Hair loss may be due to dandruff, illness or nutritional deficiencies

Q. I am having heavy hair loss and also suffering from baldness. Please recommend remedies.
A. Some of the reasons for hair loss are dandruff, seborrhoea (excessive oiliness of scalp), stress, thyroid imbalance, illness, nutritional deficiencies, hair damage, etc. Baldness can be caused by a condition called alopecia. You should consult a doctor to find out the cause of your hair loss. You can take clinical scalp treatments to control hair loss. Apply non-oily herbal hair tonic on the scalp daily, using cotton wool and leave on. Avoid massage. Part the hair in sections and apply on the scalp. Diet is very important. Have a small bowl of sprouts daily and include fresh fruits, salads, leafy green vegetables, soyabean, and curd in your diet. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of warm water and have it first thing in the morning. Do breathing exercises of Pranayam. Ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements.
Q. How can I make my tanned skin fairer?
A. Use a facial scrub twice a week. You can either buy a facial scrub, or you can mix rice powder with curd and use as a facial scrub. Apply on the face and rub gently on the skin using small circular movements. Leave on for 5 minutes and then wash off with water. Mix one teaspoon each of honey and lemon juice and apply daily on the face, at any time. Wash off after 20 minutes. Twice a week, apply face mask. Mix 3 teaspoons oats with one teaspoon each of honey, curd and lemon juice or egg white. Apply on the entire face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off after half an hour.
Q. I have oily skin. Pimples and dark spots are increasing. Please help me to get a clear face.
A. Wash your face twice a day, morning and night with a medicated soap. Then wipe with an astringent lotion, using cotton wool. Mix a little rose water with sandalwood paste and apply on the face. Wash off after 15 minutes. Mix cinnamon (dalchini) powder with a little lemon juice and a few drops of honey into a sticky paste. Apply only on the pimples daily and leave it on for one or two hours. Mix multani mitti with rose water and lemon juice into a paste and apply on the face two or three times a week. Wash it off when it dries. Avoid creams and moisturizers. Use only oil-free products. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of water and drink it first thing in the morning.
Q. I have combination skin and also have lots of blackhead on my nose.
A. Blackheads occur on oily areas of the skin. After washing the face in the morning, wipe the blackhead prone areas with an astringent lotion, using cotton wool. In the morning after washing the face, make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply the paste on the areas with blackheads daily and wash it off after 5 minutes. Use a facial scrub three times a week on the blackhead prone areas. Or, mix oats with egg white and apply on the area twice a week. Wash it off when dry. You can also go for clean up to a good beauty salon and have the blackheads extracted.
Q. I am 18 and my grey hair is increasing day by day. Please suggest a remedy for my problem.
A. The exact causes of the hair turning white prematurely are not known as yet. The white hair will not become dark, except by hair colouring/dyeing. Amla is said to check greying. So, you can have the juice of one raw amla daily, after adding it to a glass of water. You can also add amla to henna powder. However, henna leaves a reddish brown colour on white hair, as you know. It will not colour dark hair. Soak a handful of dry amla in about 2 to 3 cups water overnight. Next morning, strain the water, but do not throw the water away. Grind the amla. To the henna powder, add the ground amla, 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs, 2 teaspoons oil and enough amla water, so that the henna mixes into a thick paste. Keep the paste for two to three hours and then apply it on the hair, so that the entire head is covered. Keep it on for at least two hours and wash off with plain water.
Q. I am getting scaly white powder after I have a bath and rub my skin with a towel. How to get rid of it?
A. This could be due to dryness of the skin. However, if there is any itching, it should be referred to a dermatologist first. Apply til oil daily before bath and massage it on the skin. Use mild glycerin soap. Immediately after bath, apply a body lotion while the skin is still damp. This helps to seal in moisture.