The Tamesis
Ah, a big event—a job interview, a birthday party, a wedding. Ah, what is that? A giant zit. nature.
So, how do you deal with acne breakouts caused by stress, hormones, or other factors? What should you do when you have an acne and want to pop it out? Do you want to fight your pimples with all the acids, chemicals, and exfoliants in your bathroom cabinet?
Well, before you whip out the bazooka, consider taking a more holistic approach through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Sandra Lanshin Chiu, a licensed acupuncturist, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and founder of Brooklyn-based holistic healing studio Treatment by Lanshin, shares a simple and effective way to get rid of acne quickly, derived from ancient techniques. Qiu holds a master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and has studied with several of the most renowned experts in the field.
First, she recommends dipping a gua sha tool (or spoon, if you don’t have one) in warm to slightly hot water. Before placing the tool directly on the blemish in question, test the temperature of the back of your hand. Hold for 30 seconds to two minutes.
The pimple should feel much softer when you touch it with your finger again. Use a clean finger to gently press and rotate your finger clockwise, hold for seven seconds, then reverse. Keep gentle pressure. When you loosen it again, the pimple will be smaller, softer, and less tender. This should make the spots disappear faster, although you may still see it.
Why? Traditional Chinese medicine believes that acne is related to internal heat imbalance and blood stasis. (The ancient healing system uses an inside-out approach.) As Chiu puts it, using heat and acupressure can help “unblock the roads of circulation.” “This little stagnant ball of heat should disappear faster,” she said. When you use this technique and see a noticeable improvement in color and density, it’s because circulation is improving and your body can handle it more easily as normal blood flow is restored.
This was a time when traditional Chinese medicine had never been more popular, with treatments like acupuncture, cupping, herbal medicine and other somatic therapies (or something as simple as drinking warm water) becoming mainstream in the Western world. But seemingly fleeting trends are firmly entrenched in long-standing culture, integrated into people’s daily lives and health practices for centuries. It is important to respect this whenever you come into contact with Chinese medicine.
