Hair Loss - Alopecia - Going Bald

The loss or the act of loosing ones hair (known as alopecia in the medical community) is a very common condition among men and in some women.  A small amount of hair loss is normal and healthy but when the hair loss increases where you are becoming increasingly bald it is time to try to do something to decrease or stop this loss.   It can be caused by nutritional impairment (ie iron deficiency) where you are not absorbing or intaking enough quality food to support the hair growth.  A second common cause of hair loss or balding is excessive amounts of stress.  

Possible lifestyle causes of hair loss:

- tight pony tails or braids

- burns by hair relaxor solutions or hot curling irons

- excessive pulling of ones hair (pulling my hair out)

Other Causes of hair loss:

- male pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia) 

- fungal infections (tinea capitus)

- Thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroid or Hyperthyroid)

Chinese Medicine Treatment Of Alopecia/Hair Loss:

INTERNAL HERBAL MEDICINE

Blood Deficiency With Wind Dryness - lack of nourishment to skin and hair will kill the hair follicles. The hair will be dry and without lustre.  The skin is also dry along with dry irritated eys and weak nails.  There is also a general sense of itchyness on the scalp with possible dandruff. 

Herbal Formula:  Shen Ying Yang Zhen Dan

Qi and Blood Stagnation - chronic head aches, irritability or stress, commonly associated with some sort of physical trauma to the head where hair loss occurs on a specific area of the head. 

Herbal Formula:  Tong Qiao Hou Xue Tang + Xiao Yao San

Qi And Blood Deficiency - Insomnia, palpitations

Herbal Formula:  Ba Zhen Tang

Liver And Kidney Deficiency - Early greying of hair, premature hair loss, long term hair loss with dry, thin brittle hair.  low back weakness, sore knees, frequent urination, ...

Herbal Formula:  Qi Bao Mei Ran Dan + Chuan Xiong

EXTERNAL HERBAL TREATMENT:

adding the following herbs to the area may help to stimulate hair growth

Sheng Jiang or Chuan Xiong may stimulate circulation which can help slow or stop the rate of going bald and loosing hair.