Dermatology at Integrated Complementary Healthcare Services
Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, and Herbal Dermatology is designed to help people struggling with a serious skin conditions, such as eczema, rosacea, acne, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, perioral dermatitis, and more. Using Chinese herbs and the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we offer a natural way to heal and restore your skin at a deeper level while elevating your overall health.
Many people find their way to working with Chinese herbs or alternative therapies because prescription drugs (or medications) haven’t consistently worked or provided long-term relief. In addition, they are often frustrated by the side effects of those medications and the roller-coaster of managing their skin from one day to the next.
Chinese herbs naturally stimulate your body to work as it was meant to work, creating balance and allowing your skin to stabilize and regenerate.
Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at skin diseases with a more individualized approach. Treating the skin disorder based off of the current stage of progression. This form of treatment is referred to as a phase treatment method. This allows the practitioner to effectively choose an appropriate topical and/or internal herbal formula for their specific needs. Where as in Western Medicine each skin disorder is classified to a specific medication despite the current evolution of the skin disorder.
Expectations
It takes commitment to be on this healing path!
Many skin diseases and conditions have persisted for years. As a result, it will take time for the Chinese herbs to begin to regulate your skin and allow your body to heal. Together, we slowly “unwind” the disease within the skin and the body, identifying and healing one layer at a time. The minimum treatment time is usually 3-4 months, with daily herbal intake and appointments every 2 to 4 weeks. Depending on the duration of the skin disorder and the stage of that disorder internal and topical treatments can take longer than the 3-4 months.
There is no better way to monitor the progress of your healing than with pictures. Pictures allow us to determine how your skin disorder is progressing and allows us to determine the effectiveness of the treatments. During your visit we will look to take pre-treatment pictures with your permission to be obtained in your file with your record. This is optional of course but we strongly encourage this so that the patient can also see the changes.
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbs are usually plant ingredients that are not broken down and chemically isolated to remove the “active ingredient”. The whole plant or part of the plant (root, bark, leaf, seed, etc.) is utilized. As a result, it contains hundreds if not thousands of individual compounds. The combination of compounds is a whole substance, reducing potential side effects. Therefore, Chinese herbal medicine acts much more like food in the body than it does like a prescription medication.
Chinese herbs are always prescribed in a combination called a formula. The different herbs within the formula balance each other and create a synergistic effect, which increases efficacy and enhances safety.
Chinese herbal medicine is based on an in-depth diagnosis of the patient, which includes the current presentation of signs and symptoms as well as the overall constitutional picture. The individual Chinese herbs are then combined into a formula unique to each patient. The formula is designed to treat the needs of that individual, not just specific symptoms.
Methods of Herbal Medicine
The least expensive way to consume the herbal formula is to purchase the formula in raw herb packets and add them to boiling water to make Herbal Tea. This process is the least expensive however the Herbal Teas are usually very bitter but also very effective. There is also the prep time to make. Another more expensive way is pre-packed ready to go herbal concentrates. They are more favorable to a sensitive palate and no prep time but very costly. Lastly, and the most popular are herbal pills. The formula is grinded down into powder and is taken as pills. This is less expensive than herbal concentrates and more expensive than raw herbs.
- FREE phone consultation (15-20 minutes). Let’s talk! You can decide if herbal medicine is right for you.
- Initial appointment*: $75 (60 minutes). We have an in-depth discussion about your skin and its history, as well as your overall health and goals. Pictures
- Follow-up appointments*: $55 (30 minutes), every 2-3 weeks. We check-in on your progress, adjust Chinese herbal formulas and continue to move forward with treatment. Please expect the treatment to be a minimum of 3-4 months.
- Chinese herbal formulas can cost between $75-100 per month depending on your choice of Chinese herbs either in liquid form, raw herbs, or pill and are shipped and delivered from Kamwo an herbal dispensary in New York, NY. Herbal formulas may be subject to shipping costs and taxes.
- Please note not all patients will be prescribed internal herbal formulas. Topical and Nutritional Recommendations can treat many skin disorders.
- Topical ointment may be prescribed to support healing. Topical herbal formulas are supplied at the clinic.
Book an Appointment
Contact Integrated Complementary Healthcare Services today to schedule an appointment for dermatology Moosic!
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