An Analytical Cross-Sectional study to evaluate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hair oil application (Siro abhyanga) among adult women in Kerala

Hair care is a significant aspect of personal grooming and plays a crucial role in an individual’s overall appearance and self-perception. It contributes to a person’s self-esteem and cultural identity.

Routine application of hair oil is one of the Dinacharyas, which are principles and practices strongly advocated by Ayurveda for maintenance of individual health and wellbeing. Across different cultures and regions, hair care practices vary, reflecting unique traditions, beliefs, and preferences. As a result of the emphasis on Siro abhyanga as part of Dinacharya, there is a strong perception among the people of Kerala that the use of hair oil is essentially related to good hair growth and health.  Most of the population, especially women still adopt the practice, which is inherited from generations. The folklore claims and cultural expressions from Kerala are rich with description of lush dark hair of women conditioned with medicated hair oils. The word ‘good hair’ was synonymous with the use of coconut based medicated hair oils.

As time passes, the concept of beauty has undergone tremendous change. The newest options for hair related esthetics include hair coloring, texture change etc…With the advent of modern technology for the hair maintenance and esthetics, the traditional hair oil is replaced with shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and various modern hair styling treatments like keratin, botox, cysteine, etc…The most probable advice a women receive from her cosmetologist nowadays is not to use any kind hair oil, in sharp contrast to that of a generation before, where everyone was fancy of using hair oil.  Many of the haircare products, contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that may increase breast cancer risk1.

Healthy hair is often associated with overall health and well-being. Understanding the practices and habits related to hair use among adult women can uncover potential correlations between hair care practices and individual health outcomes. While there is existing literature on hair care, there may be a research gap concerning the knowledge, attitudes, and practices specific to adult women. Conducting a KAP study in this domain can contribute to filling this gap and provide valuable insights for targeted interventions and educational programs.

There are no available studies, for assessing the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding hair oil use. This could be the first of its kind to assess the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and prevalence of hair, scalp and head related problems based on the use of Hair oil (Siro abhyanga) among adult women of age 18-40 in Kerala based on the doctrines of Ayurveda.