| | | | The rooibos tea plant (Aspalathus linearis) grows only in the Cederberg
mountains North of Cape Town in South Africa. In recent times, the plant
has been recognized for its exceptional antioxidant properties. Rooibos
(pronounced "roy-boss") contains 37 antioxidant substances, and
is also rich in minerals such as calcium and potassium.
Due to its
potential health benefits, rooibos (or "red bush") tea has
become popular throughout the world.
Not so well-known is this
plant's promising effects when applied topically to the skin and
hair.
In a study commissioned by a processor of rooibos for use in
cosmetic applications, and carried out by an independent laboratory in
France, rooibos was perceived to positively affect the hair and hair
growth.1
In a 90-day trial, the action of a lotion containing a
broad-spectrum rooibos extract was compared with a placebo lotion without
rooibos. The trial participants were healthy men and women experiencing
hair loss.
At trial-end, using a videotrichogramme that measures
hair density and hair growth speed, the laboratory noted that a
significant increase in the speed of hair growth had occurred in the
participants using the rooibos lotion. The participants were next asked to
fill in a questionnaire. When the results were tallied, 67 percent rated
their hair loss as zero or low, 78 percent saw a low to medium
improvement, 45 percent saw a low to medium regrowth of hair, and 63
percent considered their hair had become smoother and more
shiny.
While this study is not a clinical trial, it nevertheless
adds weight to anecdotal evidence that rooibos may help reduce hair loss,
increase growth and improve the general texture and appearance of the
hair.
SOURCE: London Drugs
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| | | References | | | 1. 1998 study in vivo on human subjects on the efficacy of an active (sic)
designed to prevent hair loss plus placebo:videotrichogramme study
conducted on a lotion containing MPE Rooibos by Dermascan, France for
Cosmetochem International.
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