Monday

Why Native Americans Don’t Go Bald And How To Use Their Secrets To Get Longer, Thicker And More Beautiful Hair

Native Americans and Hair Loss: Already famed for their long, straight, jet black hair, Native Americans have become something of a phenomenon in hair loss research circles. Scientific observation has discovered that some tribes are apparently completely immune to the most common form of hair loss – male pattern baldness.

Whilst surveying men about hair loss, researchers have consistently found that men from tribes with ancestry from the Alaskan Bridge (in the North of the country) are almost completely free of the genetic hair loss condition Androgenic Alopecia. Those most likely to avoid pattern baldness have a strong heritage within their tribe that stretches back generations.

Hair plays a large part in Native American culture Perhaps because of their hardy follicles and scalps, hair has always played a large part in Native American culture. According to tradition, the Navajo tribe would cut the hair of their children on their first birthday, after which it would be left to grow untouched for the rest of their lives.

It’s all about the genes Male pattern baldness is caused by a genetic anomaly that sees the hormone testosterone converted into a secondary compound – an androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT for short). DHT then attacks follicles in the scalp, causing them to shrink.


Hairs growing from the affected follicles get thinner and lighter in colour as growth slows. Eventually the follicles shrink to the point that the attached hair falls out and new growth is prevented. This process is repeated in thousands of follicles across the scalp, leading to vertex thinning - the development of a large bald patch on the crown – and a receding hairline at the front of the head.

Native American Hair Care Tip 1 The first hair secret is movement. What’s movement? Movement is head exercise. Native Americans will use a scalp massage every day to stimulate blood flow to the scalp.

Photo: Alana LaMalice - Cree/Chipewyan 

Native American Hair Care Tip 2 STOP buying shampoos and hair care products, most products contain endocrine disrupting chemicals that may cause hair loss and a host of other hair problems like frizzy hair, thinning hair, breakages, brittle and dry hair and hair loss.


Native American Hair Care Tip 3 Eat foods high in antioxidants and anti-inflammation nutrients. Eat Native American Traditional Food. Eat Organic.

Native American Hair Care Tip 4:  Oiling the hair is the one thing that natives do.

Native American Hair Care Tip 5: Discover some interesting plants used for healthy and beautiful hair that the ancient elders discovered hundreds of years ago.

Bearberry: A remedy for an itchy scalp. A tea was made from this evergreen shrub and mixed with grease and boiled cattle hoofs to use as a salve for an itchy, scaly scalp, baby rashes and skin sores.

Creeping Juniper: Juniper root for shiny locks. The berries from this evergreen scrub (also called creeping cedar) were made into a tea that was used as a wash for skin problems. Juniper root was also soaked in water to wash the horses, making their coats shiny. It’s now used in hair care products for shiny and healthy hair.

Saw Palmetto Saw Palmetto was used by Native Americans for hair, scalp and skin care. Due to its ability to balance hormones in the body, it was used by Native American women to get rid of facial hair. It is now believed saw palmetto regulates excessive hair growth in women by suppressing DHT production in the body (a hormone produced by testosterone).


Sweetgrass This flat-leafed bladed grass is considered sacred. It is smoked to purify individuals and their surroundings, and is used in ceremonies. It is even handled in a special way and with respect due to its spiritual powers. Some Native American women decorated their hair with sweetgrass. As a wash, sweetgrass was used to treat windburn and chapped skin. The tea can also be used as a hair tonic to make the hair shiny and fragrant.

Wild Mint Wild Mint for hair and skin. The Cheyenne Indians in Montana used a decoction of the wild mint plant as hair oil. The Thompson Indians of British Columbia used the whole plant soaked in warm water to make a solution that was used in hair dressing. Mint was also used in bath water to alleviate itchy skin.

Yarrow Yarrow for Fragrant Hair. Native Americans used an infusion of the leaves from this strong-scented perennial plant as a hair wash. The Okanagan Indians of British Columbia mixed the leaves and stems with white clematis (a perennial with bright yellow flowers) and witch’s broom branches to make a shampoo.

