Traditional Chinese Medicine for Acne
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, acne is often considered as heat and dampness in the body. When heat and dampness are in excess in the body, it rises up to the face. TCM practitioners believe that the locations of acne are related to the excessive heat and dampness in specific organs: forehead acne is related to the digestive system; eyebrows acne (or between eyebrows) is related to gallbladder; nose acne is related to gastrointestinal tract; cheek acne is related to lungs; mouth or lip acne is related to stomach; chin acne is related to hormones and kidneys; ear acne is related to kidneys.
Excessive heat and dampness can also be caused by poor diet, overworking, stress or surge of yang energy during adolescence which is the most common cause of acne. TCM practitioners believe that teenagers are full of yang energy. Yang is the energy that helps creating the necessary physical, hormonal and emotional changes. During adolescence, it can easily become unbalanced and transform into excessive heat and dampness.
TCM practitioners often offer acupuncture combined with herbal formula and diet suggestion for acne. Chinese medicine aims to remove the excessive heat and dampness from the body. A combination of herbs will be used according to the related internal organs. TCM practitioners will also include dietary recommendations. You should eat more fruits and vegetables, while spicy, greasy, sweet or fried and processed foods should be avoided.
Chinese Herbs for Acne
1) Zhen Zhu An Chuang Wan is also known as Pearl Acne Pills, is a Chinese herbal formula to improve symptom management for acne by clearing heat and eliminating dampness.
2) Acne spot is an effective way to get rid of pimples fast. You can use spot essence which contains Fei Zi (Torreya Seed). Torreya is a type of evergreen tree and their seeds are used to kill bacteria and intestinal parasites in Chinese medicine. Studies indicate that they can also help to heal skin.
3) Green tea has been used in acne prevention. It is a natural antioxidant which can protect skin by limiting the production of free radicals which can damage skin cells. Green tea is also rich in catechins, which can also reduce skin inflammation. Instead of drinking a lot of green tea, you can simply use green tea face mask.
4) Jin Yin Hua, also known as honeysuckle flower, has the ability to help healing all kinds of skin issues. Add honeysuckle flower in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Apply it on the affected area when it is cool enough. Applying light pressure using small circular motions with cotton wool, 3 to 4 times a day.
