HERBS FOR ACNE,
Chinese Herbs for Acne and other inflamatory skin diseases

Causes of Acne

Herbs for Acne

Herbal consultations by e-mail

Finding the Causes

Acne and many other inflamatory skin diseases are symptoms of internal heat and damp. Curing these conditions requires finding the sources of excess heat and dampness. If the causes remain, a cure is not possible, but herbs and acupuncture can clear heat and drain dampness, relieving the conditions.  Modern day products such as Pro-Active, Phi So Hex, and Clearasil, do not address this problem.

Heat
Heat, in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), refers both to heat you can measure, like a fever, or heat you can't measure, like a hot flash. Heat sets matters in motion and triggers activity.

Heat shows as inflamation, hyperactivity, or over- stimulation. Heat can come from irritating chemicals, foreign organisms, or by the friction caused by the constrained flow of qi (energy). Heat is also the by-product of our metabolism and our digestion. Hormonal activity causes and is stimulated by heat. An overly stimulating diet can cause excess heat; so can a hyperactive mind or life style.

Since friction, caused by the emotional constraint of qi, causes heat, frustration and emotional friction are considered to cause heat as well.

Our skin reflects heat as rashes, pimples, infections, redness, and other skin inflammations. *Sometimes the "heat" is caused by Blood Deficiency. If the blood is insufficient in quantity or quality to dilute normal body wastes (toxins) which are transported in the blood, Toxic Heat in the Blood will result. This condition appears on the skin and will be diagnosed as acne or other inflamatory skin disease.

Dampness
Dampness or excess damp, indicates excessive water in the body's tissues. As all living things seek water, microrganisms such as bacteria, fungus, virus, etc. thrive in excessively damp body environments.

In the skin, excess damp can be seen as, swellings, cysts, pimples, pus, and fluid discharges.

Dampness is often caused by imperfect digestion leading to water accumulation ("spleen deficiency"), or by a lack of body heat which fails to cook off the water (spleen yang deficiency).

Dampness can result if perspiration, urination, or breathing is insufficient to clear water from the body.

Living in damp environments can also penetrate the body causing internal dampness.

HERBS FOR ACNE

Acne is best treated by experienced Chinese herbologists.  Find one here.  For those who are unable to find a practitioner,

The following formula is balanced to clear both heat and damp, and can be helpful in most cases. It is best taken for periods of 3 weeks or longer. The herbs work best when heat from dietary sources is minimized.

Anti-Acne Capsules Job's Tears Seeds - Yi Yi Ren Poria Mushroom - Fu Ling Phellodendrin Bark - Huang Bai Tree Peony Root Bark - Mu Dan Pi Red Peony Root - Chi Shao Goldenthread Root - Huang Lian Chinese Licorice Root - Gan Cao

Daily dose for the average person is 3 capsules, 2-3 times a day.

*In cases of blood deficient acne, Women's Precious Pills (a 'Blood Tonic'), used with Heat Clearing herbs to clear the acne . Another source of these heat clearing herbs can be found in Margarite Acne Pills. 

Other formulas used to clear heat from the skin include: Lien Chiao Bai Du Pien, Xiao Feng Wan, and Yin Chiao Cheh Tu Pien (most commonly used for colds and flu)

 Treating Acne with Foods

Causes of Acne

Herbal Consultations by E-Mail

Herbal consultations by e-mail