Yes, this is a vaginal cream for people with a fungal infection in that area but some people have been using it for their hair!!!

What is the active ingredient in this?
Miconazole nitrate

What is miconazole nitrate designed for?
It has anti-fungal properties and is used to treat a variety of yeast infections including:

• Athlete's foot
  
• Jock itch
  
• Oral thrush (only certain products)
  
• Ring worms
  

How does monistat help with hair growth?

The hypothesis of Dr. Mohsin Mir, a medical dermatologist at Baylor College of Medicine is that miconazole nitrate might reduce the number of “hair loss” receptors, and this in turn reduces hair breakage leading to faster hair growth and better length retention.

According to WiseGeek.com,  it might work by dilating the blood vessels and increasing the supply of oxygen to the scalp.

Are there any side effects? 

Yes! Reported side effects include:

• Migraines

• Burning, stinging, swelling, irritation, itching, redness, pimple-like bumps, tenderness in the area where the miconazole nitrate has been applied

• Ringing in the ears
• Dizziness

• Extreme hair shedding once you stop using the treatment, and

• A general feeling of discomfort

Should you try it?

I can see how it might be tempting but I would say, NO! It's a chemical that hasn't been approved for scalp use so why would you want to go there? If you want to grow your hair go for more natural methods like those discussed in What Type of Scalps Grow Long Hair?!

If you do use it read the usage and dosage instructions carefully. Importantly, note that it doesn't actually work on everyone!

Get your FREE ebook on How To Grow Long, Healthy Natural Kinky or Curly Hair.


References:
WebMD. Drugs & Medications - miconazole nitrate
WiseGeek. How Effective Is Miconazole for Hair Growth?
BaylorClinic. Moshin Mir, MD

You can undertake the castor oil challenge at any time you choose; it's not some historical undertaking whose time has passed.

What's the objective of the castor oil challenge?
To improve hair growth

Which hair types can undertake the challenge?
Any and all hair types

How long does the challenge last?
3 months

What products do you need for the castor oil challenge?
Just castor oil, your fingers and a notebook to document the changes.

What do you do with the castor oil?
Massage it into your scalp gently for 7 to 12 minutes.

How often do you have to massage the oil into your scalp?
At least 3 times a week

Can the castor oil challenge be improved?
I think so. For every ounce, 28 ml, of castor oil add 3 drops of the following essential oils: cedarwood, lavender, rosemary and thyme. These are all documented as improving hair health and growth.

I don't like castor oil, are there any other oils I can use for my scalp to get the same effect?
Yes. Specifically for massaging the scalp I recommend jojoba, avocado oil and argan oil as the best oils for scalp massage.

Where can you get castor oil?
In a health food store or on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.

Is there anything else I should know?
Yes. Your hair has a maximum rate at which it can grow as determined by genetics. Massaging the scalp just ensures your hair is growing at the maximum rate that is possible for you. Your results will not necessarily match anyone else's results.

If you've tried the castor oil challenge please let us know how it went with a comment...

Thyme essential oil (Thymus vulgaris) also known as Common Thyme has numerous documented antiseptic and healing properties.

Thyme stimulates blood circulation. Therefore rubbing an oil that contains thyme onto your scalp promotes the delivery of nutrients to the scalp and encourages hair growth.[i]

Thyme is known to help with dandruff problems and to clear dirt from the scalp.[ii]

Thyme has also been used to treat thinning hair and hair loss problems.

However, note that not there are many different types of thyme. Thymus Vulgaris itself comes in two commercial varieties: red thyme and white thyme.

White thyme is derived by re-distilling red thyme. Red thyme has more phenols and is, as a result, more expensive. Overuse of red thyme can easily lead to skin irritation. For this reason, we prefer to use white thyme in the production of Neno Natural’s Hair Growth Stimulator.

If you’re wondering what phenols are, they’re a group of chemical compounds found in plants. Whilst some phenols are toxic and corrosive, others are believed to be involved in cancer prevention, to have antioxidant properties and to slow down the aging process.[iii]

What is thyme when it’s at home?

Thyme is an evergreen shrub that grows to a maximum height of 15 to 20 cm. It is native to Southern Europe.

[i] What Essentials Oils Are Good for Hair Growth (Livestrong)
[ii] Natural Hair Care (surviving-hairloss.com)
[iii] What are the Benefits of Phenols (Livestrong)

Rosemary is one of my favourite essential oils for massage. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's beneficial for hair growth too - why?:

1. It contains vitamin A which is much needed for hair growth.

2. It stimulates hair follicles and growth by increasing blood circulation to the scalp (like lavender) thus improving delivery of oxygen and nutrients. 

3. It soothes dry flaky scalps and can help with dandruff issues (anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory).

