The idea of there actually being something in acupuncture has permeated throughout the West for some time now – so could it provide a cure for hair loss?
According to the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, apparently so. In a statement released this summer, they claim that treatments of acupuncture combined with a blend of Chinese herbal medicine have proved an effective solution for sufferers of alopecia areata, which causes circular patch bald spots.
12 weeks of needlepoint
The experiment, performed at the Guangdong Second Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, involved 65 alopecia areata patients who underwent a 12-week course of treatment. 32 of them participated in standard acupuncture therapy, while the remaining 33 were treated with Qi Xing acupuncture, which involves the use of a seven-point needle.
Both groups received a daily brew of eleven traditional Chinese herbs twice a day (an hour after eating), and instructed to adhere to a bland and non-spicy diet.
A 30% improvement over Rogaine?
Results? An 84% total effective rate for patients who underwent the standard treatment, and a 90.9% total effective rate for patients who were given the Qi Xing procedure – which, if true, would make it more effective than Rogaine, which usually comes in at the 60% mark.
So what’s behind this? According to the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, all patients selected were suffering from, quote, ‘spleen and stomach damp-heat’ which leads to ‘obstruction of meridians’ and reduced blood circulation to the head.
After treatment, scalp temperature rose by 2.62oC. As for the herbs that were used, it’s accepted that Chinese medicine is an effective solution for helping bring your body back into balance, restoring circulation back to the scalp and correcting vitamin deficiencies.
In short, if you’re looking for an alternative solution to your alopecia issues, you might want to check out this particular avenue of therapy.