Yucca Yucca for hair growth. The yucca plant was used by several Native American tribes to encourage hair growth and to prevent baldness. The roots of young yucca plants were used for shampoo. The crushed roots were soaked in water to make a hair wash. Other methods involved peeling the bark of the root, which was rubbed in a pan of shallow water to make suds to rub into the hair and scalp. Yucca was also used as a hair wash for newborns by the Zuni Indians to help their hair grow healthy and strong.

Photo: Chief Red Shirt


Responses to "Native American Hair Growth Secrets: 5 Hair Care Tips From the Elders"

  1. Unknown says:

    Very cool post. Thanks for sharing this info. :)

  2. Great post. I have always been fascinated by Native American cultures after learning from my school days and I went to school in the UK.

  3. Photos says:

    Thank you for the wonderful post!!

  4. Unknown says:

    Excellent genetics is the key. It cannot be imitated or stolen. I love my people!

  5. league621 says:

    Thank you for such an informative post

  6. Anonymous says:

    Always loved Native Americans beautiful hair. Now I know why. But, I am surprised as the use from what mother nature gives. They are smarter than doctors and wiser then most people. And no I am not Native American, I am first generation American, Parents from Belguim and Germany. I do however have next to my heritage I respect the Native Americans. Jenny

  7. heather says:

    Very interesting article but I am confused as to what they USE to clean their hair? Water only? Oil the hair sometimes?

  8. bucket138 says:

    Dirt. It clings to oily particles. With enough dirt you can get the oil off your hair/body first, then just rinse off in a clean stream or river. My nay-wa (grandmother) used to tell me natives used to have greasy hands after eating and would run them through their hair to make it shine and healthy looking. I oil mine after washing, just not so traditional. Wouldnt want my scalp smelling like baconcheesburgers. Oh and even though I shower everyday, the mop only gets it every 2 or 3 days.

  9. Anonymous says:

    I use coconut oil in my hair and my skin, it's amazing!

  10. Anonymous says:

    Thank you for this information, I am in the processes of correcting out some issues of my one.

  11. oddeddie says:

    wow.. this was interesting and helpful. I have the worst time with my skin and hair....

  12. Native americans just have really amazing strong and thick hair. Northern european people just have thin and weak hair. Doesn't matter what you use if your hair is not strong.

  13. Unknown says:

    That is awesome. I thank you for the info.

  14. Unknown says:

    amazing, i love my heritage too. i am part chippewa.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Is the Saw Palmetto taken internally or applied externally?
    M. A. in MD

  16. Anonymous says:

    bear grease is always good to use I am Ojibway

  17. Unknown says:

    My mother had two brothers who died with a full head of dark hair with some graying.

  18. Anonymous says:

    medicine turtle cherokee medicine man
    we use spicewood tea to make the hair grow stone and works well wash the hair

  19. Unknown says:

    Thank you for this! It is greatly appreciated

  20. I've used all kinds treatments and still my hair is greasy and disgusting. ..and very dirty. ..don't know what to do. I'm Colombian so also dark brown hair.

  21. Unknown says:

    I really love Native American Stories, Movies, their hair and mostly importantly is wishing to marry a Native just to have children with long hair. Thanks for information that was very natural. Love it

  22. Jacob J says:

    Lol Joan are you serious?

  23. Christine from NM says:

    I am a 56 year old full-Native woman and I don't have any white hair. People always ask me if I dye my hair. I am very fit, eat healthy and I haven't touched alcohol for almost 30 years. I wash my hair every other day, even though I sweat from my workouts - to keep the natural oils. When I was a young woman, I used to perm my hair a lot, my Aunt told me to quit doing stuff to my hair or I was going to get white hair. I followed her advise.

  24. Sally Ice says:

    Your luck with what genes you inherit is the main factor to going bald or staying with a full head of hair. The same applies to greying, Of course if you mistreat your hair with perming and dying it you can expect such chemical assaults to weaken and damage the hair. I am 55 with very thick mid brown hair. Dad lived to 83 with thick brown full head of hair. Mother-in-law is 94 still had dark brown hair with minimal greying!

