Can yoga make your hair grow?

THE NAKED EYE

appears that as your scalp gets too accustomed to the extra blood flow, it slows your hair growth again.

If you’re interested, there are a number of suggested positions you can examine on online yoga sites: downward facing dog, camel pose, thunderbolt pose, ragdoll pose and shoulder stand.

But it is not merely improved hair condition that yoga seems to offer. There is a host of ailments that fans claim would be relieved by some simple regular sessions. Asthma, back pain, flat feet, insomnia and sciatica are top of the list of miracle cures readily available.

Gentlemen who favour a man-bun should be warned that no matter how many “inversions” in your exercise regime, it probably won’t be enough to save your hair. Apparently, the constant strain that this tragically hip hairstyle places on your roots is causing baldness among man-bun enthusiasts.

Sabra Sullivan, a respected dermatologist, is certain that “traction alopecia” is becoming a common side-effect of the hairdo.

It is the same problem faced by women who like very tightly pulledback ponytails, known by some as the Croydon facelift.

Some medical specialists warn that yoga causes as many injuries as more physical sports activities, damaging neck muscles and soft tissue, straining ligaments, tendons and joints.

They are particularly anxious about “power yoga”, and concerned about how many problems are being caused in these more vigorous yoga classes.

This of course highlights the worry that yoga instructors are frequently inadequately trained — there is nothing to stop anybody with a fairly sparse knowledge declaring themselves a yoga teacher, and hosting courses. Seemingly, it takes years to perfect many of the yoga positions, and become sufficiently expert to train others to practise them safely.

There is also the worry about the rise in yoga addiction, with practitioners feeling depressed and exhausted if they are separated from their yoga mats for more than a couple of days.

But as you know, there is no pleasurable activity whatsoever that a gaggle of experts won’t insist must be avoided at all costs.

Charles Saatchi’s latest book is We Are Bananas, published by Palazzo