Your hair-care guide: Ayurveda
- ArujAyur
- Apr 2, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 31
Ayurveda sees hair fall as a symptom of various disturbances occurring in your body so, while treating hair fall, it is necessary to take into account the imbalances of Doshas (Three Bio-energies), as well as Dhatus (Various body tissues).
According to Ayurveda, the hair is a byproduct of the bone tissue, as are the nails and teeth, making all of these tissues intimately connected. The hair is also linked to the nervous system and the gut, so if the health of any of these tissues deteriorates, the hair is likely to be affected.
Ayurveda aims at managing the root cause of hair fall with the help of pacifying therapy & purification therapies along with dietary and lifestyle modifications.
Good hair and scalp health is easier with Ayurveda.
Like a good skin care regime, having a good hair care regime can help improve your hair growth, reduce hair fall and improve shine, density, luster and thickness.
Know Your Hair Type
According to Ayurveda, the three vital energies Vata, Pitta and Kapha regulate our bodily activities. Each individual is a combination of these Tridoshas, with one or two doshas in dominance. This determines your hair type and hair health.
Ayurveda, there are mainly three types of body types—Vata, Pitta & Kapha. The doshas are described as biological energies found throughout the human body and mind. They govern the physical and mental processes and provide every living being with an individual blueprint for health and fulfilment.
Vata Hair Type
You will have a Vata hair type if you have Vata-dominant Prakruti. Proper nutrition to your hair follicles keeps Vata Dosha in balance. A normal Vata hair type tends to be thin, straight hair with higher porosity.
When Vata Dosha aggravates in your body, it causes dryness of your scalp and hair with very low sebum production. This eventually results in dry and frizzy hair, split ends and hair loss.
Pitta Hair Type
You will have a Pitta hair type if you have Pitta dominant Prakruti. Pitta is responsible for metabolic activity in hair, regulates the production of pigments and hair proteins.
A healthy Pitta hair tends to be wavy with a medium thickness. Premature greying, clogged follicles with bacteria build-up, scalp inflammation, redness, hair loss, etc. are caused when Pitta is imbalanced.
Kapha Hair Type
You will have a Kapha hair type if you have Kapha dominant Prakruti. Kapha energy is responsible for your hair structure and its lubrication. A healthy Kapha hair is thick, lustrous, and curly.
Any imbalance in Kapha results in overproduction of sebum on your scalp, which eventually leads to oily dandruff with a greasy scalp, itching, hair fall, etc.
Understanding your hair type and ongoing state of your Dosha levels helps you involve specific Ayurvedic herbs in your hair care routine that target your unique hair needs.
Choose Hair Oil And Shampoo Based On Your Hair Type
Make sure your fundamental hair products, i.e your hair oil and shampoo, contain Ayurvedic herbs that work on your aggravated Dosha levels. Choosing wrong hair products may worsen your hair condition and cause an imbalance in your doshas.
Here is the list of few Dosha-specific herbs that you can seek in your hair care products:
Vata-Pacifying Herbs
Palandu (onion)
Gunja (Rosepea)
Yashtimadhu (Licorice)
Devdar (Cedar)
Krishna Tila (black sesame)
Saireyaka (Barleria Prionitis)
Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera)
Shatavari (Asparagus Racemosus)
Pitta-Pacifying Herbs
Yashtimadhu (Licorice)
Japa (Hibiscus)
Kamala (Nelumbo Nucifera)
Nimba (Neem)
Lodhra (Symplocos Racemosa)
Karanja (Pongamia Pinnata)
Kapha Pacifying Herbs
Gunja (Rosepea)
Grapeseed
Kushta (Saussurea Costus)
Methika (Fenugreek)
Karpoora (Camphor)
Jyothishmati (Celastrus Paniculatus)
Daruharidra (Berberis Aristata)
Tridosha Haras (Herbs To Pacify All Three Doshas)
Kumari (Aloe Vera)
Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri)
Bhringraj (Eclipta Alba)
Amalaki (Indian Gooseberry)
Tagara (Valerian root)
Natural hair pre-conditioning and Hair Masks
Oiling works as a pre-conditioning which is way safer than using chemical based conditioners.
“According to Ayurveda, your scalp consists of various vital points called ‘Marmas’. Oiling your scalp and hair is the rejuvenation tool to extricate any excess or aggravated doshas accumulated in your head through Marmas.
A regular scalp and hair massage with Dosha-specific Ayurvedic oils promote healthy, strong and lustrous hair growth with their nourishing, root-strengthening and conditioning properties of herbs.
Ayurveda recommends oiling your hair 2-3 times a week. You can also fix your frequency of oiling based on your hair type. Kapha hair type can be oiled with less frequency whereas the Vata hair type needs more oiling than Pitta and Kapha types.
Traditional Ayurvedic practices involve oiling your hair at least 40 minutes before your hair wash.
Applying “Hair Masks” once a week or fortnight to nourish and deeply condition your scalp and hair to keep your scalp and hair in good health. You can use herbs like Triphala, henna, Yogurt, and oil combinations.
Take a note
Never leave oil over the scalp overnight. This can result in blocked hair root follicles and prevents further nourishment to the hair. Some people may also experience a cold and runny nose and or a sore throat.
Procedure to massage your hair with oil
Apply warm oil across your scalp
Massage the scalp, along the length of hair and cover the entire scalp, massage gently in circular motion
Circular massage stimulates the blood circulation and enhances the oil absorption into deep layers of your scalp. You can also use coconut oil, castor oil, almond oil, olive oil, etc. to massage your scalp and hair regularly (oil type depends on the nature of scalp
Apply some oil from your hair roots to tips by giving a gentle massage.
Applying natural hair masks once in a week or fortnight helps nourish and deeply condition your scalp and hair.
You can use herbs like Triphala, henna, Yogurt, and oil combinations
Wash Your Hair Regularly
Your scalp follicles get clogged with the unwanted build-up of excess oils, dirt and grime, which you need to cleanse out through regular hair wash with Ayurvedic shampoos.
Besides Ayurvedic shampoos with herbs that are specific to your Dosha imbalance, you can also opt for natural hair cleansing herbs like
Reetha (Soapnut)
Shikakai (Soap pod)
Hibiscus flower
Triphala powder
Ayurveda recommends you wash your hair twice or thrice in a week with a gentle massage using normal or lukewarm water during your hair wash.
How to Comb?
Combing is one of the effective ways to enhance blood circulation on your scalp.
It helps in detangling your hair and spreading your scalp’s natural oils evenly over your hair strands.
But, vigorous combing can damage your hair by stretching it and this may lead to hair breakage and split ends.
Ayurveda suggests you comb your hair once or twice gently using a wooden blunt-toothed comb
(Don't use wooden comb on wet hair, as it can damage the comb)
Take a note
A neem wood comb works best if you have dandruff
Regular trimming
Broken hair with split ends gives a thin and rough look to your hair tips. You can avoid this by getting rid of split ends through regular trimming.
Ensure you eliminate your split ends by trimming your hair every 8-12 weeks.
AVOID
Environmental pollution, UV radiation, Chemical treatments can damage your hair follicles by tampering with your scalp’s natural oils. It also makes your hair brittle and dull. So avoid the following: -
Chemical Products
The harsh chemicals used in hair products may change your scalp pH while they can strip off the natural oils from your scalp and protein layers from your hair. Switch to Ayurvedic products with natural herbal ingredients to attain holistic hair health without unwanted risks.
Heat Styling
Overuse of heat styling tools like blow-dryers , straightening or curling irons, etc. leave your hair moisture-less over time, which may lead to serious damage to your hair.
It spikes up Vata Dosha causing dryness, breakage, split ends and hair fall.
Excessive intake of alcohol and cigarettes may worsen your condition causing severe hair loss.
Smoking & Alcohol
Cigarette smoke contains all the main class pollutants which are 150 times higher than air pollution.
Make sure you wear a cap or scarf to protect your hair when you go outside or swim in chlorinated water.
Nutrition for hair
A balanced nutritional diet is one of the predominant factors which keep your doshas in balance, and thus, your hair in good health.
Besides choosing your foods based on your Prakruti, make sure your foods include essential nutrients for hair growth like Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, and minerals such as iron, zinc, etc. along with protein.
Include Pitta (digestive fire)-improving herbs in your regular diet.
Consuming Triphala Choorna, Hing (asafoetida) and seasonal fruits (especially rich in Vit.C) can enhance your digestion capacity and immunity, irrespective of age group and dosha type.
Role of Exercising regularly
According to Ayurveda, the toxins (Ama) need to be flushed out of your body for the growth of healthy hair.
Regular exercise is the key to detoxing your body through sweating.
Sweating from scalp tissues unclogs your hair follicles.
Exercise also enhances the blood flow, thus supporting the nutritional and oxygen intake in your scalp tissues.
Ayurveda recommends the everyday practice of yoga, meditation and pranayama to keep your body, mind, and soul in balance.
Ayurvedic Cleanse
Ayurvedic science works on the principle of detoxing, rejuvenating, and balancing your bodily energies.
Besides everyday hair care practices at home, you can take some time once in a month for a cleanse.
Ayurveda involves deep purification and nourishment practices like Virechana, Nasya, etc
Besides purifying your blood by balancing your doshas and facilitating healthy hair re-growth, these therapies bring calmness and relaxation to your mind and body.
Ayurvedic Consultation
To get a better perspective of your hair type and the Herbs that are best suited for your Hair-Type, cleanse program consult Dr.Dharna an experienced Ayurvedic physician who is also a certified Nutrition consultant who helps customize your Ayurvedic hair care regimen to treat your hair fall by evaluating your dosha levels.
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