Patient: Ms. Lim, 30 years old
Date: 8th June, 2022. First visit.
Chief complaint: Acne on the face for years, aggravated for 1 week
Ms. Lim entered the clinic on this particular day with a tired-looking face, sat down, removed her mask, and motioned for me to examine her cheeks and chin. She explained that although she had always had acne, it had only recently started to get serious; initially, she had only a few pimples on her face, but these soon multiplied for unknown reasons and turned red, swollen, and itchy, which caused her great distress.
Following a thorough investigation, I discovered that Ms. Lim’s work-life balance and eating habits were irregular. She revealed that, prior to leaving her company, she frequently had to stay up late and work overtime, resulting in her long-term anxiety and nervousness. At first, she would wake up in sleep and find it difficult to sleep again, which evolved into insomnia, and she only fell asleep in the early morning, and her skin began to deteriorate. In addition to sleep issues, she admitted that she enjoys spicy food, in order to stay up late at night to finish her work, she almost always orders takeaway supper, most of which is barbecue food, so her weight is uncontrolled. She didn’t realise her health was worsening until her parents reminded her, and she hoped to restore her health through Traditional Chinese medicine conditioning.
Understanding her condition, I diagnosed that Ms. Lim’s acne was brought on by a liver yin deficiency caused by staying up late for extended periods of time, and poor eating habits increase the burden on the spleen and stomach, affecting the function of the spleen and stomach. As a result, I prescribed some Chinese medications to help with her sleep issues and acne itching, and I also advised her to use a less irritating handmade soap to wash her face. After the prescription, I advised her to stop eating supper, avoid using her phone and computer right before bed, and lay down as soon as possible so that her body could start preparing for sleep.
Date: 15th June,2022. Second visit.
After using homemade soap and traditional Chinese medicine, Ms. Lim noticed that her red, swollen acne had lessened, especially the itching. However, while her sleep patterns were more stable and she was less likely to wake up in the middle of the night, they did not significantly improve.
Date: 22nd June, 2022. Third visit.
She returned a week later for a follow-up consultation. She revealed that the acne on her cheek has faded and that there are only a few small pimples next to her nose wing and chin, but she is still unable to fall asleep early, usually after 2 a.m. She will feel sleepy if she takes the medication before going to bed, and her sleep will be stable that night.
Date:29th June, 2022. Last visit.
On this day, Ms. Lim returned to the clinic and stated that she was leaving for a trip abroad; fortunately, the acne on her face had improved; although she still slept after 1 a.m., she discovered that she had felt sleepy earlier in the previous week, and she could sleep directly until dawn after sleeping. She felt more refreshed than before. I modified her Chinese medicine and told her she didn’t have to come back for a follow-up consultation if she didn’t feel uncomfortable. As long as she maintains the habit of going to bed early, not staying up late, and consume less foods that can aggravate acne, her problems will improve dramatically.
Acne-inducing factors
The onset of acne is closely related to our lifestyle and dietary choices.
- Lifestyle habits
Stress, erratic schedules, and regular late nights are all risk factors for acne. One of them, the repetitive acne attacks, is the habit of staying up late. According to Chinese medicine, the best time for the liver and gallbladder to function, the best time for sleep, and the best time for skin repair is between 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Missing this rest period prevents blood from returning to the liver, prevents the liver from storing blood, which causes a Yin and Yang imbalance, causes fire due to a Yin deficiency, and causes acne.
- Dietary choices
Spicy and greasy foods are unavoidable in life, and they can also cause acne.Spicy, sweet, fried food, dairy, milk tea, and other foods are commonly regarded as high-risk factors that can cause or aggravate acne.This is because ，this type of food is difficult to digest; eating them will interfere with the spleen and stomach function, resulting in spleen and stomach weakness, producing dampness and phlegm in the body, and acne occurs when these dampness and phlegm condenses on the face. The majority of acne caused by dampness and phlegm in the body has white pus and greasy face.
Daily care for acne
- Obtain a healthy work-life balance, as well as regular rest
- Consume more light foods and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Avoid spicy and greasy foods that interfere with the spleen and stomach’s ability to function if you want to reduce the severity and frequency of acne.In addition to promoting the spleen and stomach’s ability to digest food, eating more fresh produce and light meals can also ensure smooth excretion, eliminate toxins that have built up in the body, and lessen the likelihood of developing acne.
- Maintain a clean face and avoid over-washing it.
Although keeping your face clean can lower your risk of developing acne, overcleaning can make the condition worse.Try to choose to wash your face only twice throughout the day—once in the morning and once in the evening—or to wash it again after getting sweaty and dirty. Excessive washing can dry out your skin and worsen skin damage.Keep your face clean and avoid over-washing it. The products and effects of facial cleansing on the market differ; do not pursue efficacy blindly; instead, choose a product that suits you so that you can effectively protect your skin.
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