CAUSES OF DANDRUFF (5)

Diet & Dandruff

The year is nearing is full cycle. It is the season for feasting whether to bid Old Year goodbye or welcome to a fresh New Year; marking the longest night of the year or celebrating the rebirth of the new Sun, people will offer a spread of mouth-watering rich foods, tempting desserts and sweets accompanied by toasting. Gaily decorated shops enticed shoppers with an enormous variety of gift that included hampers filled with boxes of chocolates, sweets, fruits preserved in honey or sugar, crispy potato chips, buttery baked goods, fine wine or liquor… a sweet end leading to a sweet beginning.

The contents of the hampers that I’d just described actually increases the risk of dandruff. Consume them sparingly and binge on ‘anti-dandruff’ food instead.

Nowadays, some dieticians and dermatologist are advocating diet therapy as an adjunct treatment because they believe   certain food increases the risk of getting dandruff and skin problems such as acne and psoriasis while other food reduces the chances. Dandruff-causing culprits are high glycemic index food (sugar and refined carbohydrates), yeast, saturated fats, fried food and alcohol. Ayurveda added food that can create ama (digestive impurities) such as icy cold food and drink as well as food that is not fresh (leftovers) to the list. TCM believe diet that impairs your liver and kidney function is harmful to hair.

Sugar (High glycemic index food)

The glycemic index (GI) indicates how fast and how high blood sugar rises after eating a food. Food that can increase our blood sugar rapidly has a high GI.

Why is sudden, rapid increase in blood sugar bad? The sudden increase lead to insulin spikes, which in turn lead to stimulation of hormone surges that can trigger the output of fatty acids (sebum). Your body deals with the excess sebum by expelling it through the pores of the skin and scalp. Studies have found that when there is excessive sebum, the oil-loving malassezia grow rapidly, irritates your scalp leading to excessive shedding of skin or dandruff.

Moreover, high sugar level in the blood depletes Vitamin B6 and Zinc which are known to fight dandruff. It also has a negative impact on the antioxidants, vitamins C and E, both of which are necessary for healthy, lustrous hair.

Sugar and saturated fats triggers inflammation. Blood sugar spurs the pancreas to produce high levels of insulin thus causing inflammation. Inflammation triggers the immune system to ramp up and the body produces more free radicals that attack collagen (a type of connective tissue). Collagen binds all tissues together and provides structure and strength to organs, skin, bones, walls of blood vessels etc.

Limit the following foods in your diet:

Chocolates, processed potatoes, soft drinks, candies and food made from refined flour such as white bread, pasta, and cakes etc. processed food may contain high amounts of hidden sugar and refined carbohydrate. The GI also increases in carbohydrate food that had been cooked for a long time and became gelatinized.

Yeast

If you are susceptible to yeast infection, avoid fermented products and products containing yeast during yeast infection episodes. According to a holistic dermatologist, dandruff is due to a reaction to Malassezia. The condition can be aggravated by an overgrowth of yeast in the gastrointestinal tract.

Wine and beer use yeast in its fermentation process. Alcohol in wine and beer is a toxin that puts a strain on your liver and releases hormones that causes acne and worsens your dandruff problem.

Some food scientists found dairy products such as cheese and whole milk can acerbate dandruff problem perhaps due to a combination of fats and other elements. Therefore, some people suggested drinking skim milk to reduce fat intake. However, a Harvard study on the effect of drinking skim milk on the skin and acne found that skim milk caused the worse breakouts with an increased 44% likelihood of developing blemishes. They suggested hormones in skim milk may be higher perhaps due to concentration during processing (and caused hormonal imbalance in the body).

Foods to avoid during yeast attack:

Limit sugar because it fuel yeast growth. I notice whenever I take marmite /vegemite, I get yeast infection. So I avoided it now.

Some experts also suggested minimizing fermented foods and drink such as beer, wine, cheese, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar and certain types of bread using yeast as rising agent. Some experts suggested taking probiotics (found in yogurt, miso, and sauerkraut) to crowd out yeast in the intestine; others said such food should be avoided. Diet therapy is still in its infancy in the West. We need more evidence backed by research and long term human studies to validate expert advice on specific food to eat or avoid.

What current studies have established is that diet does have an impact on dandruff although there is disagreement on specific foods.

