How to Establish the  Perfect Ayurvedic Hair Care Routine Steps?

Understanding Your Hair - What It Conveys? 

Both ancient and contemporary sciences have detailed a lot about hair. Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda mention observing physical changes in human hair as a diagnostic tool. Today, scientists are testing hair samples to understand micromineral and radioactive mineral concentrations, known as hair mineral analysis.

You must be cautious of certain aspects of your hair, as they can serve as a qualitative indicator of your daily health. Learn the following aspects of your hair from a healthcare professional before you jump into natural hair care with ayurveda. 

Know Your Hair Type - The protein bonds in each hair strand thread in a particular manner. Based on this, your hair could be either wavy, straight curly (hair has defined curls) or coily (hair has very tight curls or spirals). 

Know Your Hair Colour - The genes determine the hair colour through geographical location and familial heritage. The pigment melanin has two variations: eumelanin (dark shades) and pheomelanin (lighter shades) 

Know Your Hair Texture - Hair can be soft, rigid or frizzy. Soft hair is usually silky. Harsh may seem solid and sturdy to feel. Frizzy hair usually never flattens over your scalp. 

Know Your Hair Porosity - Have you ever wondered why that hair spa worked better for your friend but not for you? - it may be due to the difference in the hair porosity. Porosity means the capacity of your hair to absorb moisture or any products. 

How do you find out your hair porosity? Here's how. Drop a single hair strand into water. Wait for either of the below three to happen - 

1. It may float on top - Low porosity 
2. It may float in the middle - Medium porosity 
3. It may drop down to the bottom - High porosity 

And, how does knowing your hair porosity help? This is how….

If you have high porosity, leaving any chemical on your hair for longer may be harmful, so you shouldn't condition it too much. It is always best to go for herbal remedies if you have high porosity. 

Hair with medium porosity usually responds well to any treatment. The hair strands with low porosity need nourishment, and you must apply mild products. 

"A healthy scalp is the backbone of the wellness of your hair. It is like the fertile soil on which the crop grows. A good scalp undoubtedly means good hair. Cleansing your scalp is an important part of your hair care routine."

• Dr Isra Ismail, Ayurveda Consultant at Nirva

Modern science says that hair is an accessory organ of the skin, and the scalp is an extension of the skin. Ages ago, Sushrutha, the Father of Indian Surgery, mentioned that hair is an excretion of the bone, which is very profound. The application of this concept in hair mineral analysis is currently underway. (mentioned above). 

Nutrition, stress, immunity, and scalp quality greatly determine hair health.

These concepts being the case, do you wish to know what can damage your hair? Let us check out the most important ones you must look out for!

Factors That Can Damage Your Hair - A Bird's Eye View

Hair has two parts: the shaft and the Follicle.

The shaft is something which you see outside. It is the dead part and exists in the epidermis or the upper layers of the skin. 

Inside to the scalp, there is the follicle, which exists at the dermis level. This particular part is the live one and is closer to the blood vessels. Now, how is this related to the causes of hair damage?

When you learn about the causes of damage, you need to understand what gets damaged. Hence, as far as hair damage is concerned, the concept of dormancy is very crucial. Whenever there is a low energy supply to the hair follicle due to one or more of the following reasons, your hair goes into a state of ‘DORMANCY’.  It is a temporary inactive stage of the hair follicle! Check for the following to know if your hair is in the inactive stage.

Low Protein - Either the protein intake or absorption is low. 

Vitamin Deficiency - Deficiency in calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin E can affect the integrity of the protein bonds. 

Mental Stress - High adrenaline and Cortisol levels can create an energy demand situation in the body, and energy supply to follicles may become scarce 

Physical Strain - Too much physical strain or travel without giving the body time to rejuvenate can damage the protein content on the scalp and hair. 

Major and Minor Illnesses - Any disease, from a mild fever to cancer, creates an energy-demand situation in the body. Since hair is of last importance in the chronology of energy distribution in the body, during fever, including typhoid, jaundice, etc., hair gets damaged. 

Medications and Treatment - While subjected to certain strong medications and treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, etc., the hair's energy absorption and nutrition supply may get disturbed. 

Usage of Harsh Chemicals - Frequently changing products or using harsh chemicals damages your scalp and hair. 

So, what happens from all of these? While entering dormancy, the follicle cuts off the shaft, and the follicle folds within itself, just like a tortoise withdrawing into its hood. You may experience a hair fall from this.

But, do not worry! 

Dormancy of the hair follicle is temporary; the follicle bounces back and starts growing hair once the body's nutrition levels are restored. 

However, the dormancy may remain permanent if diet and lifestyle do not support your hair follicle to be active again.

Hair Damage : Insights from Ayurvedic Experts

Everything in your body reflects the combination of five essential elements in nature (Air, Water, Earth, Sky and Ether). When they combine, they functionally form the tridoshas (the three fundamental bioenergies in the body). All three doshas must be balanced for your hair to be healthy. Let's see how each dosha supports your hair health.

Vata - The kinetic energy in the body refers to the transformations, absorption, cell renewal, and cell division, mainly related to movement inside the body.

 In the case of hair, hair growth and protein replacement in every strand of hair periodically may be related to vata. 

Pitta - The chemical energy in the body refers to the quality of the hormones and other chemicals in the body.

For instance, in hair, we can consider the melanin pigment, protein content (keratin), and the sulphur bonds connecting the protein to pitta. 

Kapha - The potential energy in the body, which includes the proteins that build the body. 

The quantity and quality of protein decide the healthy development of your hair follicles.

Hair damage or hair fall in Ayurveda is considered an imbalance of pitta and vata dosha. Consuming the proper diet and following a customised lifestyle may restore the energy balance. 

