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Acne Experience
Facts on Acne
Who's at Risk?
Western Treatments
Chinese Approach
East meets West
Acne Formula
Toxicology
Diet and Acne
Acne Images
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Customized vs Formulated Prescription.
The Acne Formula is an herbal formula designed to address all known causes and symptoms of acne. Mind you, however, that this approach to assembling an all-inclusive herbal formula may not be looked upon as proper by the traditional Chinese medicine establishment.
Chinese physicians generally do not take a "one dose fits all" approach. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, each person is presumed to present a unique pattern of harmony and disharmony. Combination and proportions of herbs are chosen and adjusted to fit not the ailment but the individual who suffers from the ailment. More specifically, herbs are chosen and adjusted not just for the patient, but for different stages of the ailment for the same patient.
Two acne patients are likely to be prescribed with different formulas, for example, if one is a nervous fellow with a dry tongue, while the other is easily tired and sleepy. For the nervous fellow alone, he could be prescribed with different formulas based on the progress or regress of his condition. As you can imagine, regular Chinese herbal prescriptions are highly customized.
This is all very well, in a perfectly ideal world. If diagnosed correctly, and the herbal formulas prescribed properly, most patients should be cured promptly.
Unfortunately, we are not living in an ideal world. Like anything else, there are good doctors and there are bad doctors. Not all doctors possess the same diagnostic perception and ability. Not only could the diagnosis be completely wrong, coming from a bad doctor; and even if the doctor chances a correct diagnosis, his choice of an herbal formula could still vary substantially from that of the proper course. In addition, there are other factors, such as the quality of the herbs, methods and timing of decoction (a word used for cooking herbs), even the utensils used for decoction, etc., that could make quite a difference between curing or not curing a patient.
Before I met the Beijing physician in 1995, I had been treated by a dozen or so Chinese herbal doctors. Their typical, customized prescriptions did nothing to control my acne condition. Eventually, the one prescription that worked, that is, the Beijing formula, was not customized at all.
The Beijing physician treated all acne patients with the same program--same herbal prescriptions, same old antibiotics, hormones, vitamins and cleansers.
What does this tell us?
Two possibilities:
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The herbal prescriptions I had before were not prescribed properly; or |
| b : |
The herbs alone were simply not strong enough to treat my stubborn condition, properly prescribed or not. |
I think the reality falls somewhere in between.
First of all, the doctors I had seen were likely not that good. Now that I have studied more in depth in this discipline, I increasingly appreciate the beauty of precision of the customized approach. It may not always work in practice, but when it does, and in theory, it's awesome.
Secondly, for many cases, if the formula works, it works, customized or not. I have healed two cases of teenage acne with my non-customized Acne Formula during a three-month period while I was testing it. On a wider perspective, there are literally hundreds of classic formulas for general use that have stood the test of time. People are still using these ancient formulas to treat diseases.
Thirdly, for my so very stubborn acne condition, there is the possibility that herbs alone might not be strong enough as the sole agent of treatment. Perhaps, in some serious and stubborn cases such as mine, only the shocking effect from the combination of strong doses of Western medicines and Eastern herbs could subdue them.
Preparations of Formulas
The formula of traditional Chinese medicine consists of two parts: prescription of ingredients and preparation.
Preparations refer to the forms of herbs prepared according to the prescription, such as soup, pills, powder, jelly, pillets, etc. Traditionally, different forms have been chosen for different prescriptions because they were considered the best for body absorption of the effective ingredients and treatment.
With the introduction of modern pharmaceutics, traditional Chinese formulas have developed new preparation forms, such as tablets, capsules, injection, ointment, infusion, plaster, etc.
The most common preparation for traditional herbal formulas is the soup form. Medicinal solution is obtained by boiling the selected herbs for a certain time, after which the dregs are strained and the soup is consumed. This form is used for oral administration, and is generally considered the most effective in clinical practice.
However, decocting herbal soup is not like popping pills. It takes more effort and time, particularly if you have to do it everyday for some chronic illnesses. Because of the time and trouble required, as well as the smell it produces during cooking, it has been criticized as a major drawback for popularizing and modernizing traditional Chinese medicine. Modern forms such as tablets and capsules have been introduced to try to take its place.
Has the battle been won? No, at least not yet.
It is true that it is much easier to pop pills than to boil soup, but time and time again, doctors and herbal professionals have found that modern forms are not as effective. Extracts of herbs used to make the tablets and capsules seem unable to replace totally the effective ingredients that the physical and chemical reactions of the boiling process produces.
