The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 96

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 96

Among various types of hair loss, the one with the highest treatment possibility is ‘circular alopecia with distinct boundaries’. The problematic area had noticeably fewer hair strands, revealing the white scalp.

“Please give me 1cc of Hwangryeon Detox herbal injection. With an insulin syringe.”

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

“Since it’s a needle injection, it will hurt a little.”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Soon Seol Yuhui brought the herbal injection.

I tilted the syringe and injected all 1cc of the herbal injection into 10 spots, 0.1cc each, as if making shallow incisions.

“Ugh!”

Though he was startled when the needle first went in, it didn’t hurt as much as expected, so Woo Jongsoo endured the treatment with just his eyes tightly shut.

“Was it bearable?”

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

Good thing he said it was okay.

I then densely inserted needles into the affected area.

This was to improve blood circulation in the affected area and treat inflammation, separate from acupuncturing meridians to reduce heat. It would also stimulate hair growth.

“You look like a hedgehog.”

A hedgehog. If I had placed needles throughout his entire hair, it might have looked that way, but with dozens of needles stuck only in his crown, it looked more like horns had grown.

And finally, I also placed needles in his arms and legs.

Unfortunately, there are no acupoints with immediate effects on hair loss, so I needled all points that were effective for reducing upper body heat or significant for skin conditions.

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

“Yes, thank you.”

“I’m here on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, so please make time to come for treatment about twice a week. I’ll send the medicine by delivery.”

“Yes!”

I clearly informed him that I couldn’t guarantee results.

And I had done all the treatment I could.

Since this was my first hair loss patient since coming to modern times, I was quite concerned, but if it’s circular alopecia, there’s no need to be that frightened.

The rest was up to heaven.

After repeating the treatment several times like this,

fine hair began to appear on Woo Jongsoo’s scalp after just 5 sessions.

* * *

“Hmm~.”

Woo Jongsoo was in a good mood these days.

Though the bald spots were still quite noticeable.

Click!

When he took a photo to check his scalp, it was different from the beginning.

He could gradually see something sprouting in his eyes.

‘Ugh!’

Though it hurt when the needle first went in, after the treatment ended, he definitely felt a refreshing sensation.

There was also the feeling of energy spreading throughout whenever the Korean Medicine Doctor’s hands touched him.

“Kids, you can’t tell just by looking at me now, right?”

But when he tried taking off his hat in front of the students as a test,

“Teacher…”

“It seems like it’s gotten a tiny bit better?!”

He received pitying looks without fail.

[Jongsoo, want to go on a blind date?]

Woo Jongsoo hesitated.

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

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

He sent a reply with tears in his eyes.

[I’m too busy with academy work this month, so I can’t. Please ask me next month if you’re still single.]

* * *

One month after starting treatment.

“It seems to be working, right? Right?”

Woo Jongsoo was very satisfied with the progress so far.

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

I let out a sigh of relief.

“The hot feeling in my head from taking the medicine has also improved a lot. Even on days when I don’t have treatment, if something makes me angry, I wash my hair with cold water. Haha, I don’t know if it helps though.”

Good thing the upper body heat sensation has also improved significantly. As Woo Jongsoo said, it seemed to be the effect of taking the medicine.

I had composed the first prescription with medicinal herbs like Hwanggeum and Hwangryeon that reduce scalp heat, and Siho and Hyangbuja that help with stress-related stagnation.

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

“No. Looking at your pulse, the liver fire pattern has decreased significantly. This time we’ll switch to a modified Samultang formula that helps with hair nutrition supply. It will also include Baeksuo, the most representative herbal medicine good for hair loss.”

“Yes. I’ll trust only you again this time, Clinic Director.”

Woo Jongsoo readily decided to continue treatment.

“When this fine hair grows out next month, it should cover up the white patches pretty well. Haha.”

His doubts cleared away, and expectation bloomed all over his face.

Since the trajectory had changed this much, I had nothing to worry about either, so I gladly assured him he would get better.

“That’s what will happen. As long as you keep coming for treatment consistently.”

* * *

Following my advice, Woo Jongsoo continued his treatment.

Just as he had been doing, Woo Jongsoo came without fail every Wednesday and Saturday for his herbal injections.

Since his condition improved gradually with each visit, I felt good even while taking photos.

“Hm? Didn’t patient Woo Jongsoo come today?”

But when the day came to finish the second prescription and have a results consultation, he was nowhere to be seen.

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

“No. Just leave it.”

Did he deliberately avoid coming because he was worried I’d recommend taking more medicine? There are patients like that sometimes. Actually, many.

I always schedule results consultations because I want to record whether there were effects, how much change occurred, and patients who plan to continue treatment naturally come, but those who don’t tend to find this a bit burdensome.

Even in cases like Woo Jongsoo’s where there were effects, they find it difficult to say they want to stop treatment.

“Good day!”

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

Woo Jongsoo appeared at the clinic with a much more flamboyant appearance.

“Oh my, Mr. Jongsoo. You dyed your hair?”

“Wow, passionate pink.”

