Stop Winter Itch! Tea as Moisturizer
When itchy dry skin strikes, it may be due to dryness caused by poor skin metabolism, known as “winter itch.” Chinese medical treatments can alleviate dry, itchy, and scaly skin by providing good moisture to all of the layers of the skin and allowing daily moisture transfer from the body to the skin.
Dr. Dong Yi Yung at the Lukang Christian Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine says that blood circulation slows in low winter temperatures, which worsens the skin’s metabolism of keratinocytes. Dr. Yung also notes that the air can be less humid in the winter, and this lack of humidity can also cause dry skin.
Patients suffering from winter itch are generally of the ‘yin’ and ‘deficiency’ constitutions, with common symptoms that include dry, itchy, and dull skin. The physical deficiency which causes winter itch can increase over time, and also can contribute to poor sleep quality, dry mouth, dry eyes, and backache.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment of winter itch can be beneficial to patients suffering from these symptoms. A common prescription for these symptoms is Radix Ophiopogon soup, as well as lilies, angelica, and other herbs. Treating the yin deficiency constitution focuses on nourishing and moisturizing.
Dr. Yung recommends that most people suffering from these symptoms consume lily, Polygonatum, and Radix, as well as other Yin herbs boiled in tea or soups daily to maintain energy and prevent skin itch, dryness, and discomfort.
Source: CN Yes
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