Dr. Rohit Shah

You would surely want your hair to be lustrous, voluminous and shiny. Healthy hair indicates healthy skin as well. A number of factors influence the health of your hair; from your diet to the amount of water you drink to the number of hours you sleep at night.

According to Ayurveda, hair loss is caused because of pitta dosha. Pitta governs our metabolism and digestion. A balanced pitta leads to a healthy body and mind. It controls our general well being. Once you identify the reasons of pitta dosha, it becomes easier to correct it. Typically, bad eating habits, anxiety, and stress cause pitta dosha, which in turn lead to hair loss. Excessive consumption of tea, coffee, alcohol, meat, fried and spicy food imbalances the pitta.

Ayurveda is an age old holistic system of medicine. The Ayurvedic remedies for healthy hair are entirely natural and do not cause any side effect. The various Ayurvedic tenets for healthy hair are:

1. Diet: Following a healthy diet is important for healthy hair. Include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet. This provides the necessary vitamins and minerals for the hair to remain healthy and nourished. Include foods that are rich in vitamin B complex such as almonds and eggs.

2. Water Intake: You need to keep yourself hydrated by drinking sufficient volume of water (about 2-3 liters) in a day. Drinking plenty of water helps keep your body free from all sorts of toxins.

3. Salt Intake: Avoid unnecessary use of salt. If possible use less salt and sour (vinegar) at least in summers. 

4. Exercise: Regular cardiovascular exercise can help improving circulation in the body, including the scalp. Improved blood circulation in the scalp means an improved supply of nutrients to the hair follicles. A steady supply of nutrients to the hair follicles helps in keeping the hair healthy.

5. ‘NO’ to Smoke: Smoking causes the blood vessels in the body to constrict, thereby, hampering blood circulation. Impaired circulation of blood means insufficient supply of blood to the hair follicles, a factor that makes them weak and brittle.

6. Herbal Oils: Application of herbal oils such as rosemary and Aloe Vera keeps your hair healthy. The oils penetrate your hair follicles and provide the hair with necessary nutrients.

7. Good Sleep: Sleep is a very important part of good health. You need enough sleep to let your body relax. After a hectic routine, even your body needs rest. It is during sleep that most of the tissues are regenerated and rejuvenated. You need a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every day. This is important for staying healthy and fit. Hair growth is also promoted if you get enough sleep.

8. Most importantly Hygiene: Maintain good hygiene at every point in time. You need to wash your hair regularly to prevent accumulation of dead cells. For this, use a mild herbal shampoo to keep your hair clean. Do not over shampoo as it can dry your hair and cause frizzy hair.

Alopecia totalis is a condition of skin that leads to hair loss. It is not similar to the localized problem of Alopecia Areata. Local Alopecia Areata tends to cause round patches of hair loss on the scalp but in case of Alopecia Totalis, it leads to the scalp turning completely bald. Alopecia Totalis also tends to differ from the most severe form of Alopecia Areata, which is known as Alopecia Universalis. This particular form of Alopecia causes complete loss of hair over the entire body.

We will talk about the Ayurvedic treatment for this problem but before that, let us take a look at the main symptom along with the causes leading to this problem.

Symptom of Alopecia Totalis

The primary symptom of this condition is that there will be complete loss of hair on the head.

Causes Leading to Alopecia Totalis

Doctors along with the researchers are still not able to point out the cause of alopecia totalis, though they understand that the condition is basically the result of the problem occurring in the immune system. A person’s immune system is his/her body’s defence mechanism, which helps to protect human beings from illnesses but there are occasions when the immune system can also attack the healthy tissue.

If a person is suffering from any form of Alopecia, that means the immune system attacks the hair follicles of the person. Thus, the attack triggers inflammation, thereby leading to loss of hair.

