Postpartum Hair Loss - How Ayurveda Can Help Manage It?

When a woman is pregnant her skin glows and her hair turns lustrous. However, shortly after giving birth, many women experience drastic hair fall. This can be quite stressful for a new mother who is already dealing with a change in the way she perceives her body. However, the good news is that this is temporary. What’s even better is that Ayurveda can help minimize this sudden hair loss. Some of the common Ayurvedic methods of reducing post-partum hair fall include:

1. Avoid foods that aggravate the vata dosha: A Vata imbalance can destroy hair follicle roots and make it easier for hair to fall out. This imbalance is caused largely by the gap left in the womb after childbirth and the process of childbirth itself. Hence it is best to avoid foods like bread, biscuits, potatoes, cauliflower, peas, and cabbage that aggravate the Vata dosha. You should also avoid processed and fried foods. Instead, increase your consumption of foods that nourish the body and pacify the Vata dosha. Split mung dal, squash, ghee, beets, and carrots are some such foods.
2. Lifestyle changes: It is not enough to merely eat the right food; you must also eat the right way. Food must always be eaten when warm and at the right time. Leftovers are avoidable for a new mother. Additionally, one must focus on the act of eating and not combine it with other activities such as talking or watching television.
3. Get a massage: A massage can help improve circulation and ease stress. It also revitalizes the body. To treat post-partum hair fall, one must massage not only the scalp but the whole body as well. A full body massage is known as Abhyanga. The best time to do this is the early morning. You could use warm coconut oil or Brahmi oil for a massage. For the scalp, you could also use almond oil or castor oil. Alternatively, you could use medicated oils such as Amla oil, Arnica oil or Mahabhringraj oil.
4. Herbal aids: A number of herbs can also be beneficial in reducing hair fall. Amla and Bhringraj are two such herbs. Amla can be consumed in the form of juice or boiled in oil to infuse its properties into the oil. This oil can then be used to massage the scalp. To use Bhringraj, dry a few leaves and grind it into a powder. 2-3 grams of this powder can then be consumed with milk or honey twice a day. Alternatively, the fresh leaves could be ground into a paste and applied as a scalp mask.