Shiro Abhyanga & Shirolepa: Powerful Ayurvedic Hair Fall Treatment

Shiro Abhyanga & Shirolepa: Ayurveda and Ayurvedic treatments never fail to help us with whatever we are resisting. Hair fall is such a common problem these days. Research says that daily, there is a loss of 100-150 strands, which usually happens to everyone, but losing around 500 strands of hair daily and despite no significant growth of hair, indicates that various multiple factors are causing damage to your hair, which needs intense repair.

Understanding the Root Cause of Hair Loss (Alopecia)

Hair loss, also known as Alopecia, can be caused because of various external and internal reasons that result directly or indirectly in the scalp. Internal causes include bodily and scientific reasons, while external causes include reasons of the surroundings and environmental exposure. 

Scientific Reasons Behind Hair Fall

• Androgenetic Alopecia (Pattern Baldness) - also known as Pattern Alopecia, is a type of hair loss which is caused due to heredity, like male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness. Male pattern baldness is hair loss that happens to men above the temples and thinning of hair at the crown of the head. Female pattern baldness is hair loss that happens to women and the thinning of hair all over the scalp.
• Alopecia Areata - is a type of hair loss that causes patchy loss of hair. It happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles, resulting in an autoimmune disorder.
• Traction Alopecia - is a type of hair loss caused because of repetitive pulling, tension on the hair strand, caused by tight hairstyles like tightly tying ponytails, braids, or buns.
• Tinea Capitis (Scalp Ringworm) - also called the scalp ringworm, is a type of hairloss which is caused because of fungal infection in the scalp.
• Anagen Effluvium - also known as Nonscarring Alopecia, is a type of hair loss which takes place in the active growth phase, called anagen. 
• Telogen Effluvium - is a type of hair loss that happens because of shell shock or pregnancy. Shell shock is an emotional or physical shock caused by a traumatic incident.

Bodily & Emotional Reasons

• Hair loss caused due to stress is because when an individual is going through a stressful event, it pushes the hair follicles into the shedding phase.
• Hair loss caused due to anxiety is because when an individual is really anxious and gets many episodes of anxiety attacks so it stops the hair growth cycle, causing hairfall.

• Hair loss caused due to hormonal changes is because when there is a decline in estrogen and progesterone in females during the menopause cycle, or an increase in androgens like testosterone in males, the hair becomes more vulnerable and results in thinning of hair and hair loss. 

• When the balance of Tridoshas, that are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, which maintain the balance of a body type, that is, Prakriti, gets disturbed and imbalanced, that is, Vikriti, then it leads to hair loss.

External Causes of Hair Fall

• Hair loss caused by too much exposure of radiation, heat, causes too much damage to hair, which leads to hair loss.
• Chemotherapy also leads to hair loss because the medications involved in chemotherapy divide the cells, including the cells of hair follicles, leading to hair fall rapidly.
• Hair loss is also caused by too much UV rays exposure because the exposure to UV rays makes the hair follicles brittle, weak and prone to breakage, leading to hair loss.
• Dust and pollution also cause hair loss when hair comes in contact with dust and pollution, it clogs the hair follicles and damages the hair structure, resulting in thinning, greasiness, dandruff, and damage of hair.

Shiro Abhyanga – Ayurvedic Head & Scalp Massage

Shiro Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic head and hair therapy, in which a medicated oil is applied on the scalp and head for a span of duration. Ayurveda states that the human body is like a tree, where the head is the root part, from the thorax to the abdomen is the trunk part, and the limbs are considered as the branches. So a tree is nurtured to let it grow, similarly, for the growth of the human body, nurturing is required starting from the head. And to nurture the head and scalp, Ayurveda has given us a really impactful Ayurvedic treatment, that is, Shiro Abhyanga. 

Procedure of Shiro Abhyanga

• Before the process of Shiro Abhyanga, firstly Shirodhara takes place.
• Shirodhara is the process of pouring a herbal medicated oil on the head and scalp.
• The herbal medicated oil is chosen on the basis of body type, that is, Prakriti.
• There are three kinds of body types or Prakriti, that are, Vata Parakrit, Pitta Prakriti, and Kapha Prakriti.
• Vata Prakriti signifies a dry scalp, so the herbal medicated oil is prepared accordingly.
• Pitta Prakriti signifies a sensitive scalp, so the herbal medicated oil is prepared accordingly.
• Kapha Prakriti signifies an oily scalp, so the herbal medicated oil is prepared accordingly.
• After the selection of the accurate herbal medicated oil, that lukewarm oil is carefully poured on the head and scalp.
• Then the process of Shiro Abhyanga begins. In this process, the head and scalp are gently massaged with the help of the oil.
• The massage is specially done on a few of the Marma points.
• Marma, also called the life centers, are traditional Ayurvedic points, which are applied with pressure to heal something in the human body.
• Every Marma is interrelated to a specific part of the body, which heals that specific part of the body.
• During the process of Shiro Abhyanga, the marma used while massaging the head and scalp are: Adhipati, Simantaka, Krikatika, Vidhuram, and Shankha. 
• This is how the phenomenon of Shiro Abhyanga goes on.

