Have you drank a mug of green tea? If you are similar to many people , your answer is yes. Next question, have you turned to green tea to enhance your health? If you said no, consider this: researchers continue to find several reasons why green tea can be a tool for boosting health and not just satisfying your mouth. If you have been near a television or radio over the past ten years, you have likely heard about the anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties contained in green tea. A group of Korean scientists have found a novel medical use for green tea - baldness prevention. Yes, according Dr. Kwon , green tea stops thinning hair. For men and women who don't want to use drugs like minoxidil, finasteride or dutasteride to treat balding, green tea can be the solution they are looking to find.

In 2006, the researchers set out to test a hypothesis - can the anti-oxidants in green tea prevent hair loss by attacking androgens in the scalp. Androgens are the hormones responsible for most forms of thinning hair . The investigative group in the Labaratory of Cutaneous Aging and Hair Research recruited participants to provide hair follicles. The study group chose hairs that were currently in the anagen phase or growth period and they grew the hair follicles in well dishes. The study group discovered was encouraging. Hair follicles in contact with green tea, specifically epigallocatechin-3-gallate, an element in green tea, exhibited a greater ability to encourage growth and resist hair follicle shrinking.

To understand why these discoveries are so momentous consider this: (1) A limited number of studies have been conducted by researchers, objectively testing how natural elements, like green tea, may prevent thinning hair. (2) Studies that have occurred, often have questionable methods, which makes the validity of the conclusions difficult to substantiate. (3) More natural options in the fight to prevent balding, and grow a woman or man's own hair are needed.

Can I use Green Tea to Prevent My Hair Loss?

Yes and No. Yes, the researchers discovered that green tea displays the capacity to promote hair growth in hair follicles through a two-step process of hair growth and reduction of hair follicle apoptosis (death). The researchers did not brew a mug of tea and splash it on the scalp of the subjects. Instead, the doctors identified the epigallocatechin-3-gallate from the green tea and combined this solution with ethanol. This new mixture was then administered to the heads of the study subjects.

Ethanol acts as a vehicle, which helps with absorption. This means the medicinal value of green tea is more easily realized by applying the green tea to the scalp within a mixture of ethanol. This does not mean that you cannot apply green tea on your scalp. It just means your results may not be consistent with the impressive findings of the research - unless you can create an identical formula. Unless you are a chemist or good at mixing ingredients, the best solution is to learn about natural thinning hair products that contain green tea.