Chinese Medicine Gem

What is acne?

Acne is a very annoying disease for most of us, especially during adolescence. When our skin are healthy and perform its job well, the follicles would produce sebum, then carry dead skin cells and toxic to the surface of our skin. But when the follicle is clogged up for some reason, then a pimple grows. Most pimples are found on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Acne is a disease that could not be cured, western physician usually told us. People suffering acne are so disappointed when they heard that truth. Chinese herbal physician may, however, give you the hope to combat it on acne treatment with natural herbal remedies.

Acne treatment by natural herbal remedies-Jingfang (classical formulas)

According to Traditional China Medicine (TCM) theory, usually acne is considered a disease caused by pathogenic influence of excessive heat, dampness and blood stasis. Today I would like to introduce a trustworthy classical formula, which have been used in China for thousands of years.

And what is classical formulas? Simply classical formulas are long used herbal formulas, especially those were used in Shang Han Lun, a medical treatise by Zhang Zhongjing that was published sometime before 220 A.D.

Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan
Gui Zhi (ramulus cinnamomi cassiae)…10-20g
Fu Ling (sclerotium poriae cocos)…10-20g
Shao Yao (radix paeoniae)…10-20g
Mu Dan Pi (cortex moutan radixis)…10-20g
Tao Ren (semen persicae)…10-20g

Indications:
(1).Acne is nodules. These are dark red, large, swollen, painful, solid pimples that are deep in the skin, usually cause scars, hard to disappear.
(2).Inspection: Robust, red/red dim complexion, squamous or dry skin, dark red lips, cyanotic tongue.
(3).Abdominal examination: Medium hard and full in abdomen, resistance when pressing especially in left lateral lower abdomen (indication for accumulation of dry feces), abdominal pain that increases with pressure, with dysmenorrhea or annexitis.
(4).Flavoring herbs: 
      1.Danshen (The roots of Saluia miltiorrhiza Bge) and Chuanxiong (rhizoma chuanxiong) added is better. 
      2.Dahuang (Rheum officinale) added for accumulation of dry feces.
      3.Niuxi (Achyranthes bidentata Blume) added for squamous or dry skin of legs.

And it is worthy to note that this natural herbal remedies of Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan works for only those syndrome of blood stasis, just like conditions above mentioned. It doesn’t work for all acne treatment. We have to differentiate the symptoms and signs again to identify the pathogens that trigger the acne first. Then we can prescribe the tailored and best formula for acne treatment.