Hair disorders and homoeopathy

Dr Ankita Upadhyay⁽¹⁾

PG Scholar Department of Repertory, Dr. MPK Homoeopathic Medical College Hospital & Research Centre (Under Homoeopathy University), Saipura,  Sanganer , Jaipur. (Raj.)

Abstract: Hair is an outward filamentous growth made up of keratin protein. It has major cosmetic role along with sensory and homeostatic function during perspiration. Healthy human scalp contains 100,000 hair and average hair fall per day is about 100 hair. This aticle is an attempt to overview, types of alopecia its causes and homoeopathic therapeutic approach.

Keywords- alopecia, hirsutism, hypertrichosis, keratin, hairfall, scalp, dandruff, baldness, homoeopathy

Introduction: The cycle of hair growth takes place in three steps which are discussed below:

Normal hair cycle ¹ :- Anagen (Growth phase: upto 85%hair this phase)        Catagen (Resting phase: upto 1% hair in this phase)  Telogen  (Falling phase: upto: 15%hair in this phase)  

Alopecia is a condition characterized by fragmantary or complete loss of hair which is clinically presented as thin, patchy partial hair loss or complete baldness.  In these cases there is permanent loss of hair follicle (irreversible condition). It may occur due to infective and inflammatory conditions with cases of physical or chemical trauma. Considering permanent loss of hair there is no effective therapeutic treatment and patient are suggested to go for hair transplantation .In non-cicatricial reversible condition hair follicles are open and visible. It is further divided into localised and generalised alopecia.

Table 1:  Showing  localised  non-cicatrical  alopecia

LOCALISED  NON-CICATRICAL  ALOPACIA
TYPE	CAUSES	PATTERN OF HAIR LOSS	LOCATION OF HAIR LOSS
Alopecia areata	Immunological Genetic, Emotional	Single or multiple patches	Scalp, Face
Androgenetic alopecia	Hormonal Genetic predisposition	Male & Female pattern alopecia	Male -frontoparietal  Female -widening of central parting
Traction alopecia	Prolonged traction	Broken hair	Scalp
Tinea capitis	fungi- microsporum and trichophyton	Broken hair	Scalp

Table 2 :   Showing  generalised non-cicatrical  alopecia

GENERALISED NON-CICATRICAL  ALOPACIA
TYPE	CAUSES	PATTERN OF HAIR LOSS	LOCATION OF HAIR LOSS
Alopacia universalis	Immunological Genetic	Complete hair loss	Whole body
Ectodermal dysplasia 3	Genetic-	Light colored brittle hair	Whole body
Shaft abnormalities	Environmental Genetic	Hair breakage, Increased fragility	Scalp

Therapeutic indications of the homoeopathic medicines for hair disorder are discussed below

Carbo vegetabilis⁵–   hair feel sore, falls off easily, falling of hair from a general weakened condition. 

Cantharis vesicatoria⁶– hair fallout when combing, especially during confinement and lactation.

Graphites⁶– falling of beard and eyebrows.

Kalium carbonicum⁵ –Great dryness of hair ;f alls out.

Lycopodium clavatum⁵–  severe hairfall, premature baldness and gray hair.

Phosphoricum acidum⁵ –hair gray early in life, falls out, hair thins out.

Phosphorus⁵ –itching of scalp, dandruff, falling out of hair in large bunches (alopecia areata).

Natrium muraiticum⁵ –affects hair follicles, alopecia.

Selenium metallicum⁵ – hair falls out from brows, beard, and genitals. alopecia.

Sulphur⁵ –tinea capitis, dry form, scalp dry falling of hair worse washing. 

Thuja occidentalis ⁵ –white scaly dandruff , hair dry and falling out.

Vinca minor⁵– spots on scalp, oozing moisture, matting hair together, bald spots (alopacia).

Weisbaden aqua⁶– by the use of this remedy hair will grow rapidly and darker.

Conclusion and discussion: Hair disorders are one of the most common problem being encountered in modern days. There are numerous factors including environmental, genetic, immunological, psychogenic (stress),cosmetic, nutritional and endocrinal which acts as major causative entity  resulting  in hair disorders. Since Homoeopathy is a system of medicine which functions on holistic approach as well as principle of individualisation, there has been evident and effective results are evident in cases of hair disorders.

References

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