In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acne or some red raised skin bumps are typically caused by the body’s internal heat. For example, if a patient got too much heat from diet (such as fried food, sweets, red meat, and alcohol) or didn’t sleep well, then he/she might develop some bad skin conditions such as acne. Based on TCM theory, the heat may come from different sources depending on the location of the acne. For example, the front of the face may indicate the heat is originated from the Yang Ming meridians, and the side of the face may be Shao Yang meridians. As a result, after we carefully examine what meridian is affected, we can devise a plan acupuncture or herbs to treat the source and the results are usually pretty effective.