  25. Chantal says:

    I met a navajo on my trip in Southwestern America and she does me a traditonal navajo hairstyle. She brushed my hair with a "grass-brush" (?) like that one in a picture in your post. Do you know where I can get such a "hairbrush"? My hair was so smooth after brushing it with this and now I'm looking for such a brush! The navajo woman couldn't sell me a brush and in a museum they also didn't know where to get it. I hope you maybe know where I can get such a "brush" from grass.
    Thank you!

  26. Anonymous says:

    any products out in stores that have these plants in them?

  27. Anonymous says:

    Informative post. I have always been fascinated by Native American cultures. Thank you. What Hair Type Do Long Haired Native Americans Have Is It 1A or 1B or 1C?

    Visit This Site Pls For Different Hair Types: http://hair.knowfacts.org/hair-types/hair-types-3-curly-2-wavy-4-kinky-1-straight-charts-quiz-tests/

    ....How Long Does The Hair Grow Per Month?

  28. Unknown says:

    LOVED THE INFORMATION - GREAT THINGS TO KNOW - THANK YOU !!

  29. Anonymous says:

    Good
    Medicine! Must
    Do
    Every day for
    Many
    Moons.

  30. Anonymous says:

    I am Chumash Indian and I have a daughter who is going through things with her hair as it is very thick long and oily but she attends to get these sores in her hair more like some type of fungus that can cause her to lose her hair if not treated right away because it has happen before when she was 4 and now she 7 constantly going through such thing the only thing now is that she is not losing her hair to nearly bald but it is now causing her lymph notes to swell and a rash on her face but she has a great amount of hair and can tell it is very strong and healthy its just seem once she get sick or something go wrong within her body this issue take place.... do you know anything about it or have anyone experienced anything similar or maybe even know anyone.....using your information would it work as we are native american and I know Native Americans can not use everything in their hair or body. The doctor do not even know they are still doing testing... now looking into my genetics and background of family heritage for answers while awaiting information

  31. Kathy says:

    Dear Anonymous first and foremost, I wish your daughter well. Ask doctors if it could be systemic like lupus. I have a sister with lupus. Every time she has a flare up it affected her skin first;face, scalp, or body. It could be rashes and red, hot spots or pain, like simply touching or scratching would make her realize she's starting a flare up. Of course going out of remission caused some of these issues. Hopefully it isn't this disease it's so much more invasive, debilitating and painful and scary. Maybe take her to see a dermatologist, preferably someone with knowledge of more than European culture only. Good luck, I wish you and your daughter the best.

  32. I have indian type hair don't know what kind or kinds I have but I have dandruff and my hair easly get frizzy I cut it due to not really knowing what to do with it and I wake up with a afro every morning can someone please help me I want to have long healthy hair but don't know where to start

  33. Haircare is an overall term for hygiene and cosmetology including the hair which develops from the human scalp, and less significantly facial, pubic, and other body hair. Haircare schedules differ as indicated by a person's way of life and the actual characteristics of one's hair.

  34. ivy457 says:

    My mother is Puetrorican Taino and my dad is Antiguan West Indian American.So I have 4A/4C hair. I have very very very thick hair long thick hair currently. I have applied no heat to it in the last two years. I sadly dont want to because I am afraid to harm it more. I finally can put it in a single ponytail and proudly did it yesterday. I condition my hair first and then I shampoo it and then I apply oils and moisturizers and this routine it works for me. Sadly the American way or the white Eurocentric way of doing hair sometimes it truly fails you. You have to change up what you do. I think my hair has grown about a good three inches. I did want it to get longer so I stopped shampooing it first because I felt and noticed it was damaging my hair. So I simply started to condition my hair first. Hydrate and gentle comb outs during the week when I need to run errands or go out. When I say gentle I mean gently treat you hair even if you come upon a knot in it. Treat it kindly be firm in taking it out don't be harsh on your hair. Even very straight hair I am surprised people man handle it so badly. I'm going to try the spice tea since I also believe I do suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome and that makes my hair in certain spots very thin prior to me changing my hair washing ways. I am vegan and eat as healthy as possible but if I am lacking protein lots of organic chicken, organic fish, and nuts and oils. I know staying on the straight and narrow is hard but I cheat and have a lil bacon or cheeseburger sometimes too. I like a nice steak here or there. Moderation

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