Treatment in Ayurveda for Alopecia Totalis

Each and every one of us loves to have nice and healthy hair but it does not happen on all occasions. More and more people tend to suffer from the problem of hair loss. There are different types of hair loss, Alopecia Totalis is one of them. The main reason behind going for Ayurvedic treatment is because, it looks to treat condition by way of natural means through herbs, natural oils and other ingredients. Ayurveda is primarily based on the principle that the universe comprises of five elements like Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Ether. These elements get represented in human beings by three doshas:

• Vata Dosha
• Pitta Dosha
• Kapha Dosha

When any of these doshas get accumulated in one’s body, body balance gets disrupted. Maintaining the exact balance of the three doshas is of utmost importance. The natural treatment of Ayurveda for this condition makes use of the following:

• Natural Powders
• Natural Paste
• Natural Oils

Massage through natural oils and applying the combination of paste and powder is extremely convenient for any individual suffering from this problem. People can apply the mixture of powders and paste on the head at night, cover it up with shower cap and then wash it off next morning. Following this treatment method for a period of time would yield positive results.

Healthy hair begins at the scalp. For having healthy and shiny hair, it is important to have a healthy scalp free from dandruff, so that the roots remain strong. Through natural methods of Ayurvedic treatment, people can keep their scalp healthy and free from dandruff, eventually providing the strength to the hair for growth as well as maintenance.

Ayurvedic Treatment to Keep the Scalp Healthy

Ayurveda prescribes scalp massage for a healthy scalp. Each kind of dosha, in Ayurvedic terms, makes use of specific oils, while sesame is considered to be perfect for treating all the three doshas. The three doshas and the ideal ingredients to treat them are as follows:

• Vata Dosha: Vata dosha can be treated through the use of hair oil containing ingredients like sesame, ghee and castor.
• Pitta Dosha: Pitta dosha can be treated through the application of hair oil, which contains Coconut and Sesame as its ingredients.
• Kapha Dosha: One can treat Kapha dosha by applying oil containing ingredients like Olive, sesame and sunflower in it.

Massaging of hair tends to stimulate circulation of blood and also provides the necessary strength as well as moisture to the scalp and hair follicles. This provides the required activation for hair growth, hence, leading to the prevention of hair fall. This process can be carried out either on a daily basis or once or twice every week, primarily depending upon the availability of time.

As far as the tradition goes, the cleansing process starts off with an oil massage to the scalp and then a wait for a period of almost 2 hours for the oil to get absorbed inside the scalp. Then the scalp is to be washed along with water and a mild and absolutely safe cleanser, free from chemicals.

Herbs like Shikakair and Aritha have always been used as hair cleansers as both of these herbs contain natural saponins, which help to clean up hair without striping them off their natural oils.

Ayurveda’s Herbal Support

The herbal support in Ayurveda for healthy scalp includes the following:

• Amla: Amla is considered as the right ingredient, which cures almost each and every ailment and gives longevity. This is a natural antioxidant with a rich source of Vitamin C. Amla assists in hair regrowth by combining it with sesame oil.
• Bhringraj: In the tradition of Ayurveda, the leaf extract of Eclipta alba is regarded as a powerful liver tonic and a rejuvenating herb. It keeps the scalp healthy, thus, help in growth of hair.
• Fenugreek: Fenugreek or Methi contains a number of constituents like saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, vitamins and fiber. Methi acts in stimulating circulation to hair follicles, while the steroid saponins get to interact with Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) metabolism. Fenugreek tends to interfere with the negative effects of DHT and hence, prevent hair loss.

Telogen Effluvium is considered to be the second most common type of hair loss. It is one form of non-scarring alopecia, which gets characterized by diffuse hair shedding, along with an acute kind of onset for the problem. Now let us take a look into the causes behind this problem, before looking into the treatment options through which Telogen Effluvium can be treated in Ayurveda.

