Eczema & Psoriasis

Eczema, Psoriasis & Acne

Both eczema and psoriasis are potentially allergic conditions that can be triggered by common foods, environmental factors and dozens of other external irritants like laundry detergent, soaps and household chemicals.

Eczema and Psoriasis

These inflammatory conditions of the skin are slightly different conditions, but the terms are often used generically for any itchy, red, scaly skin problem.

While psoriasis is known as an autoimmune condition eczema is referred to as an allergic condition. The important thing is that neither of them are actually skin conditions they are both mediated by an imbalance in the immune system and made worse by poor detoxification and elimination by the liver and kidneys.

Conventional wisdom will tell you that these conditions are “poorly understood”, “may have a genetic origin” and that “there is no cure” but with medication (for the rest of your life) & expensive creams that don’t really seem to work your condition “can be controlled”.

Hydrocortisone cream or ointment is the most commonly prescribed conventional treatment for eczema and psoriasis. This is a strong and toxic medicine of limited effectiveness.

Long-term use of steroid creams can result in side effects, such as thin, fragile, dry skin and even suppression of the adrenal glands. For these reasons, medications of this kind can only be used for short periods of time, which is not very helpful to the chronic sufferer.

Naturopathic medicine looks at these conditions with a different perspective. The aim is to find what substances are causing the disruption to the immune system. Treatment focuses on restoring balance to the overactive immune system and supporting the organs of elimination.

While some foods are generally known to make these conditions worse e.g. oranges, chocolate, eggs, cow’s milk, gluten and food additives; the foods that are the direct cause of the immune disruption are completely individual and are identified through Bio-Compatibility Testing.

When food is not digested properly large proteins can enter the blood and initiate an immune response (this is the basis of a food allergy).These large proteins can also cause inflammation and damage to the digestive tract itself which can lead to more proteins entering the blood increasing your allergy potential; both exacerbating and maintaining the skin condition.

The immune response to these proteins results in a release of inflammatory mediators like histamine. When the liver and kidneys fail to eliminate this excess of histamine it can concentrate in the skin causing the rash.

We Recommend Bio-Compatibility Testing

A small hair sample is taken and tested against more than 500 common foods and household chemical products. Once you eliminate the reactive foods from your diet the digestive tract will start to heal, the allergy response will begin to subside and the inflammation in the skin will significantly reduce.

Babies with these conditions are often reacting to food antigens passed from the mother during pregnancy or breastfeeding. While some babies will be born with eczema many will develop it as they are introduced to solid food. For optimum results for a breastfed baby we recommend that both the mother and baby be tested for food sensitivities.

Supplements That Will Help

Vitamin D in the form of sun exposure is your best friend when dealing with either of these skin conditions, but it’s especially helpful for psoriasis. Ideally, you’ll want to get your vitamin D from appropriate sunshine exposure because UVB radiation on your skin will not only metabolize vitamin D, but will also help restore ideal skin function. Ten to twenty minutes of sun exposure directly on affected skin per day (not so much to cause sunburn) will greatly improve the quality of your skin. Babies can safely take a cod liver oil supplement that will provide them with both vitamin A and D.

Probiotics and digestive enzymes: optimizing digestion will reduce the risk of large proteins entering the blood. Probiotics will help restore the damage to the digestive tract and also teach the immune system to be less reactive to potential allergens.

To relieve the itch simply put a saltwater compress over the itchy area. You’ll want to use a high quality natural salt, such as Himalayan salt. Make a solution with warm water, soak a compress, and apply the compress over the affected area. You’ll be amazed to find that the itching will virtually disappear! You could also try bicarbonate of soda.

Calendula Cream: These creams are very popular in Europe for the topical treatment of eczema and psoriasis. The cream is often combined with soothing chamomile for a variety of skin conditions. It should be applied topically two or three times a day.

Omega-3 fatty acids: People with skin disorders frequently have low levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies indicate that supplementation with omega-3 fats will reduce severity and inflammation of eczema and psoriasis. You could take a fish oil supplement or increase your intake of cold water fish.Omega 6 oils are also beneficial so a combination of fish oil and evening primrose oil may suit some people. Include fresh nuts and seeds in your diet as well as nut and seed oils, especially flaxseed oil.

