Ayurveda and Hair Care

In Ayurveda, each person has dominant individual characteristics that combine into general physical and psychological types called doshas. The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha, and while each person has a dominant type (or sometimes a mix of two dominant types) everyone possesses elements of each that Ayurveda seeks to keep in balance in order to maintain optimal health. Specific health conditions and recommended remedies are intricately linked to imbalances in doshas—including those having to do with hair type and hair disorders.^{62, 174}

Those with pitta doshas are more likely to have thin hair, while vata doshas often have dry and coarse hair. In comparison, kapha doshas have soft and thick hair. Pitta types are prone to balding, but both excess vata and pitta causes hair to shed (conditions referred to as Indralupta, Rujya, and Khalitya). Inflammatory scalp conditions (referred to as Arunshika) associated with hair loss are caused by kapha excesses.¹⁷⁴

Choose natural herbal hair products suitable to your dosha type. In general, for all dosha types massaging the hair and scalp with an herbal hair rinse is recommended for washing and conditioning the hair, rather than using synthetic shampoo, conditioners, and hair products which often contain harsh chemicals. Rinses are easily made by boiling the herb or botanical in water and letting it cool before using.⁶²

Some rinses that may promote hair growth include:⁶²

Additionally, according to Ayurveda only cool to room-temperature water should be used to prevent hair loss.⁶²