Hair loss Chinese medicine diagnosis

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, hair loss is often related to kidney deficiency. The theory of traditional Chinese medicine believes that the kidneys store essence, and its beauty is in the hair. In other words, can the quality of hair be used to judge the kidney function? Therefore, we can use traditional Chinese medicine to carry out syndrome differentiation and treatment. In traditional Chinese medicine, hair loss can be divided into many types, such as qi and blood deficiency type, spleen and kidney yang deficiency type, etc. Different medicines are used for treatment according to different types.

Hair loss Chinese medicine diagnosis

[Qi and blood deficiency]

Symptoms include gradual hair loss, accompanied by dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, tinnitus, back pain, fatigue, poor appetite and insomnia, dull complexion, and loose stools; women have delayed menstruation, light-colored and small-volume menstruation, or excessive and thin leucorrhea; the tongue coating is thin white, the tongue is pale with teeth marks, and the pulse is weak and thready. The treatment should be to invigorate qi and nourish blood, and choose Bazhen Decoction with added ingredients, such as Codonopsis pilosula, Astragalus membranaceus, Chinese yam, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Chinese angelica, White peony root, Rehmannia root, Amomum villosum, Ligusticum chuanxiong, and licorice.

[Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency]

Symptoms include hair loss in patches, accompanied by cold limbs, spontaneous sweating, aversion to wind, poor appetite and loose stools, preference for warmth and fear of cold, weakness in the waist and knees, and frequent urination at night; the tongue coating is thin white, the tongue is pale and fat, and the pulse is deep and stringy or deep, thin and weak. The treatment should be to invigorate the spleen and replenish qi, warm the kidney and promote yang. The prescription is Astragalus and Cinnamon Twig Wuwu Decoction combined with Zhenwu Decoction with modifications. The medicinal materials used are Astragalus, Cinnamon Twig, Atractylodes, Poria, Codonopsis, processed Aconite, White Peony Root, Dry Ginger, Angelica, Jujube, processed Polygonum multiflorum, etc.

[Phlegm-dampness blocking the body]

The first symptom is scattered hair loss, accompanied by dizziness, abdominal distension, nausea, bland mouth without thirst, loss of appetite, uncomfortable bowel movements, and a fat body shape; women have irregular menstruation, and thin or yellow vaginal discharge; the tongue coating is thick and greasy, and the pulse is stringy and slippery. The treatment should be to strengthen the spleen and resolve phlegm, promote qi and remove dampness. The Banxia Houpu Decoction combined with Sanren Decoction should be selected with modifications. The medicinal ingredients used include Pinellia, Poria, Sophora flavescens, Tangerine peel, Coix seed, Apricot kernel, White cardamom seed, Talcum, Lentil, Angelica sinensis, Areca nut, Red Peony Root, and Citrus aurantium.

[Disharmony between liver and spleen]

Hair loss is faster, and it is more common in new cases. Symptoms include fatigue, flank distension, loss of appetite, loose stools or constipation, irritability and bitter taste in the mouth, easy to catch colds, and occasional fatigue, nausea and noise; women have scanty menstruation or amenorrhea, and thick leucorrhea; a thin, white or greasy tongue, a pale tongue with teeth marks, and a stringy and slow pulse. The treatment should be to harmonize the liver and spleen, raise the clear and lower the turbid, and choose Sini San combined with Chaihu Shugan San with modifications. The medicinal ingredients used include bupleurum, white peony root, bitter orange, Cyperus rotundus, Curcuma, Chuanxiong, Poria, yam, Codonopsis pilosula, jujube, and licorice.

[Internal blood stasis]

Symptoms include hair loss in patches, accompanied by dull complexion, dry mouth and throat, thirst but little drinking, dull pain in the flanks and abdomen, irritability, insomnia and forgetfulness, headache and body pain, dry skin, and constipation; women have dark menstruation with clots, or abdominal pain and back pain during menstruation; thin tongue coating, dark tongue or ecchymosis, and slow or thin and wiry pulse. The treatment is to invigorate the heart and spleen, remove blood stasis and dredge the meridians. The prescription is Guizhi Fuling Wan with added ingredients, which include cinnamon twig, Poria, peony bark, peach kernel, white peony root, Millettia reticulata, Clematis chinensis, Ligustrum lucidum, Eclipta prostrata, processed Polygonum multiflorum, Polygonatum sibiricum, safflower, Curcuma aromatica, Cyperus rotundus, etc.