TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE DERMATOLOGY

Millions of people suffer every day in this country from acute and chronic skin disease. Along with the often constant physical discomfort can come deep psychological upset, isolation, depression and lack of self confidence. While Western medicine with its many strengths can sometimes effectively manage these conditions, there are also times when it can't. Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine can offer relief that is free from the difficult side-effects of steroids or antibiotic use.  

Through the use of herbs, we can heal the skin from the inside out. While some conditions are chronic and can not be "cured", we can help to make the person stronger against it's triggers and clear the body of it's present symptoms. And while having a confident western diagnosis for your skin is helpful, it is not necessary to be able to treat it from a TCM perspective.

The treatment of skin conditions is almost primarily herbal, with the patient consuming teas made from herbs common to the Chinese Medical pharmacopeia twice daily. The patient has the option of cooking herbs at home themselves every 4 days, or paying extra to have a custom pharmacy pre-cook their herbs and distribute them as vacuum sealed BPA free plastic sachets as pictured here. These herbs are ready to consume, you just tear off the corner of the packet and drink.

When using herbs from China, quality control is extremely important, as many low-quality herbs have been exposed to dangerous pesticides, heavy metals and molds, or have been incorrectly ID'd. For this reason we only choose to work with pharmacies that pride themselves on using herbs that have been rigorously tested for cleanliness, and that closely examine their product for accurate identification.

Here are the types of conditions that can be effectively treated with traditional Chinese herbal medicine:

• Eczema

• Psoriasis

• Acne

• Rosacea

• Seborrheic Dermatitis

• Tinea (fungal infections)

• Warts (common viral, plane, molluscum contagiosum)

• Impetigo

• Urticaria (hives, acute & chronic)

• Lichen Planus

• Lichen Simplex

• Herpes Zoster

• Herpes Simplex

• Alopecia

• Pityriasis Rosea

Herbal Dermatology Pricing Structure:

First time Herbal Dermatology & Acupuncture
Duration: 90 minutes
Price: $175 (not including herbs/supplements)
Available Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday

First time Herbal Dermatology Consult
(no Acupuncture):
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $150 (not including herbs/supplements)
Available Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday

Follow-up Acupuncture
(can include Herbal Dermatology)
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $110 (not including herbs/supplements)
Available Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday

Follow-up Herbal Dermatology consult
(no Acupuncture):
Duration: 30 minutes
Price: $75 (not including herbs/supplements)
Available Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday

The cost of herbal medicine for dermatology work varies depending on the type of pathology and the severity of presentation. Chronic or autoimmune conditions like eczema, psoriasis and acne typically require stronger herbs and average approximately $500 per month. Treatment typically takes a minimum of 3 months, and sometimes up to one year.

It is also important for your practitioner to be aware of all medications both internal and topical you are currently using to make sure that herbal medicine is a safe option for you at this time.

If you have an acute or chronic skin issue and would like to discuss your condition and the options available to you, please feel free to email Jennifer Black, LAc at jen@highlandholistic.com. Pictures and a brief history are helpful for recommending a treatment plan. All information is sent via a HIPAA compliant email server and is kept completely confidential.

If you are not a resident of California, please visit tcmdermatology.org to find a practitioner local to your area.