Types of Alopecia and Hair Loss

The Classical Types

The classical triad:

• Khalitya: gradual progressive thinning - the closest classical analogue to pattern baldness, classified by dominant dosha (Vataja: dry rough scalp; Pittaja: burning, yellowish tinge, the most common per the texts; Kaphaja: thick, sticky, itchy)
• Indralupta: sudden patchy loss - the classical analogue of alopecia areata; Sushruta specifically prescribes scarification and leeching for it, signalling it was seen as a distinct, deeper disorder
• Palitya: premature greying, discussed in the same chapter-family

The classification insight that survives: not all hair loss is one disease. The texts treated gradual thinning and sudden patches as different problems needing different interventions - exactly what modern dermatology does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which type is most common? Pattern baldness by far - followed by telogen effluvium (especially post-illness and postpartum in India).

Is alopecia areata contagious? No. It is autoimmune - your own immune system, not an infection.

Can type change over time? Telogen effluvium resolves; pattern baldness progresses; areata can wax, wane, or (rarely) expand. Type itself rarely converts.

Do the classical types map to modern ones? Loosely - Khalitya to gradual thinning, Indralupta to patchy loss. The mapping is useful for conversation with a vaidya, not for self-diagnosis.