6 Ayurveda Hair Care
KESHA - THE AYURVEDIC CONCEPT OF HAIR
The science of Ayurveda has described in depth about how hair is formed in the human body, its growth and nutrition thousands of years ago in a text called Charaka Samhita Suthrastana, written by Acharya Charaka. Sushruta has also explained the same in detail in his text ‘Sushruta Samhita’.
The Ayurvedic term for hair in Sanskrit is ‘Kesha’. It says that prithvi (earth) and akasha (ether / space) elements are responsible for the formation of hair. ‘Keshaposhana’ is the Ayurvedic term that refers to nutrition for the hair. It explains how the food that is ingested nourishes not only at bodily level, but also at tissue and cellular level. In the text Charaka Samhitha Suthrastana, Acharya Charaka has given a detailed explanation on how hair is formed. He says that food digested is converted into a nutritional fluid called ‘आहर रस:’(Aahaara Rasah), basically food digested into a fluid form and then assimilated. This आहर रस: further splits into ‘सार भागः’ (Saara Bhagah), which is the essence / energy or nutrition from food and ‘किट्ट’ (kittah) or excretion. It is this excretion that gets converted into urine, sweat and hair follicles. Sushruta has also mentioned a similar process of hair follicle formation, where kesha forms the end part of the tubular vessel / nerve / canal (धमनि) (dhamani) attached to रोमकूप (romakupa) or the skin pore in which the hair follicle grows.
Most of the diseases related to hair can be grouped into
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Khalithya - gradual thinning / hair fall - due to vitiated vata and pitta dosha
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Indralupta - sudden hair loss - due to vitiated vata and pitta dosha
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Palitya - greying - due to vitiated pitta
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Permanent hair loss - vitiated kapha
Gunja, one of the herbs used in Amritha varshini has vata pitta calming property and thus is very useful to check gradual as well as sudden thinning of hair.
Keshya Herbs
Hair, like other parts of the body, hair requires nutrition to grow. Without nutrition, hair follicles die which is the main cause of balding. Ayurveda contains information on herbs that are particularly beneficial to hair and scalp health, called ‘Keshya Herbs’. Keshya is the term used to describe drugs that nourish the health of hair and maintain its colour. Bhringaraja, a key ingredient of Amritha Varshini hair oil is one such ingredient. The property (called dravya in Sanskrit) of a keshya herb increases the length and maintains the natural colour of the hair.
Ayurveda splits the property of keshya drugs into two - keshavardhana, which stimulates hair growth and strengthens the roots by providing nutrition to the hair follicles; and keshyaranjana, where the drug action prevents greying of hair. Keshavardhana drugs balance the vata and kapha elements when in imbalance, blocking nutrition from reaching the hair follicles, causing hair loss. On the other hand, keshyaranjana herbs calm vitiated pitta element which causes premature greying of hair, thus maintaining the colour.
Let’s look at Bhringaraj as an example of keshya herb used in Amritha Varshini hair oil. Bhringaraj contains vitamin E, which fights free radicals and improves circulation, thus promoting hair growth. Bhringaraj oil is scientifically proven to increase the number of hair follicles on the scalp and has antifungal, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a very effective solution for dandruff, scalp psoriasis and other scalp issues. This herb also nurtures pigment cells and prevents premature graying of hair. Studies show that Bhringaraj oil is more effective than minoxidil to prevent hair loss.
Here is a gist of all the keshya herbs used in Amritha Varshini Hair oil and their capacity to pacify doshas:
