Submit your skincare questions to Dr. Agnes, CEO of Herborium and natural medicine expert
As a consequence the pathogenic heat builds up and leads to stagnation of blood and heat. The lung and stomach channels distribute the excess heat on to the face giving the characteristic pattern of flushing over the cheeks and the bridge of the nose. Any external environmental cold or heat will further compound the problem.
If skin disease presents with a symmetrical distribution then the inner body environment is out of balance and pushing the internal pathogenic factors to the surface. If a skin disease is asymmetrical for example most fungal infections, then herbs are not needed to balance the inner environment in order to clear the skin disease and often only need local application.
The action of AcnEase is to reduce internal heat by cooling the blood, eliminating fire toxin and removing stasis by treating both the Ben and Biao (the root cause and the symptoms) of Rosacea.
For Rosacea sufferers the redness or blush can be made worse by the following stimuli, heat, exercise, stress, alcohol consumption, spicy foods, coffee, tea and chocolate. All these stimuli can aggravate this irritating the condition caused by internal heat.
Stress and other emotions can certainly cause flare-ups. In Traditional Chinese Medicine intense emotions can lead to the uneven circulation of Qi and blood, this lack of flow leads to accumulation of heat. Techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises, cutting out caffeine, eating healthy food regularly and getting plenty of sleep will all help to reduce stress. In hot or cold weather and with exposure to sun or wind the skin should be protected. A moisturiser should be used daily to prevent the skin drying out. With exposure to sun always protect the face with sun lotion and a hat.
With exercise avoid heavy exertion that causes overheating. As an alternative to strenuous exercise try yoga or tai'chi. Try also to avoid hot baths and saunas or any steaming of the face all of which can aggravate rosacea.
Try to eliminate hot spices from your diet, which are common triggers and reduce hot drinks especially those contain caffeine. Different foods may set off reactions in individuals so be aware of any foods consumed, which seem to correspond to a worsening of the condition.
Honeysuckle flower, white mulberry leaf, dandelion leaf, burdock root and loquat leaf can all be taken regularly to help cool and cleanse the skin.
An infusion is made in the same way as one would make strong tea. The basic recipe for making an infusion is a pint of boiling water to two tablespoons of leaves or flowers. Pour the boiling water over the herbs in a teapot and let it steep for 10-15 minutes, when ready strain. To make it stronger simply increase the amount of herbs and leave it to steep longer. For the roots and barks make a decoction using the above method but simmering the root for 30 minutes in a saucepan instead of steeping.
The powder Dian Dao San is used externally to clear damp heat in Chinese medicine. Equal quantities of finely ground sulphur and rhubarb root are mixed together and the powder is dabbed on to the active lesions. This can be used twice a day and should be left on the skin for ten minutes each time but NOT RUBBED into the skin. The powder can be mixed with any type of good quality base cream or made into a paste with water. Alternately a decoction of the two ingredients can be used to wash the skin, again without rubbing that may irritate the skin. Dian Dao San is appropriate for active pustules and may irritate inactive lesions e.g. black or whiteheads so it should be used with caution and discontinue at any sign of irritation.
The etiologic factors responsible for Rosacea are unknown; what is known is that Rosacea is believed to be due to an imbalance in the body that results in dilation of blood vessels primarily in the face. According to the holistic approach AcnEase® was developed to restore the bodily balance believed to be responsible for dermatological problems including Acne and Rosacea.
AcnEase® works to restore the natural internal balance that is disrupted by endocrine changes, mental tension, stress and diet and addresses the cause of Acne and Rosacea instead of simply treating their external symptoms. The result is a prolonged improvement in skin condition and other disorders associated with the imbalance including GI disturbances such as gastric reflux and heartburn. AcnEase® unlike the antibiotics (tetracycline) and topical gels (MetroGel) targets the underlining factors that may cause Rosacea not just its symptoms. There are no known side effects for this product, which is also, an advantage when comparing it to long term use of oral antibiotics or retinoid-derived products.