Clipping Board » Disease & Prevention ─ Understanding diseases, prevention is better than cure.
Reporter Dai Rimou, Ta Kung Pao
2005-12-8
Prince William of the UK, who has always appeared as a handsome figure and is regarded as a "prince charming" by countless girls worldwide, has recently been feeling troubled due to a "balding crisis." Inheriting the "balding gene" from the royal family, Prince William's hair loss is becoming increasingly severe, and at the young age of twenty-four, a "Mediterranean" is gradually forming at the back of his head.
To save his thinning hair, Prince William has had to launch a "hair defense battle" — besides taking various vitamins daily and following a "hair growth diet," he has also, on the advice of hair loss experts, adopted acupuncture and various traditional Chinese medicine therapies that are still not widely known in the UK. Insiders say that Prince William decided to turn to Chinese medicine only after carefully studying various conventional Western medical treatments and finding their effects unsatisfactory.
Is acupuncture really effective for treating hair loss? Professor Huang Dingjian of the Acupuncture Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine University, a renowned national expert in traditional Chinese medicine, affirmed this. He said that congenital hair loss is caused by kidney deficiency and insufficient qi and blood. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the kidneys are the foundation of the innate constitution, directly connected to the brain, which is the sea of marrow. The kidneys produce marrow, and insufficient kidney yin leads to insufficient marrow, which in turn leads to a lack of nourishment for the brain, causing symptoms such as dizziness and hair loss. The mechanism of acupuncture in treating hair loss lies in unblocking the meridians, supplementing kidney yin, and harmonizing qi and blood. "Hair is the surplus of blood," and sufficient qi and blood ensure good brain nutrition, which is beneficial for hair growth.
Huang Dingjian introduced that there are currently two main acupuncture therapies for treating congenital hair loss. The first is the filiform needle method. This method often uses local acupoints, selecting points along the Governor Vessel such as Baihui, Fengchi, Dazhui, Pishu, and Shenshu; and then selecting points like Taixi and Zusanli on the foot meridians, combining distant and local points for needling, which can supplement bladder yin, kidney yin, and the spleen and stomach, strengthening qi and blood. Generally, the needling time is twenty-eight to thirty minutes, with fifteen sessions making up one course of treatment, taking three months. There should be a three to five-day interval between each course to avoid over-fatigue of the acupoints, which would not respond to needling and fail to achieve the treatment's purpose.
He continued, saying that the filiform needle treatment for hair loss generally shows effects after three months, with fine short fuzz growing out. If combined with taking Chinese medicines like Polygonum multiflorum, sesame, walnut, Angelica sinensis, and white peony root, which tonify the kidneys, activate blood, and nourish the complexion and hair, the efficacy will be even better.
Another therapy is the cutaneous needle tapping method (also known as the plum blossom needle tapping method or the seven-star needle tapping method). This method taps on the Ashi points (i.e., the hair loss areas) locally, to the extent that the skin becomes flushed or slightly bleeds, combined with external application of ginger juice and mild moxibustion with moxa sticks to maintain a warm sensation. Generally, the tapping time is twenty minutes, once daily or every other day, with fifteen sessions making up one course of treatment.
Huang Dingjian explained that this method can stimulate hair follicles, unblock meridians, accelerate scalp blood circulation, increase metabolism, and promote hair growth. At the same time, the cutaneous needle tapping method can be used in conjunction with the filiform needle method to mutually enhance each other.
"Acupuncture treatment for hair loss requires syndrome differentiation and treatment," Huang Dingjian emphasized, and during the treatment, the following points should be noted: First, maintain adequate sleep and pay attention to the balance between work and rest; second, when washing hair, appropriately scratch the scalp to promote local blood circulation, and choose shampoos and conditioners containing Polygonum multiflorum and sesame, avoiding irritating alkaline hair care products; third, avoid eating too much oily fried or stir-fried food, do not smoke, and you can drink a small amount of wine, Polygonum multiflorum wine, or goji berry wine, which can tonify the kidneys and enhance scalp blood circulation.
