Rosacea
AliasRosacea
Traditional Chinese Medicine Definition
Rosacea, known as *jiu zha bi* (wine nose) in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a chronic skin condition. According to internal medicine in TCM, rosacea is primarily characterized by erythema, papules, and rhinophyma on the nose, mostly caused by exuberant heat in the lung and stomach, heat toxin accumulating in the skin, and qi stagnation with blood stasis. Its pathogenesis involves internal accumulation of heat toxin, qi and blood stasis, and loss of nourishment of the skin, leading to symptoms such as redness, swelling, and papules on the nasal skin.
In TCM clinical practice, the core pathogenesis of rosacea is internal accumulation of heat toxin and qi stagnation with blood stasis. Common triggers include improper diet, emotional disturbance, and spleen-stomach weakness. In pattern differentiation, attention should be paid to distinguishing the following key points: the lung-stomach heat exuberance pattern is mainly marked by nasal erythema, papules, dry mouth, constipation, red tongue, and yellow coating; the heat toxin accumulating in the skin pattern is characterized by prominent erythema, pustules, telangiectasia, and bitter taste; the qi stagnation with blood stasis pattern is mainly indicated by nasal hypertrophy, nodules, purplish-red erythema, and a dark tongue with stasis spots. The overall treatment direction is to clear heat and resolve toxin, cool blood and disperse macules, activate blood and transform stasis, and unblock collaterals and dissipate nodules. In TCM clinical practice, treatment for rosacea is tailored to the specific pattern, aiming to harmonize qi and blood, clear heat and resolve toxin, so as to improve symptoms. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the treatment of rosacea should integrate the patient's constitution and condition, comprehensively applying internal administration of Chinese herbs, external application, and acupuncture-moxibustion therapies to assist in improving constitution and alleviating symptoms.
Common Syndrome Types and Key Points of Differentiation
Exuberant heat in the lung and stomach
Main Manifestations: Nasal erythema, papules, dry mouth and constipation, red tongue with yellow coating.
Management Approach: Clearing and purging the lung and stomach, cooling the blood and resolving macules.
Heat toxin accumulating in the skin pattern
Main Manifestations: Marked erythema, pustules, telangiectasia, bitter taste
Management Approach: Clear heat, detoxify, cool blood, and dissipate stasis.
Stagnation and blood stasis
Main Manifestations: Nasal hypertrophy, nodules, purple-red erythema, dark tongue with petechiae.
Management Approach: Promote blood circulation to remove stasis, unblock collaterals and dissipate masses.
The above syndrome information is based on traditional Chinese medicine textbooks and clinical standards. Specific differentiation should be completed by a practicing traditional Chinese medicine physician in person.
Physician's Clinical Insights
For rosacea patients with facial flushing, I often consider liver depression and qi stagnation as the etiology, and the treatment principle is frequently to soothe the liver and relieve depression.
— Tang Yulan Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (Apprentice)
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This page is for the popular science of traditional Chinese medicine knowledge and does not constitute medical advice. Specific diagnosis should be completed by a licensed traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in person.
This article has been reviewed by licensed TCM physicians at Hangzhou Kezhentang TCM Clinic. It is for TCM popular science reference only and does not involve specific treatment plan recommendations.
References: Internal Medicine of TCM (13th Five-Year Plan Textbook), Diagnostic and Therapeutic Effectiveness Standards for TCM Diseases and Syndromes (ZY/T001.1-94), Classification and Codes of TCM Diseases and Syndromes (GB/T 15657-2021)