Is Witch Hazel a hoax?

[cryhavoc]

I take everything in a wiki article with a grain of salt.

I have used WH for years to clean my face at night and it was recommended to me by my dermatologist when I was a teenager.

As a kid growing up WH was used on bug bites and to help sooth mild poison ivy and it worked in my house.

I always laugh when I see articles downplay "folk remedies"; some are useless for sure but I've been around the world and seen many that work just fine. Although sometimes they smell terrible

 

[Scifiguy]

I just find it soothing. I prefer Stirling Unscented w/Aloe with menthol.

 

[Kyle89]

I've had bad shaves and used WH, and have had bad shaves where I didn't use WH. Regardless, I don't use it every day but when I need it, I'm glad when I use it. It helps me, and I don't think "placebo" works that way.

 

[BGO37]

Don't believe everything you read on the Wiki. People have been known to put their own nonsense in there. Not saying that it doesn't hold some legitimate facts, but I wouldn't label witch-hazel a hoax. It is an astringent and the alcohol is a disinfectant.

Miracle cure, no.

 

[Ad Astra]

It's an astringent, and it works.

Generations of people wouldn't use if it didn't.

AA

 

[njpaddy]

I just find it soothing.

You nailed it. I do too. I always splash T.N. Dickinsons witch hazel on my face before using an aftershave (and many times instead of). It's my initial go-to for cuts, insect bites and minor skin irritations. I even splash it on my head after getting my hair buzzed (by me at home, or a barber). For my 30+ years of using carts before B&B, Sea Breeze was my aftershave. Witch hazel is a whole lot milder.

Shortly after joining B&B, I bought 2 bottles of Thayers. I hated it. Both bottles of Thayers went down the drain, because even my wife wouldn't use it. She won't use Dickinson's either, so maybe she's the smart one. As far as the Dickinson yellow (toner), and blue (astringent) labels, I've used both over the years and never noticed a difference. I buy whichever is cheaper and available.

 

[beardlyboy]

I started DE shaving in August. Shortly after that I noticed my neck turned red and blotchy when I used my aftershave balms. I turned to Witch hazel and it seems to help soothe my neck but I can’t use balms until the next day. So essentially witch hazel is my AS. I use thayers with aloe so I might give aloe Vera gel a try. I like it and think it helps me. Also feels great on a hot summer day

 

[JohnPS]

Toners like Witch Hazel with Tea Tree do incredible things for me, I use it most times. I've used every face wash under the sun and my skin around my mouth and lips would get scaly. Canned shaving products also make my skin much much worse. I spent years shaving with every disposable, cartridge multi-blade system you can imagine. Seriously.

For me it's the combination of the tea tree and witch hazel that work like MAGIC! Witch hazel helps, I have a couple of kinds, but the tea tree one, just magic. I don't get massive breakouts, the redness is 98% reduced, and no more scaliness. I think it's the antibacterial properties in it that agrees with my skin. Also it's not as drying as alum and I can use a good balm without moisturisers. If I use most moisturisers I breakout. So just a toner and balm.

Also I use a cotton pad and this lifts bacteria and dirt from the skin. I suspect this extra cleansing of the skin likely prevents bacteria from entering the abraded surface of the skin that shaving creates, thus leaving my skin in superior condition for my next shave.

 

[Nick Styptic]

I use Witch Hazel as a carrier for my own aftershave/toner recipe. I put two squirts of Hyaluronic Acid, a small squirt of aloe,4 uncoated 325-grain aspirin (anti-inflammatory), a few crystals of menthol(optional)and fill the rest of a small 5-6oz spray bottle with Witch Hazel. This has been my aftershave/ toner that has done an outstanding job for me for years. It is also much less expensive and more effective than the retail toners.

 

[DaveHStone]

that was your first mistake trusting a wiki article now all i can say is that i find that it aids in the reduction of razor rash notice i said reduction not healing .

Had I trusted the wiki article, I wouldn't have asked the Q here, in this forum. Don't you think?

 

[DaveHStone]

Don't believe everything you read on the Wiki. People have been known to put their own nonsense in there. Not saying that it doesn't hold some legitimate facts, but I wouldn't label witch-hazel a hoax. It is an astringent and the alcohol is a disinfectant.