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF (4)

How climate affects dandruff

The North is gripped in the depths of winter now. For some people, it is also the season for winter dandruff. This type of dandruff has flakes that are smaller and less oily than those from other causes of dandruff and is often accompanied by dry skin on other parts of the body, such as the limbs and face. Since time immemorial, people had tried to deal with the problem with various remedies such as slathering on yogurt, rubbing with salt or mud, dousing with teas and washing the scalp with various herbal concoctions.

The hypothesis is winter dandruff is due to exposure to extremes in temperature such as cold, dry winter air outside and overheated rooms indoors. Researchers noted dandruff worsened for Yeast-sensitive people during winter and improved during the warmer months. Winter dandruff symptoms may appear only during winter or worsened during these months.

There is lack of sunshine in winter and UV rays of the sun is reported to kill Malassezia, the yeast often associated with dandruff. Interestingly, sun exposure is also reported to trigger dandruff. Pityriasis versicolor is a yeast infection that develops in hot humid weather on oily skin. The yeast feeds on skin oils (lipids) as well as dead skin cells. Infections are more common in people who have seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and hyperhidrosis.

Experts believe Malassezia is responsible for both dandruff and pityriasis versicolor, a condition characterized by patchy rashes with scaling on upper torso, arm and lower leg.

When Malassezia is present, there is a higher chance of getting dandruff than pityriasis versicolor. The chances are fifty percent for dandruff and merely two to eight percent for pityriasis versicolor. This strain variability puzzled experts. Why do Malassezia give the skin on the scalp more problem than skin on other parts of the body? Does local immunity play a role in the disease predisposition? Many questions are yet to be answered.

Experts found a number of contributing factors to seborrheic dermatitis, the severe form of dandruff and scaling of the skin. They are   Genetic, environmental, hormonal, and immune-system factors. The condition may be aggravated by sleep deprivation, psychological stress, fatigue, change of season, illness and reduced general health.

Genetic, climatic and hormonal factors are beyond our control. We can adjust lifestyle factors to reduce the chance of getting dandruff. Since cholesterol-loving Malassezia is often associated with dandruff, we can adjust our diet so our body do not overproduce cholesterol. Is that possible? Let us explore this last contributing factor to dandruff in the next article.

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF (3)

Seborrhoeic dermatitis

You know you have Seborrhoeic dermatitis when there are greasy, red, itchy patches on the skin covered with flaky scales that are white or yellow in color. On the scalp, the condition presents as severe dandruff with some shedding of hair. Other affected areas are the sebaceous-gland-rich areas of your skin such as eyebrows, the sides of the nose, backs of your ears, chest, groin and occasionally the armpits.

Looking at your skin under a microscope, you will see your tormentor, the microscopic yeast, Malassezia. It produces toxic substances that irritate and inflame the skin. Although Malassezia grow on the skin of healthy people as well, scalp swabs from sufferers with seborrheic dermatitis show higher levels of colonization. Under the right conditions, Malassezia will morph from a benign organism into a pathogenic one. Further evidence of this is that the condition improves with antifungal treatment, accompanied by a decrease in numbers of Malassezia on the skin.

Certain illnesses

If you have eczema anywhere on your body, it could also be on your scalp, possibly leading to the development of dandruff.

Shedding of dead skin from the scalp of Psoriasis sufferers may be interpreted as dandruff. Malassezia may play a role in psoriasis on the face and scalp.

People with compromised immune system such as those with HIV-AIDS and neuropsychiatrically impaired individuals have a higher incidence of the condition.

Other diseases that increase your chance of developing dandruff are: Autoimmune and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and systemic lupus erythematosus; Atopic dermatitis, Pityriasis rosea, Tinea capitis, Polycystic ovary syndrome etc.

Genetics

Some of the above diseases have genetic basis. Studies have found that people who are sensitive to yeast have a slightly higher risk of having dandruff. There may be a genetic predisposition for them to be more vulnerable to yeast infection.

Another study found an ABO blood group predisposition. A large number of people screened in the study were carriers of Malassezia species, but only a very small group had dandruff. The researchers concluded this clearly establishes the fact that a benign yeast can transform and become saprophytic to feed on dead skin of some individuals in the population. However, they have not established the triggers for the transformation to occur.

Males are more susceptible to dandruff than females. Researchers have shown that testosterone stimulates the growth of certain dermatophytes (infectious fungi on keratin), while estrogen inhibits the same.

