Skin: the third lung

“As the interface between our inner and outer worlds, the Lung manages external security. Sometimes referred to as the ‘third lung’, the skin is the outermost surface of the self, providing an elastic envelope that contains us, protecting us against intrusion. Lung Perspires through the dermal layer: Through perspiration, in addition to opening and closing the pores, it constantly adjusts the humidity and temperature of the body. Like a screen of variable porosity, the Lung tightens and thickens the skin to protect itself from harmful influences and seal off valuable internal resources, or loosens and thins the skin to release unwanted internal substances or feelings and allow the penetration of desirable influences. – Beinfield, Harriet and Efrem Korngold. Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. New York: Ballantine, 1992. Print.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the skin is held in great reverence. It is more than a barrier between the inside of the body and the outside environment. It is linked to the Lung organ function (ie a breathing/eliminating function) and consequently to the Metal element energy.

But there’s more: Your skin is particularly important because it’s a reflective organ that provides important tell-tale signals of what’s going on inside your body. Any recurring skin problem in the same area is an indicator of your health status. Your skin’s role as a provider of natural early warning signs can help you maintain or achieve better wellness.

We all know that smoking is very bad for our health, but few realize the terrible cumulative effect that smoking has on the health and quality of the skin. This is because the lungs and skin have very specific and direct connections and this is why Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) refers to the skin as the third lung.

For most people, twenty to thirty minutes of rapid breathing three times a week is enough for the health of your skin and body. During these sessions, the breath should be deep enough to completely empty the lungs and then completely renew the oxygen content of the lungs. The lack of frequent and deep breathing causes parts of the lungs and a significant part of the pulmonary alveoli to remain collapsed.

Experts point to the need to breathe from the abdomen and not simply from the top of the lungs. This action helps the movement of the diaphragm, the largest muscle in the body that acts as an important pump for the movement of lymph and water throughout the body.

The lungs (along with the skin, kidneys, and colon) are one of the four main organs for removing body waste (gases, liquids, and solids). Poor pulmonary energy manifests as disorders of the skin and mucous membranes, as well as poor venous and lymphatic circulation. The lungs and large intestine are responsible for separation, distillation, and elimination.

The reflex zone of the lungs is located in the face, that is, in the cheeks that extend from the corner of the mouth, along the jaw to the ear, on both sides.

The lungs are paired with the large intestine in TCM (lungs: yin and large intestine: yang). They belong to the Metal element/Autumn season. The lungs are the place where the internal energy of the nutrients in the blood mixes with the external energy of the air to provide vital energy.

The skin is called the third lung in TCM because it is the boundary between the internal and the external. For this reason, the skin is regulated by the energy of Metal. Breathing (lungs) affects the movement of vital energy through the body.

It is said, “Where chi goes, energy flows.” Mind-body exercises like yoga demonstrate how intention and breath can direct energy with its attendant therapeutic benefits.