Alopecia (Falling of Hair)

Alopecia (Falling of Hair) – Alternative Medicine

Figure Above: Alopecia in Women (Image Credit: Dermatology Times)

Hair fall is a very common concern affecting both genders and a large population. Skin, hair and nails is a part of our integumentary system and since it is the outermost covering of our body, it not only gets affected from harmful external sources constantly like harsh UV rays, environmental toxins, pollution etc; but also expresses outwardly the internal derangements, e.g. deficiencies and certain imbalances.

Hair cycle:
Anagen – phase of growth

Catagen – phase of rest between growth and fall phase

Telogen – phase of falling

Our scalp hair are all going through different phase of hair cycle, some of your scalp hair is in the growth phase, some are resting and some are going through the phase of fall. For every person having that phase of hair fall could be the normal telogen phase where the normal hair shedding is expected.

 Types of alopecia:

1. Androgenic alopecia – when the hair loss results from hormonal imbalance.
2. Alopecia areata – patchy loss of hair on scalp, beard or body, an autoimmune condition.
3. Alopecia totalis – total loss of hair from scalp. An autoimmune condition.
4. Telogen effluvium– loss of hair from all over the scalp, more than normal telogen shedding, due to nutritional deficiencies, stress etc.
5. Trichotilomania – pulling of hair strands as a behavioural disorder.

Insufficient nutrients to maintain good hair and other diseases like thyroid, stress, PCOD might act like triggers and intensify the problem. Patients could also suffer due to a hereditary family history of hair-fall, others due to going through a sudden stressful event like child birth or a long lasting infection, or prolonged use of certain medications.

 Alternative Management:

Homeopathy can help in many ways:

1. Balance the hormones – in cases of thyroid, PCOD to treat the underlying condition, also in female or male pattern androgenic alopecia where the falling of hair has a certain typical pattern. Possible causes are altered testosterone levels; which can be balanced with the help of homeopathy.
2. Improve digestive health – A lot of patients suffering hair fall actually suffer with poor digestive health. Despite eating well many can experience the incessant hair fall. Homeopathy can improve digestive health and nutritional absorption and assimilation of the nutrients. This will result in slow and gradual arrest of hair fall.
3. Underlying stress – Complaints like stress, insomnia largely contributes, and controlling these issues brings sustained health.
4. Nutrition – Adding homeopathic supplements for hair as well as introducing the right amount of hair healthy vitamins and minerals supports the treatment and management.
5. Therapeutic food – Food elements to add for the support as an auxiliary care.
6. External care – as per the given skin category, one should take the right kind of care externally, oiling, washing and avoiding the harsh treatment to retain the healthy moisture and natural integrity of the hair is encouraged.

Written by – Dr. Priyanka Sainani. Homeopathy Practitioner – The Children’s Medical Centre (TCMC).