Hair Loss and Camel Spit
July 2008
Camel urine, considered an ancient Islamic 'remedy' from the time of the
Prophet Mohammed, has become big business for men and women in Yemen.
The urine has become fashionable recently among Yemen's young people, who
claim that it strengthens the scalp, slows hair loss and promotes healthy
hair.
According
to the Arab TV network al-Arabiya, hair salons throughout the country are
requesting this precious 'tonic' and selling it at four dollars a litre - a
high price considering the income level of most of the buyers.
"I have been using camel urine since I have been going to elementary
school," said Amal, a university student in Sanaa.
"The first time a neighbour told me that she had been using it (urine) for
many years, because it made her hair more beautiful and shiny. Now everyone
in my home uses it."
The use of the urine is not just limited to women. Men have reportedly also
been using it to prevent or stop hair loss.
"Many young men use the camel's urine. I am forced to buy large quantities
for my business," said Hasan, a barber.
A boom in the sale of camel urine has prompted people to begin breeding more
camels, and they are constantly being given liquids in order to collect more
urine.
Nomadic camel breeders have benefited the most from the sale of urine. The
breeders are usually in the most remote areas of the country such as Hudeida
and Mukallah provinces.
Some people also claim that camel urine is good for the liver, a claim
discredited by the University of Sanaa that said it was harmful for the
digestive system.
The use of camel urine could have its roots in Islamic religion. In the
Prophet Mohammed's "sunna" (or tradition), it talks about the benefits of
camel milk and urine.
In a "hadith" (or narrative), foreigners are said to have gone to the holy
city of Medina with high fever and the Prophet Mohammed ordered them to
leave the city and drink urine and milk from a camel to help them recover.
Hair Loss and Camel Spit
