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My hair falls out in clumps whenever I brush it. Could it be a precursor to hair loss?

Every morning when you brush your hair, or every time you wash your hair, have you ever felt your heart sink as you see clumps of hair falling out? It's hard to just shrug it off with "Oh, my hair is falling out a bit" as the anxiety grows over your increasingly thinning and sparse hair. Especially for women, it's easy to think of it as a temporary phenomenon due to childbirth or stress, but over time, it often progresses into female-pattern hair loss, where the overall hair thins and the scalp becomes visible. Could hair loss have started without you even knowing it?

💡 Core Answer The 3 most common causes of "hair falling out in clumps whenever I brush it": ① Stress and autonomic nervous system imbalance / ② Nutritional imbalance and worsening of the scalp environment / ③ Hormonal changes (childbirth, menopause, etc.) Dalimchae Clinic creates a fundamental environment in the body where hair can take root healthily through constitutional improvement.

It's normal for about 50 to 100 hairs to fall out a day. However, if a noticeably large amount of hair falls out when brushing or washing, and especially if this is accompanied by changes such as thinning of the falling hair or the scalp becoming visible, it's difficult to dismiss it as simple seasonal hair loss or a temporary phenomenon. This excessive hair loss could be a red light from the body, and if not addressed early, it can lead to chronic hair loss. This is because imbalances in our body directly affect scalp and hair health.

Hair loss is not just a scalp problem; it's a signal that internal imbalances in our body are manifesting externally. Stress, irregular lifestyle habits, poor diet, and lack of sleep affect the autonomic nervous system, hindering blood circulation to the scalp and damaging the health of hair follicle cells. This shortens the hair growth cycle, causing hair to fall out before it even grows fully and slowing the production of new hair.

In a 2023 study by the research team of Kang Dong-min, Seo Yu-ra, and Park Seong-jin published in the Journal of Korean Internal Medicine, it was confirmed that when herbal medicine and minoxidil combination therapy were applied to 96 patients with male-pattern hair loss, hair density significantly increased by 34.2% (p<0.01) and hair thickness also improved. This suggests that herbal medicine treatment has a positive effect on promoting hair growth and improving the scalp environment. Based on this data, Dalimchae Clinic aims to restore the fundamental health of the scalp and hair through constitutional improvement.

Our body's autonomic nervous system regulates various bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion in response to stress. Chronic stress disrupts the balance of the autonomic nervous system, overactivating the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn constricts blood vessels in the scalp and hinders the supply of sufficient nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. Eventually, the hair becomes frizzy and falls out easily, making it difficult for new hair to grow. As such, autonomic nervous system imbalance can be an important cause and aggravating factor of hair loss.

In a meta-analysis study (Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine as Adjuvant Therapy for Refractory Androgenetic Alopecia) that extracted and analyzed 30 randomized controlled trials published up to March 2019, a total of 2,615 patients were analyzed, and the results showed a significantly higher total effective rate in the herbal medicine treatment group. This study proved the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicine treatment for refractory hair loss with extensive data, showing that a Korean medicine approach is effective for hair loss treatment. Based on this scientific evidence, Dalimchae Clinic is focused on creating a constitution where hair can grow healthily by regaining the balance of the autonomic nervous system.

At Dalimchae Clinic, we interpret the symptom of hair loss every time you brush as a signal that the overall balance of our body is broken, not just a problem of the hair. The constitutional improvement treatment we pursue is not about temporarily extinguishing symptoms, but about making the body healthy again so that the symptoms do not reappear.

At Dalimchae Clinic's Incheon branch, we closely diagnose the patient's constitution, hair loss type, and accompanying symptoms to prescribe personalized herbal medicine. This restores the balance of the autonomic nervous system, supplies sufficient nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles, and reduces inflammatory reactions to create an optimal environment for healthy hair growth. In addition, we combine Korean medicine treatments such as acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and moxibustion to improve scalp blood circulation and strengthen hair follicles, helping to promote hair growth and prevent the recurrence of hair loss.

Check the items that apply to you below.

• I feel like more than 100 hairs fall out a day.
• The hair on the crown or along the part has become noticeably thinner and sparser.
• Every time I brush my hair, much more hair than usual gets caught in the brush.
• My scalp is often itchy or red, and I feel heat in it.
• My hair is limp, sagging, and frizzy.
• I have been under a lot of stress lately or my sleep quality has worsened.
• Hair falls out particularly much after childbirth and does not recover.
• Besides hair loss, I am also experiencing symptoms such as indigestion, chronic fatigue, and headaches.

Diagnosis Results:

• If 3 or more apply: You can suspect hair loss due to autonomic nervous system imbalance. Consult with a specialist at the Incheon branch clinic for an accurate diagnosis and complex Korean medicine treatment.
• If 5 or more apply: It's highly likely that hair loss has progressed significantly. We recommend visiting immediately for a precision diagnosis and starting active treatment. Dalimchae Clinic's Incheon branch provides solutions for your scalp and hair health.

Q. Can hair loss that occurs just by brushing improve naturally? A. Telogen effluvium caused by temporary stress or nutritional deficiency can recover naturally once the cause is resolved. However, if it's accompanied by changes such as thinning hair or a visible scalp, natural recovery is difficult, and professional help is needed.

Q. How long should I receive hair loss treatment to see results? A. Hair loss treatment must consider the hair growth cycle, so consistency is important. Generally, a treatment period of 3 to 6 months or more is recommended, and it can vary depending on the individual's hair loss type and degree of progression.

Q. How is hair loss treatment conducted at Dalimchae Clinic's Incheon branch? A. At Dalimchae Clinic's Incheon branch, we prescribe personalized herbal medicine through 1:1 pulse diagnosis and constitutional diagnosis, and combine acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and moxibustion treatment to improve scalp blood circulation and strengthen hair follicles, helping fundamental constitutional improvement.

Q. What can I do at home to prevent hair loss? A. Regular lifestyle habits, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, stress management, and maintaining proper scalp cleanliness are important. It's also helpful to use scalp care products that suit you and consistently massage your scalp.

Hair loss every time you brush is not a problem that can be solved by enduring. You no longer have to ignore the signals your body has been sending for a long time. If you approach in the right direction, the body responds faster than you think. Bring your symptoms exactly as they are. At Dalimchae Clinic, we will find the cause together.

Where life blooms. For herbal medicine, it's Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your symptoms similar to mine through the AI consultation on the Dalimchae Clinic website first!

This article is health information compiled by Dalimchae medical staff based on questions frequently received in the treatment room. Medical Supervision | Skin Disease Treatment Standards Dalimchae Clinic Incheon Branch Korean Medicine Doctor Yang Yuchan (Hair Loss Column)