Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, combine a customized selection of herbs, acupuncture and massage to treat the specific needs of each client. This 2,000-year-old tradition involves hundreds of ancient herbs and rare Chinese drugs.
Types of Heat
According to TCM, acne is caused by heat from various sources throughout the body. Toxic heat, damp heat, lung, stomach and blood heat each produce distinct symptoms that require individualized treatments.
Considerations
The type of heat determines the size and severity of the acne. Indicating factors include the location and appearance of infected areas, the color and consistency of the tongue, and the patient's heart rate.
Identification
Toxic heat and damp heat are severe, involving a fast pulse, red tongue and even fatigue. Blood heat is less severe but long-term. Lung heat coincides with respiratory symptoms, while stomach heat tends to accompany digestive problems.
Features
In TCM, acne is usually treated with a decoction of herbs, meaning the herbs are mixed and boiled down with water. As many as 20 herbs can be mixed and taken orally, or applied topically.
Treatment
The most typical acne decoctions include peach and orange kernel, safflower, tangerine peel, loquat leaf, licorice and red sage root, along with several other Chinese herbs. Consult with a doctor or TCM practitioner for specific treatment.
Tags: Chinese Medicine, damp heat, , heat damp heat, herbs mixed, Toxic heat, Toxic heat damp