From genetics to the unhealthy scalp, anything can give you stressful hair woes. While you can keep experimenting with expensive treatments, exclusive products, and endless salon trips, nothing guarantees you an ending to these struggles. So, before your so-called ‘solutions’ end up causing more damage than good, try your hands at simple home remedies like guava leaves. They are natural, foolproof, and cheap. Want to know more about why and how to use guava leaves for hair? Here we go.
What is Guava?
Originated in Central and South America, the tropical guava plant (Psidium guajava, belonging to the Myrtaceae family) is now found worldwide and is considered a ‘power plant’ for its fruits and leaves. The ‘superfood’ guava is an oval-shaped fruit with a light green to yellow skin and numerous tiny edible seeds. It is known for its great flavor, delicious taste, and excellent healing qualities. You can either have the fruit raw and fresh or add it to your beverages, jams, and other foods.
Nutritional Profile of Guava
Fresh ripe guava is high in many nutrients, including vitamins (A, B, C), minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron), dietary fibers, lycopene, etc. This makes our skin and hair healthy from the inside. In addition, being packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants, guava helps slow down oxidative damage in the body. As a result, it keeps several chronic diseases (atherosclerosis, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation, cancer, etc.) away.
Guava fruit is a rich source of vitamin B, which strengthens our hair and prevents it from falling. Hence, when we eat guava regularly, our hair fibers get enough vitamin B for the maximum boost.
Know About Guava Leaves
Guava leaves are quite beneficial for our overall health. Like the fruit, the oblong deep green leaves are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavonoids, and fibers. These make the leaves extremely nutritious and contribute to their medicinal properties. Hence, traditional Eastern medicine has long used guava leaves to treat complications like coughs, indigestion, diarrhea, food poisoning, wounds, pain, etc. They also come in the form of capsules to use as supplements. (1)
Also Read – How To Use Curd For Reducing Hair Loss
Benefits of Using Guava Leaves for Hair
Most people are unaware that fresh and tender guava leaves are a powerhouse of essential nutrients that can save our mane and make it gorgeous. The leaves of the guava tree are far more beneficial for our hair than the fruit itself. So, let us explore how they can put a stop to hair fall and why you should rely on it without a second thought:
- Guava leaves are a rich source of vitamin B (especially B2, B3, B5, and B6) and minerals, which are crucial for nourishing the hair follicles. Hence, they help in promoting and maintaining the optimal health and growth of hair. (2)
- With guava leaves, you can get rid of the oiliness of the scalp by removing the dirt, grime, and build-ups.
- Guava leaves’ natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and analgesic properties effectively treat unhealthy scalp conditions like dandruff (3). Therefore, using them in hair rinses can reduce scalp issues, thereby controlling hair fall significantly.
- If the scalp develops infections, the bacteriostatic and fungistatic agents in guava leaves help heal while preventing their future occurrence (4). This ensures a healthy scalp and rapid hair growth.
- When it comes to protecting the hair from oxidative stress, guava leaves help a lot. They are full of vitamin C, which neutralizes free radicals in the body with its great antioxidant properties. (5)
- Vitamin B and C in guava leaves can boost collagen activity in the body, thereby stimulating hair growth to a great extent.
- Guava leaves make the hair softer, smoker, and shinier while adding lots of volume to it.
- Being a natural ingredient with no harmful substances, guava leaves can take the best care of the scalp and the hair.
- This is why several herbal hair care brands are using guava leaves in their products these days.
- Guava leaves are cheaper than any other hair loss remedies, products, or treatments you can ever opt for. It is available almost anywhere and everywhere, and the process of usage is relatively easy too.
Also Read – 15 Common Foods That Treat Hair Loss Wonderfully
How to Use Guava Leaves for Hair?
Here is the most critical section that talks about the correct usage of guava leaves for hair. You can collect some young leaves from a plant or buy dried, ready-to-use leaves from the stores. They are also available in different forms like powder, capsules, essential oil, etc. So, check out below the usage methods to reap all the benefits of guava leaves for combating hair loss and promoting healthy hair growth:
1. Guava Leaf Hair Mist
The simplest and the most effective way to use guava leaves for hair is to prepare a mist. It will boost blood circulation in the scalp, nourish it thoroughly, and stimulate hair growth substantially.
- Take a handful of fresh, tender guava leaves. Clean and wash them properly under running water.
- Take 1 liter of pure water in a large container and place it in the oven. Let the water come to a boil.
- Once it starts boiling, put the clean guava leaves in it and let the boiling continue for 15-20 more minutes.
- Then, remove the container from the heat and let the mixture cool down.
- As soon as the infusion reaches room temperature, strain it into a spray bottle and discard the leaves.
