Alopecia: introduction and overview of herbal treatment

Alopecia areata is a prevalent autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. It usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth patches on the scalp and can progress to total scalp hair loss (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair loss (alopecia universalis). The scalp is the most commonly affected area, but the beard or any hair-bearing site can be affected alone or together with the scalp. Alopecia areata occurs in males and females of all ages, but onset often occurs in childhood. Over people 147 million worldwide have, had or will develop alopecia areata at some point in their lives. According to Ayurveda, pitta dosha is the primary cause of hair loss. Pitta dosha could be reversed through diet and lifestyle modifications. Ayurvedic medicine for hair loss contains herbs that can arrest hair fall and improve hair growth.