• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2005

Objectives : We have studied female patients with either alopecia areata or androgenetic alopecia to evaluate psychological aspects, such as anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and characteristic personalities. In addition, we tried to examine the differences in psychological characteristics between these two types of alopecia, where the alopecia areata has been cotroversial on the role of stress in its etiology and the androgenetic alopecia seems to be more influeced by genetic and biological factors. Methods : All participated patients were females with alopecia for more than 1 you. Among them, 52 were with alopecia areata and 33 were with androgenetic alopecia. They were compared with 54 normal healthy controls by using MMPI, BDI, STAI-S, STAI-T, and TAS-20K. Results The average scores of F, Hs, D, Pd, Pa, Sc, Si in MMPI of alopecia groups were significantly higher than that of normal controls, and the androgenetic alopecia group had highest Hy and Pt scores. The average scores of BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T in alopecia groups were higher than the normal controls. 94.2% of alopecia areata patients and 97.0% of androgenetic alopecia patients had severe depression, who scored higher than 23 in BDI. In TAS-20K, the average total scores of alopecia groups were higher than the normal control group, and the average Factor 3 score in androgentic alopecia was higher than the other groups. The alopecia groups scored higher than normal control group in STAI-S and STAI-T. Conclusion : Females with chronic alopecia were more depressed, had higher levels of anxiety, and more alexithymic than normal healthy females. In spite of arguments about etiological role of stress to alopecia, psychiatric interventions are needed for depression, and considerations for personality and psychological defense mechanism were needed in both types of alopecia.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.179-186
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• 2006

Background : Recently the demand was increasing on the data describing treatment rates and the outcome of Androgenetic Alopecia using Oriental Medicine. Thus this study was designed to observe androgenetic Alopecia treatment using Oriental Medicine including acupuncture and herb because there has been no such statistics. Objectives : Our purpose was determine whether oriental medicine treatment leads to clinical improvement in men with androgenetic alopecia. Methods : Eighty two Men, 17 to 53 years of age, with male pattern hair loss according to a modified Norwood/Hamilton classification scale(II to VI) were enrolled in this study. Patients were treated with multidisciplinary Korean oriental medicine treatment (herbal acupuncture, acupuncture, herb, chuna therapy) at twice a week for 6 months to 12 months. Efficacy was evaluated by patient and investigator assessment, and global photographic review. Results : Oriental medicine treatment improved scalp hair by all evaluation. Patient self assessment demonstrated that Oriental medicine treatment slowed hair loss, increased hair growth, and improvement appearance of hair. These improvements were corroborated by investigator assessments and assessments of photographs. Conclusion : Oriental medicine treatment has significant effects on the androgenetic alopecia. Longer follow up studies are needed to examine whether its effects last long enough for the patients with androgenetic alopecia.