Is taking Chinese medicine to treat acne a detoxification?

Some patients who have taken traditional Chinese medicine have reported that they experienced acne breakouts after taking the medicine. Doctors say that this is a normal detoxification phenomenon, and there is nothing wrong with this statement. The reason why you get acne and fart a lot after taking Chinese medicine is not necessarily because the medicine is not suitable for your condition. It may also be a manifestation of toxins being discharged from the body, but the possibility of the medicine becoming bad cannot be ruled out. Among traditional Chinese medicines, wolfberry, tortoise jelly, coix seed and yam all have detoxification effects.

The so-called "detoxification reaction" actually refers to the "purgation method" in traditional Chinese medicine. The "purgative method" is generally suitable for patients with excess syndrome or heat syndrome (mostly manifested as fever, dry mouth, constipation, etc.). After treatment, these patients may experience short-term diarrhea, which we can regard as a sign of improvement in their condition. It should be noted that this diarrhea must be accompanied by improvement of other symptoms. If the patient only has diarrhea but other symptoms are not relieved, it is not necessarily a good response. In addition, this diarrhea must be temporary, not endless. The patient will say that although they have diarrhea, they feel relaxed after doing so, unlike normal diarrhea where their hands and feet become weak. If other discomforts have improved but the diarrhea still persists, you should pay attention to the possibility that the medication has damaged the spleen and stomach.

Some people also develop acne, excessive belching or farting, changes in taste, etc. after taking Chinese medicine. These are not necessarily signs that the condition is getting worse (or the medicine is not suitable for them). When these situations occur, we need to analyze the specific situation. Some are signs of improvement, while some may be due to the incompatibility of the medicine with the patient's constitution. The "purgative method" is not suitable for patients with weak bodies. Therefore, if a weak person develops diarrhea after taking medicine, it is not necessarily "detoxification", but may be a sign of recurrence or worsening of the disease.

Which Chinese medicines have detoxification effects?

1. Wolfberry: Wolfberry can clear away heat, detoxify, nourish the liver. You can soak wolfberry and red dates in water and drink it, which has the effect of invigorating qi and activating blood circulation. In addition, wolfberry can be used to make soup, paste, or wine to achieve therapeutic effects.

2. Pearl powder: It is recorded in China's pharmaceutical work "Compendium of Materia Medica" that pearl powder is one of the medicines that has the effect of detoxification and beauty. Pearl powder is rich in mineral elements, effectively supplements calcium and trace elements, and has the effects of clearing away heat, detoxifying, and calming the mind. It can be cooked with egg white, milk, banana, aloe vera, etc.

3. Guilinggao: The ingredients of Guilinggao include tortoise shell and wild yam, which are made by boiling and solidifying. It can not only detoxify and nourish the skin, but also enhance eyesight, reduce internal heat and remove dampness. It is a food suitable for consumption during beauty and skin care.

4. Job's tears: Job's tears can promote blood circulation, water circulation in the human body, and make the body urinate faster. Moreover, barley water has a good detoxification effect. After boiling the barley in edible water, add an appropriate amount of sugar and it will become a good product for skin care and whitening.

5. Yam: Yam can maintain the normal functioning of the digestive system, cleanse the body's subcutaneous fat deposits, eliminate obesity, and enhance body immunity. Eating yam raw has a better detoxification effect. You can also cut the peeled yam and pineapple into pieces, then squeeze the juice and drink it.

6. Burdock: Burdock not only promotes human blood circulation and metabolism, but also restores intestinal function. The dietary fiber in burdock can protect water from loss, promote detoxification and treat constipation.