Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Treatment of Acne

Acne has profound effects on people’s lives, effecting social life, education, and even employment.  Acne is a very commonly treated with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It works by breaking the acne cycle leading to pimples, inflammation, and infection.  The key is to correctly diagnosis the imbalance that is causing the acne.

What Causes Acne?

In Chinese medicine, acne is most often associated with imbalances called heat, dampness, and blood stagnation.  The correct analysis and treatment of these imbalances can lead to the long lasting improvement.  The imbalances can develop from stress, interaction with the environment, hormonal changes, or other causes.

Depending on the condition, treatment may involve acupuncture, Chinese herbs, or both. Generally, mild acne can be treated with acupuncture, but more severe cases often require Chinese herbs.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbs help to reduce the cycle of acne development by regulating hormones that effect skin secretions, decreasing inflammation, and  reducing infection.  Topical herbal formulas are also remarkable effective for acne.

One of the most powerful abilities of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture is that it is holistic treatment which can help people both with the acne as well as improve overall wellness.

Common Imbalances in Acupuncture causing Acne

Dampness- Dampness is the main cause of white heads and black heads.  People with dampness generally have oily skin and may sweat a lot.  Dampness may occur from hormonal imbalances which is why teenagers often get acne.  It is also the reason that stress may lead to acne, because stress can have a profound effect on hormones.  Acupuncture and herbs that treat dampness help to decrease oiliness on the skin and regulate the hormone imbalances.

Heat – Heat imbalances are reflected in red skin, red inflamed papules and possibly pustules scabs and crusts.  This is very common with those suffering from acne.  If there is very bad inflammation, it is called “heat toxicity.”  This is the Chinese medicine way of describing infection and inflammation in the skin.  The acupuncture and herbs that clear away the heat have been shown to have many antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Blood Stagnation- Blood stagnation occurs from lack of circulation.  Purplish skin and purple raised lesions is the main sign of blood stagnation.  Herbs that help with blood stagnation help to increase circulation in the area to release the clogged pore.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatment of acne

By taking the pulse, asking in-depth questions, and observing the tongue and skin, the TCM practitioner will make an individualized diagnose according to TCM imbalance. The treatment is tailored to fit to each person’s specific imbalance.

Location of the acne also is reflective of the underlying imbalance.  For example, heat in the lung and stomach channel may manifests as white or black heads on the face around the cheeks, nose, and forehead, as well as the chest, and upper back.

In this case, the goal of acupuncture treatment is to clear heat from the lungs and the stomach. Generally, the acupuncture treatment is on the lung and stomach channels, which go along the arms and legs. Lung 5, at the elbow, is often used, as well as Stomach 36 below the knee. Herbs such as pi pai ye, huang qin, and sang bai pi may be used to clear heat from the lungs and stomach.  Topical herbal formulas are very helpful for their anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Sometimes the heat is very strong, leading to dry mouth and thirst. To clear this heat and nourish the fluids of the body, herbs such as zhi mu and dan zhu ye are added. If there is significant dampness in the stomach, the skin will be more oily and greasy and you may get whiteheads frequently.  Sometimes, there may be large cysts on the chest and back. Herbs such as bai zhu and yi yi ren may be added to clear the dampness. For those with this type of acne, it is very important to avoid greasy foods.

The skin around areas of acne may become red causing a general reddish complexion, which may remain after the pimples have been cleared. This is because there is blood heat.   Herbs such as jin yin hua (honeysuckle flowers), mei gui hua (rose hips), and fu rong hua (lotus flowers) can be used for this condition.

Heat toxicity develops when there is inflammation and infection.  Toxicity manifests as redness, inflammation, and pain. Herbs such as jin yin hua (honeysuckle) and pu gong ying (dandelion) may be used for this.  Topical herbs are very effective for toxicity.

In women, if acne becomes worse around the menstrual cycle, it may be related to the qi, the body’s energy. Qi flows throughout the body’s channels. Emotions such as stress, frustration, and anger can cause the qi to slow down to stagnate. Frequently, acne and other skin problems which occur around the menses are caused by qi and blood stagnation. For this acupuncture points such as Liver 3 on the foot, and Spleen 6 above the ankle may be used. Herbs such as yi mu cao, xiang fu, and bai shao may be added.

Acupuncture’s Holistic Effect on the body

Another benefit is that acupuncture helps the body to manage stress and encourages the body to relax. Chinese herbs work to regulate hormone imbalances, especially if there are irregular menstrual cycles. Herbs can help to control bacteria levels and decrease inflammation.

The key to successfully acne treatment is interrupting the cycle that causes acne. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs work to correct imbalances in the body. By removing the imbalances causing the acne, it disrupts acne cycle and allows the body to heal itself. Physiologically, this happens through regulating hormonal imbalances and removing the opportunity for bacteria and skin inflammation to develop.

If you would like to find out more about acupuncture and Chinese medicine for acne, call 917-887-4946 or e-mail us to make an appointment.