Chinese Herbs for Hair Growth and Hair Loss

More hair in the brush than there used to be. A parting that is wider than
last year. Grey arriving earlier than it did for your parents. Hair is one of the
things people notice about themselves most and talk about least — and it is
also one of the areas where Chinese medicine has a long and specific tradition.

At The Oriental Herb in Cliffside Park we approach hair the way the classical
texts do: as an outward sign of what is happening inside, particularly the blood
and the Kidney system. That framing is why the herbs used for hair are, almost
without exception, the same herbs used for deep nourishment generally.

How Chinese medicine understands hair

A line from the oldest medical text in the tradition says that hair is
“the surplus of the blood.” When the body has blood to spare, hair is
thick and glossy; when it does not, hair is where the shortage shows first. The
Kidney system, which in Chinese medicine governs ageing and constitutional
strength, is the other half of the picture.

Blood deficiency — diffuse thinning, dry and brittle hair,
pale complexion, dizziness on standing, fatigue; common after childbirth, heavy
periods, illness or a restrictive diet.
Kidney deficiency — thinning at the crown and temples,
early greying, hair that has lost its lustre; often with low back ache, poor
memory, and feeling older than your years.
Blood heat — sudden shedding, an itchy or oily scalp,
dandruff; tends to follow a period of intense stress or a feverish illness.
Stagnation — patchy loss, hair that stopped growing after
a shock or a sustained period of stress.

Herbs traditionally used for hair

Listed so you know what we work with — not as a self-prescribing guide.
These are nourishing herbs that are matched to the pattern above and to the person;
doses and combinations matter.

He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum, “Fo-Ti”) —
the single most famous hair herb in the tradition, used for greying and thinning
with a Kidney and blood deficiency pattern. Note: raw He Shou Wu has been
associated with liver problems; we use only the properly prepared form, at
appropriate doses, and will ask about your liver health first.
Shu Di Huang (Prepared rehmannia) — a core blood and
Kidney tonic.
Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis) — nourishes and moves the
blood; central to the blood deficiency pattern.
Gou Qi Zi (Goji berry) — nourishes blood and Kidney yin;
gentle enough for long-term use.
Nu Zhen Zi (Ligustrum) and Han Lian Cao (Eclipta) — a
classical pair for early greying.
Sang Shen (Mulberry fruit) — for dry hair and dry skin
with a blood deficiency pattern.

What a consultation involves

About 45 minutes, and most of it is conversation.

History — what you are experiencing, when it started, what
makes it better or worse, and how you are sleeping, eating and digesting.
Pulse diagnosis — read at three positions on each wrist,
assessing quality rather than just rate.
Tongue diagnosis — colour, coating and shape, which in
Chinese medicine reflect internal patterns.
Your formula — blended for you from our dispensary, as
traditional raw herbs for decoction or as extracted tablets if you would rather
not brew tea daily.
Follow-up — formulas get adjusted once we see how you
respond. The first one is a well-informed starting point, not a final answer.

Honest expectations

Hair is slow. The hair you can see today grew months ago, so nothing —
herbal or otherwise — changes what is already on your head. What a
well-matched formula can do is change what grows next. Realistically that means
three to six months before you can judge whether it is working,
usually seen first as less shedding, then as new fine growth at the hairline.

Anyone promising visible regrowth in weeks is not being straight with you.

Important — please read this part

Chinese herbal medicine is used here to support hair health. It
is not a cure for pattern baldness, and it is not a substitute for diagnosis.

Hair loss has medical causes worth ruling out first: thyroid
disorders, iron deficiency, autoimmune conditions (alopecia areata), scalp
infections, and side effects of medication. If your hair loss is sudden, patchy, or
accompanied by other symptoms, see your doctor and get bloodwork before anything
else. We work well alongside that, not instead of it.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescription medication, tell us
— several of these herbs are not appropriate in those situations.

Visit us in Cliffside Park

We are at 692 Anderson Ave, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010 —
minutes from Fort Lee, Edgewater, Fairview, Palisades Park and North Bergen.

Walk in to browse the dispensary or ask a question. For a full consultation,
book ahead so we can give you the time it needs.

Call (201) 840-6700 or book an appointment online.

Open Monday to Friday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM,
closed Sunday.

Chinese herbs for energy and fatigue — blood deficiency usually shows up as both
Chinese herbs for anxiety and stress — for shedding that followed a stressful period
Chinese medicine for eczema and skin — skin and hair share the same roots in Chinese medicine
Our Chinese herb store in Cliffside Park