Dry Skin Relief

It is that time of year when our skin becomes dry and cracked. Well, not to worry, acupuncture can help! While we tend to blame the wintry weather outside for this unfortunate symptom, it is best to treat it from within. 

According to Chinese medicine, dry skin is due to deficiency of blood and/or yin which leads to stagnation and in turn the skin not being nourished. When we are dealing with many upper respiratory infections this time of year, they can lead to Lung Qi Deficiency and the lungs govern moisture distribution to all areas of the skin. If our lung Qi is depleted or weak, then there is a lack of hydration being properly dispersed. Other factors such as wind can affect the proper flow of Qi throughout the body and make us more susceptible to environmental factors contributing to dry skin. 

Acupuncture has shown great efficacy in the treatment of dry skin by nourishing the blood, tonifying the lungs, and promoting healthy circulation of qi to properly nourish our largest organ, the skin! 

So, with that said, let’s talk about what you can do at home to nourish your yin fluids! 

*Foods to add: 

black beans, sesame seeds, seaweed, dark leafy greens, beets, avocado, barely, millet, asparagus, honey, fish, oysters, walnuts, coconut milk, apples, persimmons, pineapple, mango, pomegranate, lemons, limes, bananas, yams, kelp, zucchini, broccoli, grapes, olive oil 

*Food to eliminate or cut back on: 

Caffeine, alcohol, anything spicy, cinnamon, eggs, beef, garlic, ginger, onions, lamb, shellfish, peanuts, SUGAR!!! 

*Avoid smoking....this exhausts the lung qi and yin, leading to heat accumulation and dryness. 

*Do not overeat and drink plenty of water 

*Stay active, but in a gentle way like yoga or daily walks to move your Qi 

*Avoid long hot showers 

*Eliminate any toxins and look for more natural ingredients in your soaps, lotions and detergents. 

*Use a humidifier 

*Drink aloe vera juice 

*Avoid wearing itchy fabric like wool 

And like always.....some scientific research to back up acupuncture for the treatment of dry skin 

van den Berg-Wolf, M., & Burgoon, T. (2017). Acupuncture and Cutaneous Medicine: Is It Effective?. Medical acupuncture, 29(5), 269–275. https://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2017.1227  

Jeon, Y. C., & Lee, H. B. (2016). Treatment of an Adult Patient with Atopic Dermatitis Using Traditional Korean Medicine, Especially Sa-Am Acupuncture. Journal of acupuncture and meridian studies, 9(6), 322–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2016.07.006