Skin Rash - A Chinese Herbal Prescription

Skin rash is a common term used in Chinese medicine for acne, eczema and so on. It is considered a symptom only. Some cases last a few days but many will last for years. You'll never get to the roots if you use ointments or other skin applications. You must understand the characteristics of this problem: (a) The rash can spread or move from one location to another. (b) It flares up from time to time for various reasons. (c) What you eat or do can make it better or worse.

Skin rash is deeper than what the skin shows. It's the blood that causes this as evidenced by the characteristics described above. The Chinese view points to the existence of "excess heat" in the blood, which means many things including: too much peppery/deep-fried/greasy food, too much shellfish consumed like crabs/clams/oysters, excessive toxins in the blood through eating or exposure, not enough rest, hot weather getting into you, etc.

An effective prescription should aim to do four things:

1) Reduce excess heat in body or blood

Xuan Shen

Lu Gen

Gou Teng

2) Cleanse toxins in blood

Sheng Di Huang

Bai Hua She Cao

Huang Qin

Zhi Mu

3) Nourish and moisten the skin

Mai Men Dong

Yu Zhu

Ze Xie

4) Calm the liver which may be overactive

Bai Shao

Jin Yin Hua

A combination of 12 herbs are recommended.

Drink one to two cups (8 oz each) of herb tea a day. Your skin rash won't disappear overnight. Progress will show in many ways such as less frequent eruptions, less intensity when it erupts, rash areas becoming dry and new skin beginning to replace the old one. Skin rash usually take months to cure, if not years.

You will never get better if you don't pay attention to the following:

(a) Eat less greasy, peppery, deep-fried or barbecued food

(b) Eat less shellfish such as crabs, clams, oysters, mussels, shrimps, etc.

(c) Drink more water or fruit juice to moisturize your skin.

(d) Eat more vegetables and juicy fruits.

(e) Rest enough and avoid burning the midnight oil to calm your liver.

This is just one formula with countless variations depending on the severity and nature of the rash, your lifestyle regarding eating and resting, and what kind of environment you are exposed to.


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Tips for Finding Effective Herbal Acne Treatments

Chances are, if you find yourself reading this article, you have suffered the feelings of embarassment, self-consciousness and insecurity an acne breakout can bring on in what seems like the blink of an eye. Suddenly, you find yourself checking the mirror every hour on the hour, hoping the blemishes on your face have spontaneously cleared and you can breathe a sigh of relief.

You feel sure that everyone you come in contact with is zooming in on each and every blemish, and why wouldn't they be? It's certainly the first thing YOU see when you look in the mirror!

Now, imagine you experience this exact scenario every day of your life, as many men and women do who suffer chronic adult acne, far beyond the "acne prone" years of adolescence. The fact is, acne remains a very real and persistent problem in today's society for men and women, teenagers and adults, and instead of going away or getting better, it seems to be more prominent and more severe than ever.

What this can be attributed to is the subject of much debate in the medical and dermatological community. Higher stress levels? More hormones and synthetic chemicals in our foods? Genes? Changing diets? It's anyone's guess, but the fact remains that acne is a very real cause for emotional distress, self-consciousness and insecurity for many, and it shows no signs of getting better.

With the advent of modern dermatology and medical science, there have been some excellent new products that combine modern science and nature to form a hybrid product superior to many of it's prescription counterparts, and highly effective for many who have found that traditional treatments failed them in the long run. The aim of these products is to facilitate hormonal balance, therefore targeting acne at the source, from the inside, rather than the outside alone.

Some of these herbal acne medicines have proven highly effective in combatting acne by "cleansing" the skin from the inside, getting to the source of the problem by balancing the natural testosterone and estrogen found within the male and female body. When looking for a natural acne treatment alternative, be sure to check the ingredients and indications.

Chances are, it's a good product that will probably do what it says if it puts itself in the category of either a high antioxidant supplement, or if it has herbs and natural ingredients which help to calm the nervous system, which in turn will usually help to calm raging hormone levels that often accompany acne. Excess testosterone and excess estrogen are the primary causes of acne, hence the most common years for acne breakouts are the teenage years of hormonal turmoil.

Natural acne products can actually clear the skin for good, only requiring occasional follow up treatments, whereas conventional methods can require constant treatment, and the results disappear as soon as the individual weens themselves off the medicine. Also, many acne treatments prescribed by doctors or dermatologists are antibiotic in nature.

Continuous antibiotic treatment can actually result in antibiotic resistance in the body, meaning when you really need your body to respond to antibiotic treatment, such as in illness, it may have built a tolerance and need more powerful meds to respond correctly. Some prescribed acne medications can even be dangerous, and are to be taken only for the most severe cases of acne and with the utmost caution (Acutane).

These treatments and systems are designed to target the hormones, balancing them in many cases for good, and requiring little or no follow up treatment or monitoring. They can work for people (myself a case-in-point), who have had every other conventional acne treatment fail them time and time again, or become ineffective over time.

Overall, herbal acne remedies have proven to be a highly effective and cost effective alternative for countless acne sufferers. If they weren't effective they would not be such a popular category of skin care products today, both online and in higher end department stores. Nature works harder and also works in unison with our bodies, unlike many drugs that can disrupt and "clutter" our bodies.


