Many types of skin conditions can be aggravated by the heat and humidity of late summer. Most people don’t think of acupuncture for managing skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, acne, and heat rash; but Chinese medicine can be very effective at treating these conditions.
Treatment, whether acupuncture or herbs, works on two levels. First, it can clear heat and dampness from the skin to relieve symptoms such as redness, itching, swelling, and weeping lesions.
Second, herbs and acupuncture address underlying imbalances that cause the skin condition and make it difficult to heal. This may include strengthening and balancing the immune system; building up blood and fluids, and helping the body circulate them to the surface to nourish the skin; correcting any internal heat or dampness that may be “venting” through the skin; or regulating hormonal fluctuations that lead to acne outbreaks.
Acupuncture treatment can provide quick relief for acute skin rashes, such as heat rash or poison ivy. With sustained treatment, it can also provide significant and lasting relief from more chronic skin conditions, even when Western medicine considers them chronic or untreatable.
August 20, 2008