INFECTION

Since Malassezia is frequently associated with dandruff, let us take another look at this organism. It was first identified as yeast found on the skin of patients with dandruff in the 19^th century. Bizarrely, this organism can morphs into a fungal (hyphal) form and/or both. Its hyphal form predominates in skin diseases such as tinea versicolor and Pityrosporum folliculitis.

The hyphae filaments used to be called 'Malassezia' and the yeast forms were called 'Pityrosporum' because scientists thought they were two different organisms.   Then in the 1980s, molecular methods of species identification showed they were two forms of the same organism. Malassezia don’t have the ability to make its own saturated fats. Therefore, it feeds on saturated fats on our skin. In its fungal form, it feeds on our dead skin as well.

Like the chicken and egg question, scientists could not determine whether abundant dandruff on our skin encourages Malassezia to proliferate or increased yeast cells irritates our skin and triggers increased scaling.

However, predisposing factors to Malassezia skin disease include:  

• Warm, humid condition, including sweating. Hence, pityriasis versicolor is common in tropical areas.
• Oily skin hence it is found mainly on oil-gland-rich areas such as the scalp, face and upper trunk.

Frederick Manuel and S Ranganathan postulated “on Two Stages of Dandruff” that “Malassezia colonization is a secondary event in dandruff. And

Suggested that a cascade of events preclude dandruff formation”

The two stages in infection of dandruff sufferers are:-

Stage 1

• At the Primary stage, there are multiple host-specific predisposing factors.
• Multiple nonspecific factors can trigger dandruff. They are of non-microbial origin.

Stage 2

• The secondary stage has multiple microbial causes.
• Response varies according to each individual.

(International Journal of Trichology, 2011)

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF (2)

Hair combing / brushing

Combing or brushing help to remove shed skin on our scalp. It has been suggested that inadequate combing or brushing lead to buildup of shed skin giving rise to slightly increased risk of dandruff. However, other studies indicated frequent combing and over shampooing could result in development of dandruff. (Indian J Dermatol. 2010). The reason given was that frequent combing and over shampooing affected the integrity and barrier function of the outermost layer of the skin. This made it easier for organisms to establish themselves and adhere to the skin.

Stress

A 2007 study found that 82 percent of patients with depression and anxiety have excessive flaky scalp. Stress lowers our immunity and induces the body to produce chemicals called glucocorticoids, a substance that can calm us down. Glucocorticoids can alter the cell makeup on the scalp, possibly leading us vulnerable to the fungus malassezia ... and the dandruff it is often associated with.

Hormones

The sebaceous glands that produce sebum become very active during puberty due to Hormonal changes. Sebum comprises a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids that give our skin integrity.

In 2005, scientists from USA and Korea discovered the fungus malassezia like to feed on saturated fatty acids in sebum. After eating up the saturated fats, our scalp is left with too much unsaturated fats. It was thought that excess unsaturated fatty acids together with changed structure of skin tissues due to glucocorticoids make our scalp vulnerable to flaking and dandruff.

Is malassezia the culprit triggering dandruff due to increased oil production induced by hormones? Perhaps not, because etiological studies found the prevalence rate of dandruff almost equal in pubertal and in older age groups. At puberty, hormones induced high oil production in sebaceous glands whereas in older people, hormonal production has tapered off and oil glands are not as active. Yet, malassezia is prevalent in both wet and dry dandruff.

Did the conflicting opinions and evidence leave you scratching your head in bewilderment?

In the next installment let us explore the issues of infection, genetic factor and illness.

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF (1)

Experts could not agree on the causes of dandruff. However, most experts do agree that it is not caused by poor hygiene. They noticed dandruff commonly occur when there is an overgrowth of a yeast-like fungus called malassezia. This fungus grows on the scalp of all people and usually do not cause any problem. It feeds on the oils our hair follicles secrete. Dandruff formed when excessive amounts of dead skin tissues build up on the scalp and mix with the natural oils there.

So what conditions trigger this fungus to go wild, irritate our skin and stimulate our body to respond by producing extra skin tissues?

Malassezia is one of a number of possible contributors to dandruff.

