Acne is a skin condition commonly seen in teenagers, and less common in adults. The condition is resulted partially from excessive stimulation of the skin by androgens hormone, or bacterial infection. However, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there could be two major categories of causes: (acupuncture and herbal treatments could help to address the root causes). It also involves emotional aspect which will be explained in the end of this post.

• Excessive Heat/Heat Toxins
  • Heat toxins in the blood
  • Wind heat in the cutaneous space/fascia area
  • Liver and Stomach heat
• Blood or Qi/energy Deficiency could lead to
  • Blood stagnation/stasis
  • Phlegm accumulation
  • Deficiency heat

Dietary Guidelines:

• Avoid deep fried foods, spicy foods, cheese and fatty foods, smoking, soft drinks
• Avoid simple carbohydrates: Sugar, chocolate, nuts, coffee, alcohol
• Avoid red meat, shellfish, shrimps, bamboo shoots, mushrooms
• Avoid emotional stress
• Try out vegetarian diet: vegetables and fruits for a short fast
• Detoxification: enema (I will write another post about this)
• Increase foods that clears the heat in the blood:
  • Squash, cucumbers, watermelon, winter melon, celery, carrots, cabbage, beet tops, dandelions, aloe vera, mulberry leaves, carrot tops, lettuce, cherries, papaya, pear, persimmon, raspberries, buckwheat, alfalfa sprouts, millet, brown rice, mung beans, plenty of water
  • Green Mung beans soup
• Fresh Juice/tea
  • Cucumber, endive, apple
  • ½ cucumber and ½ water mixed
  • dandelion and beet top tea
  • carrot
  • watermelon
  • carrot and spinach
  • carrot, lettuce, and spinach

External applications:

• Aloe vera applied tropically
• Bentonite masks for oily skin
• Tea Tree oil
• Grated cucumber applied topically
• Plain yogurt mask
• Rub watermelon rind on acne

Psychophysiology:

• Associates with feelings of being “picked on” and want to be left alone
• Is unhappy about the way he/she looks, which increases his/her sebaceous excretion by hormonal control and increases muscular tension in his/her face, closing off pores; Thus the resulting acne confirms his/her original belief
• Associates with feelings of embarrassment about making social contacts
• Sense of non-acceptance, dislike of the self

TCM Psychophysiology:

• Stomach – is the sea of nourishment and origin of all fluids; With its paired organ spleen (the root of post-natal Qi/energy) are categorized as Earthy organs, which are related to the ability to assimilate, stabilize, and feel centered and balanced.
• Liver – is the home of the ethereal soul. It relates to decisiveness, control and the principle of emergence; stores and cleanses the blood. It reflects the emotional harmony and movement.
• Gall bladder – is the source of courage and initiative, and is responsible for decision-making as the bodily minister of Justice; controls circulation of the nourishing and protecting energies.
• Large Intestine – it the paired organ with Lungs as the metal organs. It relates to the strength and sustainability of the yang aspect of metal, and associates with the emotion of feeling sadness, grief, and worries.

Therapeutic Affirmation:

• I am a divine expression of life
• I love and accept myself where I am right now

Psychotherapy:

Whatever happens to the skin corresponds to an inner process. The diverse functions of the skin (protection, contact, expression, excretion, respiration, temperature regulation, sexuality, etc) encompass the two poles of separation and contact. Something is challenging our limits, or we are armoring an inner sensitivity.

Questions to ask in the event of skin problems:

• What is it that is getting under my skin? What is trying to break through the barriers?
• How easy/difficult is it to make a contact with other people? Do I desire intimacy?
• Have I condemned myself to solitary confinement? What is useful about this?