rosemary for hair

Before I started this post I just thought from the look of things soon our hair cabinets in the bathroom will resemble the kitchen spice cabinets even more after this post. Apparently, we can use Rosemary to stimulate the hair follicles and hair growth, it's generally believed to slow down or even permanently hold off premature hair loss and gray hair. It heals the scalp of its problems including drandruff. It also helps darken grey hair overtime as confessed by many people though no real scientific evidence has proved this.
If you have blonde or light colored hair you may NOT want to try this recipe as it may darken your hair.
According to the wikipedia: Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs.The name rosemary has nothing to do with the rose or the name Mary, but derives from the Latin name rosmarinus, which is from "dew" (ros) and "sea" (marinus), or "dew of the sea" — apparently because it is frequently found growing near the sea.
Here are a few recipes to use rosemary

Rosemary Rinse
put several handfuls of rosemary into a water-filled pot, bring to boil, and gently simmer for about five to 15 minutes. Allow to cool, strain into a clean container, and pour throughout your hair just after shampooing. Due to a very pleasant aroma and strengthening effects of this rosemary rinse, you do not need to wash it off with additional fresh water.
You could use the rosemary rinse after using the honey conditioner ( a recipe for that here)

Rosemary homemade Oil
wash and dry a handful or two of fresh rosemary sprigs, rub them lightly between your palms to release the flavour, and place them in a clean bottle (you can also add several slices of fresh ginger to intensify the flavour and medicinal qualities of rosemary). Pour extra-virgin olive oil
to cover the herbs, seal tightly, and leave in a dark cupboard for at least two weeks. To use, massage some rosemary oil into your scalp and hair and leave overnight for the beneficial particles of olive oil, rosemary, and optional ginger to penetrate deep into your hair roots and shafts. Repeat weekly and watch your hair quickly regaining its strength and vitality!


Dried Rosemary leaves

Rosemary Vinegar

fill a clean jar or bottle with fresh or dry rosemary sprigs and pour raw, unheated apple cider vinegar over the herbs to cover them completely. Seal and leave to infuse for at least a fortnight in a dark place, shaking the jar occasionally. You can store ready rosemary vinegar in a dark cool cabinet or a cellar to undergo further beneficial fermentation. Use weekly to make a hair rinse by mixing several tablespoons of rosemary vinegar with lukewarm water and pouring the mixture onto your scalp and hair. This rosemary remedy has a power to completely rejuvenate weakening hair just within a few months!
It is advisable to infuse rosemary only in raw and, preferably, organic apple cider vinegar of the highest quality you can find. Apple cider vinegar has long been praised for its hair-rejuvenating properties. Combined with rosemary, this vinegar makes a super-remedy for dull, weak, and shedding hair.
The recipes are by Christiana Roberts

Weleda a well known brand offers rosemary hair lotion, I haven't used it yet, but I think it's worth a try


To get more info on using Rosemary here are a few links
Stop Hair loss
Rosemary for you
Rosemary will make your hair grow
A Natural Herb to make your hair grow

Sweet Locks the after math

Yesterday I finally decided to try out the Sweet locks. Mad thanx to Juju for the tip. If you haven't done it yet, you better try it. I washed my hair as usual and instead of my usual gel I used honey to twist my locks. I sprayed some virgin oil to the honey and mixed it up before using it. I was kind of sceptical at first, but after the results I will definitely go the sweet way. Considering honey isn't as heavy as the gel I usually use, it took sometime to get used to applying to my hair without sticking. Honey might be viscous but it is not really sticky like gel. The best part is it's not oily, but it gives the scalp a glossy look. I'm really loving the honey on my hair no lie.
Another thing I love about using honey on my hair is that my face doesn't react to it. I usually have a few locks falling on my face and when I use the gel, my forehead forms pimples the first few days after a retouch, but considering honey also moisturrizes the skin, my face is loving the transformation as much as my scalp and hair are...
Anyone out there who has tried it out? Please do share your experience...

Sweet Locks

According to Juju, one of "My Dreadlocks readers" You can use honey to lock your hair.
"...honey is quite good for hair generally, as a moisturiser. I use it to twist my locs and its not smeller or sticky or all those things." I will definitely try it out and tell you what happens. Here are some other comments about using honey on hair from the internet:
"I actually just used a home treatment made of warm olive oil and honey, and it worked very well to moisturize and smooth my hair! I have also heard of people mixing honey with their conditioner to add an extra punch of moisture to their routine. Although you mention its obvious stickiness, it seems to rinse out pretty easily in water IF it is mixed with at least one other ingredient.
Also, I would definitely suggest shampooing after your treatment to avoid residue." by Jen
"Honey is a bleach. It will lighten your hair (remove pigmentation) overtime. People in my home country use it to lighten their skin color." by Shilpa
because honey is a humectant and it does great things for dry hair. I use honey once a week and nothing can moisturize my hair like honey does. My mixtures is adding at least 5 tablespoons to a papercup. Warm it up in the microwave for NO more then 30 seconds and some conditioner to it and mix it together. I then wet my hair and then apply the mix and let it penetrate while I finish taking a shower. It rinses out without any sticky residue left on my hair because when you mix honey it basically liquifies." by Ashley
"You can also use it (honey) as a moisturiser and a hair conditioner. To use it as a conditioner, mix the honey with olive oil. Be sure to wash your hair thoroughly before you go outside." by Ada Onyema
"To give your hair lustrous shine, mix 1 teaspoon of honey into 4 cups of warm water. Use as a hair rinse. And if you're a blond, add the juice of 1 lemon, too." by Bees-online

Maintaining twists on Soft Hair

"I have tried twisting them myself but I end up so tired and give up halfway. My hair is very soft and sometimes have to use black strings for the locks to form. Help"
by N.W
Twisting your locks without a loctician is not easily and more so if you have lots of soft hair.
First of all, if you have lots of hair I could suggest you get a friend who also has locks and take turns to twist each other's locks ie they do yours and you do theirs that could be either fortnightly or monthly. It's easier to twist someone else's hair that it is twisting your own. The only disadvantage to this is that you become dependent on the other person. You could also try dividing your hair maybe into 4 sections and do one at a time. Rest between twisting each section. It will take long but atleast you won't feel pushed for time. I would suggest you also twist when you have time eg on Weekends because then you don't feel rushed. Twist your locks as you do something else like watching a movie or listening to your favourite music or hanging out with friends, keeps your mind away from the twisting, you won't even realize when you finish ( as long as you don't get carried away and forget about twisting as you tell jokes/dance)

As for the soft hair, you could try and use olive oil/ beeswax/ light gel to hold the newly twisted hair. Don't use petroleum or heavyweight products as they cause build up in the lock. Don't fight to have all the newly grown hair in the lock, or to hold it up. I remember when I started twisting my own, I would get frustrated because I have very soft hair, I would twist and I wasn't able to hold every single hair, so I started twisting with gel and holding them up with a clip till they dried, but I soon realized my locks were thinning and my hair was breaking...Just relax, twist the lock with gel/wax/oilive oil then let them dry on their own, the hair that is not held is probably not ready to join a lock yet, give it time next time maybe it will feel like it.
Hope I helped....