Chinese love to drink herbal tea to eliminate toxin and maintain body well-being. Herbal tea is known to bring down heatiness in the body. But what is heatiness? The Chinese believe that excessive heat can result from obstructed flow of energy (a.k. a chi), aggressive diet, and life on the fast lane. Examples that bring about stagnant chi are stress, frustration and emotional woes.
We also believe that hormonal activities are stimulated by heatiness. See the scientific connection here? They lead to the same conclusion : our skin will translate this heatiness into symptoms like infections, redness, acne and other forms of inflammation.
Chinese medicine practitioners also go one step further to conclude that acne is caused by dampness in the body. The damp element allows microorganism to thrive. In acne, the damp factor is most likely the excess oil that bacteria feed on.
Traditional Chinese medicine offer acne solution from topical application (root water), herbal supplements and even acupuncture. We are going to focus on mainly herbal supplements. Below are the different types of heatiness and its solutions:
Lung Heat: Rosacea sufferers usually fall into this category. If you have acne near the nose area or around the forehead, you may be suffering from lung heat. Examine your tongue and see if it is red with a thin yellow coat. You'll most probably have respiratory symptoms such as a dry cough or a congested nose and slight breathlessness. Another sign of lung heat is prolonged thirst and feeling chilled easily due to wind. Pulse is overflowing and rapid.
* Recommended herbs: Chao Sang Bai Pi (cortex mori albae radicis), Pi Pa Ye a.k.a. loquat leaf (folium eriobotryae japonicae)
Damp Heat: As the name suggest, the root problem here is excessive dampness. The skin is oily, leading to painful, big pus-filled pimples. A patient experience constant thirst but funnily, do not desire to drink. Loose stool, dull headache, blocked nose, feeling of fullness and loss of appetite are also signs of damp heat. This is most common in young people.
* Yi Yi Ren a.k.a job's tears (semen coicis), Lian Qiao (fructus forsythia suspensae), Jin Ying Hua a.k.a honeysuckle flower (flos lonicerae japonicae), Tu Fu Ling (rhizoma smilacis glabrae)
Stomach Heat: This usually indicate that you have digestive problems and occasional constipation due to dry stools. Are you a heavy eater with preference for greasy and spicy food?
Feel thirsty all the time? Here's other signs to look for : thick yellowish clot on tongue, nausea, excessive hunger and bad breath. All these with acne breakouts on the chest, shoulders, back and mouth are the indicators of stomach heat.
* Recommended herbs: Da Huang (radix et rhizoma rhei), Mang Xiao (mirabilitum)
Blood Heat: People with blood heat will have long term acne problem. Acne condition will be accompanied by flushed face, constant thirst, dry stools and deep colored urine. The tongue is very red with yellow coating. Patient also feels hot all the time.
* Recommended herbs: Mu Dan Pi a.k.a peony bark (cortex moutan radicis), Sheng Di Huang (radix rehmanniae)
Toxic Heat: Some signs include large painful acne on the face. Acne is usually severe with redness around inflammed area. Red tongue with red tip are commonly accompanied by sticky yellow coating.
* Lian Qiao (fructus forsythia suspensae), Jin Ying Hua a.k.a honeysuckle flower (flos lonicerae japonicae)
Traditional Chinese herbs are safe and powerful alternatives to rid acne from the inside. Consult your local herbal store pharmacist on dosage upon purchase. They will also be glad to help you with boiling instructions.
Steff X is a twenty-something self-confessed masque freak. When she is not busy concocting facial formulas from raw chemicals, she writes full time for her website http://www.AcneWar.net , a resourceful site for acne sufferers offering free acne care tips and information.
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