Causes of Telogen Effluvium

Hair cycle disturbances can be caused by quite a number of triggering factors, which include:

• Intense Stress
• Improper Diet
• Sudden Loss of Weight

Treatment in Ayurveda for Telogen Effluvium

Some of the natural ways in Ayurveda to regain lost hair due to Telogen Effluvium are:

Having a Food Rich in Protein: The building blocks of hair are nothing but proteins. In order to maintain the stronger and longer hair, it is necessary that one must take a daily recommended dose of 46 gm of protein. Some of the food items that one can have are:

• Dairy Products
• Eggs
• Beans

Zinc and Iron Must be Included in the Diet: Iron deficiency is directly linked to Telogen Effluvium. Though iron supplements do assist in regaining the deficit amounts but in some people, there could be adverse effects in the form of gastritis or constipation. Changes in diet can be a very good option. People can have more of Red Meat and Liver, which contain abundance of iron. Those who are vegetarians, they can opt for having dark green leafy vegetables and beans. Zinc also plays a vital role in aiding growth of hair. Some of foods rich in Zinc are nuts, spinach, seafood and squash.

Massage With Essential Oils: There are certain kinds of essential oils, which help to promote growth of hair by bringing forth improvements in blood circulation. They also help in reducing stress, which is one of main causes behind Telogen Effluvium. People can just add 1 or 2 drops of Lavender Oil in 2 ounces of carrier oil like Almond or Coconut Oil and slowly massage their scalp. This would only help in increasing the growth of hair but also will assist in reducing stress quite instantly.

Try Out Herbs: Green tea has been used for a long time as a rinsing agent for hair. It has within it, 5-alpha-reducatse inhibitors which help to prevent the definite pattern of baldness that arise in men and women. Other than Green Tea, there is also Onion, which contains anti- inflammatory properties, those help in avoiding any adverse effects which might have been caused on hair due to any underlying condition. It also assists to stimulate the exact functioning of hair follicles.

Addition of Vitamin B to The Diet: The two important B Vitamins in the form of Vitamin-B6 and Vitamin-B12, available in food items like broccoli, beet, turnip, beet, bell peppers can also aid hair growth.

Hair fall happens to be one of the most common problems, which women usually face after undergoing chemical treatments in the name of hair care products. In this age of hair straightening, hair are accustomed to the brunt of chemicals, which lead to the weakening of the follicles.

Adding to all these is the physical and emotional stress, which tends to induce hormonal changes and thus, further weakens the hair follicles, leading to hair loss. The only silver lining is that Ayurvedic treatment methods can come to the rescue for those who face the problem of hair loss due to chemical straightening of hair.

Let us look at some of the natural ways through which Ayurveda helps to treat the problems:

Use of Bhringraj Oil: Bhringraj leaves contain different kinds of herbs, which provide one’s scalp the nutrients that it has been missing out on. Bio Bhringraj Therapeutic Oil Intensive Hair Re-growth Treatment contains pure Bhringraj, coconut, amla, goat’s milk and centella. All these help in strengthening the strands of hair and hence, diminish grey areas. Bhringraj Oil is arguably one of the best treatments in Ayurveda for hair fall and also assists in reducing grey hair and even helps to prevent itchiness of the scalp.

Rich-Protein Shampoo: Brittle and dull hair is the result of deficiency in protein. Along with the taking of diet that is rich in protein, one must also look to make a switch towards all those products having rich content of protein in them. Kelp is one of the ingredients, which contains high valued protein and helps to act as a stimulant for ayurvedic hair growth. Kelp is basically a type of large brown seaweed, which grows in shallow salt water that is rich in nutrients and is found near coastal regions around the world. Bio Kelp, which is a highly recommended protein-rich shampoo, helps in stimulating fresh growth of hair due to ingredients like natural proteins, pure kelp, peppermint oil and extracts of mint leaf.

Serums for Enabling Maximum Absorption: Use of serums is advised because on most occasions, what oil fails to do, serum is able to do that. Serum gets absorbed in the scalp very easily and does not even leave any excess amount of oil. Bio Mountain Ebony is a kind of fresh growing stimulating serum intensive hair growth treatment, having pure extracts of mountain ebony, long pepper neem, pudina, euphorbia tree along with other essential ingredients for stimulating hair and removal of dryness and irritation. This Ayurvedic formula also contains anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help in revitalizing the scalp, thereby assist in the growth of hair shaft. Appropriate result can be seen after having used the serum for 3 weeks.