Source: http://www. takungpao. com/ news/ 05/ 12/ 08/ GY- 494848. htm
Acupuncture Shows Excellent Results in Treating Hair Loss
2005-12-8
Prince William of the UK, who has always appeared as a handsome figure and is regarded as a "prince charming" by countless girls worldwide, has recently been feeling troubled due to a "balding crisis." Inheriting the "balding gene" from the royal family, Prince William's hair loss is becoming increasingly severe, and at the young age of twenty-four, a "Mediterranean" is gradually forming at the back of his head.
To save his thinning hair, Prince William has had to launch a "hair defense battle" — besides taking various vitamins daily and following a "hair growth diet," he has also, on the advice of hair loss experts, adopted acupuncture and various traditional Chinese medicine therapies that are still not widely known in the UK. Insiders say that Prince William decided to turn to Chinese medicine only after carefully studying various conventional Western medical treatments and finding their effects unsatisfactory.
Is acupuncture really effective for treating hair loss? Professor Huang Dingjian of the Acupuncture Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine University, a renowned national expert in traditional Chinese medicine, affirmed this. He said that congenital hair loss is caused by kidney deficiency and insufficient qi and blood. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the kidneys are the foundation of the innate constitution, directly connected to the brain, which is the sea of marrow. The kidneys produce marrow, and insufficient kidney yin leads to insufficient marrow, which in turn leads to a lack of nourishment for the brain, causing symptoms such as dizziness and hair loss. The mechanism of acupuncture in treating hair loss lies in unblocking the meridians, supplementing kidney yin, and harmonizing qi and blood. "Hair is the surplus of blood," and sufficient qi and blood ensure good brain nutrition, which is beneficial for hair growth.
Huang Dingjian introduced that there are currently two main acupuncture therapies for treating congenital hair loss. The first is the filiform needle method. This method often uses local acupoints, selecting points along the Governor Vessel such as Baihui, Fengchi, Dazhui, Pishu, and Shenshu; and then selecting points like Taixi and Zusanli on the foot meridians, combining distant and local points for needling, which can supplement bladder yin, kidney yin, and the spleen and stomach, strengthening qi and blood. Generally, the needling time is twenty-eight to thirty minutes, with fifteen sessions making up one course of treatment, taking three months. There should be a three to five-day interval between each course to avoid over-fatigue of the acupoints, which would not respond to needling and fail to achieve the treatment's purpose.
He continued, saying that the filiform needle treatment for hair loss generally shows effects after three months, with fine short fuzz growing out. If combined with taking Chinese medicines like Polygonum multiflorum, sesame, walnut, Angelica sinensis, and white peony root, which tonify the kidneys, activate blood, and nourish the complexion and hair, the efficacy will be even better.
Another therapy is the cutaneous needle tapping method (also known as the plum blossom needle tapping method or the seven-star needle tapping method). This method taps on the Ashi points (i.e., the hair loss areas) locally, to the extent that the skin becomes flushed or slightly bleeds, combined with external application of ginger juice and mild moxibustion with moxa sticks to maintain a warm sensation. Generally, the tapping time is twenty minutes, once daily or every other day, with fifteen sessions making up one course of treatment.
Huang Dingjian explained that this method can stimulate hair follicles, unblock meridians, accelerate scalp blood circulation, increase metabolism, and promote hair growth. At the same time, the cutaneous needle tapping method can be used in conjunction with the filiform needle method to mutually enhance each other.
"Acupuncture treatment for hair loss requires syndrome differentiation and treatment," Huang Dingjian emphasized, and during the treatment, the following points should be noted: First, maintain adequate sleep and pay attention to the balance between work and rest; second, when washing hair, appropriately scratch the scalp to promote local blood circulation, and choose shampoos and conditioners containing Polygonum multiflorum and sesame, avoiding irritating alkaline hair care products; third, avoid eating too much oily fried or stir-fried food, do not smoke, and you can drink a small amount of wine, Polygonum multiflorum wine, or goji berry wine, which can tonify the kidneys and enhance scalp blood circulation.
Source: http://www. takungpao. com/ news/ 05/ 12/ 08/ GY- 494848. htm