A long time ago, in a Korean village, an extraordinary event took place. It happened that the villagers began to hear a strange moan coming from the woods, but, no matter how deep they searched, they could not find the cause. But the lament continued, for days and nights, until the inhabitants realized that it came from under a tree. Immediately everyone began to dig and a root with a bizarre human shape was brought to light, the arms and legs could be clearly distinguished. What portent was that? The villagers agreed that that root was the manifestation of Tu Ching, the spirit of the earth. From that day on, that human-shaped root took the name of Jen Shen, meaning plant man. We now know it as ginseng. Science has been very interested in ginseng root and has demonstrated its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, capable of improving cognitive function and supporting the immune system. And that's not all. As we will learn in today's article, panax ginseng also protects the beauty and health of our hair, counteracting hair loss and promoting hair growth ... if this root is not a divine manifestation!
Ginseng and hair health, what science says
Ginseng, thanks to the presence of its active ingredients, ginsenosides, is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, strengthens the hair by improving blood circulation in the scalp, protecting the integrity of the skin and counteracting the damage of free radicals (Choi et al, Int J Mol Sci, 2018). Not only that, studies have observed that ginseng root is able to stimulate hair regrowth and to inhibit the 5 alpha reductase enzyme, which converts testosterone into DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that is considered responsible for hair loss, since it acts on the hair follicle, miniaturizing it (Park et al, Pharmaceutics, 2021). In addition, ginseng also acts on the hair follicles, strengthening them and preventing their loss of functionality due to the action of testosterone. Finally, ginseng helps to prolong the anagen phase, that is the first phase in the life cycle of the hair that corresponds to its growth (Lee et al, Int J Mol Med, 2017). Therefore, ginseng can be really beneficial for our hair. So let's see how to exploit these properties with DIY masks and shampoos, very simple to make.
Anti-hair loss ginseng mask
Bring a cup of water to a boil, remove from heat and add a teaspoon of ginseng powder. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, then filter and let it cool down. Massage a few tablespoons of herbal tea on your scalp, leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with your shampoo.
Revitalizing Ginseng Shampoo
Bring half a liter of water to a boil, then remove from heat and add a tablespoon of ginseng. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, filter and let cool. Mix 100 grams of chickpea flour in a bowl and gradually the ginseng tea, mix. Store in the refrigerator for no more than a couple of weeks. Use this lotion instead of shampoo, massaging for a few minutes on the scalp and hair and then rinsing thoroughly. After the shampoo, you can also use an acidic rinse made from water and apple cider vinegar to make your hair shinier.
