Kkeut Korean Medicine Clinic's Herbal Acne Treatment

A different approach from isotretinoin, minocycline, etc., an acne management plan considering overall body health

01. Kkeut Korean Medicine Clinic's Herbal Acne Treatment, what makes it different?

1) Can reduce physical burden.

If acne symptoms worsen, dermatologists typically

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• prescribe antibiotics (e.g., minocycline, doxycycline), or
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• they may use sebum regulators (isotretinoin-based drugs).
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While these treatments can help improve acne, they can affect not only the skin but the entire body. Various side effects such as dryness, gastrointestinal issues, changes in liver function values, and gut microbiome imbalance are known.

Specifically, isotretinoin (Isotinon) class drugs have been associated with serious adverse reactions such as the possibility of birth defects, joint pain due to reduced joint fluid, and worsening depression. Therefore, prescription is preferably avoided for mild to moderate acne, and regular medical observation and guidance are essential during use.

In contrast, the herbal acne treatment based on Sipmipaidoksan used at Kkeut Korean Medicine Clinic primarily relies on prescriptions that tend to show rare reports of special side effects even with long-term use in Korean medicine clinical practice both domestically and internationally.

This is done with consideration for effectiveness.

These prescriptions

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• do not kill all beneficial gut bacteria like antibiotics,
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• and avoid excessively suppressing sebum secretion like isotretinoin-based drugs.
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• Therefore, they have been carefully designed to minimize the burden on liver function.
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We often receive questions like, "Can't herbal medicine also be hard on the liver?" However, according to reports to date, a higher risk of hepatotoxicity has frequently been reported with isotretinoin and some antibiotic-class drugs. Kkeut Korean Medicine Clinic's prescriptions have been designed to have a relatively wider safety margin than these drugs.

2) Can be tried at a reasonable cost.

Many people worry about the cost of herbal medicine, which can amount to hundreds of thousands of won.

Kkeut Korean Medicine Clinic's herbal acne treatment focuses on the primary goal of acne management, structuring the prescription concisely. Therefore, unnecessarily expensive ingredients are not arbitrarily included.

As a result,

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• Even for a one-month supply, it has been priced to allow you to start without financial burden.
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• Additionally, if needed, trial dosages in 10-day increments can also be considered.
• This arrangement is designed for patient convenience.
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Therefore, we hope you will consider it a cost level that allows you to start herbal acne management without significant burden.

3) Mechanisms applicable to various acne types

The main action of this herbal prescription focuses on alleviating environments prone to inflammatory reactions within the body.

Acne is mainly caused by

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3. increased sebum secretion,
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7. activity of acne bacteria (C. acnes),
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11. and inflammatory reactions,
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among other factors, acting in combination. Simply trying to solve one problem may not yield satisfactory results.

Kkeut Korean Medicine Clinic's herbal acne treatment has particular strengths in managing acne bacteria (the second factor) and regulating inflammatory reactions (the third factor) among these.

Due to these characteristics,

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• in the case of acne with active sebum secretion, it can help reduce the likelihood of sebum progressing to inflammation.
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• for recurrent acne despite not having excessive sebum, it can be expected to alleviate the tendency to easily turn into inflammation.
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• for skin sensitive to external stimuli, it can contribute to soothing post-inflammatory sequelae such as lingering redness and heat.
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A key aspect of this prescription is that it does not employ an approach that broadly eliminates beneficial bacteria like antibiotics. Furthermore, it does not adopt a mechanism that drastically suppresses sebum to cause dryness, like sebum regulators.

This is an approach that aims to manage acne symptoms while maintaining the overall health balance of the skin and body.

4) Kkeut Korean Medicine Clinic's customized blend based on Sipmipaidoksan

The basic foundation of this prescription is Sipmipaidoksan (十味敗毒散), which has been utilized in Korean medicine for a long time. This herbal medicine has traditionally been applied to various skin symptoms such as inflammatory skin problems, folliculitis, frequent breakouts, and acne.

This prescription is one of the herbal medicines frequently mentioned in acne-related papers and research.

Our clinic has further developed this by,

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• Herbs that help reduce inflammation
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• Herbs that help improve redness (erythema)
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• Herbs that help with skin regeneration
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adding small amounts of these, adjusting it into a customized prescription for acne management.

You can understand this as a prescription where herbs are added or subtracted to suit acne symptoms, unlike a general SipmiPaedok-san prescription.

5) Convenient Stick-type Herbal Medicine

Traditional decoction is perceived as cumbersome to prepare, difficult to store, and hard to take due to its strong scent.

The acne herbal medicine prescribed at our clinic is

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• Stick-type, convenient for portability and consumption
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• Can be consumed without water
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• The bitterness has been reduced, and the taste has been adjusted so that people of all ages can comfortably consume it, just like a regular red ginseng stick.
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Therefore, it has been designed to be relatively easy for even those who have had difficulty taking herbal medicine to consume.

This form was devised for those who are aware of the efficacy of traditional decoction but find it difficult to take consistently.

02. SipmiPaedok-san, what kind of prescription is it?

SipmiPaedok-san is also known as ‘Jumi-baedok-tang’ in Japan and is an herbal prescription commonly used for acne-prone skin conditions.

According to relevant research and reports,

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• it can help control inflammatory reactions (skin redness, swelling) caused by acne bacteria,
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• can help reduce the likelihood of inflammation occurring in the skin, and
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• can contribute to alleviating secondary problems (such as hyperpigmentation, redness) that may arise from repeated inflammation.
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Effects such as these have also been observed.

One thing to remember is that this prescription is not a medicine that “forcibly reduces sebum”.

Sebum has necessary functions in our body, so rather than excessively suppressing it, “regulating the balance to prevent inflammation” can be safer and more beneficial for long-term skin health.

Considering these points, our clinic has adopted this prescription as an acne herbal medicine that imposes less burden when used in conjunction with other treatments such as laser, extraction, and soothing care.

03. Usage Instructions

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• Initial Observation Period : 10 days
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• Whether redness is alleviated
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• Whether the frequency of painful acne outbreaks decreases
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• These two factors are primarily observed.
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• Recommended Usage Period : 4 weeks
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• Whether the acne cycle lengthens
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• Whether acne that repeatedly appeared in specific areas subsides
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• Whether skin recovery speed improves after extraction or laser treatment
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It is designed to be safe for continuous use for more than a month, even as a preventative measure.

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• Dosage : 2-3 times a day, it is recommended to take it regularly regardless of meals.
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• Concomitant Treatments : Designed for use with treatments such as extraction, Secret, Elysiss, and Agnes.
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04. Cases Where This Prescription May Be Considered

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• Symptoms improve with antibiotic use, but recur when discontinued
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• Even with low sebum production, if pores get slightly blocked, they quickly become red or inflamed
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• Skin that, once redness appears, rarely subsides and persists for a long time
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• Those who feel their skin is sensitive and believe it requires delicate care
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• Those who desire treatment but wish to avoid medication that might burden the body
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• Those who prioritize the safety of long-term medication due to pregnancy plans or general health concerns
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