green/white tea?

anvny · Mar 9, 2009

Hello,
I've been reading for hours this forum looking for a conclusive answer on green tea (is it beneficial or damaging for hairs?). I haven't been able to find a defenitive answer, since even if the majority of posts and studies seem to say that green tea can maybe have some beneficial effects, there are also disturbing reports according to which green tea actually increases DHT levels.
I have been drinking 2-3 times a day green tea for the last 2-3 years and I must say that my hair loss has become worse during this same period, but this couls simply be a coincidence. I have now started propecia + minoxidl.
I'm thinking to stop drinking green tea but I'd really prefer to avoid that...does anybody has any suggestion?
Also, an alterantive might be to switch to white tea, but maybe the effects would be the same of green tea?
thanks a lot

iwantperfection · Mar 9, 2009

the blocking or creating dht thing is rubbish i think.

The only thing i think would be beneficial for hair with green tea is that it thins the blood.This could mean better circultion and more flow to scalp but i doubt it really makes any difference. It is good for your health though and a nice drink. If you want to stop airloss use the proven meds. All this better lifestyle/tea/massages/scalp excercise/vitamins is rubbish if you ask me.

Guest · Mar 9, 2009

Green tea is suppose to help with hair loss and because of this theory, I ditched black tea with milk and now use green tea. I enjoy a good cup of tea and green tea still provides this. I am not sure if it helps with hair but its beneficial to the body so it gets a thumbs up with me.

White tea is suppose to be even better than green but I don't know much about it.

JLL · Mar 10, 2009

I've written about green and black tea quite a bit, and green tea affecting DHT is not "rubbish". See, for example, this post: Green Tea Catechin Reverses the Effect of DHT in Prostate Cancer Cells

However, whether or not green tea does anything if you pour it on your head is a different matter entirely. Give it a go and tell us what happens?

The term white/green/black tea comes from the amount of fermentation the tea leaves have gone through. White tea is unfermented while green tea is slightly fermented.

Since catechins are in the tea leaves themselves and fermentation removes (some of) them, if you're worried about the catechins affecting you, then white tea will be no better than green tea; it will be worse. However, I've yet to read anything bad about green tea catechins. Everything has been good. Asians seem to have good hair even though they can drink more than 10 cups per day. They might not wash their scalps with it, but in vitro green tea extract increases hair growth.