RI& KOREAN MEDICAL CLINIC
Hair Loss & Seborrheic Scalp Dermatitis
Hair Loss
Hair loss is a condition in which hair falls out excessively or fails to regrow because of reduced follicle function and an imbalanced hair growth cycle.
It can appear in various forms, including reduced density across the scalp, a receding hairline and crown, and circular patches of loss. Genetic predisposition, hormonal imbalance (excess DHT), severe stress, nutritional deficiency, overwork and lack of sleep, and impaired scalp circulation can act as major aggravating factors. If proper care is not provided early on, the follicles may shrink and recovery can become difficult — so early intervention is important.
Seborrheic Scalp Dermatitis
Seborrheic scalp dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory scalp condition that arises from a combination of excess sebum production and an immune response to a skin-resident fungus (Malassezia).
It is characterized by excessive flaking (dandruff), scalp redness, itching, and greasy scales. Symptoms tend to flare repeatedly with stress, overwork, irregular eating habits, lowered immunity, and seasonal change. Left untreated, chronic inflammation around the follicles can lead to hair loss — so consistent scalp care is needed.
Hair-Loss Self-Check
- Daily hair loss feels like more than 100 strands, with noticeably heavy shedding when shampooing or on your pillow
- The hairline recedes, or crown hair thins noticeably
- Hair is fine and limp, with less shine and easily breaks
- A large amount of hair comes out when you tug the scalp or comb gently
- The scalp is excessively oily or dry, with frequent flaking/dandruff
- You often feel itching, stinging, or heat on the scalp
- Hair loss suddenly worsened after stress, overwork, childbirth, or dieting
- There is hair loss in your family, and symptoms began around a similar age
Main Causes of Hair Loss
Genetic predisposition
Hormonal imbalance (excess DHT)
Stress and overwork
Nutritional deficiency
Impaired scalp circulation
Hair Loss & Seborrheic Scalp Dermatitis Treatment
at Myeongdong RI& Korean Medicine Clinic
01RI&
Skin & Constitution Diagnosis
- Using the T-1000 thermal imaging device, we analyze the body's thermal patterns and closely assess inflamed areas, blood circulation, and autonomic nervous balance.
- RSA autonomic testing evaluates your metabolic state, stress index, and autonomic balance to precisely identify internal causes.
- Combined with Korean-medicine diagnostics (tongue, pulse, and abdominal examination), we make a comprehensive assessment of your skin and overall condition, then tailor treatment to your individual skin type and symptom severity.
02RI&
Scalp Circulation Acupuncture
A Korean medicine treatment that uses fine needles to promote the circulation of qi and blood in the scalp and ease inflammation. It addresses heat-toxin (yeoldok, 熱毒) and impaired blood circulation — major causes of hair loss and seborrheic dermatitis — to support skin recovery. With continued treatment, it aims to support the skin's resilience and help manage recurrence.
03RI&
Calming & Anti-Inflammatory Pharmacopuncture
A treatment that injects herbal pharmacopuncture with anti-inflammatory properties — such as calming pharmacopuncture and Ogong (centipede) pharmacopuncture — directly into the scalp to help settle inflammation. It especially helps ease redness and support skin regeneration. It is injected directly into the inflamed area, and the degree and pace of change vary from person to person.
04RI&
Scalp MTS
A scalp-care method that uses fine needles to create microchannels in the scalp and directly stimulate the follicles. The physical stimulation aims to support scalp blood flow and follicle function. It also helps deliver active ingredients for hair growth to the scalp, with the aim of improving hair loss. Results vary from person to person.
05RI&
Customized Herbal Treatment
A treatment that looks at the causes of hair loss and seborrheic scalp dermatitis according to your constitution and aims to improve them and restore skin health. By addressing immune hypersensitivity and heat-toxin, it aims to reduce inflammation and support the skin barrier to help prevent recurrence. It can also be prescribed in pill (hwan, 丸) form for easy, consistent use.
06RI&
Home Care
Based on herbal ingredients, it helps balance the skin through soothing and hydration, and helps support the skin barrier against external irritation.
07RI&
Lifestyle Management & Dietary Guidance
We provide personalized lifestyle coaching to minimize skin irritation and reduce inflammatory responses.
