Stress Management

Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Oriental Medicine

Oriental medicine practitioners believe that the condition of the hair is a direct reflection of the blood, the organs responsible for cleansing the blood (especially the kidneys), the sex organs, and the adrenal glands. The condition of the hair follicles are directly affected by the toxicity in the blood. The hair follicles are responsible for the nourishment of the hair and they also support the growth of hair.

Stress can tax the adrenal glands significantly and can cause hair loss. Some oriental doctors suggest that hair that is frizzy and has split ends reflects poor condition of the sex organs, as well.

So, the first step in treating hair loss is to improve the quality of the blood. This can be done by strengthening the kidneys. Excessive amounts of animal protein, and sweet foods can cause the hair at the top of the head to fall out. According TCM, the sweets, acidic blood, and oils create excessive energy (excess fire); this excess energy escapes from the body through the top of the head. This causes the hair follicles to expand. As a result, the follicles lose their grip on the hair and allow them to fall out. 

The solution is to draw the energy back into the body, especially to the body's vital center, known as hara. This restores vitality to the hair follicles and allows them to regain their ability to contract tightly around the roots of the hair, holding it in place.

Many foods, herbs, and certain physiotherapies cause the energy within the body to move downward into the vital center, or hara.

See Also: Chinese Herbs for hair loss.

Acupuncture and Acupressure

Moxa Points for Hair Loss: 

GV 20, UB 10, UB 23, CV 12, CV 4, LI 4

Acupressure or acupuncture points:

LU 7, GV 14, GV 12, UB 13, LI I 1, LU 6, LU 9.

See Also: Acupuncture Infocenter in Holisticonline.com