Can perilla leaf be used to treat eczema?
Jun 20, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wenmin
Introduction
When eczema belongs to the type characterized by wind-cold-dampness, perilla leaf can play an adjunctive role. This type of eczema typically presents with skin itching, worsening upon exposure to cold, non-red or pale skin at the affected areas, clear and thin exudate, and patients often experience heavy limbs, pale tongue, and white coating on the tongue. Perilla leaf is warm in nature and pungent in taste; it can dispel cold and dampness, relieve wind-induced itching, and alleviate skin itching and exudation by warming the meridians and dispersing cold-dampness from the body surface.
Perilla leaf only has an auxiliary relieving effect on eczema of the wind-cold-dampness type, and has no therapeutic effect on eczema of the damp-heat type or severe allergic eczema; it may even worsen the condition. If abnormalities occur, prompt medical attention is recommended. Detailed analysis is as follows:
When eczema belongs to the wind-cold-dampness type, perilla leaf can play an auxiliary role. This type of eczema typically presents as skin itching, worsening with cold exposure, non-red or pale skin at the affected site, clear or thin exudate, and patients often feel heavy limbs, have a pale tongue and white coating. Perilla leaf is warm in nature and acrid in taste, capable of dispersing cold, eliminating dampness, relieving wind-induced itching. By warming and unblocking meridians and expelling cold-dampness from the body surface, it can alleviate skin itching and exudation, providing some relief for mild symptoms. However, this effect is merely auxiliary and cannot replace medical treatment.
If eczema belongs to the damp-heat type or involves a strong allergic reaction, perilla leaf is not suitable. Damp-heat type eczema commonly presents with red and swollen skin, burning itching, yellow exudate, sticky bowel movements, red tongue with yellow coating. At this time, the warm-drying nature of perilla leaf may aggravate internal damp-heat, leading to expansion of skin lesions and increased exudation; patients with severe allergic eczema often have significantly impaired skin barriers, and topical use of perilla leaf may trigger contact dermatitis, worsening the allergic reaction.
If symptoms such as redness, swelling, heat, pain, exudation, ulceration of the skin, or continuously worsening conditions occur, immediate medical attention is necessary to receive standardized anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory treatment. Do not blindly rely on perilla leaf and delay proper treatment.