For our Acne Formula, we've devised a unique preparation that consists of the soup and the cold pads. The two forms work together to address both the internal causes and the external symptoms of acne.
Internally, the Acne Formula Soup works by addressing this disorder at the source, controlling the underlying pathological changes that lead to acne. Externally, the Acne Formula Cold Pad subdues the breakouts and works to clear your acne on the skin directly.
How to Prepare the Acne Formula
Acne Formula is sold in monthly units because I don't think it makes any sense to try any acne treatment program for less than a month. The initial treatment cycle for Acne Formula is two months.
The herbs of the Acne Formula are grinded to a powder form at the laboratory of the Guangdong College of Pharmacy to very specific measurements (250 ¡Ó 9.9 microns (£g) in grain diameter) to ensure maximum nutritional absorption. Each monthly unit contains 620 grams of herbal powder (20 grams each day for 31 days). There are 31 cloth bags that come with the Acne Formula.
Steps to Prepare the Acne Formula Soup:
| 1. | Place 20 grams of the Acne Formula herbal powder (about 4 full scoops, using the
5 ml scoop that we provide) into a cloth bag and knot the bag tightly; |
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| 2. | Put the bag of herbal powder in a lidded earthenware pot; |
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| 3. | Add two bowls of cold water to the pot; |
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| 4. | Stir the bag a bit until the solution becomes brownish; this is to allow the herbal powder to seep through the bag into the water; |
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| 5. | Bring the solution to a boil, then reduce it to low heat for another 20 minutes. Thereafter, remove the pot from the heat. If the color of the soup is not dark brown, stir the bag some more so that more herbal powder can seep into the soup. You can do so just before turning off the heat. |
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| 6. | Pour the soup out and drink it while it's warm. |
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| 7. | You can drink the soup once or twice a day. If you have time to cook the soup twice a day, use a fresh bag in the morning and repeat the process with the cooked bag in the evening. There are more than enough herbs in a 20-gram bag for two preparations. Drinking the soup twice a day will help maintain an even level of herbal ingredients in your system. It's more effective for the treatment. |
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| 8. | Repeat the process each day for 60 days. |
Steps to Prepare the Acne Formula Cold Pads:
| 1. | After you have turned off the heat and have poured out the soup in the preparation of the Acne Formula Soup, add two more bowls of water into the pot when the bag is still in the pot; |
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| 2. | Again, stir the cooked bag to allow more herbal powder to seep through into the water; |
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| 3. | Boil the solution for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the solution to cool down; |
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| 4. | Cut several pieces of cotton pads and soak them one by one into the cool herbal solution. Then, place the herb-soaked cotton pads on a plate. Cover the plate up and put it in the refrigerator. One hour later, the cold pads are ready for application. |
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| 5. | Apply the herb-soaked cold pads on your face, neck and other areas where you have acne while you are lying down. Remember to cover your whole face except the nostrils with the pads. Leave the pads there for 20 minutes. Afterwards, you can apply fresh cold pads on affected areas for another 20 minutes if you like, or if your condition is more serious. If you have acne on the back, have someone apply the cold pads there for you. The cold pad application is soothing and is very helpful in controlling your acne. It lets the herbs to work directly on your skin where it matters. |
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| 6. | Do this once or twice a day for 60 days. |
Caution on Drinking the Acne Formula Soup
It is recommended that the Acne Formula Soup not be taken during pregnancy and when the mother is breast-feeding.
Chinese herbal medicine is well known for its lack of side effects. Now that I've studied the discipline more in depth, I realize that this is a misconception of the general public. A more accurate interpretation would be: properly chosen and prepared, toxic and serious side effects of individual herbs can be reduced to a minimal level in herbal formulas.
To make sure it is safe to consume, we have asked the Guangdong College of Pharmacy to perform clinical testing on the Acne Formula (click here to view the Toxicology Report.) Still, some people, particularly those that have latent coldness in the body (have you taken the little test on our health check-up page to find out the constitution of your body?) who are easily pale and sweat at night, may encounter minor problems such as dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, or skin rash. If you have these reactions, stop the use of Acne Formula and send it back to us for a full refund .