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Herbal Skin Care

Herbs have been used in skin care from times immemorial. Ancient Ayurvedic texts in India speak of the use various herbs, such as, basil, turmeric, and saffron in skin care preparations. Herbs are now being increasingly used in the manufacture of skin care products across the world because of their healing and rejuvenating properties. Some brands do not even use artificial preservatives in their products, instead depending on the inherent quality of certain herbs to preserve themselves.

Today, aloe vera is one of the most popular herbs, hailed for its skin-soothing and anti-aging properties. It is used in cleansers, face washes, massage creams, sunscreens, and anti-acne products. Tea tree oil is also widely used in skin care products for its antiseptic and anti-acne properties. Ginseng, sage, rosemary, witch hazel, chamomile, calendula, and arnica are also popular. They are used in the manufacture of skin care products for different skin types, based on their properties.

Basil and mint are used in acne skin care because of their anti-bacterial and refreshing properties. Fresh basil or mint juice can be applied everyday on pimples. Turmeric is another essential ingredient in many skin care products because of its antiseptic quality. It ensures a glowing, blemish-free complexion. Fresh turmeric fingers can be ground with a little milk and applied on the face and the body. Pure saffron is widely used in traditional medicinal and skin care preparations in India and the Middle East. A few almonds and saffron strands can be soaked in milk and then ground into a paste with the milk. Mixed with rosewater, this face mask nourishes and revitalizes skin. These are simple herbal skin care preparations that can be made by everybody at home. However, elaborate herbal remedies should not be attempted at home without proper knowledge of herbs and their effects.

To conclude, certain herbs are very beneficial for the skin and products containing them can be used with good effect. However, products of only reputed brands should be used, as the wrong mix of herbs could create problems. Skin Care provides detailed information on Skin Care, Skin Care Products, Natural Skin Care, Anti Aging Skin Care and more. Skin Care is affiliated with Natural Skin Care Products.

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Herbal Remedies That Help Clear Acne

Acne is a common skin disease that causes pimples. Acne is a highly complicated and variable form of skin infection. It is not just a problem for teenagers, it can affect people from ages 10 through 40. It is most common during adolescence, affecting more than 85% of teenagers, but not infrequently also continues into adulthood. There are many misconceptions and myths. Several factors are known to be linked such as family history ,hormonal activity, such as menstrual cycles and puberty ,stress, through increased output of hormones from the adrenal (stress) glands ,hyperactive sebaceous glands. Herbs can be used to treat acne both internally and externally, and some combination of the two will be the most effective in clearing your skin.

Herbal remedies are gentler on your skin and face. Tea tree oil is also extremely effective, and can be found in most health food stores. Dilute in the same manner as the lavender oil, or one drop to the lavender mixture to kill bacteria and cleanse the skin. Eating vitamin C can also help to improve the quality of your skin. Apply fresh lime juice mixed with a half glass of boiled milk for treating pimples, blackheads and cracked skin. Drink a glass of wheat grass juice daily to remove acne. Unboiled milk mixed with gram flour has been proved effective for the daily wash of acne skin. Mix natural yogurt and fine oatmeal to a thick paste, apply and leave to dry. Wash the face with lukewarm water and pat dry.

Herbal Remedies Acne Tips

1. Tea tree oil is also extremely effective.

2. A raw potato is an ideal remedy, especially for whiteheads.

3. The orange peel is valuable in the treatment.

4. Drink a glass of wheat grass juice daily to remove acne.

5. Apply fresh mint juice every night to treat it.

6. Eating vitamin C can also help to improve the quality of your skin

7. Vitamin E is also important to prevent scarring from acne and removing old scars.

8. Dilute in the same manner as the lavender oil.

9. Apply a paste of fresh fenugreek leaves in water.


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Herbs and Herbal Skin Care Products

While natural ingredients include an entire range of produces derived from plant leaves, roots, bark, fruits, and even extracted oils, herbal skin care products derive their beneficial effects from herbs. Herbs are low-growing aromatic plants that can be used either fresh or dried; these include annuals (which must be seeded each year) as well as perennial herbs (which survive the winter to grow again in the spring). Usually, it’s herbs’ leaves that are used to enhance skin care products’ benefits.

The Herb Research Foundation classifies herbal & organic skin care products into one of four groups, depending on the herbs that the products include, and the scale of sale. The four groups are Ayurvedic, Chinese, General, and Commercial.

Ayurvedic herbs are the herbs used in India, including ginger, turmeric, and frankincense as well as pants that are less well known in English such as ashwagandha. These four, in combination, have been shown in texts to decrease rheumatoid factor and interleukins, which are the biological markers of rheumatoid arthritis activity.

It’s a little-known fact that Chinese herbs are seldom used alone, but are more often used in formulas of four. In Chinese herbal medicine, the formula is assembled just like the individuals in a royal court. There’s a King Herb that has the strongest effect, a Minister Herb that addresses the min pathology as well as a secondary pathology, and assistant herbs. Assistant Herbs can be helpful and strengthen the King’s effect, corrective and eliminate the King or Minister herb’s toxic effect, or opposing in order to decrease the King’s effect.

General herbs are those with entries in reference publications such as the Encyclopedia of Popular Herbs that describe their medicinal properties. The names of many of these will be familiar to you; you may have seen seeds to grow them in the grocery store, or you may actually have some of them growing inside or near by your house. And commercial herbs are those wholesalers sell in bulk.




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