Q Along with acne, my face gets oily and shows red, flaky, itchy patches. Can this be treated together too?
A When red patches and flaking appear in oily areas along with acne, conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis may be overlapping. Both are linked to internal heat and dampness, so they often improve together when treated together.
Detailed Answer
If red patches, oiliness, flaking, and itching appear together with acne in oily areas such as the forehead, sides of the nose, and chin, a sebum-related condition like seborrheic dermatitis may be overlapping. The two have different presentations but share a common background of excess sebum and inflammation, so it is better to evaluate them together rather than separately.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we treat facial inflammation in which heat surges up to the scalp and face using the same principle of bringing the heat downward and clearing out waste. In fact, there is a case of a patient with seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp and face who restored healthy skin foundation through about 3 months of herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment, and symptoms overlapping with acne often improve together when the root internal heat and dampness are managed as well.
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