Henna isn’t just for covering grey hair or adorning your hands. Henna restores beauty and health to your hair, it can stimulate hair growth, improves hair texture and color. Henna is also used as a dye for leather, it is also used in aqueous extracts^[1] and has many medicinal
remedies.  No wonder henna is considered the Beautifying Plant.

What is Henna?

Henna is a evergreen branched shrub or small tree about 2 to 6 meters in height. Henna has many different names including Lawsonia inermis, Lawsonia alba, hina and Egyptian privet. This medicinal herb is native to North Africa and South East Asia. The word ‘henna’ is associated by people around the world as a reddish brown dye for hair and body art. Mehndi a form of body art from Ancient India, is created from the dried leaves of the henna plant and is still popular among women today.

Health Benefits of Henna

Lawson inermis is considered a useful medicinal plant in all parts of the world. Some of these medicinal uses include killing head lice, hepatoprotective^[2] (ability to prevent damage to the liver), immunomodulatory effect (modifies the immune response), antimicrobial, antimalarial^[1], antifungal, and as an antioxidant. The leaves have astringent properties and can be used to soothe fevers, headaches, stings, aching joints and skin irritations.

Henna can also help inhibit hair loss ^[3]. The traditional mixture is putting henna juice or oil into curds and then mixing this into your hair, as this increases the efficiency of the treatment.

Henna color lab

Hair Color

The leaf powder of henna sap is used for staining hair, beards and nails.  Henna strengthens hair and is considered a safe dye that doesn’t permanently affect your health. It helps seal hair cuticle, prevents breakage, prevents dandruff, increases shine and gives your hair an all over healthy appearance.  Most hair dyes on the market are very toxic, you can read more about it here.

Wound Healing

One of the most notable uses of henna leaves is protecting the skin against infections and reducing inflammation. Applying this to your burns^[4], wounds, and scrapes will protect you from infections and inflammation.

Maintaining Healthy Nails

We often forget about maintaining healthy nails. Your cuticles and under the nails are prime locations for infection and bacterial presence. Study show that henna fights Candida albicans infection and growth of fungus^[5]. Treating your nails with henna and drinking water with henna leaves helps prevent nails from cracking and reduces inflammation.

This dye was originally used by ancient tribes living in the hot Indian desert to cool off their body.  By dipping their hands and feet in the dried henna leaves the tribes people stayed cool.

The juice of the plant can be directly applied to the skin for fast relief from headaches. The anti-inflammatory effects of the compounds found in henna helps reduce tension and promote blood flow which is a common cause of headaches and migraines.

Anti-inflammatory

A study was conducted to investigate free radical. The study showed ethanol extract of henna seeds are an effective antioxidant^[6].

Detoxification

By soaking the bark or leaves of the henna plant in water and then consuming the liquid has been connected to improved spleen and liver health. The liver works as a crucial level of protection for the body and helps to eliminate the toxins. By optimizing your livers function you can prevent a wide range of other health conditions.

Those with the rare disorder G6PD deficiency (or are allergic to aspirin or fava beans) should not use henna, children under age 6 should also avoid henna as they may have undiagnosed G6PD deficiency.

• Fresh henna powder should be a vibrant and deep green, whilst old henna may appear slightly brown.
• Commercial henna pastes may contain additional ingredients to enhance their staining-power, and some are unsafe so always check the label. Black henna is especially harmful as it may contain para-phenylenediamine(PPD), a chemical that can cause itching, blistering and scarring.
• Adding essential oils with high levels of monoterpenes or terps such as tea tree, eucalyptus, cajeput, or lavender to the henna paste will improve its staining ability.

Before adding any new herbal remedy to your routine, it is best to check with your medical practitioner.

More interesting reads:

My First Henna Art Experience with Pro Makeup and Henna Artist TSB

Sources used in this article

•  O.A. Habbal, A.A. Al-Jabri, A.G. El-Hag. (2007) antimicrobial properties of Lawsonia inermis: a review. Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism.