Does your bathroom floor look like the floor of a salon? Are you horrified every time you comb your hair because most of it seems to be in your comb rather than on your head?! If you are, don’t stress. 

Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old holistic healing science recommends prevention through a healthy lifestyle. And Ayurveda has solutions for hair loss!

Causes of hair loss

Here are some common causes of hair loss: 

• Poor nutrition
• An erratic lifestyle; late nights and inadequate rest
• Environmental factors like pollution 
• Stress and anxiety
• Imbalances like seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff) or psoriasis

The Ayurvedic concept of hair quality 

According to Ayurveda, the quality of hair (and nails) is a by-product of the quality of bone tissue. Weak bones result in hair loss. Add foods like leafy greens, dairy, nuts, and seeds such as sesame seeds to your diet. Nourishing your bones through diet, yoga, and exercise helps hair quality. 

The five elements of earth, water, air, fire, and ether form doshas or functional energies. Vata (when ether and air dominate) is the energy of movement. Pitta (when fire and water dominate) is the energy of transformation and Kapha (when water and earth dominate) is the energy of cohesion. 
Our Ayurvedic constitution is a combination of these doshas. Hair texture depends on your constitution. Imbalances in the doshas can impact your hair quality. We are prone to Vata imbalances as we age, and especially during the fall and early winter in the US. This explains why we need to take better care of our hair as we age. 

Here is a breakdown of hair qualities by dosha:

Vata’s hair is generally thin, straight, and silky. It can become dry, frizzy, and brittle, develop split ends, and be prone to hair loss. 
Pitta’s hair is soft, and thin, and can be lighter colored. It is prone to thinning, scaling, and premature graying. 
Kapha's hair is thick, oily, and lustrous. An imbalance can lead to excess oil and sticky, lifeless, and dull hair. Hair follicles can get blocked, leading to hair loss. 

8 Ayurvedic solutions for hair loss 

1. A personalized regimen 

A balance in doshas can help you with your hair woes. Assess your hair type, and follow a personalized regimen. If you’re vata, massage your hair with lukewarm oil, and wash it less often. If you’re pitta, you can wash your hair more often, but don’t use water that is too warm. If you’re kapha, you can wash your hair almost daily. It needs infrequent, little, or light, lukewarm oil. 

2. Hair oils 

Hair oils like brahmi, bringaraj, amalaki, and coconut oils are good for hair growth. Massage your hair and scalp with your fingertips. This improves circulation, and there are therapeutic oils for conditions like dandruff. A weekly hair oil massage generally improves healthy hair. Leave the oil on for an hour before washing it. Avoid this practice if you have sinusitis. 

3. Herbal shampoos 

Use natural hair cleansers, and avoid harsh chemicals (phthalates, PEG, dimethicone, parabens, triclosan). You can prepare your own. Aloe vera is a cooling cleanser that helps with redness and itching. Use hibiscus paste, amlaki paste, or chickpea flour to wash your hair. Mix in triphala or licorice for nourishment. 
You could even wash your hair with buttermilk once a week. Onion juice also nourishes the hair, promoting hair growth and moisturizing the scalp. But you will need to follow up with a more fragrant shampoo! 
Shikakai is a great cleansing herb for the hair that removes excess oil. For dry, frizzy hair, mix in amla, hibiscus, and reetha (a soap nut). Avoid brushing wet hair. Try to avoid chemical straightening and permanent hair dyes; they have other risks. 

4. Therapies  

Ayurvedic therapies are nourishing and can prevent hair loss. Try an Ayurvedic hair massage. Shirodhara involves pouring warm oil on the scalp. Marma and shirolepa (applying hair packs) can help. An Ayurvedic professional can guide you on what therapy would work for you. 

Try some DIY herbal packs

• Soak fenugreek seeds overnight in boiled rice water. Then grind the seeds into a paste. You can also mix in some yogurt. Apply this to your scalp, and wash it off. 
• Apply a paste of chickpea flour, lemon, and tender coconut water.
• Apply a paste of walnuts and amalaki mixed in with water or yogurt. 

5. Herbs 

Herbs like brahmi, amruth, bhringaraj, amalaki, yashtimadhu, and triphala are helpful. Do consult an Ayurvedic professional before taking them. Aloe vera, curry leaves, hibiscus, licorice, coconut, and sesame oil nourish the scalp. You could eat or apply these. 

6. An Ayurvedic assessment  

You can see an Ayurvedic professional to get a personalized assessment and protocol for imbalances. This would address conditions like dandruff as well. Therapeutic detoxification like Panchakarma may be recommended. 

7. A healthier lifestyle and diet 

Ayurveda advocates three pillars of health. These include a balanced lifestyle, sleep, and nourishing food. 

It would also be good to have your doctor check to make sure you’re not anemic. 
Read more about Ayurvedic principles of nutrition here. 

8. Stress reduction 

Breathwork, yoga, and meditation help with reducing stress and enhancing well-being. Add them into your daily routine, and make time for hobbies and unwinding. Volunteering is a great way to reduce stress and improve health as well! 

Finding balance through breathing and meditation

Ayurveda encourages meditating for better health! SKY Breath Meditation helps you de-stress and improves immunity. I am happy to invite you to a FREE meditation and breath online session to get a taste of SKY. Click on the image below to pick a day and time that works for you.

Written with input from Dr. Sharika Menon, Ayurvaidya.