If you haven’t worried about hair regrowth, you’re luckier than most. Male pattern baldness (MPB) affects about 40 million men in the United States alone. Yet most Americans haven’t heard of the hair loss treatment called bhringraj.
Even when referred to as false daisy, most people shake their heads, their brows knitted. Maybe it rings a bell? Otherwise, known by its Latin name, Ecliptica alba, this plant is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic practices, but it is almost unknown outside of Asia. According to Ayurveda, the translation of the word bhringraj is ‘king of hair’.
In Ayurveda, bhringraj is considered a rasayana plant, which rejuvenates and promotes longevity to whatever it is applied to. In Taiwan, bhringraj is a common remedy for the treatment of bleeding, itching, hepatitis, diphtheria and diarrhoea.
In China, bhringraj is taken orally to support the mind, nerves, liver, and eyes because of its soothing, cooling, and restorative properties. Applied topically, the powdered leaves of the plant combat skin conditions like athlete’s foot, eczema, and hair loss. Not only has bhringraj been used successfully for hair regrowth, the black dye obtained from its leaves is used to darken hair, so it doubles as a natural remedy for going grey!
Now, where to find bhringraj? It grows in warm moist climates all over the world, and is widespread in Southeast Asia, and Brazil, where it is also used as an antivenin for snake bites. It is native to North America, and the USDA reports that it is widespread in the Midwest and in eastern states. It can be found growing wild near creek beds, swamps, and other water sources, especially during summertime. The plant can’t survive exposure to temperatures below freezing or drought.
There are no recognized commercial sources for the original ‘king of hair’, though the internet turns up some independent providers of the plant in various processed forms.
Skip the expensive commercial stuff — why put that on your head when a free plant by the riverside would do just as well?
