Carbonized Human Hair

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

• Astringes leakage of blood and stops bleeding - used for epistaxis, uterine bleeding, postpartum bleeding, hemoptysis, hematemesis, blood in the stool, and other hemorrhagic presentations where a charcoal that stops bleeding without excessive cloying is desired.
• Stops bleeding without strongly retaining stasis - classical sources emphasize that Xue Yu Tan checks hemorrhage yet still works well with stasis-resolving hemostatics when dark or congealed blood is present.
• Promotes urination and treats Blood Lin - extended to hematuria and painful urinary bleeding patterns, especially when the bleeding must be restrained while the urinary pathway remains open.
• Generates flesh and treats ulcerative lesions externally - powdered Xue Yu Tan is used on sores, wounds, and selected burns after ulceration when the goal is to stop oozing and support tissue recovery.

Secondary Actions

• Although it is human-derived, Xue Yu Tan is classically treated as a standard hemostatic charcoal rather than as a tonic oddity; its preparation quality matters more than novelty.
• It is commonly paired with Hua Rui Shi and San Qi for coughing or vomiting blood, or with cooling-blood hemostatics for bloody stool and lower-tract bleeding.

Classic Formulas

• Hua Xue Dan (化血丹) - late classical formula pairing Xue Yu Tan with Hua Rui Shi and San Qi for coughing blood and related bleeding-with-stasis presentations.
• San Hui San (三灰散) - TCM Wiki notes its use with Di Yu and Huai Hua for hematochezia or lower-tract bleeding associated with intestinal fire.
• Topical Xue Yu Tan powder - traditional standalone use for gum bleeding, nosebleed, and small external bleeding sites that need quick local astringency.

Classical References

• TCM Wiki describes Xue Yu Tan as bitter, astringent, and neutral, emphasizing that it stops bleeding while helping avoid residual stasis and can be used both internally and externally.
• American Dragon places Xue Yu Tan in the hemostatic category, entering the Heart, Liver, Kidney, and sometimes Stomach channels, and specifically adds Blood Lin and flesh-generation to the profile.
• Sacred Lotus lists Xue Yu Tan among the stop-bleeding medicinals, while Me & Qi's Hua Rui Shi pairing notes preserve its role as a supplementary blood-supportive hemostatic in Hua Xue Dan.