The hair, like the skin, is a barometer to the state of general health. Sickness, deficiencies and mental tension have an adverse effect on the health of the hair and lead to hair disorders. The more important of these disorders are dandruff, loss of hair and premature graying. These disorders and the natural remedies for their treatment are discussed in this chapter.
1. Dandruff: Dandruff refers to the flaking of the scalp which falls like snow flakes and settles on one’s brows, shoulders and clothes. It is the greatest enemy of healthy hair. It assumes an unpleasant, irritating condition associated with bacteria in the case of excessive formation of scales on the scalp.
Natural Remedies: Numerous medicated shampoos are available in the market for the treatment of dandruff. Most of these, however, in the process of curing the disorder, cause irreparable damage to hair roots because of the synthetic ingredients contained in them. The scalp should also be thoroughly massaged every day, using one’s fingertips and working systematically over the head. The procedure for massaging the scalp has been explained in the previous chapter. Several home remedies have been found useful for treating dandruff. The softened seeds should be ground into a fine paste in the morning and applied all over the scalp. It should be left on for half an hour, and the hair should then be washed thoroughly with soap-nut solution or shikakai. The use of a teaspoon of fresh lime juice for the last rinse, while washing the hair, is equally beneficial. Washing the hair twice a week with green gram powder mixed in curd is another useful prescription. Cider vinegar added to the final rinse after shampooing also helps to disperse dandruff.
Dietary Consideration: Diet plays an important role in the treatment of dandruff To begin with the patient should resort to an all-fruit diet for about five days. Bananas and dried, stewed or tinned fruits should not be taken. During this period, a warm water enema should betaken daily to cleanse the bowels and all other measures adopted to eradicate constipation. Further short periods on the all-fruit diet for three days or so may be necessary at a monthly interval, till the skin’s condition improves. Strict attention to diet is essential for recovery. Meats, sugar, strong tea or coffee, condiments, pickles and refined and processed foods should be avoided, as also soft drinks, candies, ice-cream and all products made with sugar and white flour. This also helps clear dandruff.
2. Loss of Hair: Loss of hair at a very early age has become a common disorder these days. It causes a great deal of concern to the affected persons, especially Indian women who regard thick long hair as a sign of beauty. Persons lacking vitamin B6 lose their hair and those deficient in folic acid become completely bald. Another important cause for the falling of hair is stress, such as worry, anxiety and sudden shock. Stress leads to severe tension in the skin of the scalp. General debility, caused by severe or long-standing illnesses like typhoid, syphilis, chronic cold, influenza and anemia, also gives rise to this hair disorder. An unclean condition of the scalp can also cause the loss of hair. Women require 60 grams, men 80 to 90 and adolescent boys and girls 80 to 100 grams of protein. Protein is supplied by milk, buttermilk, yoghurt, soya bean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish. Women are generally deficient in iodine and vitamin B l, either of which slow down circulation to the scalp to such an extent that hair may fall out and new hair grows in very slowly. Women who keep their diets adequate in iodine, the B vitamins and iron have better growth of hair. Lack of inositol causes loss of hair. A person having trouble with his or her hair should eat foods rich in inositol such as yeast, liver and molasses.
Natural Remedies: It will activate the sebaceous glands and energies the circulation of blood in the affected area, making the hair growth healthy. The oil from the Indian gooseberry, prepared by boiling dry pieces of amla in coconut oil, is considered a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth. The juice of alfalfa in combination with these juices is rich in elements which are particularly useful for the growth of hair. Mustard oil, boiled with henna leaves, is useful for the healthy growth of hair. Washing the hair with a paste of cooked black gram and fenugreek leaves lengthens the hair. A fine paste made from pigeon pea or red gram can also be applied regularly with beneficial results on bald patches. Another useful remedy for the patchy loss of hair is the Paste of liquorice made by grinding the pieces in milk with a pinch of saffron.
3. Premature Graying Of Hair: Faulty diet and worries are the two primary causes of premature graying of hair. It is mainly due to the lack of some of the B vitamins, of iron, copper and iodine in the daily diet that leads to his hair disorder at a young age. Worries produce an extraordinary tension in the skin of the scalp which interferes with the supply of vital nutrition necessary for the health of hair.
Other causes for premature graying of hair are the unclean condition of the scalp which weakens the roots of the hair as the pores are blocked by the collected dirt; washing the hair with hot water and drying it with electric dryers which emit a blast of hot air; use of hair dyes when the hair has just started graying; diseases like chronic cold, sinusitis, anemia, chronic constipation; and the use of factory-made hair oils, which are generally cleaned with acids which have a tendency to remain in the oil. Heredity is yet another predisposing factor which gives rise to this ailment.
Natural Remedies: Certain home remedies have been found useful in the prevention and treatment of premature graying of the hair. The foremost among these is the use of the Indian gooseberry which is a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth and hair pigmentation. This water should be used as the last rinse while washing the hair. Massaging the scalp with a teaspoon of amla juice, mixed with a teaspoon of almond oil or a few drops of lime juice, every night, has proved beneficial in the prevention and treatment of premature graying of hair. Premature graying. It also helps the growth of hair and keeps it soft. These leaves give vitality and strength to hair roots The leaves can be used in the form of a chutney or may be squeezed in buttermilk. Ribbed gourd boiled in coconut oil is another effective remedy for premature graying of hair. The oil should then be boiled till the mass is reduced to a blackened residue. This oil should be massaged into the scalp.
Hair Dye: A paste of henna leaves, boiled in coconut oil to get a darkish oil, can be used as a hair dye to blacken grey hair. Washing the hair with concentrated tea extract twice a week is also considered useful in coloring grey hair to brown or black. Walnut shells also make a harmless hair dye, which progressively adds color to the hair. Before the nuts are ripe, the green outer shells should be crushed in a mortar and covered with water. A pinch of salt should be added. This should be allowed to stay for three days. Then, three cups of boiling water should be added and simmered for five hours, making sure to replace the evaporated water. The dark liquid should be extracted by twisting the shells in a cloth. The separated liquid should be replaced in a pot again and reduced to a quarter of its volume. A little alum and glycerin should be added to soften the hair. At first, it will produce a somewhat yellowish effect, but it will finally give the hair a good deep black color.
Dietary Consideration: Diet is of utmost importance in the prevention and treatment of premature graying of hair, and persons suffering from this disorder should take a diet rich in all essential nutrients. To obtain satisfactory results, all three of these vitamins, belonging to the B group, should be supplied at one time, preferably in a form which gives all B vitamins, such as yeast and liver. The three anti-grey hair vitamins can also be produced in the intestinal tract by bacteria. Thus drinking a sufficient quantity of yoghurt daily and having a tablespoon of yeast before each meal will be an excellent remedy for the prevention and treatment of premature graying of hair. Devitalized foods like white flour, refined sugar, and all products made from them, soft drinks, pastries, jams and jellies should be avoided. These foods, besides causing premature grey hair, take away energy, bring about wrinkles, unattractive skin, and premature old age.
