Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Treatment of Acne

In my last post, I described the Chinese medicine theory behind acne.  In this post I will discuss some basic concepts of acne treatment.

Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment

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 patterns. The treatment is tailored to fit to each person’s pattern diagnosis.

Depending on the condition, treatment may involve acupuncture, Chinese herbs, or both. Generally, mild acne can be treated with acupuncture, but more severe and complex cases often require Chinese herbs as well.

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.

Here are some common Acne Patterns in Chinese medicine

Lung and stomach heat is the most common form of acne. This manifests as white or black heads on the face around the cheeks, nose, and forehead, as well as the chest, and upper back. Skin looks oily and may have a slightly reddish hue. The tongue will have a yellow coat. The goal of this 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.

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 xuan shen and mai men dong are added. If there is significant dampness in the stomach, the skin will be more oily and greasy. Often this will lead to large acne and cysts on the chest and back. Herbs such as bai zhu and yi yi ren may be added to clear even more heat. 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 the heat has entered the blood level. Herbs such as honeysuckle flowers, rose hips, and lotus flowers can be used for this condition. Heat toxicity develops when the skin becomes infected. Toxicity manifests as is redness, pus, and pain. Herbs such as honeysuckle and dandelion may be used for this.

In women, if acne becomes worse around the menstrual cycle, it may be related to the qi, the body’s energy, and blood. 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.

This post it meant to give you the general idea about acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment for acne.  It is very important to find a licensed and experienced acupuncturist who is familiar with treating acne.  For those in New York, please feel free to call us at 917-887-4946 for a free consultation.  If you are out of our region, you can checkout Acufinder.com.