Hair Care and Dandruff Treatment with Ayurveda

Understanding the story behind dandruff and its effects

Before we get into the details of how you can care for your hair to get rid of dandruff through Ayurvedic care (home-made remedies), you must understand the root cause behind the formation of dandruff and what you should be doing to keep away from it, rather than treating it after you have become a victim to this problem.

Broadly, dandruff is a skin disorder that affects one’s scalp. It is common to any age group. Dandruff is characterized by an itchy scalp along with white flakes from the scalp. Medically referred to as “Seborrheic Dermatitis”, this scalp problem affects the sebaceous or sweat glands in one’s scalp. It blocks the sweat glands, leading to flaky or powdery formation of the scalp.

Having said this, it is one of the most common scalp issues experienced by almost all the men and women in the US. It has been surveyed that 20-40% of the working men and women in the US spend around $ 50-100 every month to get rid of this powdery scalp.

If dandruff is untreated for, it will lead to severe hair fall coupled with problems of baldness too. The main reasons for dandruff formation happen to be as follows:

• Improper hair washing schedules
• Left over conditioner in the scalp without proper rinsing
• Too much of oil or dryness on the scalp
• Over exposure to hot sun or coldness
• Stress
• Diabetes
• Hard water and cheap shampoos
• Hygiene
• Irregular food habits

It is important to wash your hair at regular intervals (twice a week is recommended) with a proper shampoo and conditioner to keep your hair free of dirt. Covering your hair with a scarf while you are out in the hot sun or extreme chillness is another way to keep your hair away from damages. Using proper hair oil before washing your hair and using a suitable on washed hair also will help keep hair related problems at bay.

It is also very important to rinse the shampoo and conditioner residues once you have washed your hair. Make sure you rinse it once or twice, so that no left over chemical composition lies back in your hair causing an itchy scalp.

Apart from all these damages that you could do to your hair yourself, it is also essential that you keep your body fit and fine, your sugars should be under proper control and you should maintain a healthy and regular eating habit. With all these habits in place, you can definitely flaunt around with healthy hair and skin!

Let us look at the home made Ayurvedic treatments you can do for yourself to keep hair problems at bay:

• In a cup, measure equal quantities of lime juice and apple cedar vinegar. Apply this mixture to your scalp and wash it off with a nice shampoo
• Fenugreek is the kitchen treasure that comes handy to dandruff issues. Soak a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in curd overnight. Grind it into a fine paste on the next day, apply it to your hair and wash it off after 30 mins. This will not only keep your hair away from dandruff, but will also give your hair a healthy shine.

• Prepare a decoction of neem leaves. Soak neem leaves in hot water and leave it aside for 3-4 days of time. Bottle this water in a handy can and rinse your hair with this water every time you have finishes washing your hair with a shampoo and conditioner.
• Tulsi and amla are real treasures in the Ayurvedic hair care. You can dry both of these under sunshade and grind it into a powder and store it in an airtight container in a cold place. Weekly once, pamper your hair with this paste (mix it with water or sour curd with a few drops of lemon juice), leave it on for 30 mins and rinse your hair off with a good shampoo and conditioner.
• Mint is another handy green leaf that is good for your hair. Grind a paste with mint leaves and curd with a few drops of lemon and apply this pack to your hair. Leave it on for half an hour and rinse it off with a shampoo.
• Egg and cedar vinegar is another handy treatment that you can indulge your hair in. Beating up the white portion of the egg with apple vinegar and applying the mixture to your hair for about half an hour before a rinse off will do your hair loads of goodness.
• Tea tree oil is another sure-shot remedy to people with problems related to scalp and hair. Dabbing your hair with original tea tree oil concentrate for about an hour and then washing it off with a shampoo will give immediate results to getting away with dandruff.
• Make your own oil at home-heat coconut oil until its smoking point, add a bit of camphor to it, a few tulsi leaves and dried up whole amlas (gooseberries). Cool down this mixture, filter it through a fine cotton cloth and bottle up the oil. Store this in a cold place. Use this oil to oil up your hair before every wash. This will keep your hair problems.

Hope these handy tips bring out the glow and shine in your hair!