Other possible causes are:

• Chemicals   and allergens
• Inadequate hair combing / brushing
• Stress
• Hormones
• Diet
• Climate
• Infection
• Seborrheic dermatitis
• Certain illnesses

Chemicals   and allergens

People react differently to chemicals and ingredients in hair care products. Try switching to another hair care product to see whether your dandruff, inflammation and itchiness persist.  If you intend to consult a doctor or dermatologist, bring along your hair care products to check whether any possible ingredient that may be the culprit. Some ingredients that may give allergic reaction are hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, SLS (Sodium lauryl sulfate), Propylene glycol, quaternium-15, balsam of Peru etc. Preservatives and fragrances are the two biggest allergens. Preservatives are further sub—divided into antimicrobials, antioxidants and ultraviolet light absorbers.

Repeated exposure to allergens or irritants can lead to the skin to become dry, thicken and scaly. An acute reaction gives rise to rashes and sometimes, small fluid filled blisters.

Visit the Environmental Working Group database for more information on ingredients in hair and skin care products: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research

Homemade dandruff recipes:

FIGHT DANDRUFF NATURALLY (W1) - Homemade shampoo

An anti-dandruff conditioner:

SOOTHING CONDITIONING HAIR RINSE

(To be continued)

USES OF GELATIN

Gelatin as Binder

Gelatin is protein that has broken down into its component amino acids through boiling or action of enzymes. When you mix gelatin powder with a little water, it feels sticky. Some people use this sticky substance as glue.

In ancient times, the Chinese use gelatin to stick paper on the Chinese flute. When the glue hardened, it stiffened and strengthened the paper. In modern times it is occasionally used to size and strengthen paper such as   some glossy printing papers, artistic papers, playing cards, and it maintains the wrinkles in crêpe paper.

It is used as a binder in match heads and sandpaper.

Besides using it as adhesives, it is found it in deodorants, dyes and fabrics. You can use this very same sticky and stiffening   quality of gelatin to thicken fine hair, style and keep hair in place. Synchronized swimmers apply gelatin to their hair since it does not dissolve in water.

RECIPE

HOMEMADE HAIR GEL: Mix unflavored gelatin powder into a paste with tepid/cool water. Stir while you pour in boiling water, fragrant herbal tea or hydrosol. A clear gel will form and thicken when cool. Store in a bottle with well-fitting lid/cover and keep in the fridge. It can keep for about a week. Use 1 part gelatin to 5 -8 parts liquid.

Thickener & Stabilizer

Gelatin and partially hydrolyzed protein is a thickener and stabilizer. You can find it in food, shampoo, hair styling products, hair conditioner, face cleanser, face mask as well as other cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Gelatin is also used in nail polish remover and makeup applications. The gelatin is often tinted in different colors to match the person’s natural skin tone. (Wikipedia)

RECIPE

NOURISHING FACE MASK: Mix 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder with 1 tablespoon of milk into a smooth paste. Stir in hot water (4 to 7 tablespoons). Microwave to heat up or put in a pan of simmering water and stir. Add in 1 tablespoon of mashed avocado or apricot. If you have oily skin, use mashed berry or tangerine flesh instead. Leave to cool, apply on clean, washed face.  Avoid eye and mouth areas. Leave on for 25 to 35 minutes, and then wipe off with dampened cotton balls. Wash with cool water.

Film former

It is a film former so it is used as a coating for photographic film and photographic paper.

Next time you pop your vitamin pill, take a look at the capsule. It may be made of gelatin.

RECIPE

BLACKHEAD REMOVER:  Mix 1.5 tablespoon of milk into 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin. Stir into a smooth paste and put into a pan of simmering water. Cover pan or the container with a glass cover so you can see when the gelatin is ready. The gelatin will swell up. Switch off fire. While the milk-gelatin is still warm, apply on blackhead area with a cotton ball or sponge. (Clean your face thoroughly beforehand)  Wait till the gelatin has hardened completely and peel off.

Clarifier

Suspended sediments in wine and beer make them look cloudy. Manufacturers add gelatin to their product to make it look crystal clear. Gelatin, which carries a positive electrical charge, attracts negatively suspended particles like a magnet. The particle-laden gelatin sinks to the bottom when it becomes too heavy dragging other particles with it. Manufacturers may use other sources of protein such as albumen (from egg white), casein (from milk), Isinglass (from fish), chitin (Chitosan),   in this ‘fining’ process.

Gelatin also reduces the astringency of wine.

You can use it to clarify juices and vinegar as well.