In addition, be sure you're taking a good multi-vitamin that contains beta-carotene and vitamin A that promotes tissue healing. Another helpful vitamin is vitamin E because it helps moisturize skin from the inside and promotes tissue healing. Taking selenium will help the body use vitamin E. Finally; taking Zinc is a good choice, as it helps with wound healing.

Coconut oil: Contains lauric acid, a rare type of fat found only in coconut oil and mother’s breast milk. Our bodies convert lauric acid into monolaurin, a compound that is highly toxic to viruses, bacteria, fungus and other microorganisms. It also deeply penetrates and moisturizes the skin while protecting it from environmental and free radical damage.

Other skin disorders

By now you may realise that the name given to your skin condition is just a name. Any inflammatory condition of the skin will have the same basis in its development i.e. allergy and immune response including Lupus, Guttate Psoriasis, Lichen Planus, Lichen Sclerosis, Dermatitis herpetiformis etc.

Acne

Acne is a common and often chronic skin condition primarily affecting adolescents and young adults. The condition is often dismissed by many doctors as a “minor concern” but, for many people it severely affects their quality of life – lowering self-esteem and leading to anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.

Fundamentally acne vulgaris is an androgen problem exacerbated by factors such as stress, other hormone imbalances, blood sugar imbalances, immune imbalances particularly inflammation & overwhelmed organs of detoxification. Androgens are the “male-type” hormones produced by both men and women and stimulate sebum (oil) production at the hair follicle. If androgens are overactive increased sebum production can lead to blocked pores and subsequent bacterial infection – the result – a blackhead or pimple. Androgens typically rise in adolescents thus the prevalence of acne in this age group however it is not unusual to find “normal” blood androgen levels. In this case excess androgen activity may be due to over active enzymes leading to androgen sensitivity at the hair follicle or high insulin coupled with high insulin like growth factor (IGF-1) levels.

Much like androgens, IGF-1 is required for the development of acne. High insulin levels stimulate the release of IGF-1 and blocks the release of IGF binding protein; the net effect of this is a significant increase in bioactive IGF-1 in the blood. IGF-1 in turn stimulates the release of DHEA from the liver and inhibits the release of sex hormone binding globulins. Again, the net effect is a significant increase in bioavailable androgens in the blood. DHEA makes its way into the skin where it’s converted into testosterone and DHT; this conversion is increased due to high insulin and IGF-1 levels. These hormones stimulate the skin to produce more oil, which makes it much more likely that you get acne. High stress levels are another culprit as they increase the production of androgens from the adrenal glands.

The female menstrual cycle can also influence the tendency to acne. During the first half of the cycle, oestrogen balances the effects of testosterone and keeps sebum production under control and the skin is clear. Oestrogen levels drop after ovulation while progesterone levels increase. Without the balancing effect of oestrogen, testosterone stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. Increase in progesterone levels likely further stimulates sebum production. The end result of these hormonal fluctuations is that the skin becomes oily and you are more likely to get acne.

We must also consider the role of our skin as a detoxification organ. From the natural medicine point of view our skin carries the burden if other major detoxification organs such as the gut, liver and lymphatics are overwhelmed. Immunity is also compromised if these systems are overwhelmed increasing the likelihood of inflammation and infection – also key components of acne. Addressing these three systems through diet, lifestyle, and herbal “detoxification” often goes a long way to improve all sorts of skin conditions including acne. Diet clearly influences the tendency to acne in many people particularly a high intake of poor dietary fats (saturated, transfats, highly processed fats, too many Omega 6’s etc), processed foods of all types, dairy products, high sugar, alcohol, sports drinks etc. Adopting a diet high in whole foods rich in dietary fibres & antioxidants; filtered water; good fats (omega 3’s) and adequate high quality protein goes a long way to promoting good health and calming acne.

Obviously “Clearing Acne from the Inside Out” is not a simple, one prescription fits all condition. In many cases acne, particularly acne that persists is a sign that general health is not all it could be. Getting onto a “real food diet”, using herbal medicines to support detoxification pathways and balance hormones will go a long way to correcting the underlying drivers of acne and along the way improve health & wellness on many other levels.

If you would like to use a natural approach to alleviate your skin condition contact Linda Lowen the best naturopath in Adelaide at the Highbury Natural Health Centre Ph: 8395 2836