5 Herbs to Nourish Skin Health Holistically
Treat your skin holistically from the inside out with powerful, nourishing herbal remedies rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Supporting skin health is more than just what you put on your skin. Skin is impacted by hydration levels, what we eat and drink, hormonal activity, the presence of an infection, stress levels, sleep quality, allergies, air quality, weather, and so on.
When treating skin conditions holistically, it’s important to approach it from multiple angles and address the symptom’s root cause — topical support with the appropriate skincare, cosmetic acupuncture and holistic facial treatments, internal support via herbal medicine and nutrition, and lifestyle support to address the impact of stress and hormones.
I encourage anyone who is struggling with skin conditions to seek individualized holistic support with a licensed practitioner to implement a plan that is specific to them. While something like eczema can look similarly amongst multiple people, the internal imbalances may vary greatly person to person.
Below are some of my favorite go-to traditional Chinese medicine herbs that you can incorporate into your health regimen at home in the form of food, tea, decoctions, or topical compresses that can help soothe different skin conditions.
Dandelion
pu gong ying
Bitter, Sweet, Cold; Liver & Stomach
Dandelion roots, leaves and flower are used in herbalism. This herb treats the skin by clearing heat and inflammation, remopving toxins, supporting the liver’s detox pathways and reducing redness, swellings and sores.
Drink it in the form of tea, make a topical compress, or eat the greens!
Mint
bo he
Spicy, Aromatic, Cool; Lung & Liver
Mint is used to treat disorders that are released by a venting mechanism, such as a cold, headache or sore throat due to an external pathogen. It treats skin health by way of dispersing and cooling. It vents rashes and calms inflammation and irritation. It’s ability to disperse is helpful for stagnant liver qi, which manifests as feelings of constraint and stagnation.
Make a pot of mint tea.- sip on it for it’s internal cooling mechanism or make a warm compress to soothe irritation.
Goji Berries
gou qi zi
Sweet, Neutral; Liver, Lung & Kidney
Goji berries are a blood tonic, nourishing the quantity and quality of blood in our system. Deficient blood manifests in many ways, one of which being dry and lusterless skin and hair. Healthy blood ensures bright, moist, supple and vibrant skin. Goji berries are high in vitamin C and A, supportive for immune health and longevity.
Make a decoction to sip with goji berries and any of your other favorite herbs, or add on top of a salad or snack!
Licorice Root
gan cao
Sweet, Neutral, Warm; Heart, Lung, Spleen & Stomach
Licorice root is a qi tonic, supporting the function of the digestive system, heart and lungs. It has anti-inflammatory and immune system supporting properties, clears toxins and swellings from the skin, and balances moisture and complexion.
Boil licorice root to sip on to receive it’s tonifying and harmonizing benefits!
Chrysanthemum
ju hua
Bitter, Sweet, Cool; Liver & Lung
Chrysanthemum has a detoxifying and heat clearing quality that treats symptoms impacting the upper body, such as headaches, irritated eyes, and dizziness. It’s anti-inflammatory properties allow it to clear skin inflammation and irritation, alleviate itching, calm redness and support liver detoxification.
Sip on chrysanthemum tea, or make a warm compress to soothe irritated & inflamed skin!
Understanding the properties and energetics of different herbs can be very useful when choosing what types of foods and teas to make yourself at home. If you’re experiencing a condition that manifests in heat, redness, warmth and irritation, you’ll want to use herbs that have a cooling quality.
Skin conditions can be stubborn and frustrating to treat, thus curiosity and patience is key when it comes to the healing process. Get curious about what makes your condition better or worse (foods, drinks, times of the month, weather patterns, stress levels), and begin to implement small changes that make you feel better on a more holistic level.
To learn more about how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help your individual condition, book a free consultation with me! In person and virtual support is available.