Author's Preface

This book is part of the “International Standard Library of Chinese Medicine”series initiated by the People's Medical Publishing House of China.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Cosmetology (CMC), which is a new branch of TCM, has been developing rapidly in China during the last two decades and has already been taught in higher education institutions for a number of years. In order to allow students who study TCM abroad to obtain the genuine and abundant CMC knowledge on its theories, techniques and applications,we based on college textbooks in China and made reference to recent literature in TCM to publish the first edition of this textbook in English in 2011.Most writers of this book have years of clinical experience in CMC, and the contents regarding formulas,acupuncture and moxibustion, tui na, and other therapies have been reviewed and commented by experts in each particular field. Eight years later a new edition of this book is now issued in which some improvements have been made to the first edition.

This book aims to combine theoretical interpretation and clinical practice.PartⅠ covers the fundamental theories,knowledge and treatment techniques that are closely related to clinical applications while PartⅡ consists of 41 detailed accounts of various cosmetic defects and diseases leading to the loss of beauty. Each sub-section in PartⅡexplains the causes and mechanisms of the diseases, and provides specific approaches to the prevention and treatment via formulas, diet, acupuncture and moxibustion, massage and tui na, qi gong,and other therapies. Clinical comments or case studies are also included at the end of some major chapters, enabling readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the content and put knowledge into practice.

In order to preserve the traditional characteristics of CMC, a large number of effective ancient formulas or practices have been introduced in this book. Though the diseases discussed in PartⅡ are mostly named according to customs of TCM, a conversion table for TCM and Western medicine names could be found in the appendix. Related knowledge in Western medicine is also touched on in some chapters to broaden the reader's perspective on the subject.

This book is targeted for teachers and students of Chinese medicine as a textbook or a reference book for CMC; as well as clinical practitioners of Chinese medicine to improve their skills. General readers who are beauty lovers might also find it a useful introduction to some practical and traditional methods to enhance beauty naturally.