Skin as an outer covering is an essential part of the human body that forms a strong covering that protects the body from sunlight, pollution, extreme weather conditions, ultraviolet radiations, harmful bacteria, and other pollutants that may cause risk to human body in some form or the other.

In Ayurveda, skin diseases or diseases of Tvak (Skin) are known as Kustha. By course of treatment, not all diseases of the kustha are curable but can be controlled by simple yet effective Ayurvedic skin care remedies. The remedies actually work towards ensuring a healthy diet, meditation, and detoxification.

Know the Common Types of Skin Diseases

The most common types of skin problems that people are facing in their daily lives include:

Acne: Occurs due to improper functioning of the oil glands.

Eczema: A harmful reaction caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors lead to this type of skin infection.

Hives: Allergy to food or any medicines causes hives.

Impetigo: Infection caused by reaction of specific bacteria.

Melanoma: This is a type of skin cancer.

Moles: The infection caused by clustering growth of tissues.

Psoriasis: Skin disease that leads to scaling and swelling.

Rosacea: Any sort of abnormalities in the blood vessels of the facial tissues may be the leading cause of the disorder.

Wrinkles: This pure aging process affects the skin.

Know the Causes of Skin Problems

Although there are many genetic, physical, and environmental factors that contribute to various forms of skin infections, some common causes include:

Environmental allergies and irritants

Genetic Structure of your body

Low immunity

Physical condition

Stress and Anxiety

Excessive smoking and alcohol

Food habits

Bacteria, fungus, or virus trapped in the skin pores

Excessive exposure to sunlight and harmful radiations



Know the Symptoms of Skin Problems

The most common signs and symptoms of most of the skin problems include:

Red or white raised bumps

Skin rashes

Scaly skin

Lesions

Dryness

Peeling skin

Cracked skin

Discolored patches

Ulcers

Know the Best Ayurvedic Treatment for Skin

Skin Problems of Pitta Dosha

Usually pitta type people experience more skin problems than the other two doshas. According to Ayurveda toxins causing skin disruption have their base in excess rakta dhatu along with rasa dhatu, both of which nourish the skin. Imbalance in rakta dhatu is caused when you consume heat causing foods, alcohol or other irritants for the liver. Even exposure to the sun excessive work, or intense negative emotions, etc. which have the attributes of pitta cause imbalance in the rakta dhatu resulting in chronic skin problems like hives, acne swelling, and others.

Remedies for Skin Problems of Pitta Dosha

Even acute problems of the skin exhibit the effect of excess pitta hence they respond well to cooling topical remedies. Rosewater, sandalwood paste, Multani mitti are few of the topical applications for these skin problems by an ayurvedic skin specialist in Nagpur. These topical remedies are also used for chronic problems along with expectorants and diaphoretics for lungs and alternatives for the cleansing of the liver like gotu kola, guduchi, manjishtha, neem and turmeric.

Skin Problems of Vata Dosha

An excess of vata dosha causes very dry and rough skin which like the other skin types needs a three step procedure – cleansing, nourishing and moisturizing.

Remedies for Skin Problems of Vata Dosha

For regular dry skin you should mix ground almonds with milk and a little sugar and massage it gently on the skin. For very dry skin you should mix yogurt and a little lemon juice. After this cleansing comes the nourishment and for this you should apply a mask based on flowers like rose or algae. Vata skin needs more moisturizing for which you need to apply jojoba oil and rose oil. Avoid cold food like salads and smoothies and instead opt for cooked and hot or warm food. You should also opt for more grains, rice, hot tea and milk if you have vata skin.

Skin Problems of Kapha Dosha

Kapha is responsible for the flow of fluids in the body and kapha skin is usually thick, oily and has large visible pores. Because the layer of skin is thick hence people with kapha dosha tend to get wrinkles later in life compared to other two doshas. However, such skin is prone to cystic acne which is caused due to excessive sebum.

Remedies for Skin Problems of Kapha Dosha

A skin specialist in Nagpur will advise regular cleansing for kapha skin, because it is oily and for cleansing you should make a paste of 1 tbs of ground oatmeal, 1 tbs of powdered orange peel add milk to make a paste and scrub skin lightly with this paste. If you have acne then you should mix need powder with water and apply to skin before cleansing. Sunflower oil is excellent nourishment for kapha skin which should be applied after cleansing. Almond oil and saffron oil are excellent moisturizers for this type of skin and you should mix them with cocoa butter or Shea butter.

Ayurvedic Hair Treatment

Ayurveda Defines the Best Cure for All Hair Problems

According to Ayurveda the human body is made up of the five elements which in turn manifest themselves as what is called doshas. When you hair is healthy if reflects the ratio of the doshas – vata pitta and kapha. We have all the three doshas in our body and it is quite possible that our hair expresses a combination of the three doshas. It is very rare that any person has completely vata, kapha or pitta type hair. Most of the times, your hair represents at least two doshas and even all three in some cases.

Let us look at the hair of all three dosha types:

Healthy vata type hair – Vata hair is relatively thin, but somewhat coarse it can be straight or curly or a combination of the two, it grows fast but can be somewhat unruly, which is why styling this kind of hair is a bit of a challenge.

– Vata hair is relatively thin, but somewhat coarse it can be straight or curly or a combination of the two, it grows fast but can be somewhat unruly, which is why styling this kind of hair is a bit of a challenge. Healthy pitta hair – such hair is the most predictable, straight soft and moderate in thickness, but the strands are fine

– such hair is the most predictable, straight soft and moderate in thickness, but the strands are fine Healthy kapha hair – is typically wavy, full, lustrous, coarse, strong and thick

If you are facing problems with hair health currently then it is necessary to assess your basic hair type which is based on life-long patterns, before you came to realize that your hair had begun to change. Always bear in mind that Ayurveda aims at making your hair at its best rather than alter the fundamentals. Ayurvedic hair treatment is all about making your hair is the best it can be with your natural doshas type. When any of the three doshas becomes in excess then it can affect the hair in such a way as to cause hair problems like hair fall, split ends, rough, dry and brittle hair etc. let us look at these imbalances:

Excess vata – it makes the hair dry, brittle, frizzy, and lusterless. The hair also becomes thin, falls out in clumps, becomes shorter and difficult to grow out and also develops split ends.

– it makes the hair dry, brittle, frizzy, and lusterless. The hair also becomes thin, falls out in clumps, becomes shorter and difficult to grow out and also develops split ends. Excess pitta – this causes excess heat in the follicles of the hair which in turn damages the hair and leads to premature thinning, baldness and early graying. Heat in the hair follicles is usually accompanied by a tendency to be short tempered, hot headed or extremely ambitious.

– this causes excess heat in the follicles of the hair which in turn damages the hair and leads to premature thinning, baldness and early graying. Heat in the hair follicles is usually accompanied by a tendency to be short tempered, hot headed or extremely ambitious. Excess kapha – this makes the hair oily, heavy and thick

Holistic Approach of Ayurveda for Hair Treatment

From the Ayurveda perspective, hair along with nails and teeth is the byproduct of the bone tissue because of which these tissues are deeply connected. The hair also has a relation with the nervous system and digestive tract. Hence if the health of any of these deteriorates it impacts the hair. At the same time, if the kind of nutrition you are taking is not adequate or healthy, that also will impact the hair. This is where the holistic approach of Ayurveda becomes quite useful. While providing hair treatment Ayurveda takes the whole body into consideration and does not treat the hair separately.