Chitin & Chitosan

Chitosan is hydrolyzed form of chitin, a substance extracted from crustaceans and mollusks such as prawns, crabs, lobsters, octopus   and squids. It is the main component of the cell wall of fungi and exists in insect.

In terms of structure, chitin may be compared to the polysaccharide cellulose of plants but with addition of nitrogen within the structure. It functions like the protein, ‘keratin’. Surgeons sew up patients with biodegradable surgical thread made from chitin.

Some farmers spray their crops with chitosan to naturally induce systemic resistance (ISR) against disease, pathogens and pests.

According to Wikipedia, “separation membranes and ion-exchange media can be made from chitin.  ”

EAT UP YOUR COW SKIN, HOOVES AND BONES!

Through Hydrolyzing Their Protein

When you tenderize meat with papain (enzyme extracted from papaya), you are actually hydrolyzing protein.

For thousands of years, people have been hydrolyzing protein to make it more digestible. In times of food shortages, people would eat the skin, tendons, muscles, hoofs and cartilage of animals. These parts are high in protein.  The skin of large animals such as cattle, horses and camels are too tough to chew. Therefore, the long chains of proteins that make the parts so tough are hydrolyzed or broken down into shorter chains (called peptides) to make them more edible. Usually this is accomplished by boiling for a long time with acid, alkali or through enzymatic action. The enzymes from pineapple and sap of papaya are two of the traditional methods to break down the protein chains.

Both humans and animals secrete proteolytic enzymes to break down protein into amino acids as part of digestion. Enzymes speed up the process (between 160 to a million times faster) and do not need high heat to occur, making them suitable choices to hydrolyze protein commercially. The jar of baby food, special weightlifters’ hydrolyzed Casein protein drink or patients’ special diet may well be ‘pre-digested’ by proteolytic enzymes (also called proteases).  

Manufacturers extract proteolytic enzymes like trypsin, chymotrypsin and pepsin from animal organs. Rennin is extracted from the gastric juices of calves and lambs. It is used to coagulate milk into cheese and hydrolyze protein.

When the hydrolyzing process occurs for too long, the protein is broken down completely into its component amino acids and become gelatin. The product of hydrolysis may also be called gelatin hydrolysate, hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptide.

People not only eat hydrolyzed protein, they also noticed gelatin is very sticky and harden when cooled.

What do you think people do with a substance with such properties when they did not eat it? I will tell you the answer in the next installment.

CASSIA RECIPES TO STRENGTHEN & CONDITION HAIR

There is a ‘Mom & Pop’ grocery store in my area that sells coconuts and grates the chosen coconut for its customers. When I want coconut with a lot of oil, I would choose a very mature nut. At home, I placed the grated coconut flesh in a muslin bag to squeeze out the coconut milk. The milk from the first extraction is very rich and thick. 50 percent of coconut flesh comprises lauric acid (a.k.a dodecanoic acid), a fatty acid that is found in smaller quantities in human breast milk. Another fatty acid called capric acid has pharmaceutical and medical uses.

For the second round of extraction, I mixed a little water with the grated coconut before squeezing it into a separate bowl. Normally, milk from the second round of extraction is used for cooking.

Let’s use coconut milk in our first cassia recipe.  If you do not have fresh coconut, use the packaged variety instead. Alternatively, use warm water, honey water or brew a pot of herbal tea to dissolve the cassia powder.

Check out ‘GOOD SKINCARE NATURALLY [3] - Skincare herbs’ for herbs and their properties.

Do NOT use metal utensils to hold and mix your recipes. Use inert materials such as glass/porcelain/wood/bamboo instead.

Cassia for dry hair

POWDER INGREDIENTS:

3 parts cassia powder

1 part amla powder

LIQUID INGREDIENT:

Warm coconut milk

A little oil with ceramides (See previous article)

Essential oil of your choice for fragrance (optional)

METHOD

• Warm up coconut milk from first extraction. (It should not be boiling hot. Boiling first extraction can result in separation of oil and water.)
  
  
• Place Ingredient 1 into a bowl/container. Pour in warm coconut milk and oil gradually, stirring to mix into a paste with pancake batter / yogurt consistency. Wait for 30 minutes.
  (If the weather is cold, place container into a pan of hot water and cover)
  
  
• After 30 minutes, stir in fragrance and spoon cassia batter into a squeeze bottle with enough quantity for one treatment.
  
