I am a 39-year-old woman who suffers from acne, which covers my face and body including my chest, back, shoulders and stomach. They surfaced during my pregnancy and have not cleared up 1 1/2 months after I gave birth. I am currently breast-feeding.

Acne is a disorder resulting from the body's hormonal changes and an excess secretion of oil from the skin's sebaceous glands, as well as clogging of hair follicles by substances such as dirt.

It is caused by a deficiency in the functions of the lung, stomach, intestines and kidney. Lung and stomach heat, excessive liver fire as well as pathogenic factors such as heat, fire, dampness and phlegm are also responsible.

Chinese medicine such as honeysuckle flower (jinyinhua) and wild chrysanthemum flower (yejuhua) can minimise pus-infected lesions, while weeping forsythia capsule (lianqiao) and baical skullcap root (huangqin) dispel lung heat and increase body fluid.

Cablin patchouli herb (huoxiang) and officinal magnolia bark (houpo) are used to dispel heat and dampness in the stomach and intestines.

Do not smoke or consume alcohol, coffee, tea and spicy or oily food as these create heat and dampness. Instead, eat more vegetables and fruit to strengthen the digestive system and reduce stomach heat and dampness.

Food such as carrots, barley, tomatoes, cucumber and green tea can control over-production of facial oil, while green bean and winter melon reduce skin inflammation.

Information provided by Ms Lim Lay Beng, a TCM physician at YS Healthcare TCM Clinic in The Adelphi.