Every woman out there wants to have long and shiny hair which will radiate a magnificent look to her overall appearance. Even though there are various modern and advanced ways of treating your hair to make them shiny and strong, there is one way by which women have been rejuvenating their hair for centuries now. Yes, you got it right, we are talking about Ayurveda.

Ayurvedic treatment of your hair ensures that you get a good and radiant shiny hair condition just by using natural ingredients. So what are the various Ayurvedic ways which you can use to treat your hair? Let us have a look at the 5 best Ayurvedic elements that are absolutely natural and do not have side effects:

1. Moringa Oil

Moringa is rich in vitamins and mineral which ensures a brilliant and healthy nourishment for your hair. Moringa not only protects the hair from external pollutants, but it also promotes blood flow in the scalp region which helps the hair to gain the much-needed strength and consequently reduces hair loss.

2. Curry Leaves

We all know that curry leaves are used in different Indian cuisine. But they can also be used to nourish your hair as well. When you combine curry leaves with oil, it effectively releases beta-carotene which helps to nourish the hair in an effective manner. It also has a pleasant odour which gives your hair a better fragrance.

3. Hibiscus Extract

Hibiscus has been used in various Ayurvedic remedies. Rich in vitamins, alpha-hydroxy acids and amino acids, these flowers comprise of a brilliant natural hari ingredients which will surely help you retain the shine of your hair. You can use the extract by crushing some of the flowers and apply it on your hair.

4. Indian Gooseberry

This natural ingredient, found all over India, is famous for its cleansing properties. It helps the scalp to get nourishment by eliminating the harmful toxins present on it. So, it will effectively bring the natural shine to your hair and make it stronger.

5. Different Vitamin Rich Food

Ayurveda is all about natural ingredients and different foods. So, if you consume Vitamin A, B, and E-rich foods then it will contribute to a healthy hair growth process and consequently, you will get more nourished hair and scalp which is always a good sign.

So these are the 5 ways in which you can get a brilliant natural shine with the help of Ayurveda.

Pili Annulati is a hair disorder, in which the affected hair has a typical pattern of dark and light banding. People who have pili annulati might well go on to describe their hair as striped or as having silver kinds of beads. This particular condition mainly involves around 20 to 80% of the hair that are present on the scalp, though it can also involve hair present on the face and the whole body. Hair, which get affected might be prone towards getting broken.

Pili Annulati can crop up during infancy or in childhood or it might also affect people in their later lives. This can be visible with naked eye, though it would be difficult to get noticed on all those people who have dark hair.

Symptoms

There are various kinds of symptoms, which tend to come across when they are faced with this condition. Some of them include:

• Different kinds of colored bands on each strand of hair
• Hair is brittle and so they tend to fall off
• Irregularity of hair could be noticed amongst the normal growth of hair

Causes of Pili Annulati

The exact behind the occurrence of Pili Annulati is not known. It usually gets through a gene that is autosomal dominant. Hair getting ringed, which happens during this condition, might well get caused as a result of deficiency in metabolic protein, which leads to the formation of cytoplasmic ribosomes with the hair cells in an abnormal manner, hence, resulting in the unusual formation of keratin which develops in the cortex of one’s hair.

Most of the cases are thought to be caused due to a mutation in the cells of the hair follicle, which forms the keratin.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Pili Annulati

Ayurveda looks to treat any problem by implementing natural means, through herbs, powders, pastes, which gets to the root of the problem and that’s where the healing takes place. As Ayurveda is involved in natural treatment methods, hence, people like to prefer undergoing the procedures for solving their health related problems as there are no side-effects in them.

