Acupuncture for Skin Conditions & Acne in Portland, Maine
Chinese medicine treats skin conditions from the inside out. By addressing the internal patterns driving acne, eczema, rosacea, and other skin issues, we support lasting improvement rather than symptom management.
How Chinese Medicine Approaches Skin Health
In Chinese medicine, the skin is a reflection of internal health. What appears on the surface is understood as an expression of what is happening inside the body. This perspective makes Chinese medicine particularly well suited to treating chronic or recurring skin conditions that have not responded well to topical treatments alone.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, heat and dampness are the main factors driving skin conditions. Dampness represents stagnation and lack of movement. When fluids accumulate and fail to circulate properly, they become heavy and congested in the tissues. Heat is a yang pathogenic factor that likes to rise and push outward. When heat cannot find an exit through the body's normal elimination pathways, it seeks other outlets. The skin becomes the exit. The ratio of heat and dampness is unique to each patient, which is why two people with acne or eczema may require completely different treatment approaches.
This perspective allows us to treat the root of the skin condition rather than suppressing symptoms on the surface.
Conditions We Commonly Support
We work with a range of skin conditions including:
- Acne
- Eczema and atopic dermatitis
- Rosacea
- Psoriasis
- Hormonal breakouts
- Perioral dermatitis
- Dry or inflamed skin
- Recurring rashes
We treat from a classical Chinese medicine perspective, assessing the individual pattern underlying each person's skin presentation rather than applying a one-size-fits-all protocol.
How We Treat
Chinese herbal medicine is the cornerstone of skin treatment at Point Acupuncture. Personalized herbal formulas are prescribed to address the underlying pattern. As your skin shifts, the formula is modified accordingly. Topical herbal preparations may also be used alongside internal herbal medicine to treat the skin externally.
Dietary therapy is an important and often overlooked component of skin treatment. Certain foods generate heat and dampness in the body. Dietary recommendations are individualized to each patient and are an integral part of the treatment plan.
Acupuncture supports the treatment strategy by improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and regulating the systems that contribute to skin imbalance. Facial acupuncture and microneedling are additional modalities available for patients whose skin concerns have a cosmetic component.
What to Expect
Skin conditions that have been present for years tend to respond more slowly than those that are more recent in onset. How quickly your skin shifts gives us important diagnostic information about the depth and nature of the pattern. We assess your progress at every visit and adjust treatment accordingly.
Who We Treat
We work with patients dealing with all types of skin concerns, from hormonal acne and eczema flare-ups to chronic conditions that have not responded to conventional dermatology. If you are looking for an approach that treats the root cause rather than managing symptoms, Chinese medicine may offer the path forward you have been looking for.
Ready to address your skin concerns?
Schedule your first appointment or book a free phone consultation to discuss your treatment options.