Ancient or Modern? Hair Loss Treatment in Contemporary China

China is a country with a sophisticated civilisation dating back over 4,000 years to the mysterious and possibly mythical Xia Dynasty. Chinese culture is both a complex and fascinating topic of study, with noble traditions in art, literature, music, engineering, statecraft, science, and medicine. As you would expect, the Chinese have been investigating and trialling possible cures for baldness for hundreds of years. But an increasing number of Chinese people are turning to methods of addressing hair loss developed by Western medicine.

Hair loss in China

21% of Chinese men and 6% of Chinese women experience hair loss, according to a 2010 study by the Peking University People’s Hospital. Hair loss amongst Asian women is thought to be more prominent because of an aspect of their hair morphology they have thicker strands of hair but fewer follicles.

Unhappy patients

In the summer of 2012, The China Association of Health Promotion and Education, a government-supervised body, conducted a survey on 1280 balding men in several major Chinese cities Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. They found that 47% of respondents sought hair loss treatment drawing on a host of remedies, from over-the-counter hair loss shampoos, to hair loss treatment centres, to folk remedies. Some 80% of these claimed they were dissatisfied with the results of the course of treatment they were pursuing.

Speaking the same language

According to traditional Chinese medicine, a lack of nourishment from the blood and weak qi (vital energy) are the root cause of hair loss. To a certain degree, this mirrors the scientific understanding of hair loss symptoms, which can be caused by a lack of nutrients such as Vitamin C and niacin. Also, one of the major hair loss products, a solution called Minoxidil, is believed to work by increasing blood flow to the scalp. With this in mind, certain recommendations found in traditional Chinese medicine such as to eat certain foods rich in key nutrients can help maintain a healthy scalp.

Unorthodox hair loss treatments

Apart from the recommendations to eat a well-balanced diet, there are some baldness remedies that you wouldn't get from a conventional hair loss specialist. Home remedies in China include walnuts and raw ginger scalp rubs as well as using snake gall bladders to help improve hair growth.

Nowadays, people in China are increasingly opting for more scientific treatments, including those used at clinics like The Belgravia Centre. Although traditionally Chinese medicine has not defined hair loss as the result of discrete conditions instead treating it more as a result of systemic problems, such as malnutrition Chinese people are increasingly likely to identify hair loss as a medical problem that can be treated.