Seol Yuhui and Gong Nari exclaimed in admiration.

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

* * *

“Hey, Jongsoo, you’ve grown a lot of hair? I can barely tell now?”

“Right?”

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

Woo Jongsoo felt so good that he almost said he’d buy all the drinks today.

“I’m getting treatment at a clinic my student recommended, and it’s really working well.”

“Oh, really? Should I go too?”

“Ahem. You can’t. Our clinic director says he hasn’t had much success with genetic hair loss. Mine worked because it’s alopecia areata.”

“Aw man, you’re being annoying!”

“Kyungchul, blame your genes~ and have a drink~!”

“This guy. And I was going to set you up on a blind date.”

Woo Jongsoo’s attitude, who had been giggling while teasing his friend, completely changed.

“Really? Mr. Kyungchul, thank you! I’ll pray every day with water offerings that your hair doesn’t fall out!”

He had been going crazy with regret over missing the last opportunity, and now another blind date.

This time, his hair loss was almost cured.

There was nothing to worry about.

“Let’s go!”

So Woo Jongsoo, whose treatment was nearing completion, gladly made restaurant reservations for the date his match requested.

[Sorry. I don’t think we’re meant to be.]

The next evening, he was cleanly rejected.

“So hair wasn’t the problem?!”

Only then did Woo Jongsoo realize the possibility of other problems.

“You’re just figuring that out now?”

“No! Why? I’m decent enough, aren’t I? My face is probably around grade 4! And I make good money!”

“The problem is your personality – teasing Kyungchul about his hair loss when you feel the same pain.”

“Grade 4 my ass. If you think you’re average, that’s grade 7.”

“Is it because you haven’t talked to women in so long?”

“Hair wasn’t the only problem, but there’s still a problem with your hair now. What’s with that bowl cut?”

Woo Jongsoo thought the last criticism was quite reasonable.

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

“Let’s go trendy, shall we?”

Charmed by the smooth talk of a hairstylist who seemed like he’d be great at dating, he decided to dye his hair.

* * *

Hearing the story, I couldn’t help but be amazed.

Pink hair. Wasn’t that quite challenging for an adult man working in South Korea to handle?

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

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

“Your academy work isn’t affected, right? Sorry if that’s a rude question.”

I couldn’t contain my curiosity and asked.

“Hahaha, it’s actually better. A parent who requested a meeting saw my hair and immediately thought, ‘Ah, this director is extraordinary!’ and ran away. I think I’ll have less stress! Of course, the students love it.”

I see. Well, if it also reduces stress, then it was a good thing all around.

Click.

I took another photo of his scalp condition and then displayed the progress over time on the screen.

Although only 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 alopecia measuring 3cm wide and 5.5cm long, but now… the front part is about 0.7cm in diameter, and the back part is about 0.3cm.”

Although two circles remained in a figure-eight shape, the size had clearly decreased, and even the parts that were still visible had grown much more hair than before.

“At this level, we can say it’s about 80% treated, right?”

“That’s right. It would be good to continue treatment for another month to finish it up to 100%, but you can decide about additional medication as you wish.”

“Of course I should finish taking the medicine and complete the treatment!”

Woo Jongsoo received acupuncture treatment again today and cheerfully paid for his medicine.

“I’m really glad Mr. Woo Jongsoo has improved so much.”

Since he was a patient I had been continuously concerned about, I brought him up to the staff while organizing after work ended.

“Mr. Woo Jongsoo? Oh, that alopecia patient who dyed his hair?”

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

“Gasp, did you open the mouth of truth?”

“No. I just said it looked cool. There might be some woman somewhere who thinks that way, right?”

“I think only idols could pull that off…”

Then the staff began commenting one by one about Woo Jongsoo’s hair dye.

Of course, Seo Inae had disappeared like the wind, and Jin Minjeong wasn’t there during the evening shift.

Gong Nari and Seol Yuhui, and even Hwang Sanghun remained to chat about preferred hairstyles.

“Isn’t a safe two-block cut good for men’s hair?”

“Ew, I hate that the most! I prefer something with slight curls and a full feeling.”

“Baby perm?”

“Is that it? I don’t really know the name.”

“What style do you like, Hanyewon?”

An answer popped out thoughtlessly to Hwang Sanghun’s question.

“Me? Long hair.”

“…Long hair? Like a wolf cut?”

Oops.

I answered too honestly.

My aesthetic sense had been completely remodeled over 20 years.

I thought long hair flowing down to the waist was the most beautiful look for a man.

“Ah, Clinic Director! Not game characters! Real men’s hair!”

Fortunately, Gong Nari understood it reasonably as me talking about game characters.

Well, who would think that someone’s taste became peculiar from seeing long-haired handsome men in a martial arts world?

“Come to think of it, your hairstyle is quite unique too, Clinic Director! Do you do root dyeing every time for that green bridge?”

“Haha, that’s right! Well!”

I answered appropriately.

This would probably be brushed off as imitating a game character too.

Actually, there’s a very deep story behind this though.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————