Oil Wind (Alopecia Areata)
You Feng (油风), commonly known as “ghost-licked head” or “ghost-shaved head,” is referred to in Western medicine as alopecia areata, patchy alopecia, or circular hair loss. It is a localized, patchy form of hair loss that begins suddenly, progresses slowly, and tends to recur. Clinically, it is characterized by patchy hair loss, normal-appearing scalp skin in the affected areas, no inflammation, and few noticeable symptoms. Complete loss of scalp hair is called alopecia totalis; loss of hair over the entire body is called alopecia universalis.
TCM Pattern Identification and Treatment Reference
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Sudden, rapidly progressing hair loss, sometimes accompanied by an itchy scalp. Some people experience a sensation of heat on the scalp, irritability, agitation, and restlessness. Eyebrow or beard hair loss may also occur. The tongue is slightly red, with a thin yellow coating; the pulse is wiry and rapid.
In plain language:
- Hair may suddenly fall out in large amounts, with rapid progression.
- The scalp may occasionally feel itchy.
- Some people may feel heat or warmth on the scalp.
- Feelings of irritability, agitation, or restlessness may occur.
- Eyebrow or beard hair may also fall out.
- The tongue may appear slightly red.
- The tongue coating may be thin and yellow.
- The pulse may feel tense and relatively fast.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Cool the blood, extinguish wind, nourish yin, and protect the hair.
In plain language:
- Aims to cool the blood and calm internal wind, addressing symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, spasms, or small spots of bleeding under the skin.
- Aims to nourish yin and care for the hair, addressing dryness, hair loss, or premature graying.
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Headache, scalp tingling or pain, or pain in the chest and sides may occur before hair loss, followed by patchy hair loss. Other symptoms may include frequent nightmares, insomnia, irritability, a feeling of chest tightness, pain or distension along the sides of the torso, and frequent sighing. The tongue may be purplish or dark, or have purple spots; the pulse may be wiry, deep, thready, or choppy.
In plain language:
- Headache, tingling or pain on the scalp, or pain around the chest and ribs may come before hair loss, followed by hair falling out in patches.
- Frequent nightmares, poor sleep, irritability, or becoming easily upset may occur.
- There may be chest tightness, pain around the ribs, a feeling of distension in the thighs, or frequent sighing.
- The tongue may look purplish or dark, with purple spots on its surface.
- The pulse may feel taut like a drawn string, or deep, thready, and uneven.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Soothe the liver and relieve stagnation; invigorate the blood and resolve stasis.
In plain language:
- Aims to soothe liver qi and relieve stagnation, addressing discomfort such as fullness or distension in the chest and sides, low mood, or frequent sighing.
- Aims to promote blood circulation and resolve stasis, addressing signs such as bruising, pain, or menstrual irregularity.
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Hair loss may occur after an illness or childbirth, when qi and blood have been depleted. It may be accompanied by pale lips, palpitations, shortness of breath, a weak voice, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, and weakness. The tongue is pale, with a thin white coating; the pulse is deficient, thready, and weak.
In plain language:
- Hair loss may occur after an illness or childbirth.
- Pale lips, palpitations, shortness of breath, a soft or weak voice, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, and weakness may occur.
- The tongue may look pale, with a thin white coating.
- The pulse may feel deficient, thready, and weak.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Tonify qi and nourish blood.
In plain language:
- Aims to support the body’s qi, addressing fatigue, shortness of breath, and getting tired easily.
- Aims to nourish the blood, addressing paleness, dizziness, palpitations, or poor nourishment of the skin.
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Hair may usually be dry, yellowish, or graying prematurely. Hair may fall out in large patches, and body hair may also be lost. Other symptoms include dizziness, tinnitus, and soreness or weakness in the lower back and knees. The tongue is red, with a white or scant coating; the pulse is deep and thready.
In plain language:
- The hair may usually be yellowish and dry, or gray prematurely.
- Hair falls out in patches.
- Hair elsewhere on the body may also fall out.
- Dizziness, tinnitus, and soreness or weakness in the lower back and knees may occur.
- The tongue may look red.
- The tongue coating may be white or scant.
- The pulse may feel deep and thready.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Nourish and replenish the liver and kidneys.
In plain language:
- Aims to nourish the liver and kidneys, addressing discomfort such as dizziness, tinnitus, soreness or weakness in the lower back and knees, or low energy.
- Aims to support the nourishment of the liver and kidney essence and blood, promoting a more stable and balanced state of health.
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
References
- Zhao Bingnan, Zhang Zhili. Concise Textbook of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dermatology [M]. Beijing: China Outlook Press, 1983: 231-232.
- Zhao Bian. Chinese Clinical Dermatology [M]. Nanjing: Jiangsu Science and Technology Press, 2009: 1186-1189.
- Li Yueqing. Traditional Chinese Medicine Surgery [M]. Beijing: China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2002: 212-214.
- Fan Ruiqiang, Deng Bingxu, Yang Zhibo. Dermatology and Venereology in Traditional Chinese Medicine (Clinical Edition) [M]. Beijing: Science and Technology Literature Press, 2010.
- Wu Yanli, Cui Qizhen, Du Qun, et al. Experimental Study on the Hair-Growth Effects of Yangxue Shengfa Capsules [J]. Pharmacology and Clinics of Chinese Materia Medica, 2004, 20(4): 33.
- Wang Yanrong. Experimental Study of the Hair-Growth Effects of the Chinese Medicine “Tuofa Zaishengling” [J]. Medical Animal Control, 2003, 19(9): 539.
- Wang Ting, Song Huaiyan, Zhang Wenming. Experimental Study on the Hair-Growth Effects of Zhitui Shengfa Tincture [J]. Shanghai Laboratory Animal Science, 2004, 24(2): 99.