In humans, hair's main purpose revolves around its profound role in social interactions. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder characterized by transient, non-scarring hair loss and preservation of the hair follicle. Hair loss can take many forms ranging from loss in welldefined patches to diffuse or total hair loss, which can affect all hair bearing sites. Patchy alopecia affecting the scalp is the most common type. Alopecia areata affects nearly 2% of the general population at some point during their lifetime. A breakdown of immune privilege of the hair follicle is thought to be an important driver of alopecia areata. Although it is not a life threatening condition, but the cosmetic disfigurement which leads on to significant psychological and emotional distress supports a multibillion-dollar effort to reverse this condition. Indralupta is a condition explained as kapalagata roga by Acharya vagbhata and as kshudra roga by Acharya sushruta and madhava nidana, characterised by patchy loss of hair particularly over the scalp without any clinical inflammatory signs. The main line of treatment in contemporary science is cortico-steroids, which has harmful side effects and cannot be used long term. Hence there is the highest need of harmless, effective treatment from alternative medical sciences. Ayurveda indicates use of Prachchanna karma as a Shodhana chikits and Lepa as a shamana chikitsa in the treatment of Indralupta. Prachchanna helps in clearing the obstructed Romakupas. Raktamokshana is the ideal treatment when Dosha is vitiated with Rakta. A case study of Indralupta was carried out at the outpatient department of Shalakya Tantra at Shri C.B. Guttal Ayurveda Medical College, Dharwad,Karnataka, which was successfully treated. A case of a 22-year-old male patient who presented with the complaint of Indralupta has been treated with Pracchana karma followed by Trikatu Lepa along with internal medicine. There was a significant improvement in symptoms such as decreased patch size and regrowth of the hair. This case study shows that Indralupta can be successfully managed by Ayurvedic treatment modalities.
