Experts weigh in on this ‘natural hair dye’ to cover greys, prevent hair fall

“Natural hair dye for grey hair. Prevent premature greying of hair with this natural hair dye,” the captionread.

For the unversed, hair dyes are products that are used to alter the colour of the hair, whether for a change or to covering white hair.

 

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How to make the dye?

Ingredients

2 tbsp – Kalonji seeds
1 glass – Water
1 tbsp – Amla powder
1 tbsp – Neem powder
1 tbsp – Coffee powder
1 tbsp – Mehendi powder

Method

*Dry roast 2 tablespoon of kalonji seeds
*Grind it
*Add one glass of water in a pan.
*Add the ground powder.
*Add 1 tablespoon amla powder
*Add 1 tablespoon neem powder
*Add 1 tablespoon mehendi powder
*Add 1 tablespoon coffee powder
*Let it cool down.

How to apply?

*Apply on grey hair and hair roots

How often?

*Apply this once a week for a few weeks to see better results.

There are various factors that can increase hair loss such as side-effects of medications, hormonal changes, an unhealthy diet and even stress. (Source: Freepik)

Benefits

The page also listed down a few benefits

*Covers grey hair
*Strengthens the hair roots
*Reduces hair fall
*Makes hair soft and smooth
*Promotes new hair growth

Does it truly work?

The hair dye made at home with natural ingredients is very safe for hair colour, said Dr Vandana Punjabi, dermatologist and trichologist at Khar, and Nanavati Hospital. “It has less chances of allergic or irritant contact dermatitis, which is more likely with chemical hair colours as they contain PPD (para-lPhenylenediamine),” she told indianexpress.com.

However, sounding a word of caution, Dr Punjabi said that the mehendi used in home made hair dye “should not be black mehendi but the natural mehendi, as black mehendi too contains PPD”.

While the page promised hair growth and hair fall prevention, Dr Punjabi disagreed and said that hair fall could happen due to various factors including stress, and a unhealthy diet. “There is no scientific evidence to prove that the hair colour helps in hair regrowth or prevents hair fall.”

Agreed Dr Monica Chahar, Chief Dermatologist & Director- Skin Décor, New Delhi and said that while the natural hair dye containing coffee powder, amla, mehendi, neem powder, and kalaonji may help one cover their greys, “there is no concrete scientific evidence to suggest that it can prevent hairfall.” The expert further detailed the ingredients:

*Coffee powder contains caffeine, which has been shown to stimulate hair growth by increasing blood circulation to the scalp. However, it’s unclear whether applying coffee powder topically to the hair has any significant benefits.

*Mehendi, also known as henna, has been used for centuries as a natural hair dye. It can help cover greys and provide a reddish-brown tint to the hair. Some studies suggest that mehendi may also have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that could help prevent scalp infections and reduce inflammation, which could contribute to hairfall.

*Neem powder is known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties, which could help reduce scalp infections that may contribute to hairfall. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of neem powder specifically for hairfall prevention.

*Kalaonji, also known as black seed, is a rich source of antioxidants and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. While there is no direct evidence to suggest that kalaonji can prevent hairfall, reducing inflammation in the scalp could potentially contribute to overall hair health.

“While the natural hair dye may help cover greys, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle habits, and consult with a healthcare professional if you are experiencing significant hair loss,” Dr Chahar told indianexpress.com.

Dr Seema Oberoi Lall, Consultant, Dermatology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram agreed and said that the ingredients used in this dye are nutritional. “They can cover greys to a certain extent. They may not be able to give a nice natural-looking finish like a hair dye or hair colour, but they will give some bit of coverage. They are, in fact, safer than hair colour, especially if someone is allergic to hair colours,” she said.

As for hair fall, Dr Lall added that while this dye can improve the quality of the hair, it can’t be of much help in the case of hair fall.

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