Caution on Applying the Acne Formula Cold Pads
| There shouldn't be any problem for most people in applying the Acne Formula Cold Pads. However, if your skin is allergic to the herbs and red spots do appear, stop using the pads. The skin is very sensitive, and may be allergic to a number of things we don't know. The herbs we use are 100% natural and of the highest quality. They will not harm your skin. But if you are allergic to it or if you don't feel comfortable with it, don't use it. |
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Functions of the Acne Formula
As I've said at the start of this page, the Acne Formula is designed to address all known causes and symptoms of acne. They include:
| Clear Excess Heat | | Strengthen the Digestive |
| Expel Excess Dampness | | System |
| Anti-inflammatory and Reduce | | Improve Blood and Qi |
| Swelling | | Circulation |
| Promote Skin Cell Metabolism | | Relieve Stress |
| Inhibit Excess Androgens and | | Promote Bowel Movements |
| Sebum | | Dissolve Accumulated Phlegm |
| Regulate Menstruation | | and Lumps |
| Detoxify Toxins in Blood | | |
The Acne Formula Soup treats acne at its roots from the inside out, clearing excess heat and detoxifying toxins in the blood, strengthening the digestive system and improving blood and qi circulation, regulating hormones and relaxing the nervous system.
The Acne Formula Cold Pads, on the other hand, help reduce swelling and clear out the breakouts from the outside in.
Compositional Analysis of the Acne Formula
| Wild tuckahoe | - | Clears liver and stomach heat, detoxifies heat toxins, subdues swelling and inflammation, removes dampness. |
| Forsythia Fruit | - | Clears lung and heart heat, removes lung wind, detoxifies heat toxins, subdues swelling and inflammation, drains pus. |
| Honeysuckle Flower | - | Clears stomach heat, detoxifies heat toxins, cools blood, subdues swelling and inflammation. |
| Mutan Bark | - | Clears heart and lung heat, cools blood, promotes blood circulation to remove blood stasis, subdues swelling, drains pus, relieves pain due to irregular menstruation. |
| Dandelion | - | Clears lung and stomach heat, detoxifies heat toxins, treats boils, eliminates stagnation, removes dampness. |
| Trichosanthes Root | - | Clears heart, stomach and lung heat, promotes fluid production, quenches thirst, subdues swelling and inflammation, drains pus. |
| Sargassum | - | Removes heat-phlegm, dissolves hard lumps, expels dampness. |
| Fritillary Bulb | - | Removes phlegm, clears lung and heart heat, solves congestion, subdues inflammation. |
| Red Sage Root | - | Promotes blood circulation, cools blood, subdues swelling and inflammation, relieves stress, anti-oxidization, endocrine system regulator, anti-androgens-like effects, promotes skin cell metabolism, nourishes blood, relieves pain due to irregular menstruation. |
| Chinese Angelica Root | - | Nourishes blood, promotes blood circulation, regulates menstruation, relieves constipation and pain, subdues swelling, drains pus. |
| Hawthorn Fruit | - | Relieves stagnated food, improves digestive system, promotes qi and blood circulation, eliminates blood stasis, lowers blood-fat level. |
| Tangerine Peel | - | Promotes qi circulation, strengthens digestive system, eliminates dampness, dissolves phlegm and lumps. |
| Peach Kernel | - | Promotes blood circulation to remove blood stasis, subdues pain due to irregular menstruation, relieves constipation. |
| Job's Tears Seed | - | Eliminates dampness, strengthens digestive system, clears heat, drains pus. |
Product Usage
Acne Formula is sold in monthly units of 620 grams of herbal powder, saved in 3 bottles. A daily dosage of 20 grams (in the form of Acne Formula Soup) consumed continuously for 60 days is recommended for the initial treatment cycle. Thereafter, depending on the condition of the person, one may drink the soup every other day, or when new breakouts occur.
The 20 grams of herbal powder can be transformed into Acne Formula Cold Pads after cooking (see Steps to Prepare the Acne Formula Cold Pads). Apply the Cold Pads every day for the first 60 days. Thereafter, once or twice a week should be enough to maintain your skin condition.
The Complete Program
My formula is a revised version of the Beijing formula that produces a similarly effective and probably safer way of controlling acne condition. For universal application, I've taken out the vein injection medication as it is not feasible for most people. I've added the topical application of herbal cold pads. For skin ailments, topical application is as important, if not more so, as intake of medicine. It serves to control acne from the outside as well as from the inside. I've also lowered the dosage to a safer level.
Taking cue from the success of the Beijing physician, I do believe a more comprehensive treatment program is in order for the stubborn and serious cases of acne. Our Complete Program emphasizes the unique therapeutic effectiveness of combining Chinese herbs and Western antibiotic. In dealing with the kind of acne conditions that are grave and unyielding, they serve to complement each other. In addition, I've incorporated a few other basic principles into the Program to ensure great results.
