I just read this quote from an old advertising text published in 1966.

"In an island near Japan there grows an oil famous for growing hair. I
have before me photographs of Japanese women standing on chairs with
their hair floating on the floor. The whole supply of the oil had been
contracted for years by the French hair-tonic makers."

My question: What is this oil? And if you can dig up these photographs
of Japanese women standing on chairs with their hair down to the floor
(may have been featured in old Palmolive ads) I'll add a bonus.

Hello Marshall518,


   I believe the oil you describe is Camellia oil, from the Japanese
island of  Oshima. I was unable to find any illustrations that match
your description, but I found a few others.



Camelia Oil
===========
     ?In the 14th century, the moralist Kenko wrote ?the beauty of her
hair is what a man is most attracted by in a woman?. In the Ukiyoe
(etchings) of the 17th and 18th centuries, many Japanese women are
depicted in their baths, washing and doing their long hair.  During
the very refined Kyoto era, women did their hair so as to highlight it
was long and abundant.  They took care of it with camellia oil and had
?beautiful black hair, abundant, gleaming and lacquered? as reported
by an admirer.


   This tradition still exists: the women reputed to have the most
beautiful hair live in Oshima, an island where camellias have always
been very abundant.  Camellia oil can be applied also on the face, on
the neck and on the hands, thus causing western women to be jealous of
the ?peach skin, the long and curved nails? of Japanese women.?
http://www.essentiallyoils.com/Newsletters/2004/December_2004_Newsletter/december_2004_newsletter.html



  ?Camellia oil has excellent skin and hair conditioning properties.
To be used on hair, face, and body for nourishing care. This golden
beauty oil is cold-hand pressed using traditional techniques. This oil
is shipped via air from the Japanese island of Oshima for freshness
and purity.?
http://www.beautyhabit.com/chidoriya_body.html



   ?Japanese have always used camellia oil for skin care and
essentially for hair and scalp care. the women reputed to have the
most beautiful hair live in Oshima, an island where camellias have
always been very abundant. Camellia oil can also be applied on the
face, on the neck and on the hands, thus causing western women to be
jealous of the "peach skin, the long and curved nails" of Japanese
women. Camellia oil is also used in medicine where it is an excipient
and in food, as a good dressing for salads and as fat for frying. With
other oils, it makes the famous Japanese fried dish called tempura.?
http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/10261138/Camellia_Cosmetic_Oil.html


   ?The camellia oil for which Oshima is famous is not just good for
your hair; when used to fry foods it leaves a very light and crisp
flavor. There is nothing like the taste of shrimp, fish, ashitaba (a
locally-grown herb) and vegetables, skewered and fried in camellia oil
right in front of you.?
http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/french/tra/to_gift.html


   ?In addition the seeds from the plant were harvested to be pressed
for oils, highly regarded as the finest cosmetic oil for skin and hair
(still much sought after today) resulting in the belief that the women
of Oshima Island (where the Camellia grew) possessed the most
beautiful hair.?
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:P9g5QPxpP6kJ:www.chrisbeardshaw.com/focus/focus_camellia.html+Oshima+%2B+women+%2B+hair+%2B+camellia+oil&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5



   "Oshima anko" (women of Oshima) were famous for their long black
hair which they bound as "Inbonjiri-maki". They carry water buckets on
top of their heads twice per day - in the morning and in the evening.
The "Mizu-kumi Anko" (The water dipping women of Oshima) are also a
famous tourist attraction.
Artist: Masao Maeda 1904-1974 
http://www.artelino.com/articles/customs-of-japan.asp


   ?In the 14th century, the moralist Kenko wrote the beauty of her
hair is what a man is most attracted by in a woman. In the Ukiyoe
(etchings) of the 17th and 18th centuries, many Japanese women are
depicted in their baths, washing and doing their long hair. During the
very refined Kyoto era, women did their hair so as to highlight it was
long and abundant. They took care of it with Camellia Oil and had
beautiful black hair, abundant, gleaming and lacquered as reported by
an admirer.?
http://www.primavera-life.de/eng/products/product_detail.php?we_objectID=14607&showdetail=1



Some illustrations here:
========================
http://www.geocities.com/nobukaze23/obi.htm

http://www.geocities.com/azuchiwind/heian2.htm

http://www.clotheslinejournal.com/image2-3.caption.gif

http://images.nypl.org/?id=114304&t=w

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=138715&imageID=118952&word=Japanese%20%2D%2D%20Women&s=3&notword=&d=&c=&f=2&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&total=49&num=36&imgs=12&pNum=&pos=45#



Other interesting facts:
========================
   ?Other physiological factors might cause hair loss. Recently, a
group of Japanese researcher reported a correlation between excessive
sebum in the scalp and hair loss. Excessive sebum often accompanying
thinning hair is attributed to an enlargement of the sebaceous gland.
They believed excessive sebum causes an high level of 5-alpha
reductase and pore clogging, thus malnutrition of the hair root.

Although this condition could be hereditary, they believe diet is a
more prominent cause. The researchers note that Japanese hair was
thick and healthy, with a small gland and little scalp oil, until the
occidental habit of consuming animal fat crept into their diet after
World War II. This change has led to a significant height increase in
the Japanese population, but it has also resulted in more Japanese men
losing hair. To some extent, their observation makes sense since
problems with greasy hair have often been noted as much as six months
to a year prior to when thinning hair becomes noticeable, but this
might be just one of the symptoms, not underlying cause, more research
is needed. Most doctors agree that if you have a oily scalp with
thinning hair, frequent shampooing is advised. shampooing can reduce
surface sebum, which contains high levels of testosterone and DHT that
may reenter the skin and affect the hair follicle.?
http://www.folica.com/Causes_of_Hair__d1282.html


   ?In men, testosterone is converted to DHT (dihydratestosterone)
within the hair follicle. Testosterone is converted to DHT by an
enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which is produced in the prostate,
the scalp and various adrenal glands. Over time, DHT causes hair
follicles to degrade and shortens their anagen, or active phase.
Technically, the follicle is still alive and connected to a good blood
supply. Some follicles will die, but most will simply shrink in size
and produce weaker hairs. The shorter anagen growing cycle means more
hairs are shed and remaining hairs become so thin that they cannot
survive daily wear and tear, according to experts. Hairs in balding
areas gradually change from long, thick, colored hairs into fine,
unpigmented, fuzzy hairs.?
http://www.emu-oil.com/HairLoss.htm


I hope this answer has proved helpful. If anything is unclear, please
refrain from closing this question by rating it, until you request an
Answer Clarification. I will respond as soon as possible.

Regards, Crabcakes

Search Terms
==============
Japanese island + hair growth + oil
Japanese women + camellia oil
Oshima + oil + Japanese hair
Illustrations + Kyoto era + women + hair
Japanese women + washing hair + illustrations

Exactly what I was looking for. Great work.

Thank you for the 5 stars and nice tip! Both are appreciated, and I'm
glad to have found what you needed!

Sincerely, Crabcakes

Their is also a wonderful book by Lillian Bradley called African
American Hair. It contains a west Indian hair treatment that stop hair
from falling out.
I used it and it instantly worked for me.
site  http:www.lulu.com/psychic_stop