You have to admit, an unkempt mass of hair replete with dry strands and knotty snags is simply not appealing to look at. Reasons for this appearance can be chemical-based shampoos, pollution, and poor water quality, among others. Poor hair growth and hair fall are common problems faced by many. If you are afflicted with something similar, perhaps it is about time that you revisit your roots.

Ayurveda has many solutions for hair care that can help restore your hair growth and volume. Here we suggest a few herbs for hair growth and thickness that often feature in Ayurvedic treatments for dry and damaged hair. These Ayurvedic treatments for hair loss and hair growth are extremely simple and effective. Read on to discover what you can take away from this article discussing Ayurveda for hair care.

Ayurvedic tips for hair thickness

Everyone desires to sway a mane of strong, lustrous, bountiful, and healthy hair. Thick hair is a widely recognized sign of beauty apart from being an indicator of robust inner health. Hair rich in its natural color displays youthful splendor. However, repetitive usage of chemicals while washing, conditioning, and styling, damages your hair from the roots to the tips. Chemical procedures and treatments are culpable for damaging hair cuticles as well as the scalp; making your hair drier, brittle, and prone to premature graying.

Here's where you should follow Ayurveda for the treatment of dry and damaged hair. Read on to find out common Ayurvedic remedies for hair loss, along with those responsible for hair growth and why you should adopt an Ayurvedic hair care routine.

Choose Ayurvedic Shampoo and Hair Oil Depending On Your Hair Type:

Make sure that your hair products' fundamental constituents, including your shampoo and hair oil, contain Ayurvedic herbs that directly target your unbalanced "dosha" levels. Selecting the wrong hair products (especially chemical-laden synthetic ones) can worsen your hair's quality while causing massive fluctuations in your doshas.

Here's a list of certain dosha-specific herbs that you can discover in your Ayurvedic hair care products:

• Pitta type and Vata type of hair require sunflower oil or jojoba oil for a massaging at a minimum of three times every week. Head massages are ideally a late evening activity so that the oil can work its magic overnight to be washed with an Ayurvedic shampoo the next day. Using a hairdryer routinely damages the Pitta hair immensely, hence its use is not recommended

• Kapha type of hair requires oil massage every once or twice a week, just some hours before a daily bath. Even cooking oils can be used to massage Kapha hair types. Although sunflower oil is the most commonly used, Kapha hair type benefits from the use of aloe vera and neem as well.

Given below is a detailed list of common herbs specific as a remedy to each hair type:

A. Vata-Regulating Herbs

Palandu (onion), Lodhra (Symplocos), Yashtimadhu (Licorice), Manjeestha (Rubia cordifolia), Gunja (Rosepea), Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) Nagarmotha (Cyperus scariosus), Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi), etc.

B. Pitta-Regulating Herbs

Brahmi (Bacopa monieri), Lodhra (Symplocos Racemosa), Kamala (Nelumbo Nucifera), Nimba (Neem), Karanja (Pongamia Pinnata),Gudhal (Hibiscus), etc.

C. Kapha Regulating Herbs

Gunja (Rosepea), Daruharidra (Berberis Aristata), Kushta (Saussurea Costus), Grapeseed, Karpoora (Camphor), Methika (Fenugreek), Jyotishmathi (Celastrus paniculatus), etc.

D. Tridosha Haras (Herbs that regulate all the three doshas)

Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri), Tagara (Valerian root), Bhringraj (Eclipta Alba), Amalaki (Indian Gooseberry), Kumari (Aloe Vera), etc.

As per Ayurveda's specialists, your scalp is composed of different energy-relieving centers which are known as ‘Marmas’. Regularly oiling your scalp and by extension, your hair is the ultimate tool for rejuvenation to extricate all aggravated or excess doshas accumulated in your head's marmas over a long period.

Besides rejuvenation, a regular scalp and hair massage with dosha-specific Ayurvedic oils can encourage the growth of healthy, strong, and shiny hair through their root-strengthening, nourishing, as well as conditioning properties of its constituent herbs.

Ayurveda suggests oiling your hair at least 2 to 3 times every week. You can adjust your oiling frequency depending upon your hair type. For instance, the Kapha can afford to be oiled a fewer number of times as compared to the Vata hair type that needs far more oiling than Kapha and Pitta types combined.

Traditional Ayurveda involves oiling of hair for at least 20 minutes before each hair wash. For improved results, massage your hair and scalp with warmed oil before going to bed; to wash it off the next day. This works as a splendid natural conditioning therapy for your hair and scalp.

Ayurvedic hair care during a typical hair wash regimen

According to Ayurveda's core teachings, always ensure to wash your hair with only lukewarm water. You can also choose to wash your hair with water at room temperature if the weather so permits. Never use scalding hot water for a hair wash, lest suffer lifeless hair and damaged roots thereafter; which can give rise to an itchy scalp and persistent dandruff. Ayurveda strictly prohibits the use of water at extreme temperatures (either too hot or too cold) to wash hair.

Furthermore, incessant use of harsh shampoos loaded with dangerous chemicals does its part in strangling the last breath of hair that your hair may have. Instead, choose trustworthy Ayurvedic products for healthy hair.

Washing your hair with a water-based concoction of amla, Kari Patta, and neem works wonders in bolstering hair growth while reducing hair fall as well as premature graying. Here's how you can go about it: for preparing an amla based hair wash solution, take nearly 20 grams of dried amla powder and boil it in about 2 liters of water for 5-10 minutes. The filtered water can be effectively used as a hair wash. Alternatively, if you do not want to go through the entire hassle of preparing an amla hair wash, you can try the ultimate Ayurvedic treatment, called

After washing your hair, do not comb it while wet or apply any hair gel.  

 You can also use a herbal henna-based hair mask to obtain a mask for shiny, conditioned hair.

Summing Up

By now, it has become abundantly clear that unhealthy hair is a reflection of an unhealthy lifestyle and bad dietary choices. Therefore, traditional Ayurvedic science entrusts us with the knowledge of the interdependence of hair health and our lifestyle, so that we may act upon it urgently.

Apart from topical treatments via medicinal herbs, Ayurveda also teaches us the concept of Ahara-Vihara (diet and lifestyle), that benefits the holistic well-being of our mind and body, not just our hair. Therefore, in today's times, adopting Ayurveda's holistic approach for consistent hair care has become even more important!