The information provided here is not a replacement for a doctor. You shouldn't use it for the purpose of self-diagnosing or self-medicating but rather so you can have a more informed discussion with a professional TCM practitioner.
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Blotchy skin can be the consequence of several so-called “patterns of disharmony” in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Medicine sees the body as a system, not a sum of isolated parts. A "pattern" is when the system's harmony is disrupted, leading to symptoms or signs that something is wrong (like blotchy skin here). It is similar to the concept of disease in Western Medicine but not quite: a Western disease can often be explained by several Chinese patterns and vice-versa.
A pattern often manifests itself in a combination of symptoms that, at first glance, do not seem necessarily related to each others. For instance here blotchy skin is often associated with dark face, purple lips and boring fixed stabbing pain in the pattern “Blood Stagnation”. As you will see below, we have in record three patterns that can cause blotchy skin.
Once identified, patterns are treated using medicinal herbs, acupuncture, and other therapies. In the case of blotchy skin we’ve identified four herbal formulas that may help treat patterns behind the symptom.
We’ve also selected below the five medicinal herbs that we think are most likely to help treat blotchy skin.
The three "patterns of disharmony" that can cause blotchy skin
In Chinese Medicine blotchy skin is a symptom for 3 patterns that we have on record. Below is a small explanation for each of them with links for more details.
Peach Kernels (Tao Ren) is the king ingredient for Tao He Cheng Qi Tang, a formula used for Blood Stagnation
Blood Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Wiry (Xian), Firm (Lao)
Tongue color: Reddish-Purple
Blood Stagnation, like the name indicates, is when Blood flow becomes Stagnant. It can happen in the whole body or in specific Organs.
It is one of the most important diagnostic conditions in Chinese Medicine because it is frequently the cause of intractable pain syndromes anywhere in the body.
In addition to blotchy skin, other symptoms associated with Blood Stagnation include dark face, purple lips and boring fixed stabbing pain.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Blood Stagnation is associated with health issues such as Scanty Menstruation, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding or Heavy Menstruation.
Blood Stagnation is often treated with Tao He Cheng Qi Tang, a herbal formula made of 5 herbs (including Peach Kernels - Tao Ren - as a key herb). Tao He Cheng Qi Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that invigorate blood and dispel blood stagnation", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Dispels Heat and".
Peach Kernels (Tao Ren) is the king ingredient for Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, a formula used for Qi And Blood Stagnation
Qi And Blood Stagnation
Pulse type(s): Choppy (Se), Deep (Chen), Fine (Xi)
In addition to blotchy skin, other symptoms associated with Qi And Blood Stagnation include irritability, dark face and purple lips.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Qi And Blood Stagnation is associated with health issues such as Menstrual Cramps, Absence Of Menstruation or Menopausal Syndrome.
Qi And Blood Stagnation is often treated with Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, a herbal formula made of 11 herbs (including Peach Kernels - Tao Ren - as a key herb). Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that invigorate blood and dispel blood stagnation", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Invigorates the Blood".
Water Buffalo Horns (Shui Niu Jiao) is the king ingredient for Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, a formula used for Excess-Heat
Excess-Heat
Pulse type(s): Rapid (Shu), Tight (Jin), Full (Shi)
Tongue coating: Yellow coating
Tongue color: Reddish-Purple
In addition to blotchy skin, other symptoms associated with Excess-Heat include irritability, fever and flushed face.
From a Western Medicine standpoint Excess-Heat is associated with health issues such as Lupus.
Excess-Heat is often treated with Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang, a herbal formula made of 4 herbs (including Water Buffalo Horns - Shui Niu Jiao - as a key herb). Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang belongs to the category of "formulas that clear nutritive-level heat", which might be why it is often recommended for this pattern. Its main action as a formula is: "Treats severe fevers and Heat in the Blood system".
