Acne Alternative Medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine For Acne
Studies and researches have been conducted to discover the ultimate treatment for acne. However, its causes and reactions to certain medications are still unreliable as they vary from person to person. This is the main reason why more and more people are looking into natural products and acne alternative medicine to treat the skin condition.
Traditional Chinese medicine has been around for thousands of years, and it’s no surprise individuals are starting to embrace its healing properties as an acne alternative medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine often utilizes herbs and food sources to alleviate acne symptoms.
Diagnosis:
How is diagnosis done? In Chinese acne alternative medicine, the examiner will attempt to pinpoint the source of the condition and then recommend a treatment that corresponds to that source. There are two major factors believed to cause acne, and those are Heat and Dampness.
Inflammation Caused by Heat: in this case is associated with over exertion and excessive stimulation in the body that eventually causes inflammation. When there is too much friction or hostility in the body, it is claimed that hormonal imbalances occur and therefore cause breakouts and lesions. Pimples, rashes, infections, redness and inflammations characterize heat.
The Dampness: pertains to having too many fluids in the body, such as when water retention, indigestion, swelling and inflammation occur. It can be described as a balloon continuously being filled with water, which eventually results in swelling and rupturing. In this sense, dampness can be associated with sebum accumulation and bacterial growth. Pimples, pus, swelling, cysts and fluid expulsion characterize excess dampness.
In most cases, particular symptoms can help identify the source of heat or dampness. With acne alternative medicine, it is believed that discovering the source of heat or dampness can help you find its corresponding treatment.
Causes of heat:
- Overworking or excessive physical activity – Emotional stress such as anger or jealousy – Over-activated hormones – Heat from the environment
Causes of dampness:
- Insufficient flushing of waste and toxins through urination and perspiration – Impaired digestive functions – Water retention in the body – Humid or very moist environment
Treatment:
Chinese acne alternative medicine has the goal of stimulating or calming the body. Stimulation is associated with “hot” foods such as chili, black tea, basil, chives and cherries. Sources of food that are stimulating are used to treat acne symptoms that are caused by dampness in the body.
Calming treatments, on the other hand are associated with “cooling” foods such as cucumber, agar, egg white, banana and gluten. The food sources used in this acne alternative medicine are supposed to counteract heat in the body that causes the acne symptoms mentioned earlier.
How does this usually treat acne? Traditional Chinese treatment is an acne alternative medicine and has no scientific proof on how they can treat acne. Though, cases have shown that its utilization of natural herbs and foods may have an indirect and positive effect on the general wellness of the body. Effectiveness varies among individuals and treatment may take a certain amount of time to work. Before jumping into any acne alternative medicine, always consult your healthcare provider first.