A total scalp cleanse

This is part 2 of my experience with Ayurveda. Read the first post here.

On arriving at the centre, I was led in a room with a huge wooden bench. As I sat in a small chair placed nearby, one of the masseurs performed a 10 minute head massage with oil. After that, I was asked to lie supine on the bench. My eyes and ears were covered. Buttermilk was poured on my forehead and hair through a vessel, in a thin continuous stream. For more than half hour.

And my first session was done. I came out of the centre feeling all refreshed, like a cold water bath in summer.

Later, I checked the internet for details on the exact process. The ancient science of Ayurveda doesn’t just heal a symptom and, not necessarily the cause too. It does an entire balancing and cleansing of the system. Each disease is treated as a sign of imbalance and accumulation of toxic substances. So, the same treatment meant for hair loss can also be utilized in healing other problems like skin diseases, stress and digestive disorders. Further, each person is treated in a different manner. A different solution for each body. Customization to its limits!

The Ayurvedic treatment for hair loss consists of 2 scalp cleansing phases – Takradhara and Thalapothichil.

Takradhara involves a continuous stream of buttermilk mixed with certain herbs on the forehead. I had 7 continuous sessions (for some it might be more too). Preceded by a head massage with medicated oil.

Thalapothichil involves an oil massage for 20 minutes. And then a 20 minute mud-pack on the head. This is for 14 sessions, with 3 of them immediately after Takradhara. The rest are spaced over 4 weeks.

It seems I developed some infection all those years back which was causing hair loss.

After the first session, I asked the most important question – will my hair come back or at least becoming healthier? The centre owner smiled, and said in her Malayalam-accented Hindi – “Agar bhagwaan ki marzi hai, toh aa jaayega, lekin time lagega” (If it is God’s will, it will definitely come back, but will take time). How much time? 6 months to a year.

Hmm. Well, let us see. In case, there is something positive, you can expect another post from me in a year. 🙂