Continued...

Traditional Chinese Perspective

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are several different types of acne; it is not simply a single disease that requires a single uniform treatment. Two major factors are taken into consideration: one is the person's body type or constitution, and the other includes all of the different external influences which affect the development of the disorder such as diet, environment, climate, life-style, mental and emotional state and medications.

Each individual's body has different strengths and weaknesses and different tendencies towards imbalance. Often two people will react in completely different ways to the same thing, e.g. eating a block of chocolate or being exposed to a hot dry wind. Therefore the TCM practitioner aims to understand the root of the problem (which is the individual's basic constitutional make-up) as well as to distinguish which particular type of acne the patient has.

In terms of TCM, acne develops because of an excessive amount of heat in the body. This heat arises due to a combination of external and internal factors. Those who suffer the worst from acne generally have a constitution which predisposes them towards becoming 'overheated'. This may show itself in different ways, e.g. a low tolerance for hot temperatures, strong reactions to certain foods (such as hot spices, seafood or chocolate), or often having a high temperature when ill. This heat often combines with other waste products in the body to produce a recognisable TCM disease syndrome or 'pattern'.

TCM also distinguishes several different levels at which the disease process is actually located. Although acne appears on the skin, the disorder may come from the blood, the internal organs (e.g. stomach, or large intestine), the skin and superficial tissues, or a combination of these.

TCM treatment addresses both the acne and the person's underlying constitution, concentrating mainly on the symptoms in the beginning. Later on, once the symptoms have been relieved, treatment is aimed mainly at correcting the underlying constitutional imbalance and preventing a recurrence. The time that it takes for the successful treatment of acne will vary from person to person and will depend very much on how deep seated the problem is. Generally, results will be seen within a month and treatment will need to continue for three to six months.

Things to do for yourself

There are several things that you can do yourself to help speed up the treatment. These include dietary and life-style changes.

Keep the skin clean by washing thoroughly but gently with a mild soap twice a day

Avoid picking at pimples, rubbing or touching them as this will spread any infection and encourage more to develop

Reduce exposure to the sun. Always wear a hat and use a sunscreen when spending prolonged periods out in the open

Increase the proportion of fruits and vegetables in the diet

Cut down on or omit entirely: fried foods, oils and fats, high fat dairy food, white sugar and products containing white sugar, hot spices, refined foods

Avoid any foods that aggravate the pimples or are difficult to digest

Be sure to have regular bowel movements – at least once a day

Take regular exercise

Have sufficient sleep

Avoid stress, worry, anger and depression. If any of these are severe then seek appropriate help

Skin brushing helps slough away dead skin cells, increase the blood flow to the skin and encourage lymphatic drainage. It helps release the toxins near the skin's surface into the blood stream and out of the body via the lymphatic and digestive systems and not through the skin. Buy a body brush and use it dry every day before you shower. Brush with long strokes towards the heart. Do not use on the face (the bristles are too harsh for the face). Brush gently over any areas of your body affected by acne

Call us!

Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acne
http://www.cathayherbal.com/library
http://www.acne-advice.com/


Useful links on acne info and treatment:
http://www.acneassasin.com/
acne treatment
Acne control, acne treatment, the complete acne resource including information on the causes of acne vulgaris from a Western medicine perspective, some of the best acne treatments based on Western medicine, acne products and help available to acne sufferers