The partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows is called Alopecia.
Let us first understand how hair grows -
Hair grows in 3 stages
Anagen -active growth phase (2-6 years ) constitute of 85-90% of hair.
Catagen- transition phase where hair stops growing (lasts for 4-6 weeks), 2-3% of hair is in this phase.
Telogen - resting phase (lasts for 3 months)-after this phase hair falls out because of being pushed by new anagen.
Types of hair loss
Non scarring alopecia (hair follicles are preserved)
A. Primary cutaneous disorders
- Androgenic alopecia
- Telogen effluvium
- Alopecia areata
- Tinea capitis
- Traumatic alopecia
Image source- Harrison’s principles of internal medicine
B. Drugs and chemotherapy /radiations
Anticonvulsants, antithyroid, B blockers, NSAIDs etc
C. Systemic disease
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Secondary syphilis
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hypopituitarism
- Deficiencies of protein, biotin, zinc, vitD, vitB12 .
Scarring alopecia (loss of hair follicles)
A. Primary cutaneous disorders
- Cutaneous lupus (chronic discoid lesions)
- Lichen planus- accompanies itching and pain
- Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia
- Folliculitis decalvans
- Linear scleroderma
B. Systemic diseases
- SLE
- Sarcoidosis
- Cutaneous metastases
Miasmatic Approach
Rubrics to be thought of
(Note; CR-Complete repertory , KR- Kent repertory , PH- Phatak repertory, BR- Boericke repertory)
Physiological hair loss in women
- {CR }Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; pregnancy, in: LACH
- {KR} Head; hair, falling , pregnancy during - LACH ,Sep
- {CR} Female; falling out; hair; delivery, parturition, during: ph-ac
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; delivery, parturition, after, puerperal: CALC, CANTH, CARB-V, hep, LYC, NAT-M, NIT-AC, SEP, sil, SULPH
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; nursing, during: NAT-M
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; climacteric period, in: LYC, SEP
- {KR} Head; hair, falling , menopause -Sep
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; spots, in, alopecia areata; climacteric period, in: LYC, SEP
Depression and stress
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; grief, after: ign, lach, PH-AC, staph, uran
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; women; love disappointment, from: bar-c
- {CR} Face; falling of hair; beard; grief agg.: PH-AC
- {PR}{KR} Hair ; falling ,grief from : ph-ac
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; excitement, emotional, agg.: calc-f, ign, lach, PH-AC, staph, uran
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; headache, with nervous or hysterical: ant-c, bufo, calc, HEP, nit-ac, phos, SEP, sil , sulph, SYPH, thuj
Trichotillomania
- {CR} Mind; insanity, madness; pulling her own hair: germ, tarent
- {PR} Desires ; pull ,her hair: Ars ,Cupr, dig, lil-t, med, tarent, tub, xanth
- {KR} Mind ; pull, ones hair,desires to : BELL, lach , Lil-t, tarent
Deficiency diseases
- {CR} Clinical; beri-beri: ARS, BOERH, ELAT
- {PR}Anaemia , grief from - nat-m, ph-ac
- {PR} Anaemia, haemorrhage, after: chin, ferr
- {PR} Anaemia , pernicious : Ars, Phos, pic-ac, thyr
- {CR} Blood; anemia; production of red blood cells impaired; nutritional complaints, from: alet, ALUM, CALC-P, ferr, helon, nux-v
Post disease Alopecia
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; fever, after: FL-AC
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; diseases, after: calc, CARB-V, chin, ferr, hep, lyc, manc, sil, thal, thal-s
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; diseases, after; infectious: thal
Drugs side effects -
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; vaccination, after: thuj
- {CR} Generalities; intoxication, after; coal-tar drugs, analgesics, antipyretics, hypnotics and others: am-c, arn, CARB-V, carbn-s, diox, LACH, MAG-P,
Hormonal disturbance
(single remedy rubrics)
- {CR} Clinical; hormonal; hypofunction: puls
- {PR} Thyroid; dysfunction: calc
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; growth of hair in other parts increased: lyc
Alopecia areata
