Treating Alopecia With Acupuncture When it comes to hair loss, you may feel that you have tried everything. You may have tried all kinds of lotions, potions, changing your overall hair care routines and practices, implants, wigs, caps, etc. to no avail. There are many alternative treatments for conditions like alopecia. One that is gaining in popularity and has been effective for many people is acupuncture. Learn more about it below.
It has been discovered that there is a gene that is responsible for alopecia. Unfortunately, little more is known than that, so there still isn’t a cure for it. More and more people are feeling the effects of this condition and it doesn’t matter what sex the sufferer is. The number of products and the amount of money spent each year continues to rise. Sadly, this is wasted on products that mostly do not work, make matters worse, or cause other issues. That’s why many people are turning back to ancient Eastern medical practices. One that is common for many physical treatments is acupuncture, and now this is being used for treating alopecia. Research has found that the cause of alopecia is related to DHT, which is what is causing the shortened lifespan of hair due to shrunken follicles and inhibited hair growth. It is assumed that prostaglandins may be the culprit, but that is just a theory at this point.
As for how acupuncture helps alopecia sufferers, it is quite similar to how it is used for other conditions. Hair loss is linked to vital substances like other parts of the body. Two of these are the health of the internal organs and blood. Unlike some other types of acupuncture, the effects can be more successful when using internal and topical herbal treatments as a part of the acupuncture treatment plan. In this case, most likely specially formulated shampoos and scalp washes. One acupuncture technique widely used to treat this condition is micro-current stimulation near the scalp. The pins placed properly in this area help improve nutrients and blood circulation to the scalp that help with encouraging new hair growth.
These treatments take a little bit of time like most acupuncture treatments. It may take between six and nine months of treatment to start getting positive results, although signs of improvement should start appearing early on in the treatment. That said, the six to nine-month expected treatment is generally for those that have just discovered their hair loss. If you have been losing hair for a longer period of time, you should expect treatments to last longer. Your qualified acupuncturist should create a personal plan and treatment for your specific needs instead of one that is a “one size fits all” treatment. Every alopecia sufferer has different causes and needs, therefore they need a customized treatment plan.
While Eastern medicine usually gets a bad reputation as being unfounded, unsafe, or just ridiculous, do not discount it for treating your hair loss. Many of the naysayers are proponents of western treatments that prove year after year that they are ineffective, but able to sell like there’s no tomorrow. If you have exhausted all of these resources, you should try going to a qualified acupuncturist to treat your alopecia.
