Burdock Root has been used for thousands of years in beauty treatments due to its ability to heal various skin conditions and promote healthy hair growth. In this post you will discover all the benefits of Burdock Root for the hair as well as how you can make your own burdock root hair rinse.
Burdock Root (arctium lappa) was used by Native Americans for thousands of years, not only as a medicinal herb but for cosmetic purposes to grow thick, healthy hair. The herb is also found in traditional Chinese medicine to improve qi circulation in the liver, expel excess heat and reduce hair loss.
You can use burdock to improve the health of your hair by adding it to your diet, or using a burdock hair rinse or hair oil. In this post I will show you how to make a burdock tea hair rinse at home, as well as the best oils and supplements to help you get the healthiest hair possible.
This post is all about burdock root benefits for hair
Burdock Root Benefits for Hair
1. Burdock Root Reduces Hair Loss & Encourages Growth
Burdock root contains a high amount of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) which increases blood flow to the hair follicles and boosts keratin production. This results in a boost in natural hair growth and reduction in hair fall.
2. Burdock Root Helps to Maintain a Healthy Scalp
Burdock root has both antifungal and antibacterial properties meaning it can be used to treat scalp infections or dandruff. It is also anti-inflammatory and has long been used to treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. It can be useful therefore in combating dry scalp conditions and a natural remedy for an itchy, flaky scalp.
3. Burdock Root Protects the Hair from Free Radicals
Burdock root is high in antioxidants which protect the hair from the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. This means burdock prevents premature hair ageing, and stops the hair becoming brittle and damaged.
4. Burdock Root Reduces Grey Hair
The high vitamin B6 content in Burdock Root restores hair to its natural colour by increasing melanin production. It is often used as a hair tonic to blend away greys and enhance the hair’s vibrancy.
How to Make a Burdock Root Hair Rinse
You will need to buy some pure burdock root which has no artificial colours or flavours. I use the Valley of Tea organic burdock root which I order from Amazon.
Use three heaped teaspoons of burdock root per cup of water. I normally add three cups of water to the saucepan along with nine spoons of burdock root.
Boil the water on the stove and wait until it’s bubbling before leaving the burdock root to brew for at least ten minutes in the boiling water. The water will turn a dark amber colour.
After ten minutes take the saucepan off the stove and leave it to cool for about twenty minutes. Once the tea is at room temperature pour it into a spray bottle using a filter.
How to Use a Burdock Root Hair Rinse
Firstly wash your hair thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water. Once your hair is clean start spraying the burdock tea onto your hair and scalp while it is still damp.
Since burdock’s main benefits are in promoting scalp health and hair growth, make sure the entire scalp is covered in the tea. If you have any scalp irritation you may want to spray extra onto the specific areas of concern.
Once your scalp is completely covered in the tea rinse, place your hair into a plastic cap and leave for an hour to allow the scalp treatment to take effect.
How to Include Burdock Root in Your Diet
Adding burdock root to your diet can also help to promote healthy hair. As an added bonus, burdock has multiple other heath benefits including lowering blood sugar levels, reducing joint pain caused by inflammation, and as a digestive aid.
There are several ways you can add burdock to your diet: through herbal supplements, a tincture or by drinking burdock root tea.
Burdock Herbal Supplement
My top recommended herbal supplement for hair care and overall health is the Pukka Herbs Glow Organic Herbal Supplement. As well as burdock, the formula contains aloe vera, chlorella, dandelion, gotu kola & neem. It was designed specifically to bring out your natural beauty and radiance.
Burdock Tincture
If you don’t want to take a supplement, another way to take burdock root is in a tincture. The Naturalma tincture contains 200mg of burdock in every 40 drops and is recommended to help detox the body.
This tincture acts as a wonderful blood cleanser and helps to drain the lymphatic system and remove excess fluid from the body. It can help to improve liver function and even reverse liver damage.
This formula is alcohol free and suitable for pregnant women and children.
Burdock Root Tea
Another way to consume burdock root is of course by drinking burdock root tea! Regularly drinking burdock root tea detoxifies the blood and improves blood circulation. The effects of this can be see in glowing skin and healthy hair. The antioxidants in the tea also promote a healthy immune system.
My favourite herbal tea with burdock also contains nettle leaf, dandelion leaf, peppermint, and fennel. These herbs all work together to help detox the body and leave you with glowing skin.
Hair Oils Containing Burdock
If you have dry hair you may wish to use a burdock root hair oil instead of a hair rinse since this is a more moisturising option. Burdock oil improves hair strength and combats scalp problems such as dandruff. It also helps to nourish the hair roots and promote new growth.
100% Burdock Oil
Using 100% pure burdock root oil directly on the scalp is an excellent way to relieve dry skin or an itchy scalp. It is also good for multiple skin problems and can be used to enrich face masks and creams.
Burdock Root Oil with Horsetail
This oil is a mixture of both burdock oil and horsetail. Horsetail is well known to help prevent hair from falling out and together with burdock this oil strengthens the hair follicles and anchors the hair in the scalp. This oil was specifically designed to prevent hair loss and make the hair thicker and stronger.
Burdock Root Oil with Red Peppers
This oil is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids to promote natural hair growth and a healthy scalp. The active ingredient in red chili peppers, capsaicin, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has been found to promote hair growth.
You can mix any of these oils with coconut or olive oil for added moisture, as well as a few drops of essential oils such as spearmint or lavender to boost hair growth.
Relevant Posts and Articles
- Black Tea for Hair: Benefits & How to Use to Stop Shedding & Grey Hair
- What to know about burdock root
This post was all about burdock root benefits for hair
Thank you for reading my post about the benefits of burdock root for hair. If you have used burdock root in your hair care routine then please leave me a comment below and let me know how you got on. Burdock root has multiple beauty and health benefits, and is a great addition to tea rinses or skincare products.