  
• Put excess cassia batter into container with well- fitting lid and store in the freezer.

Applying cassia treatment

This process may be quite messy if you are doing it for the first time. Thankfully, cassia is not as staining as henna.

1. Apply cassia batter in your bathroom, just before you take a bath.
   
   
2. Divide your hair into sections. If you have long hair, clip up your hair according to section.
   
   
3. Use the squeeze bottle to apply cassia from root of the hair to tip of the hair section-by-section, starting from the back of the head.
   
   
4. When you have finished, cover hair with shower cap and let hair marinate for between 30 minutes to one hour.
   
   
5. Take your beauty bath.
   
   
6. After your hair has marinated long enough, wash off cassia batter. Use your fingers to help to remove residue from the hair.
   
   
7. Wash until all residues are gone.

Note:

You can either apply cassia treatment before or after you have washed your hair.

Depending on hair type, a cassia treatment can last between one to three weeks.

Your hair should feel soft and lustrous. If it feels dry, apply a light coating of oil on the dry parts.

Condition and thicken hair

Cassia-Fenugreek Mask

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp. cassia powder

1 tsp. fenugreek powder

LIQUID INGREDIENT

Warm water or herbal tea

Essential oil of your choice for fragrance (optional)

METHOD

1. Soak fenugreek powder in 2 tablespoon of very warm water for several hours until mucilage is released.
   
   
2. Mix fenugreek mucilage and warm water/warm herbal tea with cassia powder into yogurt consistency. Wait for 30 minutes.
   (If the weather is cold, place container into a pan of hot water and cover)
   
   
3. After 30 minutes, stir in fragrance and spoon cassia batter into a squeeze bottle and use immediately.

[Refer to ‘ADD MORE BODY TO YOUR HAIR’ for other ingredients and ideas you can add to cassia powder to thicken your hair.]

If you have very greasy, dirty hair, wash your hair before cassia treatment.  For liquid ingredients, besides warm water or herbal water, you can use juices of acidic fruits such as orange or diluted lime/lemon juice, diluted vinegar or citric acid.

Acid can breakdown protein molecules into shorter chains. It is one of the substances to hydrolyze protein. However, the short span of time recommended in the conditioner recipe is not likely to breakdown the protein in cassia. For benefits of acid in a conditioner, refer to PH AND YOUR HAIR.

Check the pH of your preparation to ensure it is not too acidic.

CASSIA AS HAIR STRENGTHENER & CONDITIONER

Cassia is a plant with a yellow dye that   strengthens the hair shaft, adds richness, texture and luster to light color hair. The yellow color comes from its active component, chrysophanic acid, also called chrysophanol. This compound has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Rhubarb root has higher concentration of chrysophanol. Consequently, when manufacturers sold their product as ‘blond henna’ to dye hair yellow, they may include rhubarb in their formulation. Cassia does not dye dark hair yellow. Blond henna (cassia) is a totally different plant from henna.

When you buy cassia, the plant may go by different names. This is due to its ‘complex taxonomy’. Put simply, the scientists who classified the hundreds of species within this plant family were confused or did not agree on their lineage.  Therefore, the plant that is most often used as a hair dye and hair conditioner is often called ‘Cassia obovata’, but may also be called Senna italica ssp. Its common names are cassia, senna, neutral henna or blond henna.

The resin in cassia is positively charged (with cationic molecules) which are attracted preferentially to areas of damage along your hair strands and fill in gaps left by broken cuticles. It also envelops your hair in a protective sheath that glues down hair cuticles. This makes your hair feel soft, smooth and silky, reduces friction during wet and dry combing and acts as an anti-static agent to reduce frizz. 

The germicidal, fungicidal and anti-inflammatory properties keep scalp healthy and eliminate dandruff.

OTHER CASSIA SPECIES USED IN HAIRCARE

Some manufacturers may use Cassia alata (Senna alata) another plant with the yellow chrysophanic acid. This plant is a very effective fungicide. Hence its popular name, Ringworm Bush, due to its effectiveness in treating ringworm infection. Some people add turmeric to cassia since the herb also has germicidal and anti-fungal properties as well as contain a yellow dye that stains hair yellow.

The company, Lubrizol Advanced Materials Inc., patented a product based on carbohydrates derived from Cassia gum extracted from the endosperm of the seed of Cassia tora and Cassia obtusifolia.

