Our skin is important to us. It is the most visible and exposed part of our body. As a result, when we suffer from persistent skin problems, it affects us both physically and emotionally. Skin disorders have a variety of causes: from diet and lifestyle, to environment and health. Dermatology has been an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands and years. It has been proven many times to effectively treat an array of skin problems. Generally, acupuncture and herbal remedies are the two most common forms of TCM used to treat skin disorders. Unlike Western medicine, they aim to treat the root of the problem, not just mask its symptoms.
Common Skin Disorders
According to TCM, the root of most skin problems can be traced to lack of blood and energy flow. Consequently, most skin conditions can be treated using TCM. Some of the most common skin disorders 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 conditions 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.
Chinese Herbal Remedies
Like all forms of TCM, 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 disorder. This is why things like stress, anxiety, and depression can also result in skin problems, which can then cause more stress and anxiety. It can be a vicious cycle.
Medicine based on pants and herbs is very different from medicine based on pharmaceuticals. 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 drugs 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, Chinese Medicine doctors have been using a formula of herbs for the treatment of skin conditions. It worked then and continues to work today.
Acupuncture
While herbal remedies can definitely help with skin problems, TCM also believes that the use of acupuncture as a “parallel” treatment will better help stabilize the body and prevent skin conditions from recurring. The general treatment for skin conditions is to target acupuncture points long the arms, legs, and torso. Fine needles will be inserted along these specified acupuncture points. Depending on the specific needs of the patient, and the judgement of the TCM doctor, these needles will be held in place from anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour. They are painless and safe.
Acupuncture helps cure skin conditions
The result is a treatment that seeks to unblock and balance the body’s systems that are leading to the skin conditions and their symptoms. Where Western medicine often treats skin conditions with pills and creams that aim to relieve the symptoms and their effects, TCM treats 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.
If you are suffering from any kind of skin condition, and would like to try acupuncture as a safe way of relieving your symptoms, or are interested in any other aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine, book an appointment today by phoning 604-260-2713 or visit our location.
