Trends shape the styles that are en vogue for the season ahead. When it comes to hair care though sorting the fads from the rituals and regimes you can live by to support hair health for the long haul is easier said than done!
While some techniques, such as rinsing your hair in cold water and adjusting your diet to include these top vitamins and minerals, have been proven to enrich the appearance and condition of the hair, other tactics are less clear-cut.
Here we explore how a by-product of one popular side dish is being embraced by those suffering from hair loss or thinning everywhere. The question is – is there any truth to its hair growth benefits?
What exactly is corn silk?
Corn silk is the term used to describe the long threads found underneath an ear of corn. These silky, shiny fibres have an important part to play in the corn plant lifecycle, and actively aid pollination and growth at various stages.
Once the ear of corn has been harvested however, the husk and silk become redundant. Corn silk is not eaten in many countries and cultures, and is discarded as a result.
Can corn silk really be used as medicine?
Despite corn silk being seen as a by-product of fresh corn in many countries, many others choose to use corn silk for medicinal purposes. In fact, corn silk has long been used in both traditional Chinese and Native American medicine, with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and herbal qualities thought to unlock several benefits for health and wellbeing.
Here Healthline explains how corn silk is used and the health benefits many believe this natural fibre is responsible for:
“Corn silk contains a variety of plant compounds that may be responsible for various health effects. In traditional Chinese and Native American medicine, it’s used to treat a variety of ailments, including prostate problems, malaria, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and heart disease. More recent research indicates that it may also help reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and inflammation.”
To unlock these plus-points, individuals around the world enjoy corn silk fresh or dried as tea, a herbal extract, or a supplement.
What about its links to hair growth?
An increasing number of people are celebrating corn silk for its hair growth properties. Whether looking to boost volume, encourage growth or remedy thinning, eating (or drinking) corn silk, or applying it as a hair rinse, deep conditioner, hair mask or hair oil has become more and more popular.
Corn silk’s nutritional content – which consists of several naturally occurring steroids, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and minerals – has caught many people’s attentions, with some boasting longer, thicker hair as a side effect.
So, does it really work?
While corn silk certainly has the nutritional value to promote benefits such as improved hair growth, research remains limited. Unfortunately, there’s no direct scientific evidence to back up its links to hair growth. There have however been several small-scale studies that have suggested there is some truth to corn silk lowering inflammation, blood sugar and blood pressure.
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