Skin disorders are very common and the discomfort of conditions like Acne, Eczema and Psoriasis is frequently accompanied by pain, itching and distress over their appearance.Dermatology is a recognised speciality in traditional Chinese medicine.
For thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine has used herbs and acupuncture to treat a variety of maladies from internal health problems to skin disorders, such as eczema, acne, psoriasis, alopecia and others. Many practitioners today continue to apply these methods to treat their patients who prefer a less invasive and non-chemical treatment.
Traditional Chinese medicine views good health as a balance between the body’s internal systems and the environment we live in. Displacement of the balance between energy (Qi), blood, yin and yang result to the development of diseases. The impact of environmental conditions, such as wind, heat, cold, dampness and dryness also contribute to the illness. In addition, traditional Chinese medicine views the mind as a powerful influence on a person’s health.
- What skin conditions are commonly helped by Chinese medicine?
- Eczema: pomphlyx, serborreic, atopic and nummular eczema
- Psoriasis: guttate and plaque type
- Acne: teenage, post-adolescent female acne
- Rosacea
- Urticaria: acute and chronic
- Viral infections: herpes zoster, warts, molescum contagiosum
- Fungal infection of the body and nails
The most widely publicized skin condition that Chinese herbs can treat is eczema. The most common form being atopic dermatitis with its classic itching, redness and dryness especially in the folds of the skin, like the elbows, knees, wrists and eyes. Usually this is an allergic reaction and patients who suffer from this are characteristically “atopic”, they suffer from other allergies such as hay fever or asthma. Finding the cause of the allergy, whether it is a food, body lotion, soap powder or other irritant is the first part of treatment, to stop the condition reoccurring.
The Chinese herbalist’s skill is then in diagnosing which kind of eczema it is, more dry and itchy, thickened skin, crusting, spotting along with other symptoms and work out a specific Chinese herbal formula for that type of eczema and that patient. There are also sub-conditions such as Pompholyx or Dishydrotic eczema, affecting just hands or feet that can respond very well to appropriate Chinese herbal treatment. Stress aggravates and can cause eczema, so a major part of treatment would be stress reducing techniques like acupuncture, breathing and relaxation.
The second most common skin condition treated by Chinese medicine is Psoriasis, one of the scaling disorders. This can range from lots of small spots spread over the body as in guttate psoriasis, to localized thickened round, well demarcated scaly plaques as in plaque psoriasis or psoriasis vulgaris or itchy crusting, thickened skin with small pustules called pustular psoriasis. Psoriasis is an unusual condition that can just come and go of its own accord and does not seem to be linked to allergies. It is classified as one of the autoimmune diseases and at its worst stages can lead to psoriatic arthritis (pain and thickening in the joints) and psoriatic nails, with thickened, flaking, yellow nails which are different from fungal nail infection.
Again, the art of the Chinese herbalist is to diagnose and distinguish between the different forms of psoriasis (and other skin conditions), using Chinese medicine differentiation to find the most appropriate herbal formulas to treat the condition. Often the formula has to change and adapt as the condition changes with treatment. Acupuncture plays a role in treating the pain and immobility of Psoriatic arthritis.
What are the benefits of using Chinese medicine help with your skin disorders?
- Strengthening the immune system to decrease sensitivity to external or environmental factors
- Balancing the body and treating the internal imbalances that are contributing to or causing the disorder
- Releasing toxins, leading to the elimination of the external symptoms of the skin disorder
- Nourishment and repair of the damaged skin.
How can we help with your skin disorders?
- Have a consultation with an experienced Chinese medicine doctor. We can help you find out the cause of the imbalance with traditional Chinese medicine methods including pulse and tongue checkup and then a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis will be provided.
- We investigate the underlying causes, deficiencies and imbalances in our consultation, and address your overall physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
- We will set up a specific treatment plan (which may include acupuncture, cupping or herbal medicine) to enhance the effectiveness of improving your skin issues.
- We will provide you with suggestions of diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress management and general wellbeing.