As the ‘KPOP madness’ sweeps the globe, netizens have become exposed not just to the culture of South Korea but also introduced to its food. Samyang noodles, kimchi, and samgyeopsal have become common food you see on many people’s social media pages.
But if you still haven’t tried these Korean foods, perhaps you’ll be willing to sample kimchi. The famous traditional side dish made of salted and fermented vegetables might be appealing to many, but this food item supposedly promotes hair growth!
In a study conducted by researchers at Dankook University in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, regular intake of kimchi increased the hair density of the study subjects.
Published on The World Journal of Men’s Health, the study was conducted on a group of 23 guys who were in varied stages of hair loss. There were some who were still in the early stages of hair loss, while there were others who were already balding.
Throughout the course of the study, the men were instructed to take a kimchi drink before breakfast and at bedtime. The men agreed to have their hair counted for the study.
At baseline or at the start of the study, the men had an average of just 85 hair per square inch. This rose to 90 hairs per square inch on the first month, then to 92 hairs per square inch on the fourth month.
Based on the individual changes observed, the study authors concluded that there was a significant increase in the hair growth on most of the men, with most of them appearing to have reversed their hair loss. Thus, the study concludes that kimchi could be used as “cure for baldness”.
The study further claims that kimchi is a safer alternative to current medicines being used to treat baldness because kimchi can be eaten indefinitely, with no side effects.
What is Baldness?
While it is normal for people to shed hair, excessive hair loss leads to baldness. Anyone can experience baldness but pattern hair loss is more common in men than in women. For many, this is seen as gradual thinning on top of the head, but others could have patchy bald spots that spread across the scalp.