Seborrheic alopecia
AliasHair lice alopecia
Traditional Chinese Medicine Definition
Seborrheic alopecia, also known as hair-loss due to follicular infestation, falls under the category of "hair loss" in Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to TCM internal medicine, seborrheic alopecia is often caused by factors such as liver and kidney deficiency, damp-heat in the spleen and stomach, blood-heat with wind-dryness, or liver depression with blood deficiency. It manifests as greasy hair, hair shedding, accompanied by scalp itching and increased dandruff.
The core pathogenesis of seborrheic alopecia is mostly related to liver and kidney deficiency, damp-heat in the spleen and stomach, blood-heat with wind-dryness, and liver depression with blood deficiency. Common clinical triggers include improper diet, emotional disturbance, and irregular lifestyle. Pattern differentiation requires distinguishing cold, heat, deficiency, and excess. For instance, the blood-heat with wind-dryness pattern presents with dry, shedding hair, excessive dandruff, itching, and a flushed scalp; the spleen-stomach damp-heat pattern manifests as greasy, shedding hair, scalp erythema, bitter taste, and sticky sensation in the mouth; the liver depression with blood deficiency pattern is accompanied by emotional distress, dizziness, blurred vision, and excessive dreaming at night; the liver and kidney deficiency pattern presents with prolonged hair loss, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, and dry hair quality. The overall treatment direction indicates: according to different patterns, adopt TCM therapeutic methods such as cooling blood and dispersing wind, nourishing blood and promoting hair growth, strengthening the spleen and removing dampness, clearing heat and promoting hair growth, soothing the liver and nourishing blood, and enriching the liver and kidney.
Common Syndrome Types and Key Points of Differentiation
Blood Heat and Wind Drying Syndrome
Main Manifestations: Dry and brittle hair with hair loss, excessive dandruff, itching, and scalp erythema.
Management Approach: Cool blood, dispel wind, nourish blood, and promote hair growth.
Spleen and stomach damp-heat syndrome
Main Manifestations: Oily hair and hair loss, scalp erythema, bitter and sticky mouth.
Management Approach: Strengthen the spleen to remove dampness, clear heat, and promote hair growth.
Liver qi stagnation with blood deficiency syndrome
Main Manifestations: Hair loss accompanied by emotional disturbance, dizziness and blurred vision, and dream-disturbed sleep.
Management Approach: Soothe the liver and nourish blood to promote hair growth and strengthen hair roots.
Insufficiency of Liver and Kidney Syndrome
Main Manifestations: Hair loss for a long time, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, dizziness and tinnitus, dry and brittle hair.
Management Approach: Tonify liver and kidney, nourish blood and promote hair growth.
The above syndrome information is based on traditional Chinese medicine textbooks and clinical standards. Specific differentiation should be completed by a practicing traditional Chinese medicine physician in person.
Physician's Clinical Insights
In patients with seborrheic alopecia, the hair is greasy. I often base treatment on the condition of sebum secretion, with the primary approach being to soothe the liver and clear heat.
— Fan Li Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner Assistant Physician
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This page is for the popular science of traditional Chinese medicine knowledge and does not constitute medical advice. Specific diagnosis should be completed by a licensed traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in person.
This article has been reviewed by licensed TCM physicians at Hangzhou Kezhentang TCM Clinic. It is for TCM popular science reference only and does not involve specific treatment plan recommendations.
References: Internal Medicine of TCM (13th Five-Year Plan Textbook), Diagnostic and Therapeutic Effectiveness Standards for TCM Diseases and Syndromes (ZY/T001.1-94), Classification and Codes of TCM Diseases and Syndromes (GB/T 15657-2021)