The program consists of the following parts:
a. Acne Formula Soup and Acne Formula Cold Pads
(see above for the full details)
b. Metronidazole
Metronidazole 200 mg tablet, 1 tablet each time, taken twice a day (the recommended dosage limit is 1,200 mg per day.)
Take Metronidazole for 60 days.
When comparing the Complete Program here with that of the Beijing physician, you'll see that I've left off using corticosteroids. I'm not feeling comfortable with the side-effects that this kind of drugs carry, particularly when one stops the drugs suddenly. In order to test first-hand what side effects may develop if stopping dexamethasone suddenly, I took 1 mg dexamethasone tablet once a day for 30 days in the summer of 2000. After 30 days, I stopped taking it altogether. A few days later, my chest suddenly had a serious outbreak of acne. Luckily, my face was not affected. I have not had as serious an outbreak for several years, and during this period I have not done or eaten anything special. I suspect the outbreak was the result of stopping dexamethasone suddenly. You may like to know what happened to my outbreaks. Well, by taking Acne Formula everyday during the period, no new mass outbreak occurred. The old breakouts gradually faded away. Still, I don't think one should take the risk unnecessarily. I do not include dexamethasone or other cortisone-like drugs in my Complete Program here.
Metronidazole is an antibiotic used in the treatment of infections caused by bacteria. The drug works by killing off bacteria or preventing their growth. It is often used on patients who find tetracycline ineffective, and it has been found to be effective for various kinds of acne condition. To clear up your infection completely, continue taking this medicine for the full course of treatment even if you feel better in a few days.
Side effects:
Metronidazole has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals on long term
therapy. There have been no cases in humans. Otherwise, the side effects of metronidazole are relatively minor. Some may experience nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, and occasional diarrhea, headache, insomnia, difficulty urinating, etc. But once stopped taking the drug, these side effects will soon go away.
Caution: Metronidazole is excreted in breast milk. Women during pregnancy or breast feeding should avoid taking the drug. Also, one should refrain from drinking alcohol when taking metronidazole and for at least 3 days after the last dose. This medicine may cause a harmless darkening of the urine.
The use of antibiotics is to speed up the initial stage of the healing process. It gives you back your confidence and provides a better internal environment to let the Acne Formula work by restoring your bodily maladjustments. For sufferers whose conditions are serious and stubborn, I'd recommend that you start the curative process with both the Acne Formula and the Western drug suggested above.
c. Vitamins and Minerals
Certain vitamin and mineral supplements can improve skin health; just be careful
not to overdo the recommended daily dosage, as some can be toxic in high doses.
As part of the Complete Program during the course of treatment, I think we should always consider these supplements. Just by themselves alone, though, I have found them to be ineffective. After my acne had receded by following the Beijing physician's program, I thought my cleared face could continue to be so by just taking multi-vitamin supplements. A couple of months down the road, a series of acne came back, to my horror. So, at least for my kind of stubborn condition, just vitamins and minerals alone wouldn't work.
Vitamin C reinforces collagen and helps balance skin pigment by inhibiting melanin production. It also works to reduce redness and inflammation. Vitamin B-complex helps breakdown excess hormones. Beta-carotene and vitamin E are a safe, effective way to get and metabolize the vitamin A that reduces oil production. Zinc helps strengthen the immune system and heal acne scars, while chromium picolinate may help make better use of the body's essential fatty acids. Selenium helps control inflammation.
d. Topical Application of Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil is the only topical supplement I am using now together with the Acne Formula Cold Pads. I have found it very helpful in subduing breakouts. It is not strong enough to take care of all of your acne problems, but it's a very good supplement.
A complex composite essential oil derived from the aromatic leaves of the Australian native Melaleuca alternifolia, or tea tree, it is grown in the forests of north-eastern New South Wales. It's an effective antiseptic agent and appears to kill many types of bacteria and fungi, including P. acnes. Tea tree oil has been used for hundreds of years to prevent and treat wounds by Australian natives. A manufacturer's literature says tea tree oil actually dissolves the lumps of dead skin cells which make pus and allows the blood stream to clean them away and that's how it clears up infections including pimples.
