Acne, a common obstacle on the road to beauty for many people. It is said that "don't hit someone in the face," but acne likes to appear on the face, which is really frustrating. It can also appear on the chest and back, causing distress. Acne can cause deep damage to one's appearance, especially in the blooming season. How should acne be treated?
What is Acne?
Acne, commonly known as "pimples," is a chronic inflammatory disease of the hair follicle sebaceous gland, which is common during puberty. It is characterized by papules, pustules, nodules, cysts, and scars, and it is prone to occur in areas rich in sebaceous glands, such as the face, back, and chest.
Common Symptoms
In traditional Chinese medicine, the main causes of acne are heat, dampness, toxins, phlegm, and stasis. It is more common during puberty. The pathogenesis of acne is mainly related to heat accumulation in the lung meridian and damp-heat in the spleen and stomach. The lung meridian's heat fumigates the face, while the weak spleen allows dampness to accumulate, which turns into heat and injures the fluids, forming phlegm and causing the stagnation of damp-heat and phlegm in the skin, leading to the development of acne. Treatment methods often involve dispersing wind, clearing heat and toxins, eliminating dampness and resolving phlegm, and promoting blood circulation to dispel stasis.
In Western medicine, the disease is related to hormonal imbalance, elevated levels of androgens in the body, excessive sebum secretion, and local bacterial infection.
Homemade Chinese Medicine Face Masks
1. Acne Face Mask Powder
Ingredients: Rhubarb, Artemisia capillaris, Honeysuckle flower, Scutellaria baicalensis, Gypsum, 100g each.
Method: Grind each ingredient into a fine powder, sift through a 120-mesh sieve, mix well, and store in a bottle for later use.
Effects: Clear heat, kill bacteria, dissolve stasis, and resolve phlegm. Used to treat acne.
Usage: Take 20-40g each time, mix with water to make a face mask, apply once a week, and complete one course of treatment in one month.
2. Golden Flower Face Mask Powder
Ingredients: Honeysuckle flower, Coptis chinensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Salvia miltiorrhiza, White mulberry leaf, Aloe vera, Poria cocos, Moutan bark, Chinese angelica, Turmeric, 9g each.
Method: Grind each ingredient into a fine powder and store in a bottle.
Effects: Clear heat, nourish blood, reduce fat, and eliminate acne. Used to treat acne.
Usage: Mix with distilled water to make a paste and apply as a face mask once a week. Complete one course of treatment in four sessions.
3. Golden Chrysanthemum Face Mask Powder
Ingredients: Honeysuckle flower, Wild Chrysanthemum flower 30g each, Forsythia, Dandelion, and Bupleurum chinense 15g each, Gypsum 10g.
Method: Grind each ingredient into a fine powder, mix well, and store in a bottle.
Effects: Clear heat, eliminate acne. Used to treat common acne.
Usage: Apply as a regular face mask three times a week for three consecutive weeks.
4. Hawthorn Acne-Removing Face Mask Solution
Ingredients: Hawthorn, Snake tongue grass, Wild Chrysanthemum flower 15g each, Scutellaria baicalensis, Mulberry bark, Red peony, Moutan bark 10g each.
Method: Grind all the ingredients together into a fine powder and store in a bottle.
Effects: Clear heat, activate blood circulation, remove fat, and eliminate acne. Used to treat common acne.
Usage: Take 30g of the powder, mix with water to make a paste, and apply as a face mask once a week. Treat for two months.
5. Four Yellow Face Mask Powder
Ingredients: Phellodendron bark, Rhubarb, Scutellaria baicalensis, Salvia miltiorrhiza, White aconite, Sulfur 20g each, Poria cocos, Wild Chrysanthemum flower, White fresh bark 100g each, Camphor 6g.
Method: Grind all the above ingredients together, sift through a 200-mesh sieve, and store for later use.
Effects: Clear heat, dissolve stasis, disperse nodules, and eliminate acne. Used to treat acne.
Usage: Take 20g of the powder, mix with distilled water to make a paste, and apply as a face mask. Treat once every five days. Complete 1 course of treatment in 6 sessions, and undergo 2-5 courses of treatment.
Friendly reminder: Before applying the face mask, it is best to do an allergy test behind the ear to prevent allergic reactions.
Daily Attention
1. Lifestyle Habits
Maintain a cheerful mood, eat a light diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and avoid spicy, sweet, greasy, and high-calorie foods like fried foods and fatty meats, especially for dinner. Avoid alcohol, maintain a regular schedule, and avoid prolonged exposure to computers and sunlight. Keep regular bowel movements.
2. Bedtime Care
Cleanse your face thoroughly before bed, use gentle facial cleansers, and continue to apply acne treatment products to affected areas.
3. Regular Medication
Remind patients who are taking oral medications for acne treatment to adhere to the prescribed medication regimen, especially those taking oral anti-androgen drugs. Some oral medications can affect liver function, blood lipids, etc., so it is necessary to reduce alcohol consumption and the intake of fatty foods.
4. Precautions
Avoid squeezing or scratching pimples and inflammatory papules.