Four herbal formulas that might help with blotchy skin
Tao He Cheng Qi Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 5 herbs
Key actions: Dispels Heat and. Eliminates Blood Stagnation.
Why might Tao He Cheng Qi Tang help with blotchy skin?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Blood Stagnation' of which blotchy skin is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Blood Stagnation include dark face, purple lips and boring fixed stabbing pain.
Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Source date: 1830 AD
Number of ingredients: 11 herbs
Key actions: Invigorates the Blood. Dispels blood Stagnation. Spreads the Liver Qi. Unblocks the channels.
Why might Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang help with blotchy skin?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Qi And Blood Stagnation' of which blotchy skin is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Qi And Blood Stagnation include irritability, dark face and purple lips.
Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang
Source date: 650 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Key actions: Treats severe fevers and Heat in the Blood system. Removes Blood Stagnation.
Why might Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang help with blotchy skin?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Excess-Heat' of which blotchy skin is a symptom.
According to Chinese Medicine, Excess-Heat can contribute to many health issues, including Lupus.
Chai Hu Shu Gan San
Source date: 1602
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Key actions: Disperses Stagnant Liver Qi and Blood. Alleviates pain. Harmonizes Blood.
Why might Chai Hu Shu Gan San help with blotchy skin?
Because it is a formula often recommended to treat the pattern 'Qi And Blood Stagnation' of which blotchy skin is a symptom.
Other symptoms characteristic of Qi And Blood Stagnation include irritability, dark face and purple lips.
The five Chinese Medicinal herbs most likely to help treat blotchy skin
Why might Peach Kernel (Tao Ren) help with blotchy skin?
Because Peach Kernel is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat blotchy skin as a symptom, like Tao He Cheng Qi Tang or Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Peach Kernels is a Neutral herb that tastes Bitter and Sweet. It targets the Heart, the Large intestine and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Blood and breaks up Stasis. Moistens the Intestines. Relieves coughing.
Why might Liquorice (Gan Cao) help with blotchy skin?
Because Liquorice is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat blotchy skin as a symptom, like Tao He Cheng Qi Tang or Chai Hu Shu Gan San for instance.
Liquorice is a Neutral herb that tastes Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Stomach, the Heart and the Lung.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Basal Qi and nourishes the Spleen Qi. Clears Heat and dispels toxicity. Moistens the Lungsexpel phlegm and stop coughing. Relieves spasms and alleviates pain. Harmonizes and moderates the effects of other herbs.
Why might Szechuan Lovage Root (Chuan Xiong) help with blotchy skin?
Because Szechuan Lovage Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat blotchy skin as a symptom, like Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang or Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Szechuan Lovage Roots is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent. It targets the Gallbladder, the Liver and the Pericardium.
Its main actions are: Regulates and moves the Blood. Relieves Wind-Cold and pain. Circulates the Qi in the Upper Burner, relieving headaches.
Why might Dong Quai (Dang Gui) help with blotchy skin?
Because Dong Quai is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat blotchy skin as a symptom, like Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang or Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Dong Quai is a Warm herb that tastes Pungent and Sweet. It targets the Spleen, the Heart and the Liver.
Its main actions are: Tonifies the Blood. Lubricates the Intestines. Relieve constipation. Promotes circulation and dispels Bi Pain. Reduce Dysmenorrhea and help with irregular menstruation.
Why might Red Peony Root (Chi Shao) help with blotchy skin?
Because Red Peony Root is an ingredient in several formulas indicated to treat blotchy skin as a symptom, like Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan or Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang for instance.
Red Peony Roots is a Cool herb that tastes Bitter. It targets the Liver.
Its main actions are: Moves Blood, relieves pain and reduces swelling. Cools the Blood and the Liver.
Conditions associated with blotchy skin
Other symptoms often associated with blotchy skin
Irritability Dark face Purple lips Boring fixed stabbing pain Abdominal masses Purple nails Painful period Dark clots in menstrual blood Traumatic swelling Itching scalp