Buy a preparation that contains 5 to 15 percent tea tree oil. Tea tree oil can irritate the skin, so you may want to start with a lower concentration. High-quality products are made from the oil of the alternifolia species of the plant. They should be standardized to contain not more than 10 percent cineole and at least 30 percent terpinen-4-ol. Apply the oil two or three times per day to affected areas until the acne symptoms resolve. Avoid contact with the eyes. Do not ingest tea tree oil. Topical use of tea tree oil may cause allergic skin reactions in some individuals.
e. Cleansing
One of the most important things you can do to maintain a clear complexion is to wash your face. Gently cleanse your face twice a day to remove excess oil, bacteria and dead skin cells. Be careful not to over-wash as that may cause dryness.
When I started my treatment program, I obediently used sulfur (3%) soap to wash my face twice a day. Nowadays, I just use regular soap.
f. Dietary Therapy
Doctors trained in Western discipline have found no direct influence of food to the cause of acne. This is in sharp contrast to the view of traditional Chinese physicians. Chinese medical theory proposes that food cholesterol is considered one of the main causes of imbalance in our body. If one is already not well, improper diet could aggravate one's condition. During the course of treatment, Chinese physicians generally recommend strict dietary program.
On this subject, we have gradually turned this website into one that is devoted to the science, and art, of using food and herbs to counter diseases as well as to keep us fit when we are not ill. If you have not already done so, please go to the health check-up page and have a feel of how choosing certain diets could help rebalance the maladjustments of our body.
Professor Lai Yuan Zheng, the designer of the health check-up page, is herself an expert on the subject. She is co-editor of a university textbook on dietary therapy.
My experience is that diet does play a vital role on our acne condition. In the course of experimenting with the right combination of herbal ingredients for the Acne Formula, I used myself as the guinea pig. Often, I intentionally ate certain foods that are known to cause acne eruptions just so I could test the effectiveness of the herbs on my condition. I, therefore, can say based on first-hand knowledge that spicy food and beef definitely have an effect on my acne. To others, seafood, chocolate and chicken could be the culprit.
I strongly recommend anyone during the course of treatment to avoid eating greasy and spicy food, beef and seafood. To help your condition, you actually have a lot of selections.
Beta carotene and vitamin A foods are especially helpful to people with conditions of an inflammatory nature. Vegetables such winter squash, spinach, mung bean, etc., will either help nourish the blood or purify the blood-toxins which are known to cause skin eruptions. Soybean and matrimony vine fruit have estrogen-like effects that can help balance excess androgens. We already know that too much androgens is the underlying cause for acne breakouts.
If you like meat, eat pork. Otherwise, stick to vegetables and fruits, and drink lots of water.
g. Sleep and Relaxation
Not having enough of sleep can add stress to the body. Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. If you don't get the necessary amount of rest, dark circles may appear under the eyes, fine lines will increase and, worst of all, acne will breakout.
Stress and deprivation of sleep can cause hormonal imbalance, which in turn put pressure on the sebaceous glands, producing excess sebum.
With the Chinese theory, stress could cause blockage in the passage of blood and qi, which is where we get our energy. Blockage of our energy passage could cause any number of problems, such as the accumulation of dampness, fat, cholesterol, excess heat, toxins, blood stasis, lumps, etc. As we saw earlier in the Chinese Approach page,
these pathogenic phenomena are all related to the cause of acne.
In my case, I have found that a good night's sleep after a bowl of Acne Formula the night before would always have a subduing effect on the developing bumps. Usually, the potent acne will fade away with this simple method.
h. Exercise
Exercise is also a form of relaxation. This does not necessary mean a full, strenuous workout every day. Taking a walk or stretching will increase the circulation in your body to help you relax, reduce stress and feel more energized.
Benefits to the skin through regular exercise are due to an increase in blood flow achieved by a higher heart rate and oxygen level in the bloodstream. The blood flow will increase with even a modest amount of activity, such as a short bike ride, walking up the stairs or jogging around your block.
Can Western and Chinese Medicines be Used Together?
Not only can the two systems of medicine be used together, they can enhance each others' effects. Chinese herbs may make it possible to take a lower dosage of Western medicines, to reduce their side-effects, and obtain a better overall effect. Western drugs may provide emergency relief for serious conditions and allow the long-term application of Chinese herbs for the rest of the time.
When you take the two systems of drugs together, it is advised that Western drugs be taken at a different time (e.g. an hour apart) from herbal medicines in order to avoid any chance of their interaction within the digestive system.
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| DISCLAIMER: Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice nor is it intended to replace a medical doctor. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. You should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Information and statements on this site regarding health supplements have not been evaluated by the medical profession and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
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