Some of the methods of Ayurvedic treatment include:

• Herbal hair care shampoos can come to great use and be very effective in treating this problem of ringed hair or Pili Annulati.
• Medicated shampoos can lead to re-growth of hair and hence prevent hair loss.
• Other than this, massaging the hair with olive oil can also be an ideal option for getting this condition healed
• People can also look to have protein-rich diet, as lack of essential nutrients and protein can lead to this problem.
• So lentils, seeds, fruits, vegetables, meat can be included in one’s diet to heal this problem.

Split ends is a cause of concern, especially among women. Split ends badly affect the quality of your hair and also do not look good. It is important that you get rid of split ends as soon as possible. Some of the causes for split ends are excessive combing, lack of conditioning, combing wet hair, deficiency of nutrients in the body, exposure of the hair to pollution and dust, using chemical colours on hair, etc.

In this article we are going to discuss some ayurvedic ways in which you can get rid of split ends:

Oiling Your Hair: It is very important that you oil your hair on a regular basis. You should oil your hair and leave the oil on your hair for 1 hour before you wash your hair. You can use coconut oil, almond oil or Bhringamalakadi taila. Just like you shampoo your hair, you will need to oil your hair frequently to keep it nourished and prevent split ends from developing.

Use a Wide Toothed Comb: You should use a wide toothed comb to detangle your hair. Using a wide toothed comb will prevent your hair from getting damaged any further. Small or sharp combs tangle the hair even more which makes it very difficult for you to detangle.

Use Herbal Based Shampoos: You should use mild shampoos which are herbal based as they will not damage your hair. Using shampoos which have ayurvedic ingredients will not only help repair your split ends but will also help in strengthening your hair. Prevent dying or using chemicals to colour your hair which causes more damage than good to the natural balance to your hair.

Diet: A big part of any ayurvedic treatment or remedy is diet. It is very important that you pay close attention to your diet if you want to get rid of split ends. You should include certain foods like spinach, egg, curry leaves, milk and amla in your diet. These foods not only help in repairing your split ends but also helps the body in many other ways.

We hope that this article will help you in repairing your split ends the ayurvedic way. Ayurveda is one of the best ways of healing and everyone benefits from it.

The condition where the hair grows backwards in a reverse direction is termed as an ingrown hair. As the name indicates, it is the inward growth of hair. Commonly, an ingrown hair is called as a ‘razor bump’. The skin becomes irritated due to the penetration of hair into the skin during its exit from the follicle. The hair may even curve backwards and then re-enter the skin. Re-entering of the hair into the skin is detected by the body as a foreign object.

An inflammatory reaction takes place in the affected area. The condition is specifically termed as a razor bump, since this inflammation takes place when a razor is used to shave off hair, which is due to a sharp edge left by the razor on the hair that enables it to penetrate into skin again.

The razor bumps are classified into two types –

1. Trans follicular: Hair exits the skin and then it may re-enter the skin. In this condition, the exposed hair is visible. This exposed hair should not be plucked out by self, as it may cause even deeper ingrown hair.
2. Extra follicular: in this condition, the hair reverses back into the skin, without exiting it. No visible hair is seen. Presenting symptoms of a razor burn is itchy skin, soreness of the affected part, bumps on the skin, pus formation, bleeding during shaving and mild pain on the affected site.

When a razor bump worsens, it can cause a condition termed as ‘sycosis barbae’. It causes swelling of the infected skin and large boils are formed. These boils may even discharge pus. Razor bumps can occur both in men and women. People with curly hair tend to be affected more by this condition. When it occurs in the beard area of men, it is specifically considered to be a razor bump. When it occurs in a women’s bikini line, it can be termed as folliculitis.

Treatment of razor bumps can be done by certain natural remedies that are easy to follow. According to the Ayurvedic science, following remedies are helpful in treating razor bumps:

1. Application of heat – Heat application by the means of a warm compress is a great remedy for treating a razor bump. A hygienic, clean warm cloth should be placed on the affected part of the skin for 15-20 seconds. This can be repeated 4-5 times during a single application. Heat application on the razor bump dilates the pore, opens it up and lets the entrapped hair come out. This relieves the problem of ingrown hair.