Shirolepa – Herbal Paste Therapy for Scalp Healing

Shiro Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic hair and scalp treatment, in which a herbal medicated thick paste is applied on the entire scalp for a duration of time. Every individual does some work, be it their office work, household work or school work, and working for longer hours leads to mental exhaustion in our daily lives. And to relax us mentally, Ayurveda has given a really beneficial Ayurvedic treatment, that is, Shirolepa.

Procedure of Shirolepa

• The process of Shirolepa takes place just after the process of Shiro Abhyanga.
• After the process of oiling, comes the process of application of herbal medicated paste.
• The herbal medicated paste is made up of different varieties according to the individual’s scalp type.
• The varieties of herbs include shikakai, triphala, amla, bhringraj, rasnadi and brahmi.
• Shikakai, also called Acacia concinna, is used for people who have oily scalps and have dull, frizzy, or dandruff in their hair.
• Triphala is used for people who struggle a lot with hair fall.
• Amla, also called Indian Gooseberry, is suitable for all scalp types and specifically used for people who have premature greying of hair or have hair fall or dandruff in their hair.
• Bhringraj, also regarded as the king of herbs for hair, is used for people with dry scalps and go through premature greying of hair or hair fall.
• Rasnadi is used for people who feel head heaviness, sinus congestion, or cold-related headaches.
• Brahmi is used for people who have dryness, itchiness, inflammation in their hair, or thinning of hair.
• These herbs are combined with buttermilk and a thick paste is made either at room temperature or cooled.
• This thick herbal medicated paste is applied all over the scalp of the individual.
• Then, after applying the paste, the entire scalp is covered either with fresh banana leaf or with fresh lotus leaf.
• This process of covering the scalp with leaves is known as Thalapothichil.
• It is left covered as it is for around 15 minutes. After which, it is washed off properly.
• For washing the hair, rice bran water is used because rice bran water is rich in antioxidants and nutrients.
• This process is concluded by giving a warm bath to the individual

Benefits of Shiro Abhyanga & Shirolepa

The beneficial gains from the Ayurdevic treatments are widely vast. The various types of Ayurvedic treatments keep us healthy in so many ways. The head and the mind are the pivotal parts of the human body, and it's necessary to ensure their wellness for which Ayurveda has given us Ayurvedic treatments like Shiro Abhyanga and Shirolepa,

whose numerous benefits include:

1. It helps in providing relief from stress and mental tension.
2. It calms the mind and soothes the nervous system.
3. It helps in the frequent reduction of migraines and headaches.
4. It strengthens the hair roots, ensuring rapid growth of healthy hair.
5. It helps in deteriorating the hair issues like dandruff, itching or inflammation in the scalp and heals the hair follicles on the scalp.
6. It helps in preventing the premature greying of hair and also helps in the reduction of hair fall.
7. It helps in improving the blood circulation and the supply of nutrients to the brain and scalp.
8. It completely detoxifies the scalp and removes all the impurities from the scalp.
9. It helps in providing instant refreshment to the mind.
10. It helps in inducing deep relaxation, promoting a better amount of sleep.
11.  It helps in stimulating the Marma points or the life centers.
12.  It helps in reducing foggy thinking and lessens the cloudiness of thought.
13.  It helps in managing the episodes of anxiety attacks.
14.  The herbal medicated oil and the herbal medicated paste are very significantly beneficial.
15.  It stimulates the smooth functioning of the brain processing and ensures the coordination between other parts of the mind and body.

Best Places in India for Shiro Abhyanga & Shirolepa

• Sparsham Ayurveda Spa, Ernakulum
• Jiva Ayurvedic Clinic, Delhi
• Fort Ayurveda, Kochi
• Manahashila Ayucure, Delhi 
• Kairali- The Ayurvedic Healing Village, Kerala
• Virog Ayurveda Clinic and Panchakarma Center, Delhi
• Anamiiva Wellness and Panchakarma Center, Jodhpur
• Pratidnya Ayurvedic, Pune
• Sree Shanti Wellness, Ayurveda Clinic, Goa
• Navayoga Ayurgram, Puthupally, Kerala
• Ayurtouch - Dr Jayan's Kerala Ayurveda Wellness Centre, Goa

Best Places Worldwide for Ayurvedic Treatments

• Ayuverda Parkschlösschen, Germany
• Ayurvie Weligama, Sri Lanka
• The Clover Mill, Ayurvedic Retreat, UK
• Ayurvie Sigiriya, Inland
• The Raj Ayurvedic Retreat, Iowa
•  Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts, Sri Lanka
• Ayurveda Resort Mandira, Austria
• Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort, Sri Lanka
• Heritance Ayurveda Maha Gedara, Sri Lanka