The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim

Among various types of hair loss, the one with the highest treatment potential is ‘clearly defined alopecia areata’. In the affected area, the hair count was noticeably low, revealing white patches of scalp.

“Please prepare 1cc of Hwangryunhaedok pharmacopuncture. Use an insulin syringe.”

I requested the thinnest and finest syringe from the staff, then disinfected the scalp area.

“Since it’s a needle, it might hurt a bit.”

“That’s alright.”

Soon, Seol Yu-hee brought the pharmacopuncture.

I tilted the syringe and injected the entire 1cc of pharmacopuncture in 10 spots, 0.1cc each, as if creating shallow blisters.

“Ugh!”

Although startled when the needle first entered, Woo Jong-soo endured the treatment with his eyes tightly shut, seemingly finding it less painful than expected.

“Was it bearable?”

“Yes. It feels like something cool is spreading.”

I’m glad it wasn’t too bad.

I proceeded to insert needles densely into the affected area.

This was to improve blood circulation and treat inflammation in the affected area, separate from inserting needles into meridians to reduce heat. It also stimulates hair growth.

“I look like a hedgehog.”

A hedgehog, indeed. If needles were inserted all over his head, it might have looked that way, but with dozens of needles only on the crown, it resembled something more like horns.

Finally, I inserted needles into his arms and legs as well.

Sadly, there are no acupoints with immediate effects on hair loss, so I inserted needles at all points known to be effective in reducing heat or significant for skin conditions.

“Please lie down like this for a while. Let me know if you feel uncomfortable.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I’m here on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, so try to come for treatment twice a week. I’ll send the medicine by courier.”

“Alright!”

I made it clear that I couldn’t guarantee results.

And I’ve done all the treatments I can.

Being my first hair loss patient since coming to modern times, I was quite concerned, but for alopecia areata, there’s no need to be too apprehensive.

The rest is up to fate.

After repeating the treatment a few times…

By the fifth session, fine hair began to appear on Woo Jong-soo’s scalp.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Ahem~”

Woo Jong-soo had been in a good mood lately.

Although the bald spot was still quite noticeable.

Click!

When he took a picture to check his scalp, it looked different from before.

He could see something slowly growing.

‘Nnngh!’

It hurt when the needle first went in, but after the treatment, he definitely felt a cooling sensation.

He also felt a spreading energy every time the Korean medicine doctor’s hands touched him.

“Kids, can’t you see that it’s not noticeable anymore?”

But when he tried taking off his hat in front of his students…

“Teacher…”

“It does look a tiny bit better?!”

He invariably received sympathetic looks.

[Jong-soo, want to go on a blind date?]

Woo Jong-soo hesitated.

He wanted to accept. But judging from his students’ reactions, he was still visibly a hair loss patient to anyone who looked.

But maybe next month or the month after that, it might be okay!

He held back tears as he replied.

[I’m too busy with academy work this month. If you’re still single next month, please ask me then.]

◆◇◆◇◆

One month into treatment.

“It seems to be working, right? Don’t you think?”

Woo Jong-soo was very satisfied with his progress so far.

“Yes. Your scalp condition has definitely changed over the past month. The fine hair you see now will grow into proper hair.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Taking the medicine has also greatly improved the hot feeling in my head. Even on days without treatment, when something makes me angry, I wash my hair with cold water. Haha, though I’m not sure if that helps.”

It’s good that the sensation of heat has improved significantly. It seemed to be the effect of the medication, as Woo Jong-soo said.

I had composed the first prescription with herbs like Scutellaria baicalensis and Coptis chinensis to reduce scalp heat, and Bupleurum and Cyperus rotundus to help with stress-induced stagnation.

“Will I be taking the same medicine next month?”

“No. Your pulse shows that the liver fire pattern has decreased significantly. This time, we’ll go with a modified Samul-tang, which helps nourish hair. It will also include Cynanchum wilfordii, one of the most representative Korean herbs good for hair loss.”

“I see. I’ll trust you completely this time as well, Director.”

Woo Jong-soo happily decided to continue treatment.

“In about a month, when this fine hair grows, it should cover the white spots reasonably well. Haha.”

His doubts had cleared, and expectations bloomed all over his face.

Since things had changed this much, I had no reservations either, so I gladly assured him that he would get better.

“That’s how it will be. As long as you keep coming for treatment regularly.”

◆◇◆◇◆

Following my advice, Woo Jong-soo continued his treatment.

As he had been doing, he came unfailingly every Wednesday and Saturday for pharmacopuncture.

His condition improved gradually with each visit, so even taking photos was a pleasant experience.

“Hm? Didn’t patient Woo Jong-soo come today?”

But on the day we were supposed to have a result consultation after finishing the second prescription, he was nowhere to be seen.

“You’re right. Should I give him a call?”

“No, let’s leave it be.”

Is he deliberately avoiding us, fearing we might recommend more medicine? There are often patients like that. No, there are many.

I always try to schedule a result consultation to record whether the treatment was effective, how much change occurred, but while patients who plan to continue taking medicine naturally come, those who don’t tend to feel a bit burdened by this.

Even in cases like Woo Jong-soo’s where the treatment is effective, they find it difficult to say they want to stop.

“Hello!”

However, a week later, my assumption proved to be a misunderstanding.

Woo Jong-soo appeared at the clinic with a strikingly flashy appearance.

“Oh my, Jong-soo-nim. You dyed your hair?”

“Wow, passionate pink.”

Seol Yu-hee and Gong Na-ri exclaimed in admiration.