Components of a Good Hair Care Routine You Must Not Miss

Can there be just one hair care routine you can follow your entire life? Well no. 

This is because the following factors are ever-changing from time to time. 

What Does Your Hair Care Depend On?

Check for the following pointers to know where your hair health stands in it's stage of life.

• Age - As your age advances, the type of hair loss you experience may differ. For instance, after 35 years of age, your hair care must focus on hair colour protection and nourishment. 
• Climate - Your summer hair care is different from your winter hair care. Ayurveda highlights interim climate change hair care, meaning hair care, which is, in fact, the entire body care routine you need to be mindful of when the climate is changing. 
• Geographical location - This is too deep to reconcile. The place where you live significantly impacts the body and, of course, hair. For example, it may be summer in the place you live, but you may be a person born in a region where it is predominantly winter. This can make your body uncomfortable in a region where summer is predominant. 

Note: A region has flora and fauna based on its dominant climatic variations. You need to analyse this before choosing your herbal products or any products for your hair care. Ayurveda throws much light on dosha predominance according to the geographic location of birth and that of living. 

• Gender - Males need a different hair care routine than females. This is mainly because of the difference in hormones, body energy requirements, and hair texture. 
• Healthy Diet - Just as your face is the index of the mind, your hair is the index of your nutrition levels. A healthy diet rich in vitamins, mainly folic acid, iron and protein, is essential for keratin metabolism in the hair. 
• Healthy Lifestyle - We can understand physical detox; what about mental detox? Sleep and meditation are the obvious options. But if you are not a fan of meditation, it's okay; you can spend some time on your favourite hobby, maybe gardening or taking your pet out for a walk.  

That was much about what needed to be done; we also needed to understand what needed to be avoided.

What Must You Avoid During a Hair Care Routine?

Knowing what you must avoid for a healthy hair is the first baby steps you must take. Avoid the following, if you practise them.

Frequent Hair Wash - Washing your hair too frequently may make your hair more frizzy. Every alternate day or twice weekly is an excellent hair-wash routine. 

Frequent Change of Products - Avoid switching between different products too frequently. Your hair needs some time to adapt if you are using a product. Give it some genuine time. Also, choosing random products could be damaging to your hair structure as well. 

Tightly Braiding Your Hair - Imparting physical stress on your hair can lead to what is commonly known as traction alopecia (alopecia - hair loss; traction - pulling). Ensure your hairstyle adds little pressure on the scalp. 

Forgetting to Protect Your Hair - While wearing helmets, ensure you cover your hair and wash the hair cover regularly. This can avoid dandruff and flakes on the hair and scalp. 

For everything in health, prevention is better than cure. Do not shy away to give some love to your hair and scalp even if they look gorgeous and healthy.

Simple Everyday Ayurvedic Hair Care Routine 

Here are a few key things you can include in your hair care checklist. 

Before starting your hair care routine, you must complete your personalised hair analysis. You need to understand your hair and body types to arrive at a category under which we can fix your hair care needs.

Some of the most essential tips to care for your hair are;

Wash Your Hair and Scalp Regularly

Keeping a clean scalp is very important for healthy hair. Wash your scalp every alternate day to make sure it is rid of dirt, dandruff, lice and knits. Choose a good ayurvedic hair growth oil and a herbal shampoo for your hair.

Choose a Good Day Care and Night Care

A serum or oil, whichever suits you, is recommended for a daycare.  Night care may include a medicated serum application containing tea tree or any scalp nourisher which can condition the scalp. 

Never Skip a Meal

Meal time is the time when you refuel your body. Timely availability of energy is recommended for the follicle to stay vibrant.  

Consider Nutritional Supplements

Resisting on herbal supplements is suitable for bridging the gap between diet and nutrition. Try to consume whole herbal supplements instead of taking extracts or pills. Almost all your ayurvedic remedies for hair problems must be supplemented from your food.

What Role Do Your Dietary Supplements Play in Hair Care?

The quantity and quality of what can be consumed have much to say about hair health. Here are a few Ayurvedic herbs and foods that you can rely on. 

Bhringraj

Much research has been done on the potential of Bhringraj (Eclipta alba) in promoting hair health. It can be used for external applications as a hair pack and for internal consumption to promote hair growth. It also prevents premature greying of hair. 

Gooseberry

Amla or gooseberry has perfect cell rejuvenating properties. It can keep keratin levels in the hair intact and support internal energy balance. 

Shikakai

The use of Acacia concinna (Shikakai) dates back centuries. It strengthens the hair root and keeps the scalp healthy. It can help bounce back the hair from the damage due to pollution and stress. 

Aloe Vera

There can be no better natural herbal hair conditioner than aloe vera. If your hair porosity level is good, then aloe vera can do the magical conditioning for your hair. Several research studies have shown that aloe vera can prevent hair fall. 

Check out a few foods you can add to your diet. 

Tofu

It is an excellent source of protein and can support protein absorption in your hair. 

Greens

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, palak, mint, and coriander are rich sources of iron and vitamin B complex sources, which increase the nutrient absorption in the hair. 

Soy Protein

It is a rich Vitamin E source for lustrous and dark hair. It also imparts hair density. 

Almonds

It contains all the nutrients in a nutshell. It is abundant in Vit E, Vit K, protein, essential fatty acids and Vit D. 

So , kip scrolling for easy DIY ayurvedic hair masks and hair oils. Make sure you check your inner health before jumping from one hair routine to another.

To Conclude 

A perfect hair care is never a single one. Consider undergoing a body constitution analysis to determine your hair type based on your lifestyle and routine. Ensure you have a balanced diet and build up your immune system for long-lasting hair health. 

Hair quality may be affected by any underlying medical issues as well. It is advisable to get it consulted and sorted out.