Our skin is important to us. It is the most visible and exposed part of our body. As a result, when we experience persistent skin needs, it affects us both physically and emotionally.  Skin needs have a variety of causes: from diet and lifestyle to environment and health. Dermatology has been an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands and years. It has been proven many times to powerfully support an array of skin needs. 

Generally, acupuncture and herbal formulas are the two most common forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine used to support skin health. Unlike Western options, they aim to treat the root of the problem, not just mask its symptoms.

Common Skin Health Needs

According to Chinese Medicine theory, the root of most skin problems can be traced to a lack of blood and energy flow. Consequently, most skin needs can be addressed using Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques. Some of the most common skin needs include:

• Rashes

• Eczema/Dermatitis (patches of dry, scaly, red skin)

• Acne

• Rosacea (a permanent redness on a person’s forehead and cheeks, often with visible bumps and blood vessels)

• Psoriasis (scaly patches of skin on elbows and knees)

Skin needs can affect all parts of the body. Each of these conditions can strike people at any time. However, some conditions occur more often at certain ages.  For example, acne is more commonly seen in adolescents, eczema has become quite common in children, and psoriasis is found mostly in adults.

Traditional Chinese Herbal Solutions

Like all forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Herbal Medicine aims to maintain the harmony and balance between yin and yang in our bodies and to unblock or restore a person’s “Qi” or vitality.  Often, these imbalances and blockages can manifest themselves in a skin need.  This is why things like stress, anxiety, and feeling chronically blue can also result in skin conditions, which can then cause more stress and anxiety. It can be a vicious cycle.

Herbal solutions based on pants and herbs are very different from solutions based on Western options. The first major distinction is those plant materials used in Herbal Medicine are much more balanced and natural than isolated pharmaceutical drugs. Additionally, these kinds of options often cause unwanted side effects. Herbal Medicine also aims to correct internal whole-body imbalances, as opposed to just attacking the symptoms, which is the purpose of most pharmaceutical drugs.

For centuries, Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors have been using a formula of herbs for the treatment of skin conditions. It was powerful then and continues to be popular and powerful today.

Acupuncture & Skin Health and Vibrancy

While herbal remedies can definitely help with skin problems, Traditional Chinese Medicine theory also believes that the use of acupuncture as a “parallel” solution will better help stabilize the body and prevent skin conditions from recurring. 

The general acupuncture plan for skin conditions is to target acupuncture points along the arms, legs, and torso. Fine needles will be inserted along these specified acupuncture points. Depending on the specific needs and the judgment of the Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, these needles will be held in place for anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour. They are painless and safe.

The result is a comprehensive solution that seeks to unblock and balance the body’s systems that are leading to the skin conditions and their symptoms. Where Western options often address skin conditions with pills and creams that aim to address the symptoms and their effects, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners support conditions holistically, focusing on the root of the problem. This will not only leave you feeling better but also greatly reduce the chances of skin conditions recurring in the future.  Your skin will thank you.

Care Consideration: Just a reminder that the above information is not a substitute for medical care and is not a substitute for medical advice or recommendations from a healthcare provider.  This information is not intended to treat, mitigate, or cure any disease.  That said, we encourage you to connect with an Acupuncturist in your community to learn more about this and other Traditional Chinese Medicine options.  If you’ve got questions about Chinese herbal medicine or getting started with an Acupuncturist, feel free to connect with us at hello@mydaolabs.com.

Cody Zhang is the founder of the Body Option Clinic and has a goal to build the preeminent chronic pain treatment clinic in the lower mainland. He describes himself as a “compassionate, independent thinker” who can apply his logical mind in treating the pain/problem while caring deeply about the human being in front of him. When he’s not busy treating patients, he is weight training, learning new things and playing his Gibson Les Paul.