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; spots, in, alopecia areata: ALUM, APIS, ARS, BAC, CALC, CANTH, FL-AC, GRAPH, HEP, IOD, KALI-C, LYC, NAT-M, PHOS, PSOR, SEP, VINC
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; spots, in, alopecia areata; circular: ars
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; spots, in, alopecia areata; diseased spots: petr
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; spots, in, alopecia areata; white hair grows in spots, and: PSOR, VINC
- {CR} Face; falling of hair; patches, in, alopecia areata, beard: kali-s, lepro, tub
- {CR} Skin; falling out, hair; patches, in hypopigmented: lepro
- {BR}Head, scalp , hair , tangled, in bunches: BORX, PSOR, tub, fl-ac, vinc
Tinea capitis/vermin
- {CR} Face; falling of hair; beard; tinea, in: NAT-M
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; itching of scalp, with: alum, ANT-C, calc-f, caust ,graph, kali-c, lyc, sil, sulph
- {PR} Head ext; scalp and skull,scalp, creeping : ran-b
- {PR} Head ext; scalp and skull, scalp , crawling : arg-met
- {CR} Head; formication, crawling; scalp, external: BAR-C, FERR, RAN-B,
- {CR} Head; itching; formicating, crawling: arg-n, calc-acet, lach, lat-h, led, nico-r, ped, sil
- {CR} Head; eruptions; crusts, scabs; vermin, with: MEZ, OLND, STAPH, SULPH, VINC, vince
Dandruff/ seborrhea
- {CR} Head; falling out, hair, alopecia; dandruff, from: am-m, bar-c, thuj
- {CR} Head; dryness; hair; falling out, and; dandruff, with: KALI-C
- {PR}Dandruff, itching : med
Few Homoeopathic Remedies
Selenium metallicum
Hair falls out from the scalp and the scalp feels tense. Hair falls from brows, beard and genitals. Seborrhea with oily skin. Selenium is also used for impotency in males.
Thallium metallicum
Has affinity over endocrine glands especially thyroid and adrenal. Alopecia after acute exhausting diseases.
Natrum muriaticum
Greasy oily skin especially over hairy parts. Dry erruptions on the margin of hairy scalp and bends of joints. Affects hair follicles, alopecia during lactation, with a headache. Dandruff; alternating with catarrh. Humid eczema, scabs, impetigo.
Vinca minor
The most important field of its action is located on the scalp. It has been used with great success in crusta lactea, favus, plica polonica, eczema, and alopecia. Humid eruptions with intense itching and burning. There is an oozing of moisture that mats the hair together. Sometimes the whole head gets full of vermin.
Flouric acid
Indicated in Alopecia areata, hair sticks together and falls out. Lusterless, brittle, tousy, bushy, dry, falling after typhoid. Flouricum Acidum promotes hair growth.
Lycopodium
Hair becomes grey at an early age. Lycopodium is a great remedy for alopecia after abdominal diseases and after parturition. Androgenic alopecia/ premature baldness.
Phosphoric acid
Hair falls out suddenly and rapidly. May be associated with hypofunction of endocrine glands.
Thyroidinum
Alopecia, premature greying and falling of hair, with accession to unwanted parts (Med., Nat-ar.). It also helps in treating thyroid disorders.
Calcarea Iodata
Crusty eruptions on the scalp. Hair falls out. Hair fall may be associated with exophthalmic Goitre, tumors on ovaries. Menses: Absent, copious, frequent, irregular, painful, suppressed. sterility. Uterine congestion.
Calcarea sulphuricum
Scalp bleeds when scratched, Dandruff, hair falls out.
Malandrium
Oily hair. Impetigo covering head from crown to neck and extending behind ears. Thick, greenish crusts with pale, reddish scabs, itching < evening. Hair falling (after vaccination). Oily dandruff.
TIPS TO REDUCE HAIR FALL
- Balanced diet - take foods enriched with vitamins, proteins, iron, minerals etc
- Avoid blow-drying, curling and chemical treatment.
- Use pure edible coconut oil or olive oil to apply.
- Hair mask - amla juice + lemon juice + water, massage hair gently.
- Green tea + aloe vera mask.
- Curd/yogurt mask.
- Jaborandi tincture in a cup of water for external application.
- Arnica hair oil.
- Use conditioner only at ends of hair.
- Paneer water or whey for external application on hair and scalp.
- Vit E oil.
Note: Do not use medications without a prescription from a recognized homeopathic physician. This blog is for educational purposes only.