Skin diseases and role of homeopathy

We often hear from others that Homeopathy is best suited for skin diseases. While homeopathy does benefit in many diseases, common people perceive it is best suited for skin diseases. Let’s learn about some skin diseases and role of homeopathy in the same.

Why Homeopathy has an upper hand in the treatment of skin diseases.

There are a variety of skin diseases. They vary in terms of symptoms (each one showing a different set of symptoms). Skin disease range in severity (mild to difficult to treat). Some of them are situational and some develop due to hereditary factors. Few skin diseases are more likely to be seen in childhood and some affects adults.

Very few people recognize that skin is the largest organ of the body in terms of body weight and the surface area. The skin is the organ which protects the important internal organs from the outside world. It protects from external influences and infections. It also regulates the body temperature to keep you healthy.

Going by this fact, we must recognize that the diseases appearing on the skin are not just the local diseases. The diseases have appeared because of some internal disharmony in a majority of cases. Internal disharmony may range from hormonal imbalance to immunity disturbances.

If the skin diseases are caused due to some internal disharmony then the treatment cannot be limited to the application of some local lotions or ointments. These external applications will help to reduce the symptoms but cannot treat the real cause. On the contrary, it may have adverse effects by suppressing the skin disease.

The common symptoms we notice when the skin is infected are redness, burning, swelling, and itching. The variety of skin diseases forms a particular pattern or show a particular set of symptoms which helps the physician to diagnose the condition. Once the condition is been diagnosed then the treatment protocol, which is pre-decided on the basis of diagnosis, is followed. In a majority of cases, the same treatment protocol is followed.

Need for individualized treatment protocol in skin diseases:

It is important to follow a personalized treatment protocol based on the susceptibilities, tendencies, hereditary factors, personal responses, emotional aspect, etc of each individual patient with skin disease.

The different diseases which appear on the skin like acne, eczema, psoriasis, urticaria, lichen planus, molluscum, vitiligo, etc.show up on the skin with the difference in appearance and follow a separate set of symptoms.

The majority of these skin diseases have one thing in common, that they are related to the weakened immune system.

How do you get a skin disease: A person has got a genetic tendency to certain skin diseases when a favorable life circumstance is met with this tendency, it shows up in the form of skin disease.

Acne:

Commonly known as pimples, Acne causes spots or blisters on the face, shoulders, back, neck, chest, and upper arms. It involves the oil glands (sebaceous glands) which are present at the base of hair follicles. It is usually caused due to hereditary factors or hormonal imbalance.

Homeopathic medicines treat a variety of root factors responsible for acne. It detoxifies the system, rejuvenates and improves the texture of skin.

Role of Homeopathy in Eczema

Eczema is a condition where different parts of the skin become inflamed with redness, itching. This leads to scratching resulting in the roughness of the skin, dryness further developing in cracks, occasionally blisters filled with pus may appear.

Eczema is believed to be caused due to genetic tendencies which run in the families and is triggered or increased by various environmental factors.

Treatment and management of eczema require a strategy based on the age of the patient, stage of the disease, probable causes, etc. as it is not just a superficial skin disease. A homeopath takes into account and targets the root cause of Eczema. This is possible by selecting deep acting homeopathic drugs.

Psoriasis:

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated skin disease which tends to last for years characterized by raised red patchy dry eruptions along with scaling and inflammation of the skin.

The exact cause to get psoriasis is unknown however immunity and heredity factors play important role in causing and development of psoriasis. Most of the times some trigger factors are required for psoriasis to flare. The skin cells in people affected by psoriasis grow at an abnormally fast rate, which causes the accumulation of psoriasis eruptions.

Homeopathy treatment aims at treating the disease at immunity level thereby increasing body’s own healing capacity. It also works by addressing genetic tendencies. While treating we look into several causes of psoriasis-like genetic, stress-induced and environmental factors.

Urticaria:

Urticaria is a skin eruption which may be allergic or nonallergic characterized by red spots or patches with intense itching or burning anywhere on the body. These spots or patches are raised above the skin surface worsened by scratching or warmth. These rashes have a tendency to appear and disappear without leaving any marks.

Allergy causes 20 % cases of urticaria. While the rest 80 % cases are immunological.

Treatment of urticaria cannot be just giving anti-allergic medicines or antihistamines. The treatment of urticaria should be addressed to treat the root causes involving immunity. The treatment should be able to correct the abnormal response of the body (hypersensitivity).

Lichen planus:

Lichen planus is a relatively common skin disease that comes with episodes lasting months to years. Basically, it is caused by the reaction in response to more than one provoking factor like stress, genetics, infective (viral hepatitis C) and immunologic (autoimmune), etc.

Lichen planus eruptions appear as shiny, flat-topped bumps having an angular shape. These bumps have a reddish-purplish color with a shiny cast with very fine scales.

Homeopathic treatment aims at reducing the active phase of lichen planus which takes care of the eruptions, burning and itching reduce and eruptions start healing from within. It controls the relapses or recurrence.

Vitiligo:

Vitiligo is a skin disease which presents as white patches on different parts of the body. This is due to the destruction or underproduction of the cells that make pigment (color) in the skin. These color cells are called as melanocytes.

It is termed as an autoimmune disease where body mistakes one of its parts as foreign then attacks and kill them. In vitiligo, the immune system mistakes melanocytes as foreign and destroy it.

Homeopath aims the treatment at making the skin look evenly toned. The treatment protocol depends upon the number of white patches, how widespread the patches are and the treatment the person has taken before opting for homeopathy.