A member of the mint family, the beefsteak plant has been shown to promote hair growth

For a lot of men, the worst fate that can befall them as they grow older is to be bald — and for some of them, it’s an inescapable part of reality. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, at least half of men over the age of 50 are likely to experience some degree of balding. Fortunately, there are natural alternatives to extricate men from this fate as researchers from South Korea have found that the beefsteak plant (Perilla frutescens) could potentially be used to trigger hair growth. The study, released in the Journal of Natural Medicine, examined whether an extract from the plant can promote hair regrowth.

Baldness, a condition that affects 50 million men in the U.S., is medically known as androgenetic alopecia. The term, also called male pattern baldness, is the leading cause of hair loss for men; however, it’s also known to affect women. While the risk of being affected by androgenetic alopecia increases by age, it can appear in men even before they reach the age of 21.

For the study, the team collected an aqueous extract from the beefsteak plant, which was further processed to get multiple fractions. Among the isolates obtained, they found that the n-butanol fraction had the highest hair regrowth property, thanks to the rosmarinic acid present in the fraction. Both in vivo and in vitro tests confirmed this, with the rosmarinic acid from the plant preventing hair loss in mice and positively affecting the fibroblast cells in the air responsible for growth.

The findings revealed that the beefsteak plant, which also goes by the names Korean perilla and shisho, can be used to promote hair growth, thanks to the rosmarinic acid present in the plant.

Other herbs that treat hair loss

The beefsteak plant isn’t the only plant that can treat balding. Here are other herbs to use to get to restore healthy hair growth.

• Jojoba oil. Using jojoba oil moisturizes the scalp’s hair follicles, which helps create healthy and strong hair. For optimal results, massage the oil into the roots and wash out after 10 to 15 minutes.
• Aloe vera. The plant is a great remedy for people suffering from hair loss as it not only treats and soothes damaged scalp to promote hair growth, it also cleans up sebum — an oil that prevents hair from coming back. To use aloe vera, massage the gel directly along the scalp or use a natural aloe vera-based shampoo.
• Licorice root. The spice opens up the pores and strengthens the hair follicles, allowing hair to grow. It also treats dry, irritated scalp, creating a conducive environment for growing hair. Applying it directly to the scalp or drinking it as tea can both lead to healthy hair growth.
• Onion juice. A study in the Journal of Dermatology indicated that onion juice can support hair growth, with most of its participants reporting a significant improvement in hair growth after applying onion juice on their scalp. To use it yourself, massage onion juice on your scalp and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing.
• Garlic. The benefits of garlic aren’t just limited to inside the body — a topical application of blended garlic cloves on balding spots can not only improve hair growth but also strengthen hair exposed to it.

Learn more about other natural cures for baldness at Cures.news.

Sources include:

Science.news

GLR.NLM.NIH.gov

AmericanHairLoss.org

ReadersDigest.ca