10 Ayurvedic remedies to deal with male pattern baldness

Well, there is plenty of good news for those who have been trying to wage a hopeless battle against time in trying to save the last remaining strands of hair, as fears of male pattern baldness give you sleepless nights. Did you know, according to Ayurveda, people with excess pitta dosha (fire and air element), maybe more prone to male pattern baldness than others?

A basic dosha-specific care routine; taking some time out for the right cleanses; changes in diet and mindful changes to lifestyle can go a long way in correcting dosha imbalances that are at the root of your hair loss problem. To know your dosha constitution and zero in on the specific doshas that need to be managed, you can consult senior Ayurveda practitioners here, who can provide you a detailed blueprint of your current health status, along with personalized guidelines on the lifestyle, diet, and activities that suit your constitution and more importantly those that don’t.

But before that let us understand what androgenetic alopecia, commonly called male pattern baldness is.

The hair root right below the surface of the skin is covered in what is called a hair follicle, and base of the hair follicle is the dermal papilla that contains receptors for male hormones, including androgens, that play a key role in the development of male characteristics. Follicles also receive all the nourishment from the related blood veins. Irregularity of androgens is powerful enough that in people who have a genetic predisposition for male pattern baldness, the sluggish flow of androgens can shrink the hair follicle size and make the hair finer and easy to break.

How much hair loss is too much hair loss?

Each follicle grows and sheds a strand, with the growth that lasts for 2-3 years before the hair falls off, as the follicles enter a resting period, before beginning a new cycle. An average Joe sheds about 75 hair strands every day as a similar number of follicles enters their growth phase. So losing 75 to 100 strands a day is quite normal and there is not much to worry about here. But people with the hair loss problem, have follicles spending less time in their growth phase and as a result, the quality of the hair shaft is thin and prone to damage and breakage. These follicles are also tinnier, by the impact of hormonal changes.

Causes

Male pattern baldness can occur due to diseases like plugged or damaged follicles or due to conditions like hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or as a side effect of medications containing beta-blockers.

(Also Read: Stress can cause hair to gray rapidly. Here’s what you can do to stop it)

Ayurvedic remedies for male pattern baldness

According to one of the oldest healing sciences, Ayurveda, excess of tejas (a byproduct of pitta or fire element) can lead to weak roots and hair follicles. Ayurveda considers hair to be part of asti dhatu or (bone tissues).

Ayurveda also mentions people with a serious imbalance of pitta or excess pitta dosha, are likely to have hair thinning and hair loss issues in their early years. A complete Ayurvedic treatment to douse excess pitta in the system, so they flow in their respective regions in balance, can help you manage the tendency of hair loss too. Ayurveda recommends a combination of herbs, diet, cleanses, detoxes, and mind-body practices including meditation, and breathing, and yoga to tame excess pitta dosha.

(Also read: Signs of Pitta)

• As part of the panchakarma treatment, the patients are administered purgation therapy or vamana followed by nasya or nasal inhalation therapy to remove the ama or toxins along with pitta deposits from the body. Inhalation therapy with herbal formulations can help reduce hair loss and also stop graying of hair.
• Ayurveda also recommends the use of hair masks made from amala or gooseberry, Alexandrian Laurel or Kinjalka, parts of butter tree and honey that promote hair growth and restore natural color.
• Aloe vera juice is also good for reducing pitta and improving hair growth. Aloe contains fatty acids, Vitamin A, B12, C and E, that promote goof growth of the follicles. The enzymes present in it help break down fats and help remove excess sebum.

• A scalp massage with pitta pacifying oils like Shankara’s Scalp and Hair Oil, which is specifically designed to moisturize dry and damaged hair, and to give you shinier, healthier, and luxurious locks. The oil is safe to use on colored hair; it penetrates the hair shaft deeply to nourish and hydrate.

This oil is made using the enriching goodness of sesame oil; avocado oil; jojoba oil; Vitamin E Tocopherol; amla extract; essential oil of sandalwood; Saraswati Churna extract; Gotu Kola extract; bringraj extract; essential oils of lavender, clary sage, coriander, rosemary, and cedarwood.

• Having white sesame seeds and curd is also a good remedy to have strong hair follicles.
• Look at your diet: Your food should have sufficient minerals including vitamins (A,D3 and biotin), zinc, folic acid and iron, protein, and antioxidants that support hair growth and maintain the health of hair follicles. Vitamin A not only supports good hair growth, but it also aids the skin glands in producing sebum that maintains the moisture in the scalp. Vitamin C helps produce collagen that helps in making the scalp healthy. Biotin is non-negotiable for robust hair follicles.
• Vitamin E: Research has shown, people reported significant hair growth after consuming Vitamin E for about a year, naturally found in sunflower seeds, avocado and almonds among other foods.
• Dealing with stress or trauma: A condition where you could face excessive hair fall in spurts due to a highly stressful or traumatic shock is called Telogen Effluvium. Here’s what you can do for a healthy thriving physical self and a stress-free mind.
• Dealing with dryness: Excessively dry scalp and hair is followed by hair breakage as the hair shafts become weak, dry, and brittle. Anything you do to reduce the dryness of hair and hydrate it sufficiently will help you contain hair breakage, when it is caused by drying factors like overusing heating styling products, zero moisturizing, and conditioning of the scalp, dry weather among other things.
• Improper towel use: Rubbing your hair violently with a towel immediately after a shower could feel refreshing but can actually lead to hair damage. This is because wet hair is more prone to breakage. So lightly tying a wet towel around the hair to absorb the water can help.