Seborrheic Dermatitis

How Chinese medicine differentiates seborrheic dermatitis, the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Widespread, weeping, or infected patches should be assessed medically alongside any acupuncture care.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for seborrheic dermatitis — 11 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-9	Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood and Yin.
L.I.-4	Removes obstructions from the channel, expels Wind, stops pain.
ST-44	Clears Heat, regulates the Intestines, expels Wind from the face.
L.I.-11	Clears Heat and cools Blood, resolves Dampness.
P-6	Opens the chest, moves Qi and Blood, calms the Mind.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind, clears Heat, brightens the eyes.
SP-10	Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), benefits Essence.
BL-23	Tonifies the Kidneys and nourishes Kidney-Essence.

The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Damp-Heat in Stomach and Spleen View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Oily, red or yellowish patches with greasy, yellowish scales or crusts; itching when the skin is oily; bloating; sticky stools; bitter or sticky taste; a feeling of heaviness.

Tongue: Red body, possibly swollen with teeth marks, thick yellow greasy coating. Pulse: Soggy and rapid, often slippery.

Treatment principle: Resolve Dampness and harmonize Stomach function.

Resolve Damp-Heat

SP-9 ↓ SP-6 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓

Harmonize Stomach

ST-36 ⊥

Note: no moxa. Direct match with Damp-Heat in the Stomach — the feeling of heaviness, sticky taste and sticky yellow coating are shared.

2. Stomach Fire View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Facial redness with dry, fine scales; bad breath; strong thirst for cold drinks; constant hunger; constipation with dry, hard stools; swollen or bleeding gums.

Tongue: Red body, possibly red prickles in the centre, thick dry yellow coating. Pulse: Rapid, slippery, forceful.

Treatment principle: Clear upward-steaming Stomach-Fire that consumes fluids and irritates facial skin.

ST-44 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ P-6 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct match with Stomach-Heat (or Phlegm-Heat) — thirst for cold drinks, excessive hunger and dry stools are shared.

3. Blood Deficiency with External Wind

Clinical manifestations: Dry, fine, flaky scaling on the face or scalp; wandering itching, worse at night or after stress; pale complexion; wind aversion; dizziness; possible hair thinning.

Tongue: Pale, thin body, thin white slightly dry coat. Pulse: Fine/thin, wiry at the left Guan, floating at the right Cun.

Treatment principle: Nourish Blood and moisten skin dryness while dispelling pathogenic Wind.

Nourish Blood

SP-6 ↑ ST-36 ↑

Dispel Wind

G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ SP-10 ↓

Note: no moxa. No deck on this site combines Blood deficiency with external Wind into one slide, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Empty-Heat caused by Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dull-red or dark-red patches on the face with fine dry scaling; evening/night-worsening itching; dry mouth and throat; five-palm heat; night sweats; restlessness and insomnia.

Tongue: Red, thin, dry body with cracks, little or no coating. Pulse: Fine and rapid.

Treatment principle: Replenish cooling Yin reserves to nourish the skin and extinguish Empty-Heat.

SP-6 ↑ KI-3 ↑ BL-23 ↑

Note: no moxa. Direct match with Kidney-Yin deficiency, Empty-Heat blazing — night sweats, five-palm heat and dry throat are shared.

Related conditions

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