Alopecia Areata

How Chinese medicine differentiates alopecia areata ("oil wind"), the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Rapidly progressing or total hair loss should be assessed medically alongside any acupuncture care.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for alopecia areata — 11 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
Du-20	Raises Yang, benefits the Brain and sense organs.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind, clears Heat, brightens the eyes.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-10	Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi, invigorates Blood.
L.I.-4	Removes obstructions from the channel, expels Wind, stops pain.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen, nourishes Blood and Yin.
BL-17	Invigorates and nourishes Blood, tonifies Qi and Blood.
BL-18	Nourishes and invigorates Liver-Blood.
BL-23	Tonifies the Kidneys and nourishes Kidney-Essence.
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), benefits Essence.

The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Blood Deficiency with External Wind

Clinical manifestations: Sudden, well-defined smooth bald patches; itchy, dry scalp, worse at night; pale complexion; aversion to wind.

Tongue: Pale body, thin white coat. Pulse: Fine, wiry, with a floating quality.

Treatment principle: Nourish Blood reserves while expelling external pathogenic Wind from the scalp.

Nourish Blood

Du-20 ↑ ST-36 ↑

Dispel Wind

G.B.-20 ↓ SP-10 ↓

Note: no moxa. No deck on this site combines Blood deficiency with external Wind into one slide, so no pattern link is given here.

2. Qi and Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Well-defined patches with easily pulled hairs; stabbing scalp pain; chest tightness; irritability from emotional strain.

Tongue: Dark purple body with stasis spots. Pulse: Wiry and choppy.

Treatment principle: Restore the smooth flow of Liver-Qi while activating Blood circulation to nourish the follicles.

LR-3 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ Du-20 ⊥ SP-10 ↓

Note: no moxa. Matches Liver-Blood stasis — that deck slide explicitly lists purple nails, purple lips and a purple/dark complexion among its discoloration markers, and this pattern's dark purple tongue with stasis spots is the same signature.

3. Qi and Blood Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Diffuse thinning with fine, soft hairs; pale complexion; fatigue; poor appetite; sparse regrowth.

Tongue: Pale body, possible teeth marks. Pulse: Fine, weak, possibly empty.

Treatment principle: Tonify the digestive system's capacity to generate and distribute Qi and Blood.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ Du-20 ↑ BL-17 ↑

Note: moxa applicable. No deck on this site combines Qi and Blood deficiency into one slide, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Liver Blood and Kidney Essence Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Premature graying; lower back soreness; dizziness; tinnitus; poor concentration.

Tongue: Pale body with fine cracks. Pulse: Deep, fine, weak at the Kidney positions.

Treatment principle: Replenish the deep vital reserves governing regeneration.

BL-18 ↑ BL-23 ↑ Du-20 ↑ KI-3 ↑

Note: moxa applicable. Matches Kidney-Essence deficiency — that deck slide explicitly names \"premature greying of hair\", poor memory and tinnitus among its adult manifestations.

Related conditions

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