Hair Loss & Seborrheic Scalp Dermatitis Q&A
Are hair loss and alopecia areata the same, or different?
Hair loss is a broad term for any condition in which hair falls out excessively or fails to regrow for various reasons. Alopecia areata is one type of hair loss, a condition in which T cells attack the follicles through an autoimmune mechanism, causing hair to fall out in coin-shaped circular patches.
Besides alopecia areata, there are many types — male- and female-pattern (androgenetic) hair loss from excess DHT (dihydrotestosterone), telogen effluvium that develops after physical or mental stress or nutritional imbalance, and seborrheic hair loss linked to scalp inflammation. Because each has a different mechanism, course, and treatment approach, it's important to distinguish the type through accurate diagnosis — even when the visible symptoms look similar — and receive the appropriate treatment.
What is the goal of hair-loss treatment?
The most common type, androgenetic hair loss, is a chronic condition in which follicle miniaturization by DHT progresses gradually; medically, the current treatment goals are to slow progression and maintain hair density. Standard medications such as finasteride (a 5-α reductase inhibitor) and minoxidil often require long-term use, since hair loss frequently resumes once you stop taking or applying them.
Korean medicine treatment focuses on improving scalp microcirculation and regulating the inflammatory environment around the follicles, while adjusting, according to your constitution, the hormonal imbalance and immune state that contribute to hair loss.
Does alopecia areata recover naturally over time?
Early, single-patch alopecia areata sometimes recovers on its own as the immune state stabilizes, but the prognosis worsens markedly as the number of patches grows or recurrence repeats. Alopecia areata is classified by extent as single-patch, multiple-patch, alopecia totalis (the entire scalp), and alopecia universalis (including all body hair); once it progresses to the multiple-patch stage or beyond, the rate of natural recovery drops sharply and treatment response declines.
Recurrent alopecia areata is a sign that the autoimmune response is becoming chronic — if left untreated, the tissue around the follicles can gradually fibrose, risking permanent hair loss.
Why does seborrheic scalp dermatitis keep coming back?
Seborrheic scalp dermatitis is a chronic, recurrent condition in which the Malassezia fungus overgrows in a sebum-rich scalp environment, and the free fatty acids produced in the process (such as oleic acid) irritate the skin barrier and trigger an immune-inflammatory response. It is not simply a matter of scalp hygiene — as long as the dysregulation of sebum production and the immune response persist, symptoms are bound to recur.
Stress, overwork, lack of sleep, and lowered immunity are typical factors that disturb sebum production and skin-immune balance, promoting recurrence. Chronic seborrheic scalp dermatitis can also cause seborrheic alopecia — in which hair thins and falls out due to persistent inflammation around the follicles — so early management is important. An approach that gradually restores the scalp environment while addressing both internal immune imbalance and abnormal sebum production is needed.
Do I really need to take herbal medicine for hair loss or seborrheic scalp dermatitis?
Hair loss and seborrheic scalp dermatitis show on the scalp's surface, but they involve complex internal factors — hormonal imbalance, autoimmune abnormalities, impaired scalp circulation, and immune hypersensitivity to Malassezia. Topical treatment can suppress symptoms temporarily, but unless the internal environment is addressed, the scalp may keep reacting to the same triggers.
Herbal treatment focuses on regulating these internal imbalances, aiming to stabilize the constitution so the scalp is less prone to reacting to external stimuli. Combined with topical treatment aimed at improving scalp circulation and the follicle environment, it aims to help lengthen the intervals between flare-ups and slow the progression of hair loss.
Is it possible that the herbal medicine won't suit me?
Responses to herbal medicine can vary depending on your constitution, scalp condition, underlying conditions, and lifestyle. At Myeongdong RI& Korean Medicine Clinic, herbal medicine for hair loss and seborrheic scalp dermatitis is prescribed in 15-day units, and your scalp condition and constitutional response are closely monitored during that period.
Prescriptions are prepared with pharmaceutical-grade herbal ingredients. We fine-tune the prescription with care while comprehensively reviewing your scalp response and overall condition during treatment.
Photos of people on this page are staged images, not actual patients.
