Hair loss is a challenging condition to manage, with complex underlying causes. Many remedies have been shared, ranging from comprehensive dietary treatments like the nourishing hair tea “Wuyuankang” to external washes and even specialized remedies such as using Poria cocos to treat seborrheic hair loss. There are also traditional Chinese patent medicines specifically targeting hair loss, like “Qibao Meiran Wan.” Today, we introduce another formula for hair loss, an experience-based recipe from the master of traditional Chinese medicine, Zhang Zhiyuan.
This formula has a very appealing name, “Meitou Decoction,” which promises to beautify your hair, making it lustrous and flowing. The ingredients in Meitou Decoction are simple and gentle, with a comprehensive mix that covers nearly all causes of hair loss. It doesn’t require differentiation of symptoms; anyone experiencing hair loss can confidently give it a try.
Take out your pen and note down this Meitou Decoction:
20 grams of Ligustrum lucidum
20 grams of Eclipta prostrata
15 grams of Rehmannia glutinosa (unprocessed)
15 grams of Rehmannia glutinosa (processed)
10 grams of Angelica sinensis
10 grams of Salvia miltiorrhiza
6 grams of Carthamus tinctorius
6 grams of Ligusticum chuanxiong
10 grams of Platycladus orientalis leaves
Let’s analyze how this formula addresses hair loss.
What’s the first cause of hair loss? It’s blood deficiency. As traditional Chinese medicine has long stated, “The hair is the surplus of blood.” This means that only when a person’s qi and blood are sufficient, and there is an excess of blood, will hair grow. If there’s not enough blood, the body prioritizes protecting the vital organs, leaving no nourishment for the hair, leading to gradual hair loss. This is especially true for women, whose hair loss is primarily due to blood deficiency. Women lose a lot of blood throughout their lives and overthinking depletes their qi and blood.
How do we replenish blood? Where do we replenish it? The most important area is the liver, as the liver stores blood and governs hair growth. Hair is like the leaves of a tree, and since the liver belongs to the wood element, when the liver blood is sufficient, the liver qi rises and promotes hair growth. Remember, hair is a manifestation of growth. What can we use to replenish liver blood? Master Zhang Zhiyuan uses Angelica sinensis, which needs no explanation. Angelica is a gynecological miracle herb; nine out of ten women’s remedies might include Angelica, as it’s specifically designed to replenish women’s blood. Angelica, Angelica, let the blood return.
To complement Angelica, two other herbs are used to replenish blood: Ligustrum lucidum and Eclipta prostrata, which together form the traditional Chinese medicine “Erzhi Wan.” Erzhi Wan is a famous hair blackening formula that nourishes the liver and kidneys, making hair dark and glossy.
Next, let’s consider another cause of hair loss. There’s a saying in traditional Chinese medicine: “The kidneys bloom through the hair.” Bloom refers to prosperity and splendor; the hair is the flower of the kidneys. The appearance of the flowers depends on the health of the kidneys. If the kidneys are deficient, the hair naturally withers and falls out.
Kidney deficiency hair loss is mainly seen in men and the elderly, as men are predominantly influenced by kidney energy, while women are influenced by liver energy. To address kidney deficiency hair loss, we must nourish kidney essence. The best food for nourishing kidney essence is Polygonatum or nine times steamed and dried sesame pills, and the best herb is processed Rehmannia. After nine cycles of steaming and drying, fresh Rehmannia becomes processed Rehmannia, which is the essence of the earth and greatly benefits kidney essence. Almost all kidney-nourishing formulas include processed Rehmannia.
Attentive readers may ask why we use processed Rehmannia when there’s also fresh Rehmannia available. Processed Rehmannia nourishes kidney essence, while fresh Rehmannia cools the blood. Fresh Rehmannia, without undergoing the nine steaming and drying cycles, cools the blood. Why cool the blood? Because heat in the blood can also lead to hair loss, with common symptoms including oily scalp, itchy scalp, dandruff, and premature graying.
Seborrheic hair loss is largely caused by heat in the blood, though excessive body dampness can also contribute. How do we address blood heat? Here we use fresh Rehmannia, as well as Ligustrum lucidum and Eclipta prostrata, which can cool the blood and clear heat. Another crucial herb for promoting hair growth and blackening hair is Platycladus orientalis leaves, which are essential in almost all external washes to prevent hair loss.
Finally, whatever the type of hair loss, the ultimate result is clogged hair follicles. From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, this means blockage; the meridians and collaterals are not unobstructed, leading to blood stasis. Due to the blockage, hair follicles cannot absorb nutrients and will gradually fall out. We can use various external treatments to address clogged hair follicles, such as massage, cupping, acupuncture, and tapping. How can we use herbs? Naturally, by promoting blood circulation and removing stasis to unblock the meridians.
Three herbs are used here to promote blood circulation and remove stasis: Salvia miltiorrhiza, Carthamus tinctorius, and Ligusticum chuanxiong. Salvia miltiorrhiza primarily affects the blood, targeting tangible blood stasis and being vital for cardiovascular diseases. Carthamus tinctorius is light and floats upwards, moving through the qi aspect and adept at clearing head stasis, especially intangible stasis. Ligusticum chuanxiong affects both qi and blood, capable of moving qi and invigorating blood, and is essential for headaches. It can ascend to the head, descend to the blood sea, and open up stagnation in between. It’s very effective for head blood stasis.
This is the Meitou Decoction created by a master of traditional Chinese medicine for those suffering from hair loss. Personally, I believe adding Poria cocos would enhance the formula’s effectiveness, as Poria cocos can eliminate dampness. Many young people’s hair loss is mainly due to excessive dampness from overindulging in rich foods, leading to oily scalp and clogged hair follicles. In this era of nutritional excess and indulgence, we need Poria cocos to dispel dampness. Another master of traditional Chinese medicine, Yue Meizhong, likes to use Poria cocos alone to treat seborrheic hair loss.
Therefore, I suggest adding 30 grams of dry Poria cocos to the formula, or 6 grams if using Poria cocos powder.
Alright, it’s time to start brewing Meitou Decoction. Take one dose per day for twenty-one days, and may your hair become as plentiful as clouds, enhancing your beauty and allure.