If you are like me, then you just discovered that Fenugreek, the herb, can actually be very beneficial to your natural 4C hair. In this post I will cover: what Fenugreek is, how Fenugreek helps grow hair, the nutritional components of Fenugreek and most importantly, and how to use it .
Is Fenugreek good for your hair? Fenugreek has been used for decades as a natural home remedy for many hair conditions such as dandruff, hair loss, hair thinning, dry and itchy scalp . Research as well as testimonials from popular hair bloggers have cited Fenugreek as one of the secret ingredient for thick, long hair.
I have talked a lot about many home remedies for hair growth, Fenugreek is just one of them and is my favorite ingredient for my homemade remedies. I will explain why this is the case but before I do, you may want to check out other natural home remedies to incorporate in your natural 4C hair care routine (or any afro hair type,). Below are the links to the articles I have written on Rice Water and Onion Juice.
What is Fenugreek?
Fenugreek is a herb that contains tiny brown seeds which grow mostly in North America, Egypt, India and the Middle East. Fenugreek has been considered a home remedy for many conditions and this is attributed to its active constituents that I will highlight in this article. As I was doing my research on Fenugreek I came across 5 different researches that have been done and have demonstrated that Fenugreek can indeed be used as a home remedy for many conditions.
Benefits of Fenugreek on 4C hair
Now, to why I am writing this article. It’s about hair not weight loss or breastfeeding! Scientists have started to find evidence to support fenugreek capability to grow hair follicles and maintain bright looking hair. I have been using Fenugreek on my hair for one year now (at the time of writing this article) all I can say is that my hair is just doing wonders. It is full, thick, strong, shiny and most importantly healthy! I occasionally have an itchy scalp but it can’t be compared to when my regimen did not include Fenugreek and other natural remedies.
Fenugreek contains proteins, vitamin A, K, C, folic acid, potassium, calcium and iron. Fenugreek also has a high nicotinic content which is very beneficial against hair loss, dandruff and treating scalp issues like dryness, baldness and hair thinning. It also contains large amount of lecithin which hydrates and strengthen the roots and hair follicles. The seeds/powder also moisturize hair and bring back the healthiness.
In summary here are the benefits of using Fenugreek in your hair:
- Strengthens hair and prevent hair loss
- Promotes Hair Growth
- Nourishes hair and scalp
- Used as a natural conditioner
- Adds shine to your hair
- Prevents dandruffs
Does Fenugreek help prevent hair loss?
Many articles written and researches done have concluded that Fenugreek may prevent hair loss. Whilst I have personally seen my hair fall reduce significantly since I started using Fenugreek, people are different and the root cause for abnormal hair fall/loss may vary from person to person. What this means is that one solution may work for one person and not the other.
Knowing the reason behind hair loss is very important before starting on the Fenugreek as a treatment. Some of the commonly known causes of hair loss include: stress, hormonal changes, genetics or improper nutrition. Please always consult a health care provider to help you in identifying the root cause for hair loss before starting on any home remedy.
Focusing on factors affecting hair loss, let’s consider nutrition as an essential element to healthy hair. Lack of certain nutrients like proteins, iron, zinc and essential fats may contribute to unhealthy hair hence breakage. Proteins such us fish, meat, nuts, legumes are to be consumed often to support healthy hair. Spinach, plant oils, green vegetables, eggs and nuts contribute greater part to healthy hair. Generally, a well-balanced diet enriched with fiber may greatly impact your hair growth and health and so adding Fenugreek to your diet gives you the supplementary nutrients that your hair need for growth
A dry and irritated scalp may lead to hair loss. Due to high anti-inflammatory content in fenugreek powder, it is believed to act as an antifungal, skin soothing and moisturizer and thus good in providing healing for the broken skin.
A research has been done by (Schulz C.Bielfedt,2006) on the efficacy of fenugreek extract and various micronutrients as a potential treatment for hair loss. The research involved 60 volunteers, whereby they were ingested capsules containing fenugreek extract and other micronutrients twice a day for 6 months. After every 2 months, the researchers examined the participants for signs of hair growth by using questionnaires, dermatological assessment and phototrichogram image for data analysis. At the end of the 6 months, 83% of the participants had a great and noticeable difference in hair, volume and thickness which included reduced hair shed.
Who else uses Fenugreek on their hair?
Fenugreek also known as Methi Dana in Hindi, and is a common spice used extensively in Indian households. It is not just for cooking delicacies, but is also extracted to help reduce hair fall. Fenugreek seeds in India and Asian countries is considered as the most effective remedies to treat hair fall.
DIY Deep conditioner recipes using Fenugreek
Having tried several recipes for my homemade deep conditioners, I finally found 2 recipes that work perfectly for my hair. You can use these recipes as is or make some adjustments depending on your hair type.
Method 1:
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp of Fenugreek Powder
- 1 Tbsp Olive/Coconut Oil/Raw Shea Butter
- 3/4 Cup of Water
Process
- Mix all the ingredients and stir until all are well combined
- Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes to form a thick paste
- Apply the paste on your wet hair
- Cover and leave it in for 20-30 min
- Wash your hair with a mild shampoo or just rinse with water if your hair is clean (It’s more effective to apply the mixture on clean hair and just rinse off with plenty water to prevent the shampoo from stripping off the already nourished hair.
Method 2:
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp of Fenugreek Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Olive/Coconut Oil/Raw Shea Butter
- 3/4 Cup of Water
Process
- Soak the Fenugreek seeds overnight
- Blend them with 1 cup of water
- Let the paste sit for 5 minutes
- Apply the paste on your wet hair
- Cover and leave it in for 20-30 min
- Wash your hair with a mild shampoo or just rinse with water if your hair is clean (It’s more effective to apply the mixture on clean hair and just rinse off with plenty water to prevent the shampoo from stripping off the already nourished hair.
If you found this article helpful, then my guess is that you will find the articles below about Onion Juice and Rice water as effective natural home remedies for 4 C hair Growth useful.
