Integrative TCM Dermatolgy
Healing the Soil, Not Just the Plant
Conditions We Treat
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Alopecia & Hair Loss
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Contact Dermatitis
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Dyshidrotic Eczema (Pompholyx)
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Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
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Fungal Infections / Tinea
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Herpes Simplex & Zoster (Shingles)
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Lichen Planus & Sclerosus
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Psoriasis
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Rosacea
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Seborrheic Dermatitis
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Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW)
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Urticaria (Hives)
Rory Holwerda, BHSc. CMD
Registered Doctor of Chinese Medicine
With over 15 years of experience and five years of intensive clinical study in Australia, Rory specializes in systemic Chinese Medicine dermatology. His approach moves beyond topical-only treatments to address the internal drivers of chronic skin conditions. By integrating traditional diagnostic wisdom with a biomedical-informed perspective, Rory provides results-oriented care for patients who have often exhausted conventional options. He focuses on restoring skin health by identifying and treating the body as a single, interconnected system.
If you’ve tried steroid creams, antibiotics, biologics, strict elimination diets, or multiple “natural” protocols — and your skin still flares — you’re not alone.
At The Reset Clinic, I focus on chronic, inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and recurrent hives. This approach is not about replacing one cream with another. And it’s not built around extreme food restriction or long lists of foods you’re no longer allowed to eat.
TCM Dermatology views chronic skin disease as a systemic inflammatory pattern involving immune regulation, digestion, stress physiology, circulation, and skin barrier function.
The skin is understood as an output of internal imbalance — not an isolated surface problem.Treatment centers on precisely formulated internal herbal prescriptions, adjusted over time based on your clinical response.
Dietary guidance, when given, is practical and sustainable — not rigid elimination dieting. The goal is measurable reduction in flare frequency, severity, and long-term reactivity.
Care at our Halifax clinic is structured, monitored, and individualized. If conventional treatments have provided temporary relief but not lasting stability, this is where we take a deeper, more methodical approach.
At The Reset Clinic, I practice TCM Dermatology — a specialized medical discipline focused exclusively on complex and chronic skin conditions. While TCM is commonly associated with acupuncture, dermatology within Chinese medicine is its own advanced field. It requires additional training and clinical experience to understand how internal inflammatory patterns, immune regulation, digestion, and stress physiology influence conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and chronic hives.
This is not a cosmetic approach and it is not symptom masking.
The goal is diagnostic precision — identifying the internal drivers of redness, itching, flaking, breakouts, or recurrent flares — and addressing them with customized herbal prescriptions.At our Halifax clinic, treatment plans are structured, individualized, and adjusted over time based on clinical response.
The focus is measurable improvement, reduced flare frequency, and long-term skin stability.Our treatments support the body’s healing without harsh steroids, immune suppressants, or long-term antibiotics.
Our Diagnostic Translation
When we assess your skin, we are observing specific biomarkers that tell us which biological systems need a "reset."
TCM Pattern
Heat
Dampness
Wind
Blood Stasis
Blood Deficiency
Dryness
Physical Presentation
Intense redness, burning, or heat to the touch.
Oozing, weeping, blisters, or swelling (edema).
Intense, sudden, or shifting itching (pruritus).
Purple, dark red, or brown discoloration;
fixed pain.
Pale, thin, or dull skin; slow healing.
Scaling, cracking, or parched skin.
Biomedical Correlates
Inflammation & Vasodilation: Pro-inflammatory activity and increased blood flow to the skin surface.
Exudative Response: Increased capillary permeability, lymphatic stagnation, or bacterial/fungal overgrowth.
Neuro-Inflammation: Histamine release and hypersensitivity of the peripheral nervous system.
Micro-Circulatory Dysfunction: Poor microcirculation, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Nutrient Insufficiency: Anemia, poor epidermal growth factor activity, or lack of essential fatty acids.
Barrier Dysfunction: Transepidermal water loss and impaired sebaceous gland activity.
Dual-Action Herbal Therapy
Because skin issues are an internal problem manifesting externally, our treatments are designed to work from both directions.
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Internal Reset: Custom-blended herbal teas or granules are prescribed to be taken internally. These formulas work systemically to regulate your immune response, reduce itch, cool inflammation or nourish deficiencies that lead to chronic skin conditions.
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Topical Support: We supplement your internal work with hand-crafted botanical salves, washes, or liniments. These provide immediate relief to the skin’s surface, protecting your barrier against the harsh, salt-heavy Halifax air while the internal herbs do the heavy lifting.
The Role of Acupuncture: Supportive, Not Primary
At The Reset Clinic, we are known for our precision acupuncture, but when it comes to the complex world of dermatology, we believe in total transparency.
For stubborn, chronic skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or cystic acne, acupuncture alone is usually insufficient. While it is an incredible "accessory" tool—perfect for calming the nervous system and reducing the intense itch-reflex—it cannot reach the deep, systemic roots of a skin flare.
To truly recalibrate your skin, we must change your internal chemistry. That is why our dermatological "reset" is herbal-first. We use potent, internal and external botanical formulas to do the heavy lifting, while utilizing acupuncture as a supportive therapy to manage stress and accelerate the healing process.
Embracing a New Language of Healing
Chinese Medicine Dermatology is far more nuanced than a simple list of symptoms. It is a sophisticated language of health that might feel unfamiliar at first. Terms like "Wind" or "Damp-Heat" represent a highly organized diagnostic system that has successfully treated chronic skin disease for millennia.We invite you to embrace these concepts, while the language may be new, it represents a time-tested roadmap to your body’s natural reset.
At The Reset Clinic, we bridge the gap between this time-tested clinical wisdom and your modern health needs, providing a clear, evidence-based path to resilient skin.