撰文：楊明霞中醫師
最近，有家長把女兒患有濕疹的病況上傳至社交網站，相中看到小女孩的手腳紅腫，而且皮膚糜爛，的確我見猶憐。於是，全城的家長也正紛紛分享對付濕疹的秘方，因為不少人也是濕疹的受害者，每逢轉季也會叫苦連天。
濕疹 (eczema) 是一種常見的過敏性皮炎，不具傳染性。中醫稱濕疹為「濕瘡」，是香港常見的皮膚病。濕疹的內在因素包括體質、情志和腑臟功能失調，而外在因素則包括風、濕、熱阻於肌膚。當個人體質較弱及自身免疫系統功能低，風濕熱邪浸淫肌膚，結果會形成濕疹或令濕疹問題更嚴重。濕疹可發於身體任何部位，例如耳、頭、面、手、臍部和小腿等，但卻對稱分佈，患者會感到非常痕癢，當用手搔癢時常引致皮膚糜爛、滲出瘡液，甚至含濃，而且反覆發作，令皮膚表面變得粗糙，瘡痂隆起。要對付濕疹，要從這 3 個小習慣做起：
Written by：YEUNG Ming Ha, Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Recently, a parent uploaded pictures of their daughter suffering from eczema on a social media platform. Looking at the little girl’s red and swollen hands and feet, and her skin all irritated, indeed, it’s heartbreaking. As a result, parents all over the city are now sharing their secret remedies to deal with eczema because many of them or their children are also affected by eczema, and they often suffer during seasonal changes.
Eczema is a common allergic dermatitis and is not contagious. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), eczema is referred to as “wet sores” and is a prevalent skin condition in Hong Kong. The internal factors contributing to eczema include the individual’s constitution, emotional state, and dysfunction of the body’s organs, while external factors involve wind, dampness, and heat obstructing the skin. When a person has a weaker constitution and a lower immune system, wind, dampness, and heat pathogenic factors may invade the skin, resulting in eczema or exacerbating existing eczema issues. Eczema can occur on any part of the body, such as the ears, head, face, hands, navel, and lower legs, but it usually appears symmetrically. Patients often feel intense itching, and scratching can lead to skin abrasions, oozing of pus, and even infection. The condition tends to recur, making the skin rough and the scabs raised. To deal with eczema, it’s essential to start by addressing these three small habits:
縮短洗澡時間
當濕疹發作時，患者常會禁不住抓癢。手是我們最容易接觸細菌 ，而且有最多微生物的地方，所以要戒掉經常摸面的壊習慣，以免加重皮膚發炎的機會。同時，患者也不應經常用酒精成分高的產品洗手，因為化學成分會刺激及削弱皮脂膜。除此之外，由於患者的皮膚感到痕癢，所以一般都喜歡洗手和洗澡，時間亦很長，誤以為能夠紓緩痕癢亦感覺上較潔淨。其實，過分清潔反而會破壞皮膚表面的皮脂膜及角質層，令皮膚的天然保護屏障受損，加劇濕疹問題。因此筆者建議患者縮短洗澡時間，最好不超過3分鐘。同時，患者亦應選用低敏性的護膚品和沐浴產品，減低對皮膚的刺激。如果患者的濕疹情況嚴重，筆者建議可只清洗腋下、下身及流汗多位置。
筆者在此介紹一款抗敏的配方給大家，材料有防風六錢、苦參六錢和生甘草三錢，用猛火煲 30 分鐘後，用來沖洗敏感患處，有很好的潤膚止癢功效。
良好的生活和衛生習慣
患者的家居環境需時常清理，而且要勤加換洗床單和貼身衣物。另外，患者宜穿著寬鬆和純棉的衣服，應避免穿著毛料的緊身衣，衣服上更不要殘留洗滌劑等化學成分。至於生活作息方面，患者要早睡早起，不要熬夜和飲食要均衡，加上足夠運動，以提高自身的免疫力，減低誘發濕疹的機會。在運動後，應立即把汗抹乾，替換被汗浸濕的衣物，這樣可以令皮膚保持清潔乾爽。當然，最重要的是保持樂觀的心態，減輕壓力。
Shorten bathing time
When eczema flares up, patients often can’t resist scratching. Hands are the most susceptible to bacterial contact and harbor the most microorganisms. Therefore, it’s important to avoid the habit of frequently touching the face to prevent exacerbating skin inflammation. Additionally, patients should refrain from using products with high alcohol content frequently, as the chemical components can irritate and weaken the skin’s natural barrier. Furthermore, due to the itching sensation on their skin, patients tend to wash their hands and take long baths, mistakenly thinking it can relieve itching and provide a sense of cleanliness. However, excessive cleaning can actually damage the skin’s sebum layer and stratum corneum, compromising the skin’s natural protective barrier and worsening eczema problems. Therefore, it is recommended for patients to shorten their bathing time, ideally not exceeding 3 minutes. At the same time, they should choose hypoallergenic skincare and bathing products to minimize irritation to the skin. For severe cases of eczema, it is suggested to only cleanse the armpits, lower body, and areas prone to sweating.
Here, I am introducing an anti-allergic formula: The ingredients include Fang Feng (防風) 6 qian, Ku Shen (苦參) 6 qian, and Sheng Gan Cao (生甘草) 3 qian. Boil them with strong fire for 30 minutes, then use it to rinse the sensitive areas. It has excellent moisturizing and itch-relief effects.
Good lifestyle and hygiene habits
Patients’ living environment needs regular cleaning, and they should frequently change bedsheets and close-fitting clothes. Moreover, patients should wear loose and cotton clothes, avoid wearing tight clothes made of wool, and ensure no chemical residues like detergents remain on their clothes. Regarding daily routines, patients should go to bed and wake up early, avoid staying up late, maintain a balanced diet, exercise adequately to boost their immune system, and reduce the chances of triggering eczema. After exercising, they should immediately wipe away sweat and change into dry clothes to keep the skin clean and dry. Of course, the most crucial aspect is maintaining a positive mindset to reduce stress.
戒口有效防濕疹
濕疹的發病與某些食物敏感有密切關係，所以戒口對皮膚敏感的治療十分重要。皮膚病患者在治療期間，均應禁食「發物」。「發物」是指能誘發皮膚病患者出疹，病情加重的食物，發物主要包括海鮮類、牛肉、甜食、辛辣及酒等食物。皮膚病多由 「濕」、「熱」積聚化成「毒」而起，患者的體質一般屬於先天性脾胃虛弱型，當進食過量辛辣和蝦蟹海鮮等高刺激性的食物，又或於夏季大量進食生冷食物，以致濕毒困身，容易引致脾臟運化失常，增加患上濕疹的機會。
Dietary Restrictions Effectively Prevent Eczema
The onset of eczema is closely related to certain food sensitivities, so dietary restrictions are essential in the treatment of skin sensitivity. During the treatment of skin diseases, patients should avoid consuming “triggering foods.” “Triggering foods” are those that can induce rashes and worsen the condition in skin disease patients. These triggering foods mainly include seafood, beef, sweets, spicy foods, and alcoholic beverages. Skin diseases are often caused by the accumulation of “dampness” and “heat,” leading to the formation of “toxins.” Patients with skin conditions usually have a constitution characterized by congenital weakness of the spleen and stomach. When they consume excessive amounts of spicy foods, shrimp, crab, seafood, and other highly stimulating foods, or when they consume a large amount of raw and cold food during the summer, it can lead to the accumulation of damp toxins in the body. This can easily cause abnormalities in spleen and stomach functions, increasing the likelihood of developing eczema.
