Dermatitis is an inflammation of tbe skin that can base many causes, including allergy or infection. !litany Ines of dermatitis are more commonly known as eczema. Some classifications include atypic dermatitis (petaled to an allergy), contact dermatitis (related loan allergy or irritant), and seborrbeic (related to irregularities of sebaceous, or oil, glands).
CONVENTIONAL APPROACH
Allopathic medicine works to relieve the pain of rashes and, in some patients, attempts to shorten and ease the course of the disease. Medications and lifestyle adjustments are the main weapons of conventional medicine.
Dermatologists may instruct patients on ways to eliminate irritants, such as scratchy clothing and certain lotions, and how to bathe properly. A physician may also advise stress-reduction techniques to eliminate or alleviate anxiety-induced flare-ups.Treat-malts can include
- medications applied to the skin, including corticosteroid ointments or tar creams, which stop the redness, itching, and inflammation but can cause side effects such as thinning of the skin
- oral drugs including antihistamines (to control allergy-induced itching) antibiotics (to fight infection), and corticosteroids (to reduce inflammation), with side effects ranging from simple drowsiness to chronic high blood pressure
- ultraviolet light therapy in severe cases, but the risks and benefits must be weighed carefully
After treatment, dermatitis may return, and then another course of treatment is necessary. Although some dermatitis conditions are thought to be related to allergies, the sufferers often do not test positive for the offending allergens.
SYMPTOMS
- Skin is red or brownish, blistering, oozing, crusting, or scaly
- Itching varies from mild to intense.
- It commonly occurs on . scalp, face, neck, upper chest, elbow bends, wrists, backs of knees, or ankles.
- With infants, it appears on face, scalp, or diaper area.
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
With dermatitis, traditional Chinese medicine aims to correct imbalances in the total body, not just in the skin. The menu of treatments can include herbal medicine, acupuncture, and dietary recommendations.
A traditional Chinese physician tailors the therapy to the needs of each dermatitis sufferer. For example, two people with the same condition won’t necessarily take the same herbs or follow the same exercise regimen. Researchers in London showed that traditional Chinese herbal therapy benefits both adults and children with atopic dermatitis. In one trial, adults were given either a daily mixture of ten herbs (which had been simmered in water) or a placebo. Contrary to Chinese medicine’s philosophy, which usually prescribes medicine on an individual basis, these researchers gave the identical herbal formula to all study patients. Nonetheless, after two months, those taking the herbs experienced significantly less redness, scaling, and other symptoms than the subjects taking the placebo.
A dermatitis treatment might call for a daily herbal tea, made by boiling and then simmering dried herbs for an hour and a half. The tea could include the following traditional Chinese herbs (a Chien is a traditional unit of measure for herbs that equals about 3.75 grams or about ‘hi ounce):
- 1.5 chien Clematis armatuili
- 1.5-2 chien Dictamnus dasycarpus (bai xian pi)
- 1-1.5 chien Glycyrrbizaglabra (licorice)
- 2 chien Ledebouriella seseloides (fang feng)
- 2 Chien Lopbaiberum gracile (dan zhu ye)
- 2-3 chien Paeonia lactiflora (red peony)
- 2-3 chien Rebmannia glutinosa (di huang)
- 1.5-2 chien Scbiaonepela lenuifolia
- 2-3 chien Tribulus tenvaris ci ji li
Because traditional Chinese medicine’s remedies are individualized, it is necessary to contact a qualified practitioner to obtain an accurate diagnosis and a specific prescription for your condition.
NUTRITIONAL THERAPY
According to nutritional therapy, certain foods can be one of the triggers of dermatitis, especially in children. Removing the perpetrators from the diet can give the body more tolerance for other triggers, such , as stress, dust mites, or animal dander. Dairy products, , eggs, and wheat are common culprits.
Dermatitis Sufferers may not necessarily test allergic to the foods whose elimination helps their skin condition. For this reason, some practitioners prefer to use the terms “food intolerance” or “food sensitivities” instead of “food allergies.” Dermatitis sufferers may also benefit from adding essential Fatty adds, which promote healthy skin. In one study, a group of Italian researchers treated two- to four-year-old children suffering from atopic eczema with daily doses of evening primrose oil (rich in essential fatty acids). After four weeks, the children’s symptoms dramatically improved. These young patients continued the treatment for 20 weeks with the same results and experienced no adverse side effects. Other studies have also confirmed these positive findings.
Supplementation with vitamin A, vitamin E, and zinc can also be useful in some cases of topic dermatitis.
To see if any foods are related to your skin reaction, a nutritional practitioner may suggest an elimination diet. Cut the following items from your diet for two to three weeks:
- milk
- cheese
- eggs
- pork
- fish
- shellfish
- nuts
- all fruit (including tomatoes)
- wheat
- yeast
Keep note of the changes in your skin condition. If there’s been an improvement after two to three weeks, the practitioner may suggest a food challenge: Reintroduce the foods one at time, starting with the one you used to eat most often. If none of your symptoms returns in a day or two, keep that food in your diet. Naturally, if the redness and inflammation resurface, eliminate the culprit from your diet for good. Continue to reintroduce other foods every two to three days and keep track of the results.
HERBAL MEDICINE Herbal medicine practitioners think that some parts of the body—such as the liver or the nervous system—may need strengthening and tonifying to head off a case of dermatitis. Several herbs can assist in cleansing the body and getting rid of toxins. Burdock, for example, is a liver tonic; when the Liver is working well to filter toxins from the blood, the skin is generally healthier. Similarly, red clover is a very effective blood purifier.
Other herbs can directly ease the pain of itchy, inflamed skin. For example, preparations made from licorice root, calendula (marigold) flower heads, and especially ginkgo all have potent anti-inflammatory effects when used topically.
Here’s a tip to soothe inflamed skin:
- Dip a chamomile tea bag in comfortably warm water.
- Hold on the lesion for a couple of minutes.
- Reheat and repeat if desired. In cases where the dermatitis covers a large area, chamomile extract in a cream form may be easier than using the tea hags.
OTHER THERAPIES
Acupuncture—Treatments can correct any imbalances in vied life energy (perhaps along the lung, large intestine, or liver stem meridians) that may be triggering skin inflammation.
Detoxification, Fasting, and Colon Therapy—The skin reveals any upsets or impurities inside the boil); so detoxifica-tion therapy is helpful.
Homeopathy—specific remedies must be tailored to the individual, but common prescriptions include graphites, rhos toxicodendron, and sulphur.
Hypnotherapy-– liypnotic trances can give the subconscious mind suggestions regarding stress reduction and the healing of the inflanunation.
Meditation—Regular meditation is useful for stress reduction and deep breathing, both important to a well-rounded dermatitis treatment program.