Lubrizol chemically modify mannose and galactose sugars extracted from cassia gum and described its product as ‘quaternised cassia gum polymers’. The ‘chemically enhanced’ cationic properties of cassia polymers were “used as a deposition polymer to deposit silicone and/or other conditioning agents to improve the performance of a shampoo.” The silicones help to improve the conditioning properties of two-in-one shampoo.

Research by another company testing ‘quaternized cassia galactomannan polymers’ in hair conditioner found that the cassia formula increased silicone deposition by 16 percent, demonstrating that the chemically modified ingredient enhances the efficacy of the synthetic ingredients. The cassia also decreased the thickness of the conditioner, making it easier to spread through the hair.

In oriental traditional medicine, * Cassia obtusifolia/ Cassia tora are taken for eyes, lungs, kidney, liver and bowels ailments. Since the last three organs mentioned are for detoxification and waste elimination, their proper functioning affects the skin and hair. These leguminous plants are germicidal fungicides as well. Since legumes are rich in protein, you do not need to add any protein to a cassia treatment.  The seeds come in powdered form.

Although Cassia obovata is used as a hair treatment with effects similar to henna, it does not thicken hair significantly like henna. If you wish to thicken your hair as well, include a little Cassia obtusifolia/ Cassia tora as thickener. The latter are used as gel and thickener in food.

Next week I shall post some hair recipes that use cassia.

*some scientists think Cassia obtusifolia and Cassia tora should be classified as one plant.

HAIR STRENGTHENERS - Ceramides & Horsetail

Horsetail is good for people with weak hair, prone to split ends or hair fall. Try a horsetail tea rinse after washing your hair. If you have dry hair, follow up by applying ceramides oil on your strands. Give your hair a double boost by taking horsetail internally. You can get the herb from some health food stores.

CERAMIDES

Ceramides oil is the glue that binds to proteins through sharing electrons. The Ceramides oils found in polyunsaturated fats glue down the hair cuticle thus preventing the scales from being entangled with neighboring scales and breaking off. The oil form a protective film on each strand of hair, thus preventing moisture lost. Examples of oils with ceramides are grape seed oil, walnut oil, wheat germ oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, carrot tissue oil, sunflower oil and   safflower oil. Sunflower and safflower oils come in two varieties: one is high in monounsaturated fats and the other is high in polyunsaturated fats.  Use the polyunsaturated variety if you want the benefits of Ceramides oils.

Apply a light coating of the oil on the tips and dry parts of your hair. This allows the oil to penetrate the core of your hair yet do not completely block out water from entering to moisturize the cortex.

Research

Research indicates chemically treated hair, e.g. bleaching or straightening, benefits most from using ceramides. This type of hair is damaged and weakened due to chemical treatment. Chemicals strip hair of its natural protective oil and weaken protein structure both internally and externally. Ceramides penetrate into the cortex to support and strengthen hair internally whereas protein patches up broken cuticles of the hair externally. To a certain extent, hydrolyzed protein can penetrate your hair strands as well. The advantage of ceramides is the oil can be left on the hair whereas protein is left on the hair for a short time and then it is washed off. The result of using these hair strengtheners is your hair become more resistant to breakage.

For maximum benefit, your hair need a combination of lipids (fats) namely ceramides, 18 methyl eicosanoic acid or 18 MEA and Cholesterol. Research on skin suggests that there must be a balance of all three fats in order for a ceramides-containing product to be effective in healing the skin. Therefore, do not rely on only one type of lipid to lubricate and strengthen your hair or skin.

HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense)

Horsetail is high in silica and minerals that are necessary for the growth and repair of skin, hair, bones, cartilage, teeth and connective tissue. It has many forms of silica, such as silicin, which IS soluble in water.

Use this herb if you have weak hair, prone to split ends or hair fall. It increases hair strength and luster as well as   control hair loss.

This herb is suitable for oily hair as it is drying and astringent. 

Make a tea with dried horsetail as an after-wash rinse.

HORSETAIL TEA RINSE

• Simmer 2 tablespoon dried horsetail in 1 liter of water or steep it in water overnight. You can add in slippery elm if you like to add more slip for your hair. Horsetail works synergistically with stinging nettle for hair lost, dandruff and irritated scalp. Nettle also provides conditioning for your hair.

• Strain out residues and use tea as an after-wash rinse.