Let's have an honest, frank discussion about using coochie cream on you scalp.

I was at work the other day and this lady comes in and shares with me her natural hair story. I love that women frequently come up to me and start talking about hair. She revels that she is a new natural and is enjoying the process of discovering her natural hair.  As we continue to converse I ask her what products she is using. She proceeds to tell me that she uses vaginal cream in her hair.

I was very taken aback by this. Now when I say vaginal cream I mean the cream that you use to clear up fungal infections in your vagina. So something like a Monistat. She then proceeds to tell me that there are a ton of ladies who swear by it and the she has experienced tremendous hair growth because of it. I did a Google search and there are indeed quite a bit of people who use coochie cream in their hair on a regular basis. In fact this lady has a whole blog dedicated to the subject.

Now I consider myself a very open person, however I am NOT putting coochie cream in my hair. Actually, I probably would not even put coochie cream in my vagina without trying other methods first. It is a drug and drug have many side effects. I am gonna breakdown why this drug may work for some ladies and also why I will not be using it.

Anti-fungal vaginal cream is miconazole nitrate. This molecule is made of the drug miconazole and a nitrate. Miconazole is an anti-fungal which is pretty harmless when applied topically. It is not absorbed through the skin that much, however if you apply it everyday like some of the women do then the small amount of drug absorption will add up over time. Topically miconazole is NOT supposed be used long term. The side effects are are mainly application irritation and maybe an allergic reaction. If you have fungus issues on your scalp that impede hair growth, they may be relieved by applying this drug. However, I would also like to add that proper pH balance of scalp and good hygiene practices will also eliminate fungus on your scalp. Additionally there are other more natural treatment options for scalp fungus such as tea tree oil.

  

Now let's talk about the other part of this molecule: the nitrate. I called my pharmacist friend Eejay and she say that nitrates in drugs are usually used to balance the drug out, whatever that means (it was a lot of confusing nerdy drug talk lol). Some of the ladies on the websites say that this ingredient has a vasodialation effect. In other words, it expands your blood vessels. It is a known fact that nitroglycerin is used to expand blood vessels. When people have had a heart attack they are usually given nitroglycerin tablets to expand blood vessels which get more blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. If the nitrate in this drug has this effect, then yes, it will cause an increase in hair growth. When more blood gets to the scalp there is more blood, oxygen, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals which are good for hair growth.

  

HOWEVER it should be noted that blood flow to the scalp can also be increased by simple non pharmaceutical means such as scalp massage, exercise, and eating right. furthermore a rapid increase in blood vessels diameter can cause unintended side effects such as headaches (a reported side effects of using coochie cream on your scalp), low blood pressure, feeling faint and dizzy, and tingling. If the nitrate in this drug is indeed a vasodilator then the user will also develop a tolerance to it and the effects will

go away and users may even experience withdrawal symptoms if they quit using it.

Another thing...miconazole nitrate is NOT to be used while pregnant, especially in the first trimester. So if you are trying to get pregnant you should stay away.

Really? Ladies let's have a chat. Come have a seat.

Honestly ladies I just have to ask this question: Really? Are you serious? I mean, in an effort to grow hair we will resort to putting an unproven drug on our scalp? I guess that just speaks to people's desire to have things quick, fast, and in a hurry without putting in the work. We get liposuction/lap band surgery instead of putting in the work to lose weight. We fall prey to get rich quick schemes to make money quickly. WE PUT FREAKING VAGINAL CREAM IN OUR HAIR instead of using good hair practices like moisturizing, protective styling, careful detangling,  and limited heat use.

I have a laid back personality so I maybe I just don't feel passionate enough about my hair growing long  to understand why someone would do this. In general I try to stay away from pharmaceutical drugs and rely on more natural plant drugs to heal many ailments that I have. A lot of these drugs are made from plants anyways. They simply extract the active ingredient and concentrate it which then takes the drug out of it's natural balanced state and brings about all types of unintended side effects.

If you have fungus growth then you should take a step back, listen your body, and reflect on why fungus is growing. It means something is out of balance. This is true with any disease. I got hit with the flu this winter around my birthday and it was totally because I was doing too much partying, bad eating, and not resting So my body said, "Enough!" and forced me to stay in bed for 10 days to recover and rest. Fungus growth usually means you are consuming too much sugar and starches.

If you have fungus issues on your scalp you can do the following:

• Eat a diet full of fresh fruits and veggies. Good health ALWAYS starts from the inside out.
• Tea tree oil is a known very powerful anti-fungal.
• Raw papaya is an anti-fungal. Rub pieces over your scalp.
• Aloe vera gel on problem areas.
• Proper hair washing and hair drying.

 

If you want to increase blood flow to your scalp you can to the following:

• Again diet! Keep your blood vessels free and unclogged by eating lots of fruits and veggies!
• Exercise expands your blood vessles and increases blood flow all over your body.
• Scalp massage.
• Moving your head below the level of your heart. Simply bend over at the waist and let gravity help you. Do this for 10 secs and give yourself time to recover. Repeat if you want. Please do this sitting so you won't fall from being dizzy lol.
• Inverted yoga poses help for the same reasons as above.  

So there you have it folks. Using coochie cream on your scalp more than likely will not harm you but there are other more effective and proven ways to achieve hair growth. I would proceed with caution if you have sensitive skin, if you are prone to headaches, pregnant or trying to be,  if you have blood pressure problems, or if you have an allergy to any of the ingredients. Personally, I will not be using it.

Ladies (and men) have you used vaginal cream on your scalp? What were the results? Would you use it? Are you repulsed or saddened that women are doing this? Am I being harsh and over dramatic? Share your thoughts below!