Acupuncture treats Rosacea

Rosacea is an acne-like skin condition that causes chronic inflammation. Rosacea only affects the face, and is almost exclusively seen in adults. Rosacea symptoms include small, red, pus-filled bumps (pustules). Visible spider veins are also common. The areas of the face that are primarily affected are the nose, cheeks and chin.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treat rosacea by calming inflammation, reducing redness, and healing pustules. I use acupuncture, internal herbal medicine and topical herbal treatments (herbal washes) to treat rosacea. Another part of the way I treat rosacea is by modifying the diet to help reduce inflammation.

Rosacea, like acne, appears on the face. This is not a part of the body that can be hidden. Research has shown the significant negative effects of rosacea on self-esteem and self-confidence. You don’t have to suffer through this skin problem. Chinese medicine treats rosacea with good results commonly in 3 to 6 months. The ultimate goal is to have you be able to finish your course of treatment and be rosacea-free without the need for constant medications or treatments.

What are the symptoms of rosacea and what are the causes?

Rosacea is a cyclic inflammatory skin condition affecting the face. It also tends to be a progressive problem, meaning that it gets worse over time. Rosacea will flare up for a few weeks or months, then appear to get better before flaring up again. It is important to determine that rosacea is in fact rosacea and not another skin condition, like acne, allergy or eczema.

Rosacea symptoms are redness on the face, red bumps (pustules) on the nose, cheeks, chin and forehead, visible blood vessels (telangiectasia), burning sensation in the eyes, flushing/blushing. Another rosacea symptom common in older men is a bulbous, red nose (rhinophyma).

Some of the common triggers for rosacea symptoms are sun exposure, extreme hot or cold weather, stress, spicy foods, alcohol, and sweating.

Rosacea usually appears in stages:

  • Pre-rosacea, which appears as easy flushing or blushing and progresses to constant redness in the center of your face, essentially the nose and surrounding skin.
  • Vascular rosacea, which is a worsening of the symptoms marked by pronounced blood vessels on the nose and cheeks.
  • Inflammatory rosacea, which is marked by the appearance of small, red bumps (pustules). These bumps appear on the nose, cheeks, and chin. Sometimes bumps appear on the forehead too.

About half of all people with rosacea have ocular rosacea, a burning and itching sensation in the eyes. This rosacea symptom is caused by the skin on the inside of the eyelids becoming inflamed and scaly. This rosacea symptom is a form of conjunctivitis.

How does acupuncture and herbal medicine treat rosacea?

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treat rosacea by cooling red, inflamed skin, clearing pustules and helping to reduce the appearance of blood vessels. I use acupuncture and herbal medicine along with dietary therapy and lifestyle modifications to help treat rosacea.

Most treatment programs last 3 to 6 months. My ultimate goal is to reduce rosacea symptoms and keep you symptom free without further treatment. Some very stubborn cases may require an additional period of consolidating treatments to make sure rosacea symptoms don’t return. Each person is unique, and no timeline is set in stone. But the ultimate goal of any acupuncturist should be to have you be able to walk out of the office one day and not need to come back.

Because each person is unique, I custom tailor acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbal medicine formulas exactly to you. There’s no cookie cutter medicine in my clinic. Each person is unique, each set of symptoms is unique and each treatment is unique. I have completed additional studies in dermatology so I can be able to provide individualized treatments like these.

To make an appointment with for treatment, please go to the Appointments page. If you have further questions, feel free to ask through the Contact page.