Combatting Eczema: How Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture Relieved Menopause-Induced Facial Eczema

▲Eczema is a persistent struggle for many, but facial eczema can be particularly distressing, severely impacting daily life and self-confidence. Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner Huang Jingjing recently shared a clinical case with TOPick regarding a female patient who had been battling facial eczema for over six months.

The patient experienced persistent redness, a sensation of flushing, and intense itching around both cheekbones. Topical ointments failed to relieve her symptoms, and she was frequently asked by colleagues if she was running a fever. Furthermore, the recurrent skin damage from eczema left her complexion looking dull and uneven.

To address the root cause, she was prescribed tailored Chinese herbal medicine and underwent three sessions of acupuncture. Following the treatment, her skin lesions and itching were drastically reduced, the post-inflammatory pigmentation faded significantly, and her overall complexion visibly improved.

Menopausal Hormonal Shifts May Trigger Eczema in Women

The sudden onset of adult eczema is often closely linked to stress and hormonal factors. Clinically, it is highly common to see cases triggered by sudden lifestyle changes or a shift in the work environment.

When emotional distress and psychological stress kick in, eczema symptoms can become remarkably stubborn and resistant to treatment. Furthermore, driven by hormonal fluctuations, women approaching or navigating menopause are prone to hot flashes and mood anxiety, which can significantly aggravate skin itching.

In this specific case, the redness on the patient's cheekbones was a classic manifestation of menopausal hot flashes. Whenever she experienced these flashes, the facial redness and itching intensified. Therefore, the primary therapeutic approach focused on clearing heat, cooling the blood, nourishing the kidneys, and enriching Yin.

Facial Acupuncture Mechanism: Utilizing ultra-fine acupuncture needles to stimulate the affected areas helps:

• Boost skin metabolism

• Stimulate collagen production

• Enhance moisture-locking capacity

This was combined with Yin-nourishing acupoints (Xuehai SP10, Sanyinjiao SP6) and spirit-calming acupoints (Baihui GV20, Neiguan PC6, Fengchi GB20). As the hot flashes subsided, her eczema naturally resolved, leading to a much speedier recovery.

📌 Recommended Reading: Common Eczema Food Triggers vs. Soothing Dietary Recommendations ↓

How to Relieve Stress and Hormonally Triggered Eczema

🚫 1. Dietary Restrictions (Avoiding "Trigger Foods")

• Avoid: Spicy food, heavy seasonings, alcohol, seafood, glutinous rice, beef, mutton, and goose (traditionally known as Fa-Wu / 發物).

• Why? These foods can aggravate eczema redness and itching, while also reducing the efficacy of your herbal treatments.

• 😴 2. Establish a Regular Sleep Routine

  • Quality sleep acts as a natural remedy to accelerate skin barrier repair and build resilience against stress.

• 🏃‍♂️ 3. Engage in Moderate Exercise

  • Exercise boosts serotonin (the "happy hormone"), strengthens immunity, and melts away stress.

  • Recommendation: 2–3 times a week, 20–30 minutes per session. Great options include jogging, yoga, or Tai Chi.

• 🥣 4. Soothing TCM Herbal Soups

  • Practitioner Huang recommends specific heat-clearing, blood-cooling, and dampness-dispelling soups for menopausal itching. This is also ideal for those suffering from dry skin (see recipe below).

Smilax and Rehmannia Root Soup with Lean Pork

Ingredients

• Fresh Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome — 100g

• Raw Rehmannia Root — 15g

• Rice Bean — 15g

• White Hyacinth Bean — 15g

• Coix Seed — 15g

• Dried Lily Bulbs — 15g

• Candied Date — 1 piece

• Fresh Ginger — 2 slices

• Lean Pork — Half a catty (approx. 300g)

Instructions ：

• Blanch the lean pork, then place it into a soup pot along with all the other ingredients. Add 8 bowls of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer gently for 1.5 hours.

Light or Infrequent Periods After 40? It Could Be a Sign of Early Menopause

Practitioner Huang suggests that women over the age of 40 should closely monitor their menstrual cycles. Light periods or an infrequent menstrual flow are often classic signs of Liver and Kidney deficiency, which may lead to the early onset of menopause.

For women experiencing these symptoms, dietary therapies that nourish the Liver and Kidney are highly beneficial. Below is a recommended recipe:

Nourishing Black Bone Chicken and Sea Snail Soup

Ingredients：

• Black Bone Chicken (Silkie Chicken) — Half a chicken (chopped into pieces)

• Dried Sea Snail Heads (Conch) — 2 pieces

• Dried Chinese Yam Slices — 4 to 5 slices

• Goji Berries (Wolfberries) — 10g

• Red Dates — 4 pieces (pitted)

• Candied Date — 1 piece

• Dried Longan Pulp — 5 pieces

• Fresh Ginger — 3 slices

Instructions ：First, blanch the sea snail heads and black bone chicken in boiling water to remove impurities, then drain and transfer them along with all the other herbal ingredients into a large ceramic double-boiling stew pot. Pour in water until the pot is about 80% to 90% full, then place it inside a larger pot of boiling water. Double-boil over medium heat for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for another 90 minutes, seasoning with a pinch of salt and a splash of Chinese cooking wine to taste before serving.

Benefits & Dietary Advice：

• Black Bone Chicken (Silkie Chicken): Strengthens bones and muscles, replenishes Qi, and enriches the blood. Together with sea snail heads, it deeply nourishes Yin, making it highly beneficial for women.

• Red Dates & Dried Longan: Nourish the blood and soothe the mind.

• Goji Berries: Tonify the Liver and Kidneys, enrich the blood, and improve eyesight.

• Overall Efficacy:

  This therapeutic recipe effectively nourishes the Liver and Kidneys, replenishes Qi and blood, and helps relieve fatigue while improving sleep quality.

  Dietary Recommendations:

  • Best Time to Drink: Due to its rich nutrient profile and higher calorie content, it is best enjoyed during the day. Preparing and consuming this soup 2 to 3 times a month is ideal.

  • Important Note: Individuals with a "heat" constitution (體質較熱) or those prone to internal heat and inflammation from rich tonics (虛不受補) should moderate their intake.