Some skin conditions can be easily treated, while others are chronic and can be very stubborn. They range from mild to severe psoriasis and eczema to cold sores, rosacea, and other skin problems. Trying to treat a chronic skin condition can become a constant and long struggle, and keeping a positive state of mind is not always an easy task. Everyone must walk his own path to heal a skin condition, but hopefully these following tips will help you cope with the challenges of a chronic skin disease.
Consult a qualified practitioner to help you
The cause of a chronic skin disease can be very complex; this is why it is paramount to seek the advice of a qualified practitioner. To treat a skin problem effectively, you first need to diagnose the problem. This makes perfect sense, except that many dermatological symptoms have no clear diagnosis. Some skin diseases are often said to be incurable. But this is not true. Once you know what the problem is, you are on the way to proper treatment. It is a good thing to see a naturopath as early as possible. Do keep in mind that some conditions are easier to treat the earlier the treatment begins. Naturopathic medicine treats health conditions by utilizing the body’s inherent ability to heal. Naturopathic physicians aid the healing process by incorporating a variety of alternative methods based on the patient’s individual needs. Diet, lifestyle, work, and personal history are all considered when determining a treatment. Naturopathic medicine does not focus on disease symptoms but rather the underlying cause!
Diet and gut health: clear skin starts with a healthy gut!
It is believed that lots of skin conditions are connected to gut health. Intestinal permeability (a.k.a. “leaky gut”) causes both systemic and local inflammation, which in turn can contribute to skin disease. Epidemiological evidence shows a clear association between gut problems and skin disorders. If you have a chronic skin condition, be ready to change your diet. Removing dairy and gluten can be very effective, but every individual is different and there is no unique protocol for one person; everybody has to adapt its diet depending on the symptoms and skin condition.
Follow a personalized skincare daily routine
Take care of your skin, everyday not just during flare-ups. These are general guidelines, but keep in mind it also depends on your skin condition:
- Don’t let bath or shower water get too hot.
- Clean your skin, but don’t overdo. Too much cleansing depletes the skin’s natural moisturizers.
- Avoid scratching the lesions as subsequent scratching can cause excessive damage and infection.
- Don’t wear tightly-fitting clothing, which can irritate the skin.
- Moisturize your skin daily with a gentle natural products (without fragrance) –avoid chemicals! Apply it directly to your wet skin after a bath or shower so that the moisturizer can help trap surface moisture.
- A little bit of sunshine is usually good for the skin in order to get some vitamin D, but avoid sunburns…
Be patient and determined: don’t give up!
The healing process can take a while and be very frustrating. It usually depends on how leaky your gut is, how inflamed your body is, how well you are sleeping and managing stress, the severity of your skin disease, etc. That being said, It’s actually quite hard to predict who will see dramatic, rapid improvement and who will have a long drawn-out recovery. Your body may need time to heal itself, repair damaged tissues and restore hormone balance. If you are patient and determined, you will get some results at one point! Try to keep a positive state of mind and believe in healing. Most importantly, don’t give up. Skin diseases can be caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and diet and lifestyle factors. You can’t control your genetics, but you can control your diet and lifestyle.
In addition, meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises can definitely help. Regular meditation can improve the symptoms of many skin conditions and be a powerful remedy to cure unhealthy emotional states. Read this article: Can meditation ward off stress and skin disease?
Don’t underestimate the psychosocial impact
Skin diseases can be difficult to cope with and have a big psychological impact on patients. Skin disease is often obvious and very visible to others. Those who suffer from skin diseases have not only to cope with the effects of their disease but also the reaction of others to their condition. Even mild skin diseases can have an adverse effect and disrupt enjoyment of life for sufferers. A survey of patients with psoriasis from Denmark showed that impairment of quality of life (QOL) correlated poorly with severity of disease. Ability to cope is more important.
Also, the cause of skin disease can be an emotional trauma. Some people’s skin is especially emotionally reactive and in this case, seeing a psychodermatologist can be very helpful. Psychodermatology is the interaction between mind and skin. Psychodermatology practitioners treat skin the way a psychotherapist treats behavior – by learning how it responds to emotional and environmental stressors and helping to moderate those responses.
Sources for this article include:
- https://www.patient.co.uk
- https://www.psychologytoday.com
- https://chriskresser.com
- https://www.everydayhealth.com
- Disclaimer
Article by
J. Beck
DISCLAIMER
The information provided on Optiderma.com is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified practitioner.
If you are allergic to the foods, herbs, essential oils, any remedies listed here, you must of course avoid them. For example, consuming food that you’re sensitive to will only cause more (not reduce!) inflammation.
Please consult a practitioner (such as Naturopath, Homeopath, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Dermatologist, ...) to follow the most appropriate treatment to heal your skin. All legal mentions »
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