Healthy and lustrous hair is the most appealing physical appearance of a person. Large number of people consider well maintained hair is an expression of personality.
Hair care plays a significant role in growth, nourishment and maintenance of the hair. Most of the classic literatures explains the methods followed in olden days for hair care. Ayurveda explains natural ways to nourish and protect our hair and scalp.
Hair care starts with prakruthi assessment, knowing the nature of the hair and its condition. Ayurveda explains Hair as the upadathu of majja and the mala of asthi Dhatu. Healthy hair strands will be well nourished, soft, graceful, firm and with multiple roots. The imbalance of tridoshas creates ill health related to digestive, endocrine, skeletal systems which depend on each person’s prakruthi causing hair issues.
Common hair related issues are hair loss, dandruff, scalp infection, baldness, premature greying of hair, dry, damaged, rough hair, adverse effects caused by chemical products.
Causes for damaged hair :
- Nutrition Deficiency
- Stress and over thinking
- Hormonal imbalance
- Scalp infection
- Unhealthy lifestyle
- Environmental or occupational factors
- Chemical styling
- Age
- Genetic factors
- Medicine or radiation induced
Ayurvedic hair care is an integral approach of a person’s overall health, including cleansing the body, maintaining the agni and then rejuvenating the systems, not just beauty therapy.
In general hair care includes,
- Massaging the hair with medicated oil like Neelibringadi keram, Kanjunnyadi tailam, Prapundareekadi taialm, Triphaladi Keram etc. Which can be selected according to the body nature, under the guidance of Ayurveda physician.
- Cleanse the hair and scalp with herbal choornams or shampoo having the ingredients like reetha, shikakai, matura tea tree, hibiscus etc.
- Ph balancing and conditioning with kashaya Dhara
- Herbal fumigations to avoid infections with Neem, deodar, vacha, Gandhaka, vidanga etc.
- Body cleansing procedures like virechana, vasti to pacify vitiated pitta and vata.
- Internal medications helps to strengthen the follicles and normalise internal cause.
- Balanced diet – Include spinach, avacaodo, egg, balck seaseme seeds, dry nuts, goose berry, grapes, salmon, yogurt etc. In daily diet.
- Exfoliate the scalp to remove dead cells
- Moisturize and Protect the hair and scalp .
By using warm coconut oil, badam oil, beleric seed oil, packs which includes aloevera, curd, egg, methi etc. Can be used for moisturize the hair and scalp. Cover hair while sleeping or when exposing to excess wind and dust to main the moist.
- Consider the health condition.
Rule out if there is any non diagnosed health issues and start proper treatments to rectify the root cause.
- Ayurveda clinical therapies like shiro abhyanga, Nasya, Prachhana, utkleshana,Takradhara, Taila dhara, Thala pothichil, Pichu, etc can be done depending on the condition.
Healthy Regime
- Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water
- Intake Vitamin and mineral Supplements
- Exercise
- Sleep at proper time
- Avoid unnecessary tensions
- Trim hair once in two months
Avoid
- Excessive exposure to wind, dust and heat
- Day sleep and awakening at nights
- Excess spice, tamarind and oily food
- Use of chemical products and treatments for instant results.
- Daily hair wash
- Smoking and alcohol intake
Dr. Raseena Sulaiman, B.A.M.S
Centre Head -Vijayawada
Travancore Ayurveda
