Can Ayurveda treat Alopecia that Will Smith’s wife is suffering from

Hair fall and hair loss are not extreme until you get to know about the condition called Alopecia. It stands for major hair loss that can be caused by different reasons, including damage to the hair shaft or follicles and fungal infection.

After the Oscar 2022 controversy between Will Smith and Chris Rock, the netizens are divided. On the other hand, many are trying to educate themselves about the rather unfortunate condition Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from.

To help raise awareness around alopecia and its causes, Ayurveda coach Dimple Jangda shared a detailed video on this subject, on her social media page. In her video, Jangda explains the factors that this condition is triggered by along with Ayurveda practices that can help combat it.

Extreme hair fall may be caused due to many reasons! Image courtesy; Shutterstock

According to Dimple Jangda, some other trigger factors that cause alopecia are:

1. Ageing
2. Genetic factors
3. Environmental factors
4. Medicine
5. Long term illness
6. Nutritional deficiency
7. Thyroid dysfunction
8. Extreme stress
9. Exposure to chemicals
10. Pregnancy
11. Local skin disease
12. Fungal infections
13. Vaccines

Here are some Ayurveda practices that help in the management of Alopecia:

Pitta management

Dr Jangda advises to opt for Pitta pacification diet charts and pitta decreasing Ayurvedic medication. This therapy removes the toxins from the biological system through effective herbs.

Ayurvedic Oil Application

Jasminum grandiflorum commonly known as jasmine flowers induced medicated herbal hair oil is highly effective for baldness.

Panchkarma Therapy

Panchkarma therapy helps to cleanse the body. Specific suggestions of panchakarma therapy are Shirodhara (head massage with medicated oil) and ksheera basti, which includes medicated enema.

Nasya

This therapy is characterized by the intake of Ayurvedic medications through your nasal cavity which then eliminates the impurities from there. It is a very effective therapy for treating the signs of alopecia.

‘Nasya’ is a part of Panchakarma, which helps to clear the head region of the body. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Ayurvedic diet

Diet is considered as an essential for treating Aopecia. Certain food items must be included in the diet. These are:

• Food with astringent properties
• Lentils, leafy green vegetables, and pulses
• Herbal teas like licorice tea and peppermint tea
• Seeds and nuts like soaked almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds
• Soybeans, milk, buttermilk , fresh juices

Yoga and medications

Inverted asana helps in stimulation of blood flow to the head. Vajrasana, Sarvangasana, Bhujangasana (cobra pose, Kapalabhati ( frontal lobe cleaning technique), Pranayama are the most effective yoga poses in eliminating the effects of alopecia.

Keep your focus strong while performing Kapalbhati. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Ayurvedic herbs and medicated oil

Bhringaraaja, Brahmi, amla, neem, reetha, and ashwagandha, coconut oil, Brahmi oil, mustard oil, amla oil are useful to control hair fall.

Raktamokshan (bloodletting)

This process is done on the affected area in early stages using leeches or sterilized needles to release the blood containing the fungal infection. However, the expert warns that this should be done only in an Ayurvedic clinic by a doctor.