Having acne can be frustrating, and girls who love beauty always try their best to fight against it. However, the best way to deal with acne is through internal regulation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that acne can be caused by various factors, such as blood stasis, phlegm dampness, yin deficiency, damp heat, and excess heat. There are also some pathological reactions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. It is necessary to identify the cause of acne through syndrome differentiation before treatment.
Blood Stasis
Characteristic features: Dark circles, dark purple color on the nose and lips, dark purple tongue, dull skin without luster, rough and dry skin, often accompanied by bloating in the epigastric region, women often experience dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea.
Acne that appears in people with blood stasis constitution generally has a dark color, not bright red, and is not very painful. Pigmentation is also severe, and acne scars appear black and are difficult to fade.
Recommended prescriptions: Taohong Siwu Decoction or Xuefu Zhuyu Tang, which have the effects of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, promoting qi and nourishing blood, and regulating qi to relieve depression. Please take under the guidance of a doctor.
Phlegm Dampness
Characteristic features: Obesity, easy fatigue, heaviness in the body, a preference for fatty and greasy food, sticky stools, enlarged tongue, thick and greasy tongue coating.
Acne that appears in people with phlegm dampness constitution is not red in color, nor is it very dark or painful. The entire face tends to be greasy.
Recommended prescriptions: Wendan Decoction, Liu Junzi Tang.
Yin Deficiency
Characteristic features: Often manifested as thin physique, flushed cheeks, hot palms and soles, hot flashes with sweating, irritability, dry mouth, dry and brittle hair, dry and red tongue, less coating, and even smooth without coating.
Acne that appears in people with yin deficiency constitution is relatively red in color, but the pain is not obvious, and the shape is small and dense.
Recommended prescriptions: Yinhuo Decoction.
Damp Heat
Characteristic features: The body is either overweight or thin, often feeling dry and bitter in the mouth, red and sore eyes, irritability and lethargy, heaviness and fatigue, short and red urine, dry or sticky stools, reddish tongue with yellow and greasy coating.
Acne that appears in people with damp heat constitution is mostly large and red, accompanied by obvious swelling and pain.
Recommended prescriptions: Sanren Tang foot soak, and at the same time, take Jiangqianliantang.
In addition to acne caused by the above constitutions, there is also a type of acne that is most commonly caused by internal heat. This type of heat is an excess heat, mostly caused by improper diet, poor rest, or consumption of hot foods such as spicy food, beef, mutton, durian, or staying up late. The acne caused by this excess heat is generally large in size and tends to appear on the nose, forehead, and other areas. It usually occurs suddenly, with clear causes, and does not recur after treatment.
In this case, there is generally no need to be too concerned. Just pay attention to your diet, daily routines, and get enough rest. You can also take some Huanglian Shangqing tablets or Niuhuang Jiedu tablets to clear stomach fire.
In conclusion, do not blindly treat acne. If the symptoms are severe, do not self-medicate. It is necessary to seek guidance from a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner for syndrome differentiation and appropriate treatment.
