Ayurveda offers specific treatments such as panchakarma therapy, natural oils, shampoos and choornams for alopecia. ferent skin areas with hair loss and re-growth in the same body at the same time. It may also go into remission for a while, or permanently. The area of hair loss may tingle or be mildly painful. The hair tends to fall out over a short period of time, with the loss commonly occurring more on one side of the scalp than the other. How and Why Alopecia areata is not communicable and contagious. It occurs more frequently in people who have affected family members, suggesting that heredity may be a factor. In addition, it is slightly more likely to occur in people who have relatives with autoimmune diseases. An unknown environmental trigger such as emotional stress combined with hereditary factors is believed to be the cause of this condition. One diagnostic technique applied by medical professionals is to gently tug at a handful of hair along the edge of a patch. In healthy hair, no hair should fall out. In cases of alopecia areata hair will tend to pull out easier along the edge of the patch where the follicles are already being attacked by the body’s immune system than away from the patch where they are still healthy. Ayurveda view: Hair follicle contains an element called Bhrajak Pitha, one among the five types of Pitha. When Pitha present at the root of the hair increases, in association with Vata, it results in the falling of hair. Kapha and Rakta then together block the follicles of hair by not allowing fresh ones to grow. Three terms are used to describe
Types of Alopecia
T
he most common type of alopecia areata involves hair loss in one or more round spots on the scalp. Diffuse Alopacia areata is a situation where hair may be lost more diffusely over the whole scalp. In Alopecia areata monolocularis, baldness occurs in only one spot. It may occur anywhere on the head. Alopecia areata multiloculariss refers to multiple areas of hair loss. The disease may be limited only to the beard, in which case it is called Alopecia areata barbae. If the patient loses all the hair on his/her scalp, the disease is then called Alopecia areata totalis. If all body hair, including pubic hair, is lost, it is diagnosed as Alopecia areata universalis. Alopecia areata totalis and universalis are rare. the symptom of hair loss—indralupta, khalitya and ruhya. According to Sage Vagabhata, when hair falls suddenly and in a ring shape it is known as indralupta while khalitya is a long continuous process of hair fall. It is also believed that indralupta affects beard, khalitya affects the scalp and ruhya affects the entire body. Treatment Ayurveda recommends special oils made from specific natural ingredients which are good for the scalp and hair. Malathyadi thailam: Apply the Malathyadi thailam, an ayurveda hair oil on the scalp, massage gently, keep it for 20 minutes, and wash. The main ingredient in malathyadi thailam is Jasminum gradifloeum. The juice of the leaves is used for the preparation of the thailam. Hibiscus shampoo: Use natural shampoo made from Hibiscus’ flowers or leaves. Take 3-4 flowers or 5-6 leaves of hibiscus and boil it in a bowl with little water. Let it cool, then squeeze the juice and use
as shampoo. Hasti dantha mashi: This is a burned fine powder of elephant teeth. It has to be applied over the affected area with the juice of Elcipta alba. Intake of Mandura bhasma, Loha Bhasma, navayasa choorna and Amalaki rasayana is also an effective treatment for alopacea A combination of eclipta alba choornam and amalaki churnam is also found effective. Panchakarma therapy Panchakarma therapies such as Nasyam (administration of medicines through the nose) with anu thailam; blood letting and Ksheera vasti, which is medicated enema therapy using herbal decoction, milk and ghee are also effective in treating alopecia. The writer is Senior consultant physician, AVN Arogya Ayurvedic Clinic, Kochi. He can be contacted at drdevidasan@avnarogya.in 67