4. It's good as part of a hair conditioner, apparently its helps with softening hair.

5. It prevents premature greying of your hair(!) and can help to darken hair that is already greying or lightening in colour.

6. It helps to reduce hair loss and thinning. Rosemary is one of the oils that was used in an experiment in 1998 by scientists in Scotland to see if essential oils can help to reduce alopecia. They did.

7. It smells fabulous.

How to use rosemary oil for hair?
Add 3 to 4 drops of rosemary oil into 30ml of a base oil and massage it into the scalp; I personally use it as one of the four essential oils in Neno Natural's Hair Growth Stimulator.

You can also extract the amount of shampoo or conditioner that you want to use from a bottle and add 3 to 4 drops of rosemary to that. I wouldn't add it directly to the shampoo bottle so that you don't permanently change the entire bottle's ingredients.

Important note: do not use rosemary oil if you are pregnant, epileptic or suffer from high blood pressure. Except under these circumstance, rosemary oil is not toxic.

References: the-herb-guide.com, buzzle.com, livestrong.com, hairthickeningproductsblog.com.

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I am into aromatherapy so this has always been part of my medicine drawer because it's great for inducing sleep and relaxation. Why is lavender so good for hair?

1. Regenerative. When you have irritated your scalp with combs, scratching, too many products etc, lavender oil helps to restore the scalp to its original state.

2. Soothing and calming effect on scalp. Inflammation caused by bad weather and bad products is repaired.

3. Great as an anti-itch agent due to its soothing effect.

4. Stimulating effect. Lavender oil penetrates cells in the scalp after it’s been massaged in and there it nourishes and improves blood circulation. Improved blood circulation brings more nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. Roots and the hair shaft get nourishment faster and hence quicker growth is stimulated.

5. Cleans the scalp. Lavender oil dissolves dead skin and dandruff which can then be easily taken off when you wash the hair with some removed by the very act of massaging. As a powerful disinfectant it will also help to rid your scalp of lice, lice eggs, nits, fungi, viruses and other microbes.

6. Great natural fragrance. I don't like hair products with "fragrances" other than essential oils. I avoid packages that say "fragrances" because I don't want to add any unknown, unnatural products to my hair. Synthetic materials can damage and break hair.

7. It's great for relaxing. To cure insomnia or to improve the quality of sleep that you get, mix lavender oil up with a base e.g. sweet almond oil and get your guy or gal to give you a massage :). Good sleep makes for good hair growth.

Where can you get lavender oil?  Health shops and pharmacies.

How do I use lavender oil?
For my hair, I had c.4 drops of lavender to a base oil - currently jojoba, but I intend to try out other oils as well - then I massage the lavender into my scalp using the flats of my finger. Occasionally, to facilitate absorption, I cover my head in a shower cap. The extra heat helps your skin to absorb the oil.

In addition, when I make my own hair conditioners, I add about 4 drops.

How often do I use it? Almost daily.

• Three or four times a week, I massage it into my scalp. 
  
• In addition, when I apply a hard shea butter to my hair I normally add Neno Natural's Hair Growth Stimulator to it.
  
• Sometimes I add it to the water bottle that I use for spritzing my hair. I spritz my hair with water daily to hydrate it.
  

Reference: hair-growth-tips.com, buzzle.com. 

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Everyone gets an itchy scalp now and again: heat, too much product or just because. I have a solution: Neno Natural’s full-proof anti-itch hair wash.

Key ingredient: peppermint essential oil.

This is my routine:
1. Wash hair with just water until full soaked and rinsed.
2. Shampoo gently and rinse that out with water only.
3. Fill a big bottle with warm water. I use an old milk bottle (c.3 litres), add 10 drops of peppermint oil. Run that water through the already rinsed hair.
4. Apply conditioner. Leave it in your hair for c.15 minutes with a shower cap over your head. The peppermint will continue working under the heat. I normally blow dry the surface of the shower cap for more heat.
5. Finish your hair routine in your usual way.

Optional step: in step 4 you can add 3 to 5 drops of peppermint essential oil to a handful of conditioner for maximum effect.

Can you add the peppermint in at any point?
Probably. That said:

• I don't add it directly to the shampoo because I don't want to change the composition of the shampoo permanently.
  
• You can extract just the amount of the shampoo you will use and add the peppermint to that. Personally, I feel that you'd end up rinsing out more off the peppermint oil as it adheres to the shampoo - this is mere conjecture, I haven't researched what chemical reactions happen when peppermint meets shampoo.
  
• Alternatively, add it directly to the portion of conditioner that you want to use. I do this when my scalp has been very itchy - it works. The peppermints sits in your hair for the 15-30 minutes during which the conditioner is in your hair and works it magic.

I frequently add peppermint to my routine whether or not my scalp is itching because I like the tingly feeling it provides.

Follow me @NenoNatural and check out Neno Natural's Haircare Store.