Man Shanu- the Best Natural Way to Hair Growth
Growing up in the northern part of the country, and as a Nigerian, I know the Fulani people, and I am aware that they are predominantly cattle rearers (herdsmen) or cattle-rearing seems to be one of their major occupations. I have also heard stories and seen how they normally move from place to place providing foods for their families and their animals, and for some other reason why they move from place to place, I am really not sure, but one thing I have heard them talk about is the Man -Shanu (i.e. cow ghee). I know a lot of people who have claimed that Man Shanu is good for the hair and can reduce breakage when it is used to steam the hair and also leaves your hair feeling soft and rejuvenated. Apart from its magical benefit for the hair, Man Shanu can be eaten with food or cooked with meals. Personally, I have eaten boiled yam and coco yam with Man Shanu and also had few drops in Masa; I can’t deny I enjoyed it.
Many girls wonder what makes the Fulani hair grow and in the course of finding solution to hair breakage or damaged hair, ladies have tried different hair products. To many people, discovering how to make your hair grow faster can be quite difficult, especially when you want to go it the natural way. But I tell you what, from personal experience, the Man Shanu hair therapy does work for me.
Before we talk about hair and its treatment, it is important to know the hair structure and understand the simple reason for treatments and how it also works. First we must know that the hair is made up of protein called keratin, and has three layers which are called the medulla, cortex and lastly, the cuticle. The inner most regions are the medulla, and are not always present and is an open structure region.
The highly structured and organized cortex or middle layer of the hair is the primary source of mechanical strength and water uptake. It also contains melanin, which determines the hair colour. The cuticle is the outer covering. Its complex structure slides as the hair swells and is covered with a single medulla layer of lipid called sebum that makes the hair repel water (according to Wikipedia). Now, constant combing, heat treatments like stretching, blow-drying and chemical treatments like hair dyes, relaxers, conditioners, shampoos can, with time, gradually wear off the layers of the hair strands leading the hair to breakage and thinning. Since the hair is made up of protein, the hair strands can be temporarily repaired by application of protein which binds to the protein of the hair and thus strengthens it. For example, animal protein breaks down into fatty acids, which coats the hair and creates residual build up.
Don’t forget that Man Shanu is cow butter made by Fulani women in Northern Nigeria from the raw milk of their cows. It is really a good hair treatment, but its fault is the smell, and that is why people get uncomfortable to use it. When you apply Man Shanu, you will have to wash off with a shampoo that has a very nice fragrance.
How to apply Man Shanu: Apply directly to your hair. Coat the hair with Man Shanu; massage your hair to the root. Cover with a shower cap for at least 30 -40 minutes, thereafter, rinse with cold water using shampoo. It’s that simple and the result is usually awesome, leaving your hair hydrated and full of life.