- Wash your hair, dry it in the air, and divide it into small sections.
- Now, apply the mist all over your scalp focusing on the hair roots. Also, apply down to the tips of your hair strands gradually.
- Massage the infusion into your scalp gently by moving the pads of your fingers in a small circular motion. Continue the massage for 5-10 minutes to saturate all of your hair well.
- Leave it on for at least 2 hours. It is even better to wrap your hair in a towel and leave it on overnight.
- Wash your hair with lukewarm water the next morning.
- Use it every day or at least thrice every week to stop hair fall naturally. However, for accelerating hair growth, you can reduce the usage to twice a week.
2. Guava Leaf Essential Oil
The essential oil obtained from guava leaves has high nutritional value, which keeps the scalp healthy and makes the hair strong. Therefore, it is excellent for treating dandruff, itchiness, inflammation, scalp infections, etc.
Invest in a good quality, organic guava leaf essential oil. It is usually prepared from tender guava leaves through the method of steam distillation.
- Take the required amount of oil and warm it up.
- Apply it all over your scalp with a cotton ball and massage gently with your fingertips for 10 minutes.
- Cover your entire scalp and saturate your hair strands from roots to tips with the oil.
- Wrap a thick towel around your hair and wait for an hour.
- Then, rinse it out with a gentle herbal shampoo.
Read – How to Prevent Seasonal Hair Loss?
3. Guava Leaf Hair Pack
You can combine lemon juice with guava leaf powder to make its hair benefits even stronger. The vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids in lemon may help clean the scalp, control dandruff, and enhance hair growth.
- Take some dried guava leaves and grind them into fine powder.
- Squeeze the juice out of fresh lemon and add it to the guava leaf powder.
- Mix them thoroughly and apply the pack all over your scalp.
- Massage gently fr 5 minutes and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Then, rinse it out with a gentle shampoo and lukewarm water.
4. Guava Leaf Hair Mask
When combined with onion juice and coconut oil, guava leaves make a powerful hair growth mask. Being rich in sulfur, onion juice provides nourishment to hair follicles and produces healthy hair cells. Conversely, coconut oil moisturizes the scalp and boosts hair growth with essential vitamins, protein, and fatty acids.
- Take some fresh guava leaves and turn them into a fine paste with a little bit of water.
- Extract the juice of a small onion and strain it to remove the pulp altogether. Then, add it to the guava leaf paste.
- Also, add a teaspoon of organic coconut oil to it and blend well to form a smooth mixture.
- Apply it to your scalp and massage gently for 5 minutes in a small circular motion.
- Let it sit for half an hour.
- Finally, wash it off with a mild hair cleanser and tepid water.
Safety and Precautions to Follow
Guava leaf hair care remedies are 100% natural and safe. However, make sure that you cool down the mist solution to normal temperature before using it. Otherwise, you may end up burning both your scalp and hair.
Summary:
Guava leaves can resolve almost all your hair woes in a natural, inexpensive, and foolproof way. Like guava fruits, guava leaves are also rich in essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavonoids, and fibers. These make them a staple in traditional Eastern medicine to treat complications like coughs, indigestion, diarrhea, food poisoning, wounds, pain, etc. Guava leaves work exceptionally well for hair by maintaining scalp health, nourishing hair follicles, and promoting hair growth. They put a stop to hair loss and make the hair soft, smooth, shiny, and voluminous. You can make DIY hair mist, hair pack, and hair mask with guava leaves to make the most of this natural and safe remedy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Which Leaf is the Best for Hair Growth?
Apart from guava leaves, some other leaves and herbs like aloe vera, rosemary, stinging nettle, ginkgo biloba, horsetail, peppermint, lavender, burdock, etc. help in stimulating hair growth.
What are the Disadvantages of Guava Leaves?
While there are no such disadvantages of guava leaves, you must use them with caution if you have diabetes and eczema, as it may lower blood sugar levels and lead to skin irritation in some rare cases.
Can I Boil Guava Leaves and Drink?
Sure, you can. Guava leave infusion will provide great nutritional benefits as the leaves are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
How Long Should I Boil Guava Leaves?
You should boil guava leaves in water for 15 to 20 minutes for maximum effectiveness.
Can Guava Leaves Darken Hair?
As guava leaves nourish hair strands and improve their overall health, you may also experience that your grey hair is growing back with vigor.
References:
- “Guava”, WebMD.com
- “The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review”, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Phytochemical Investigation and Antimicrobial Activity of Psidium guajava L. Leaves”, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Guava”, HORT.purdue.edu
- “Diet and Hair Loss: Effects of Nutrient Deficiency and Supplement Use”, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
