Dry Skin — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach

In traditional Chinese medicine, dry skin falls within the categories of "skin losing its luster" and "withered skin.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns

In TCM, this concern is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:

Blood Deficiency with Wind-Dryness

Formula: Danggui Yinzi (Angelica Drink) — from *Chong Ding Yan Shi Ji Sheng Fang*

Lung-Stomach Fluid Damage (Yin Deficiency with Dryness-Heat)

Formula: Shashen Maidong Tang (Glehnia and Ophiopogon Decoction) — from *Systematic Differentiation of Warm Diseases*

Liver-Kidney Yin Deficiency

Formula: Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) — from *Key to Therapeutics of Children's Diseases*

These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.

Food Therapy & Diet

Dietary Therapy Recipes

Loach and Jujube Stew: 30-50 g loach, 20 g jujube; cook for 25 minutes and add salt.
Eight-Treasure Pork-Skin Congee: 100 g carrot, 10 g bletilla, 20 g goji berry, 20 g sea cucumber, 100 g pork skin, 100 g japonica rice.
Rehmannia and Angelica Congee: 30 g prepared rehmannia root, 20 g Chinese angelica root, 40 g japonica rice, a pinch of tangerine peel powder.
Pear Congee: 2 pears cut into pieces with skin on, 100 g japonica rice; cook into congee.

Dietary Principles

Prefer foods that nourish yin and moisten dryness (pear, white fungus, sesame, goji berry, Chinese yam, lily bulb, honey, milk, carrot).
Avoid spicy, drying, heat-inducing, deep-fried foods and alcohol.
Avoid overly hot and frequent bathing and excessive sun exposure.

Understanding the Condition

In traditional Chinese medicine, dry skin falls within the categories of "skin losing its luster" and "withered skin." The lung governs the skin and body hair. It is understood as arising when dryness injures fluids, or blood deficiency generates wind and dryness, or liver-kidney yin is depleted, so the skin loses nourishment and becomes dry, flaky, and cracked.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.