Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment Methods for Skin Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a common clinical disease, and its manifestations on the skin are also very obvious. If vitiligo is not treated, it may affect people's health and life. Therefore, we must take the problem of vitiligo seriously. Traditional Chinese medicine can also treat vitiligo. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment of vitiligo also needs to pay attention to the type classification of vitiligo. So what are the traditional Chinese medicine treatment methods for skin vitiligo?

1. Rheumatism with heat accumulation:

[Main symptoms]: Skin lesions appear as white and pink spots with clear borders, mostly on the face and exposed parts, and can be single or multiple. The onset is generally acute, the skin lesions develop rapidly, and there is often an itchy sensation before the skin turns white. Accompanied by heavy head, drowsiness of limbs, and thirst without desire to drink. The tongue is red, the tongue coating is white or yellow greasy, and the pulse is floating, slippery or slippery and rapid.

[Pathogenesis] Wind is a Yang evil that is prone to change and has the characteristics of moving upward and outward. Therefore, skin lesions develop rapidly and change differently. They often occur on the head, face and exposed parts. Wind evil easily carries dampness and accumulates heat, so symptoms such as heavy head, fatigue, thirst and no desire to drink may occur.

【Treatment method】: Clear away heat and dampness, activate blood circulation and dispel wind.

[Prescription]: Tribulus terrestris, duckweed, Polygonum multiflorum, red and white peony root, Gentiana macrophylla, Saposhnikovia divaricata, wax gourd peel, Poria cocos, Atractylodes macrocephala, Xanthium sibiricum, Gentiana scabra, White mulberry, etc.

2. Liver Qi Stagnation Type:

[Main symptoms]: Skin lesions manifest as white spots of varying shades, with no fixed predilection site. The white spots may be round or long, or irregular cloud-like, with no itching or pain. The onset can be acute or slow, but it often worsens or eases with mental changes and is more common in women. It may be accompanied by symptoms such as irritability, chest and flank distension, and irregular menstruation. The tongue is reddish, the tongue coating is thin yellow, and the pulse is stringy.

[Pathogenesis]: The liver is responsible for regulating Qi. If the seven emotions cause internal damage, the liver will not be able to regulate Qi, the Qi will be disordered, and the Qi and blood will be out of harmony. Over time, the skin will be deprived of nutrition and white spots will form. If the liver Qi is rebellious, one will be irritable, easily angered, and have distension in the chest and flanks.

[Treatment method]: Soothe the liver and relieve depression, promote blood circulation and dispel wind.

[Prescription]: Angelica sinensis, Curcuma aromatica, red and white peony root, Leonurus japonicus, Tribulus terrestris, Cyperus rotundus, Magnetite, Poria cocos, etc.

3. Liver and kidney deficiency type:

[Main symptoms]: Skin lesions appear as obvious depigmented white spots with sharp boundaries and pure white color. They may be confined to one place or spread everywhere. The hair in the depigmented spots turns white. The disease course is long and develops slowly. The treatment effect is not significant and there is often a family history. It may be accompanied by soreness of waist and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, dry eyes, pale tongue, thin coating, and weak pulse.

[Pathogenesis] The kidney stores essence and produces marrow which flows to the brain and opens to the ears; the liver stores blood, controls tendons and opens to the eyes. The liver and kidney have the same origin and essence and blood are generated from each other. If the congenital endowment is intolerant and the kidney essence is depleted, the liver blood will be insufficient, the marrow sea will not be filled, the ears and eyes will not be nourished, and the skin will not be nourished, then white spots will appear on the skin, tinnitus, and dry eyes will appear.

[Treatment method]: Nourish the liver and kidneys, nourish blood and dispel wind.

[Prescription]: Polygonum multiflorum, Psoralea corylifolia, black sesame, Ligustrum lucidum, Eclipta prostrata, Rubus idaeus, Radix Rehmanniae, Rehmanniae glutinosae, Fructus Lycii, Epimedium, Curculigo orchioides, Tribulus terrestris, etc.

4. Qi stagnation and blood stasis type:

[Main symptoms]: The skin lesions are mostly asymmetrical white spots with clear boundaries. They often occur after trauma or other skin injuries. The white spots are dark in color and may cause slight pain. The hair inside the spots turns white, the disease progresses slowly, and the treatment effect is slow, which may be accompanied by dull complexion and rough skin and nails. The tongue is dark purple or has ecchymosis, the sublingual veins are tortuous, the tongue coating is thin, and the pulse is thready and wiry.

[Pathogenesis] Stagnation of Qi and blood leads to obstruction of meridians and occlusion of pores, which cannot nourish the skin and body and result in white spots. As stated in "Medical Errors Correction", it is caused by "blood stasis in the skin"; when blood circulation is poor and the skin is not nourished, the complexion will become dull and the skin will become cracked.

[Treatment method]: Promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, dispel wind and dredge meridians.

【Prescription】: Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction. Commonly used medicines: safflower, peach kernel, red and white peony root, musk, Liu Jinu, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Lithospermum officinale, Clematis chinensis, Chuanxiong, old onion, fresh ginger, etc.