Henna: Remedy for receding hairlines? My husband wants to find out.

My husband, Jeff, is impressed with how the henna dye has been nourishing and thickening my hair. I've been using it for a few months, and my hair is definitely the thickest it's been since I was a kid. Henna, of course, also nourishes hair, plating it with healthy natural color, as opposed to box/salon (chemical) dye, which strips and then re-tints the hair shaft.

Jeff, in his late 20s, is already experiencing a receding hairline, much to his dismay. His hair has also gotten thinner than it used to be just five years ago. He observed my freshly henna-dyed hair yesterday, and decided it might be the solution for him, as well. He asked me to try the henna on his hair, with a special focus on his hairline.

We drove to our local health food store and picked up a jar of Persian Blonde -- that's the lightest shade that Rainbow Henna makes. When we got home, I mixed up the henna. I didn't have to make much, because he keeps his hair cut short.

First things first -- we took a “Before” photo. Then, we applied the henna mixture. He liked the process for the same reasons I do – it doesn’t smell like a chemical, it’s kind of fun to apply and it’s not as likely to stain the skin. That was especially important, since I planned to apply it to the top of his forehead, where he wants to restore his hair. I think he found the process fascinating and somewhat amusing -- particularly the green “henna helmet.” We sealed his hair in a plastic wrap and a towel to keep the henna warm, and then set the timer.

Seventy-five minutes later, we rinsed out the henna. He noticed right away that his hair felt thicker. That brought a big smile to his face. In addition, the henna brought out the blonde in his hair and made it really shiny. I think we’ll have to wait a few months to see if the henna has any impact on his hairline. It will probably take a few treatments and a few months’ time. He’s optimistic, though. If it does work, I'm going to send the pictures to Rainbow. And they can thank Jeff and me when men all over America start using Rainbow Henna to re-grow their hair. :-)

Photo update: seven months and counting

Just finished the henna process (red/mahogany combination). Here's an update:
This is a seven-month update, as I decided in late November to begin this journey. I believe my last salon haircut was a day or two before Thanksgiving.

Making improvements to the henna process

It's henna time once again. Here I sit, letting a combination of red and mahogany henna seep into my hair for the next 75 minutes. I'm happy to report that I finally had to increase the amount from 2 oz. to 3 oz. because my hair is growing so quickly!

This "journey" is turning into quite the learning process. I have discovered a couple of helpful things the past two times I've used henna. First, it's wise to boil a little more water than what you think you will need. The last two times, I've made the mixture according to the directions but it has been too thick. That happened again today, so I boiled and added the extra water (about 1/3 cup extra) and it made a huge difference. Henna is ridiculously hard to apply if it's too thick. If you live in the South, go outside, dig up some red clay and try to massage it through your hair. The consistency is about the same as too-thick henna.

Second, boil even more water (maybe 2/3 cup) and place it in a separate bowl, then place the bowl with the henna mixture in the hot-water bowl. It will help keep the dye warm/hot while you are applying it. Henna is much easier to apply if it stays warm! Be advised... The henna will be VERY hot for the first two or three minutes, so be careful. (And of course, always wear gloves when working with any kind of dye.)

And one of these days, I'll remember to save a little henna to apply to my eyebrows, as an experiment. Hey, at least it's all-natural and organic. It sure beats using that medication (can't think of the name) that makes eyebrows/eyelashes/something-on-your-face grow longer and thicker. I've heard that one of the side effects of that so-called medication is possible death. Um, no thanks... I know my eyebrows are thin, but hey, maybe the henna would match them to my hair AND make them a little thicker (henna does texturize hair, after all). If only I could remember to try that... I remembered it this time -- right as I was rinsing out the bowl. Oh well.

Photo update: You can't do this with short hair.

Photo update: You can't do this with short hair!

What do hair and shoulders have in common? Both benefit from horsetail.

I've been experiencing bursitis in my shoulder for about two years, and you might already be wondering what that has to do with my hair. Well, there's an herb that apparently helps both hair and shoulder problems. It's horsetail, also called silica. You can pick it up in capsule form at such places at Vitamin Shoppe, or you can buy the herb in loose form at some co-ops and make a tea with it or add it to food. I was already aware that it can be good for hair, but after a very frustrating visit to my orthopedist this week, I stopped by a local co-op to consult the giant book of medical conditions and herbal remedies, and whaddya know, it's good for repairing shoulders, too. So I filled up a big bag of horsetail and grabbed a packet of make-your-own tea bags. (Sorry, I'm not the multiple-medications-and-endless-tests-and-scans kind of girl. I am a human being, not a walking pill bottle.)

Here's how to make horsetail tea:

You need an iron that has a steam option (and obviously a safe surface for ironing). You need the tea bags and horsetail (duh). Last, all you need is a spoon to scoop the herb into the bags. And it helps to have a little patience, too. It took about 30 minutes to make 40 tea bags.

It's a good idea to fill up all of the tea bags with the herb before turning on the iron. Otherwise, the iron will just be sitting there for 15-20 minutes, wasting electricity and creating a potential hazard (I'm a little clumsy when I haven't had much caffeine). Then, you want to press the iron over the top seal of each tea bag for about 10 seconds, making sure it seals completely. Do NOT press the iron over the entire tea bag. You'll burn the herbs. Then, just store them in a plastic container with a lid until you're ready to make a healthy, healing cup of herbal tea.

Photo update

Photo update... just used henna three days ago. I mixed the red with the light brown: http://www.rainbowresearch.com/chart.html