2. Use of an exfoliating scrub – An exfoliating scrub should be used to remove off the layer of dead cells from the skin. Natural products like papaya, oatmeal, walnut can be used for scrubbing the skin. It relieves inflammation and also cleans off the dead skin. Raw papaya can be ground and directly rubbed against the skin, which opens up the pores and lets the trapped hair out.

3. Aloe vera application – Aloevera application is beneficial for soothing the inflammation of skin. Fresh juice from the leaves of the plant can be directly applied on the skin. The razor burn is healed with 2-3 applications of Aloevera juice itself.

4. Use of neem leaves – Neem leaves are an excellent anti-inflammatory medication. Paste of fresh neem leaves should be made by grinding them and adding little water. This paste should be applied on the area with ingrown hair. Also, boiling neem leaves in water and washing the affected part with it also reduces inflammation. It also exerts a good anti-bacterial effect on the razor burn and aids quicker healing.

5. Use of baking soda – Baking soda is anti-inflammatory and helps in soothing the inflammatory reaction and irritation. Exfoliation of the area can be done with baking soda by rubbing it on the affected area with a cotton swab. This can be done 2-3 days times a day until the ingrown hair is removed.

6. Apple cider vinegar – It is a natural antiseptic agent. It is a very effective remedy for ingrown hair removal and is painless. The swelling around affected area is also relieved by application of apple cider vinegar. It is soaked on a cotton ball and applied directly to the ingrown hair and left on.

7. Peel of a potato – Peels of a potato have hydrating properties. They are also anti-inflammatory in nature and can be used for the removal of ingrown hair. Starch present in thepeels helps in pulling out of the ingrown hair.

More and more people are turning towards Ayurveda for their hair loss problem. Hair loss can be embarrassing and hamper one's self-esteem and confidence. When treated early hair loss can be reduced and even stopped completely.

Ayurvedic consideration:

Ayurveda believes that hair fall control is very much associated to the body type and also the stability of your mind body structure. Ayurveda considers the hair as a byproduct for bone formation. The tissues, which are responsible for formation of bones are also responsible for your hair growth. Hair fall is considered to be a problem of pitta dosha in Ayurveda and excess of Pitta dosha in the body is the chief cause of hair problems. Ayurvedic hair loss treatment measures are known for their effectiveness. Usually the Ayurvedic treatment for hair loss includes diet, meditation, yoga, and yes, we cannot forget medicated herbal oil massage. 

Ayurvedic Dietary Recommendations for Hair Loss Treatment:

As hair fall is considered a problem of pitta dosha, you need to identify the bad eating habits that are contributing to the increase of pitta in your body.

Pitta is increased by excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, meats and excessive smoking. Pitta is also aggravated by eating too much fried, oily, greasy, spicy, sour, and acidic foods.

Ayurvedic Herbs recommended for Hair Loss Treatment:

1. Bhringaraj: It is known as king of the hair, promotes hair growth on the head and effectively stops and reverses balding and premature graying. It helps to calm the mind promoting sound sleep. Bhringaraj (Eclipta prostrata) is taken internally and used externally as Bhringraj oil and is an excellent rejuvenator.

2. Brahmi: This hair pack is available in most Indian grocery stores and used with curd is an excellent hair pack.

3. Amla: Indian gooseberry is packed with Vitamin C and thus loaded with antioxidants. In powdered form it can be mixed with henna, brahmi powders along with curd to make a great hair pack.

4. Neem: This is a natural remedy against dandruff and lice and also has blood purifying abilities. Use in powdered form with coconut oil or curd to massage scalp.

5. Ritha: These are natural soap nuts that are used for cleaning hair without stripping off the natural oils. Use in powdered form to massage scalp and wash off thoroughly.

6. Ashwagandha: Weak immune system is one of the factors for hair loss. Ashwagandha makes you feel energized and healthier. It stops stress, increases vigor and helps regrow lost hair.