10) Lung Wind Acne (Common Acne)

Medical Case of Liu Wen Jing: Patient Xia, female, 22 years old. First examination was May 8, 1994. Patient’s face began having acne and papules for 5 years which have been worse for 2 years. She used external face cleansing acne treatments without a good effect. Patient usually craves spicy, has a bitter taste in her mouth and bad breath. She has a vigorous appetite, red tongue with a yellow greasy fur, and a slippery rapid pulse. Dermatological exam: Face is excessively oily and greasy, with scattered acne, papules, nodules and cysts in-between. Western medical diagnosis: common acne. Chinese medicine differential diagnosis: Damp Heat Fire Toxin accumulating and steaming up to the face. Treatment should clear Heat, transform Damp, reduce swelling and dissipate knotting. Formula to use is Huang Lian Jie Du Tang modified:

Yin chen (hao), bai hua she she cao, 30 grams each; dang gui, chi shao, zhe bei (mu), tian hua fen, xuan shen, 12 grams each; huang lian, huang qin, zhi zi, huang bai, bai zhi, 10 grams each. Decoct in water and take 1 packet per day.

After taking 7 packets of herbs, the papules are eliminated or receding, the nodules are reduced and the oily skin is also less. 15 grams of pi pai ye were added to the above formula and the patient continued to take this for 14 packets. The skin damage was largely eliminated but occasionally there is a new outbreak. She was advised to take Huang Lian Shang Qing Wan and Da Huang Zhe Chong Wan to ensure future success.

Note: Common acne is called Lung Wind Acne (fei feng fen ci) in Chinese medicine. The problem often belongs to Lung Channel Blood Heat. This type of patient usually craves spicy foods, has an oily or dirty face, a greasy tongue fur and a slippery pulse. This relates to Spleen and Stomach Damp Heat steaming upward to the face. Use Huang Lian Jie Du Tang to clear Heat and dry Damp, adding dang gui, chi shao, zhe bei mu and tian hua fen to eliminate swelling and dissipate the knotting. All herbs are compatible and correctly target the disease mechanism. This is the reason a speedy recovery is obtained.

Case Reviews of Famous Wen Bing Disease Formulas, Chen Ming and Guo Xiu Li, editors, Xue Yuan Publisher, Beijing, 2001, p. 106

Translated by Todd Flemion