Miracle cure, no.

I'm not "labeling" it.

I am ASKING about it, precisely because I've found the wiki article intriguing.

 

[musicman1951]

It works great for me. I've been using Thayer's daily for 6 years.

Pre-shaves don't work for me, but I don't think they're a hoax - they just don't provide me with any benefit.

 

[RayClem]

Clinical trials are run by drug companies hoping to get exclusive rights to sell drugs that will net them millions of dollars in profits. Such an opportunity for profits does not exist with a natural product like Witch Hazel. Thus, companies like Dickenson and Thayers are not going to spend the money that it would cost to run those trials.

I have very sensitive skin and many aftershave products containing alcohol, menthol, camphor, etc. irritate my face. I do not even like using an alum block as that burns my skin. Witch Hazel is my aftershave product of choice. If I get a poor quality shave with a rough blade, poor lather, or poor technique, it will still burn my face, but if I get a great shave, I get zero irritation. It works for me, so I will keep using it, even though there are no clinical trials to support its effectiveness.

 

[Ron R]

Clinical trials are run by drug companies hoping to get exclusive rights to sell drugs that will net them millions of dollars in profits. Such an opportunity for profits does not exist with a natural product like Witch Hazel. Thus, companies like Dickenson and Thayers are not going to spend the money that it would cost to run those trials.

I have very sensitive skin and many aftershave products containing alcohol, menthol, camphor, etc. irritate my face. I do not even like using an alum block as that burns my skin. Witch Hazel is my aftershave product of choice. If I get a poor quality shave with a rough blade, poor lather, or poor technique, it will still burn my face, but if I get a great shave, I get zero irritation. It works for me, so I will keep using it, even though there are no clinical trials to support its effectiveness.

There are certain ingredients in witch Hazel they all ready have researched that either your skin enjoys or rejects what I recall when I did some research. There are folks who know a lot about this natural shrub Hararnelis virginiana is the most common spieces used in North America.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I like to splash Lucky Tiger on after a shave and it has witch hazel along with aloe vera and chamomile.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I would attribute a noticeable improvement to my post shave skin to Thayers witch hazel. The proof is in the pudding.

 

[bluesman 7]

As a kid growing up WH was used on bug bites and to help sooth mild poison ivy and it worked in my house.

I still use it on bug bites and poison ivy. Works great.

 

[Leo K]

It just feels good so I use it daily before I splash the aftershave on.

 

[FireDragon76]

Reading this: Witch-hazel - Wikipedia, I was wondering...

The leaves and bark of the North American witch-hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, were used in folk medicine, herbalism, and skincare decoctions by Native Americans, and is commonly used for folk remedies in the European Union. Extracts of witch-hazel may be used as a remedy for psoriasis and eczema, in aftershave and ingrown nail applications, to prevent dehydration of skin, and for insect bites and poison ivy. There is no clinical evidence to support witch-hazel as an effective treatment for any of these conditions. Prepared by distillation, the essential oil of witch-hazel has such a small proportion of tannins or other polyphenols that it is unlikely to have any therapeutic effect, and may cause contact dermatitis when used topically.

In 2017, one manufacturer of skincare products containing witch-hazel was warned by the Food and Drug Administration for making unsubstantiated health claims and for not providing evidence the products are safe.

The clinical evidence is in centuries of usage as medicine.

Just keep in mind some commonly used medicines, such as asprin, have not undergone rigorous double-blind testing.

Wikipedia is notoriously biased against non-western and unconventional medicine.

Tannis, as contained in witch hazel, are very useful for restoring the barrier function of the skin, as well as retarding bacterial growth and inflammation. They are also powerful antioxidants.

One of my favorite aftershaves is Thayer's Gentleman's line (balm or lotion, both are good). Thayer's sources high quality witch hazel, better than what you'll get out of a drugstore brand.

 

[JCarr]

I use it daily right after I'm done shaving. It's a good astringent...dries my face off quickly and leaves a smooth feeling. I rely on the alcohol in the aftershave to handle any disinfecting that needs doing...which is more often than not, none.