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By Stephen Sedita, AP, DOM –
Acne is the most common skin disorder and can be a very frustrating condition to live with. Americans spend millions of dollars each year on a variety of crèmes, salves, and ointments which often fail to produce lasting results. For those who have unsuccessfully tried other forms of acne treatments Dr. Meng can help using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
What is Acne and What Causes it?
In Western terms acne is defined “an inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles of the skin that is marked by the eruption of pimples or pustules”. Acne is considered to be a problem of excessive secretion of sebum (oil) with potential blockage of the hair follicle. When the follicle is blocked it can lead to accumulation of sebum and or bacteria which results in pimples, pustules, boils, or other eruptions. There are a variety of factors known to affect and or cause acne, including certain medications, dietary habits, and hereditary factors.
Acne is not considered a disease by itself in TCM. It is considered an external manifestation of internal imbalance; in this case excess heat. Heat is released from our interior to exterior through the surface of our skin, excessive heat will thus have a negative effect on the skin itself. Signs of excessive heat on the skin include all the symptoms of acne; pimples/boils, red splotches or patches and/or flushed appearance. Other signs of excessive heat may include redness of the eyes, irritability or propensity for anger, preference for cold drinks, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, and constipation.
In TCM excess heat has several causes but the two most common clinical presentations are from hormone imbalance and stagnation of qi and blood. Each different cause of excess heat (which in turn is causing the acne) requires a slightly different treatment protocol.
Hormone Imbalance
Hormone imbalance is the most commonly seen clinical cause, which reflects why acne is most prevalent among teenagers, steroid users (both legal and otherwise), and menopausal women. Hormone imbalance can occur from too much or too little of a particular hormone, or from a relatively large change in the balance of hormone levels.
For teenagers hormone imbalance is a relatively normal aspect of development, however some teens are prone to greater degrees of hormone imbalance than others. Some women who have difficult menses may be experiencing greater than normal fluctuations in hormone levels during the period. Also some women will find that using birth control (pills, IUD) either starts or stops acne. In steroid users the hormone imbalance is almost always an excess condition which reflects whatever particular hormone(s) being added to the body. Menopause related hormone imbalance tends to be more of a deficiency or lack of hormone levels. In all cases acne can result, however treatment in TCM will be slightly different depending on each particular type of hormone imbalance.
For acne caused by hormonal imbalance most people are going to experience little to no relief of the symptoms by using topical products. As long as the hormones are not balanced the problems resulting from that lack of balance will continue to persist. The majority of topical applications are highly localized in their action. Many use benzyl peroxide or other antibiotics to try and kill the bacteria found in acne blemishes. Other ingredients may help the dead skin cells to be released with more ease, to open or close the pores, and to affect the skin color. The bottom line is that the focus of these medications is superficial –literally.
Acupuncture has been shown to have a regulatory effect on hormone levels. For teenagers TCM can help to normalize the rate of change of the hormone system. For people taking steroids TCM can help to mitigate the negative side effects, however TCM is not strong enough to complete negate those effects. As long as the steroid(s) are being taken there is an inherent unbalance. For menopausal woman and for women with particularly pronounced effects during their period acupuncture can help normalize and stabilize the hormone levels to help reduce and relieve symptoms.
Stress
Stress and strong emotional experiences, particularly sadness and depression, cause stagnation of the qi and blood. Over time if that stagnation persists heat will begin to develop. Much in the same way that your car engine overheats if your radiator is not circulating water, our bodies will overheat if the qi and blood are not circulating freely. And like your car engine if that excess heat is not addressed over time it will have increasingly damaging effects.
If left unchecked, chronic excess heat from stagnation can lead to toxic heat accumulation. Many people with chronic stress and toxic heat aren’t even aware of how stressed they are; they have simply gotten used to it. People with toxic heat will have a very difficult time managing their acne. The combination of the heat and the toxicity will continually manifest as acne and topical products will have essentially no effect. Imagine an active volcano; the intense heat from beneath the earth builds up until it erupts; acne due to toxic heat can be thought of in the say way. And like a volcano, toxic heat can be very dangerous; acne is only one manifestation; stroke, heart attack, and feinting or dizzy spells can result from untreated toxic heat.
Dr. Meng has years of clinical experience treating the various types of acne. As with all treatments in TCM each patient is treated individually and each treatment always seeks to cure the root of the illness, not just to address the symptoms.
Yanhong “Gina” Meng is a licensed Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. Dr. Meng graduated from Shan Dong Traditional Chinese Medicine University in 1996, where she studied acupuncture and other Traditional Chinese Medicine Techniques. From 1996 to 1999 Dr. Meng practiced at the Shan Dong Lai Wu Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, where she worked under the direction of the noted Dr. Gu Dao Xia, inventor and pioneer in Acupuncture Point Nutritional Injection Therapy. From 1999 to 2001 Dr. Meng attended Shen Yang Western University, where she studied the theory and practical application of Traditional Chinese Medicine in conjunction with modern Western medicine. In 2002 Dr. Meng completed a rigorous clinical practice rotation at the prestigious Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine University. In 2002 through 2004 Dr. Meng operated a Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in Dublin, Ireland. In 2007 Dr. Meng graduated with honors from the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine, an accredited and nationally recognized master degree level program in oriental medicine. She has owned and operated Mengs Acupuncture Medical Center since 2007.
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