Benefits of Turmeric for Skin and Hair

Turmeric, also known as ‘haldi’ in India, is an herb of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, native to southern Asia. Indian cuisine is almost undefined without this popular deep yellow spice. One can’t imagine a tasty Indian curry or mustard cooked without this spice.

Its yellow colour comes from curcumin, a compound found in turmeric with many virtues and medicinal benefits. After numerous scientific studies, we have come to realise how powerful it can be.

Turmeric is considered an herbal remedy due to its anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties to decrease depression, to treat digestive disorders, ulcerative colitis, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, atherosclerosis and some chronic illnesses.

Aside from helping to alleviate health issues, turmeric has also been used in many beauty treatments over the centuries. Did you know that turmeric can also be used in hair and skin care?

We hence take a look at some amazing benefits of turmeric for skin and hair:

Benefits of turmeric for skin

Treatment of Acne

If you’re trying to get rid of acne, turmeric might be the answer for you.

Turmeric’s antiseptic and antibacterial properties can fight pimples and breakouts to provide a youthful glow to your skin.

There are some ways of using turmeric to cure pimples, one is by using turmeric powder mixed with sandalwood paste, other is applying raw turmeric mixed with a few drops of rosewater.

Application of a homemade face mask may be very helpful to help to clear acne scars and inflammation and also reduce the oil secretion by the sebaceous glands.

Control of oily skin

In order to prevent the skin from becoming too dry, oils are secreted by the sebaceous glands and help the epidermis retain moisture. However, if the sebaceous glands are overactive, it can lead to excessively oily skin, which can cause acne, and other skin conditions.

People with oily skin will love turmeric. Turmeric is beneficial for oily skin as it regulates the production of sebum by the sebaceous glands.

A turmeric study from 2012 found that after four weeks of treatment there was a significant decrease in skin oils when turmeric was applied twice daily.

A mixture made with pure sandalwood paste (freshly prepared paste from pure sandalwood bar), turmeric and a bit of orange juice may help you to control oily skin. Sandalwood will act as an astringent and orange juice as a source of vitamin C, will help to clear the blemishes.

Signs of Aging

Being an excellent exfoliating agent, turmeric can help with the signs of aging.

For decades, haldi paste has been a part of the Indian beauty regimen. Even today brides and grooms celebrate ‘haldi’ as a ceremony where the haldi paste is applied to their faces and body.

You can make a haldi paste by mixing besan (gram flour) and turmeric powder in equal proportions with water. It can also be prepared in raw milk or even yogurt. Apply the paste generously over the face and body and then wait and allow it to dry. Rinse off with lukewarm water and scrub your face gently in a circular motion.

Improvement of skin’s elasticity

Aging has been associated with chronic inflammation which leads to protein and cell dysregulation as well as an overabundance of free radicals that attack cells and connective tissues.

Because of its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, several studies have suggested curcumin can help counteract the effects of aging.  

Applying haldi paste can help to keep the skin looking young and fresh as it contains many antioxidants. It also helps stimulate new cell growth and help keep the skin’s elasticity intact.

Treatment of skin conditions

Many suffer with skin diseases such as eczema, a painful disease characterized by red, scaly patches on the skin. Eczema can be quite itchy and a painful.

Being a natural antiseptic, turmeric can be effective in treating skin conditions like poison ivy, eczema and psoriasis.

Applying a mixture of turmeric and milk will soothe your skin and reduce the redness and inflammation.

Benefits of turmeric for Hair

Treatment of dandruff

Dandruff is a manifestation of a disorder of the formation of the epidermis, often accompanied by an unpleasant itching. This happens when the cells of the scalp are renewed too quickly and the oil present on the scalp forms a cluster of cells that have not had time to dry out gradually.

Turmeric has antibacterial properties, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Curcumin, an active component present in turmeric, helps to stop the itching and soothes the scalp.

The problem of dandruff can be treated by applying a mixture of turmeric and olive oil on your scalp before taking a shower. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse off the mixture with a natural shampoo. It removes the signs of dandruff by increasing the circulation in the scalp and providing nutrition to the hair follicles.

Preventing hair loss

Hair loss can be caused by stress, hormonal disorder, poor diet, heredity or disease. Another possible reason is TGF Beta 1 (Transforming Growth Factor beta 1) is a growth factor that appears to cause the death of hair follicles and play a role in the hair loss process.

According to a Korean study (BioSpectrum Life Science Institute), curcumin is a component of turmeric that can inhibit the activity of the growth agent beta-one.

When you ask people about the best way to use turmeric for hair loss, they will most likely say that you should apply it directly onto your scalp because it is good for getting rid of bacteria and funguses. However, when it comes to hair growth you should take turmeric orally in order to get the most benefits for your hair.

Turmeric’s properties are going to help your body detoxify and get rid of inflammations in it, which are the responsible for lowering hair growth and for growing you very weak and thin hair.

Treatment of scalp conditions

Apart from helping hair growth, turmeric can be used in the treatment of various scalp conditions such as cicatricial alopecia, a scalp ailment caused by inflammation that damages the hair follicles and prevents the growth of new hair.

Curcumin, an active ingredient contained in the rhizome of turmeric has anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antioxidant, antiseptic and antibacterial properties that helps treat dermatitis and eczema that can lead to itchy scalp and thinning hair.

As you can see, this spice that we use on a regular basis not only adds flavour and colour to our curries, but has also gives us such a variety of health benefits.

With its seemingly countless benefits, this magic spice can be used not only for flawless skin, but amazing hair and health. 

It’s amazing how nature has all the solutions in store for us. You can get pure and potent Superfood World Organic Turmeric here.