As a background treatment, women can use henna, particularly Medina henna, which is very effective. Other plants can be added to the henna, such as nettle leaves, which stimulate scalp circulation and blood flow, as well as the multiplication of the cells responsible for hair growth. Burdock is also used, along with evening primrose and borage oil in capsule form, to regulate the cycle and hormonal issues. For internal use, regularly drinking (three cups a day) sage infusion is also recommended, with a ratio of one teaspoon per 150 ml of water.
Diet should not be neglected either—it should be balanced and rich in iron. Spirulina is ideal to complement this diet, especially if the woman is prone to hair loss.
Which type of hair loss is yours? Three situations to distinguish
| Sudden, diffuse shedding | Deficiency-related shedding | Progressive thinning at the crown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it shows up | Handfuls of hair across the whole scalp, 2 to 3 months after an event | Hair that thins, breaks, and falls out slowly; fatigue, brittle nails | A widening part, thinning at the crown, over years; hairline preserved |
| The cause | Childbirth, fever, surgery, severe dieting, grief, major stress: all the hairs enter the shedding phase at the same time | Low iron and ferritin, zinc, vitamin D, an underactive thyroid | Follicle sensitivity to androgens; often hereditary, worsened by PCOS or menopause |
| What's needed | Patience and support: it grows back in 3 to 6 months; henna and nettle can help | A blood test, then correcting the deficiency; iron takes 3 months to work | Ongoing treatment (herbs, rosemary, or minoxidil on medical advice); the hormonal cause needs treating |
The professor speaks of a "background treatment": that's the right term, because in all three cases, nothing shows before three months—the time it takes for a new hair to grow out. See also hair loss after childbirth.
The henna mask, the way the professor makes it
Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a plant of the Sunnah: the Prophet ﷺ recommended it for wounds and headaches, and the companions used it on their hair and beards. On hair, it doesn't make it grow: it coats the fiber, making it thicker and less prone to breaking, and it purifies the scalp, since its tannins are antifungal (dandruff, itching). The Medina henna the professor mentions is known for its fineness and purity.
- Choose a pure henna, free of metallic salts or "black henna": toxicology studies have found lead and paraphenylenediamine in dye hennas (Sci Total Environ, 2008). Neutral henna (Cassia) exists for those who don't want a reddish tint.
- Mix 100 g of henna with warm water or a nettle infusion (a handful of leaves steeped for 10 minutes), until you get a yogurt-like paste; add a spoonful of olive oil or black seed oil.
- Apply to clean, damp hair, section by section, massaging the scalp for two minutes.
- Leave on for 1 to 2 hours under plastic wrap or a cap, then rinse with plain water without shampoo.
- Once every 2 to 3 weeks for three months, then once a month for maintenance.
The professor's herbs and supplements: what research says
- Deficiencies first. A systematic review of supplements for hair loss concludes that solid evidence mainly concerns correcting a confirmed deficiency, iron above all, and that vitamin cocktails without a deficiency have little effect (JAMA Dermatol, 2023). Hence a blood test before anything else: ferritin, iron, vitamin D, zinc, TSH.
- Rosemary. In a six-month randomized trial, rosemary oil applied to the scalp produced regrowth comparable to 2% minoxidil, with less itching (Skinmed, 2015). It's the best plant-based ally to pair with nettle and sage for massage.
- Henna. Pharmacological reviews confirm its antifungal and healing properties on the skin and scalp (J Ethnopharmacol, 2014).
- Nettle, sage, burdock, evening primrose, borage. These plants appear in inventories of natural compounds studied against hair loss, through their action on scalp circulation and on hormones (Curr Pharm Des, 2023); clinical evidence remains thinner than for rosemary.
- Spirulina is mainly a source of iron and protein: useful when the diet lacks iron, with no direct effect on the follicle.
The three-month protocol
- Week 1: blood test; correct whatever is lacking (iron by prescription, vitamin D, zinc).
- Every day: three cups of sage infusion (one teaspoon per 150 ml, as the professor indicates), an iron-rich meal (red meat twice a week, lentils, sesame, spirulina) with a source of vitamin C at the same meal; evening primrose or borage capsules if cycles are irregular.
- Twice a week: a five-minute scalp massage with black seed oil or olive oil mixed with a few drops of rosemary essential oil, left on for an hour.
- Every 2 to 3 weeks: the henna and nettle mask.
- At three months: count the hairs on the brush, photograph the part. If nothing changes, see a dermatologist.
Contraindications and precautions
Sage is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding, or in high doses for people with epilepsy; rosemary essential oil should never be applied undiluted, nor by pregnant women. Iron should not be taken without testing: excess is toxic. Black henna and cheap dye hennas should be avoided (severe allergies, heavy metals). Hair loss in round patches, with a smooth scalp, is not ordinary shedding: it's alopecia areata, which should be shown to a dermatologist. The same goes for shedding accompanied by itching, scabs, or redness.
Frequently asked questions
Does henna make hair grow?
No, it doesn't create new hair. It thickens and coats the hair that is already growing, reduces breakage, and purifies the scalp, which gives fuller-looking hair within a few months. Regrowth itself depends on the cause of the hair loss.
How long before seeing a result?
Three months at minimum: that's how long it takes for a new hair to grow out. That's why the professor speaks of a background treatment and why nothing should be judged before then.
Is a blood test necessary?
Yes, before any remedy: ferritin, iron, vitamin D, zinc, and thyroid. Iron deficiency is the leading cause of hair loss in women, and no herb can replace it.
Is sage safe?
At the dose the professor indicates, three cups a day, yes for a woman who is not pregnant. It should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and in high doses for people with epilepsy.
How does rosemary oil compare to minoxidil?
In the only published comparative trial, six months of rosemary produced regrowth comparable to 2% minoxidil, with less irritation. It's a serious natural option for progressive hair loss, diluted in a carrier oil.