I too couldn’t close my mouth at his changed appearance.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Hey, Jong-soo, your hair has grown back a lot? It’s almost unnoticeable now?”

“Right?”

Meeting a friend, he heard good things about his hair for the first time in a while.

Woo Jong-soo was in such a good mood that he almost offered to pay for all the drinks today.

“I’ve been getting treatment at a Korean medicine clinic my student recommended, and it’s been really good.”

“Oh, for real? Should I go too?”

“Ahem. It won’t work for you. Our director said she hasn’t had much success with hereditary hair loss. It worked for me because I have alopecia areata.”

“Ugh, you’re annoying!”

“Let’s have a drink~ cursing Kyung-chul’s genes~”

“You little… And I was going to set you up on a blind date.”

Woo Jong-soo, who had been giggling while teasing his friend, suddenly changed his attitude.

“Really? Kyung-chul, thank you! I’ll pray every day with a glass of water for your hair not to fall out!”

He had been regretting missing the last opportunity, and now another blind date?

This time, since his hair loss had almost recovered…

There was nothing to hold him back.

“Let’s go!”

So, as his treatment was coming to an end, Woo Jong-soo gladly made a restaurant reservation on the date requested by his potential match.

[I’m sorry. I don’t think we’re a good match.]

The next evening, he was flatly rejected.

“So it wasn’t about the hair?!”

Only then did Woo Jong-soo realize the possibility of another problem.

“You just figured that out?”

“No! Why? I’m decent enough, aren’t I? I think my face is at least a 4 out of 10! And I make good money!”

“The problem is your personality. You mocked Kyung-chul’s hair loss despite experiencing the same pain.”

“What 4 out of 10? If you’re average, that’s a 7.”

“Have you not talked to women in a long time?”

“It’s not just your hair that’s the problem, there’s still an issue with your head. What’s with that bowl cut?”

Woo Jong-soo thought the last comment was quite plausible.

So he decided to change his hairstyle and went to a hair salon.

“Let’s go for something trendy, shall we?”

Enchanted by the eloquence of a hairstylist who seemed to be very good at dating, he decided to dye his hair.

◆◇◆◇◆

After hearing his story, I couldn’t help but be amazed.

Pink hair. Isn’t that quite a challenging choice for an adult male working in South Korea?

“I see. So you couldn’t come last week because you were dyeing your hair?”

“Haha, it was my blind date. I hadn’t made an appointment, so I didn’t call, but I’m sorry if you were waiting.”

“Is it okay for your work at the academy? I apologize if this is a rude question.”

I couldn’t contain my curiosity and asked.

“Hahaha, it’s actually better! When parents who requested a meeting see my hair, they think, ‘Ah, this director is not ordinary!’ and run away? I think I’ll be less stressed! Of course, the students love it.”

I see. Well, if it reduces stress, then it’s all for the best.

Click.

I took another picture of his scalp condition and displayed the progress so far on the screen.

Although the hair in the last photo was pink, it wasn’t indistinguishable from the scalp.

“The boundaries have definitely narrowed, right? Initially, it was a circular hair loss area of 3cm wide and 5.5cm long, but now… the front is about 0.7cm in diameter, and the back is about 0.3cm.”

Two circles remained in a figure-eight shape, but their size had significantly decreased, and even in the still visible areas, much more hair had grown compared to before.

“At this point, would you say it’s about 80% treated?”

“That’s right. It would be good to finish up to 100% with one more month of treatment, but you can decide whether you want to continue taking medicine.”

“Of course, I’ll continue taking medicine and treatment!”

Woo Jong-soo received pharmacopuncture treatment again today and cheerfully paid for his medicine.

“I’m really glad Woo Jong-soo-nim has improved so much.”

As he was a patient I had been constantly worried about, I brought up the topic of him to my staff while tidying up after work.

“Woo Jong-soo-nim? Ah, the hair loss patient who dyed his hair?”

“He was asking today if women like this kind of hair… I don’t think it’ll be easy.”

“Oh no, did you open the gates of truth?”

“No. I just said it looks cool. There must be women somewhere who think that way, right?”

“I don’t think anyone but an idol could pull it off…”

Then the staff started commenting one by one about Woo Jong-soo’s hair dye.

Of course, Seo In-ae had disappeared like the wind, and Jin Min-jung wasn’t there for the night shift.

Gong Na-ri, Seol Yu-hee, and even Hwang Sang-hoon stayed behind to discuss their preferred hairstyles.

“Isn’t a simple two-block cut good for men?”

“Ugh, I hate that the most! I prefer a slightly curly and voluminous look.”

“A baby perm?”

“Is that what it’s called? I’m not sure about the name.”

“Yeowon, what style do you like?”

I blurted out an answer without thinking to Hwang Sang-hoon’s question.

“Me? Long hair.”

“…Long hair? Like a wolf cut?”

Oops.

I answered too honestly.

My aesthetic sense had been completely transformed over 20 years.

I thought men with hair flowing down to their waists were the most beautiful.

“Ah, Director! I mean real men’s hair, not game characters!”

Fortunately, Gong Na-ri kindly interpreted it as me talking about game characters.

Well, who would think that someone’s taste became peculiar after seeing long-haired handsome men in Murim?

“Come to think of it, Director, your hairstyle is quite unique too! Do you touch up the green bridge every time you dye your roots?”

“Haha, that’s right! Well!”

I gave a noncommittal answer.

They’ll probably assume I’m just imitating a game character.

But in reality, there’s an incredibly deep story behind this.