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Skin conditions (Psoriasis, Eczema, Acne)
If you deal with eczema, psoriasis, acne, or other skin problems, you know how frustrating and debilitating these conditions can be and how difficult it can be to find solutions. They are chronic, nagging skin problems that do not go away. They can, however, be managed with excellent results. Medications and lifestyle changes can work together to get chronic skin problems under control.
Eczema
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a recurring, non-infectious, inflammatory skin condition. It affects one in three Australians at some stage throughout their lives.
The symptoms of eczema almost always involve itching. Sometimes the itching will start before the rash appears, but when it does, the rash most commonly appears on the face, back of the knees, wrists, hands, or feet. It may also affect other areas as well. Affected areas usually appear very dry, thickened, or scaly. The condition can also flare and subside for no apparent reason. Eczema can vary in severity and symptoms may flare up or subside from day to day.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a noncontagious chronic skin disease that produces plaques of thickened, scaly skin which is result of excessively rapid proliferation of skin cells. It is an inflammatory skin condition.
Psoriasis usually starts as small, red bumps, which grow bigger and form silvery scales. The skin appears thick but may bleed easily if you pick or rub off the scales. Rashes may itch, and skin may become cracked and painful. The areas most affected are the scalp, elbows, and knees, but psoriasis can occur anywhere on the body. There is no cure for psoriasis, but it can be completely controlled with treatment.
Unfortunately, no one knows the exact cause of psoriasis. Some experts believe that it is a combination of things. Perhaps something went wrong with the immune system causing inflammation and triggering new skin cells to form too quickly. Normally, skin cells are replaced every 10 to 30 days. With psoriasis, new cells grow every 3 to 4 days. The build-up of old cells being replaced by new ones creates the silver scales.
Acne
Your skin has tiny holes called pores that can become blocked by oil, bacteria, dead skin cells, and dirt. If your skin is repeatedly affected by this condition, you may develop Acne.
Acne can be found almost anywhere on your body. It most commonly develops on your face, back, neck, chest, and shoulders. Acne most commonly starts during puberty between the ages of 10 and 13 and tends to be worse for people who have oily skin. Acne occurs in both sexes. During this time, your body undergoes hormonal changes. These changes can trigger oil production, leading to an increased risk of acne. Hormonal acne related to puberty usually subsides, or at least improves when you reach adulthood. There are certain factors which triggers the condition such as hormonal changes caused by puberty or pregnancy, certain medications, a diet high in refined sugars or carbohydrates, having parents who had acne.
There are many effective treatments for acne that reduce both the number of pimples you get and your chance of scarring. Effective treatments are available, but acne can be persistent. The pimples and bumps heal slowly, and when one begins to go away, others seem to crop up. Depending on its severity, acne can cause emotional distress and scar the skin. The earlier you start treatment, the lower your risk of such problems.
According to Ayurveda above skin conditions are related to the vitiation of any of the three doshas affecting the skin and blood as well as accumulated metabolic wastes. In general, the main dosha involved is pitta or kapha, but all three can be involved. The excess Pitta inside the body manifests toxins on the skin which result in the itchy flare-ups associated with eczema and psoriasis.
Modern skin treatments mostly depend on external applications. They may help to reduce symptoms but sometimes when stopped using external applications the conditions may flare again. Whereas, Ayurvedic treatments are not mere ‘skin deep’, it goes to the roots of the problem and help to fix the systemic route cause of the conditions. In order to get a handle on your condition, it is necessary to take a holistic approach – approaching your condition from the perspective of diet, lifestyle, plant-based skincare, and your mental state. This is the whole premise of Ayurveda as holistic, mind-body medicine.
Ayurveda offers many traditional and custom formulations that are specific to the various forms of this condition, but these can only be selected once a full evaluation is made by an Ayurvedic practitioner.
Cleansing from within is also a major factor in removing these type of conditions, as accumulated toxins tend to surface on the skin. A progressively cleaner diet may be necessary to promote the healing process and allow proper digestion of food (to avoid further accumulating toxins in the body) along with the unique cleansing therapies Ayurveda has to offer, including Panchakarma for deep detoxification, and a stress management program that would include yoga and meditation to strengthen the body while calming your mind.
Panchakarma, the basic body purification method is used in the treatment of psoriasis. Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis goes through several stages e.g. lepanam (application of ointments), abhayangam (oil massage), snehapanam (taking medicated ghee), pizhichil (full body massage), shirovasti (keeping oil on head) and basti (enema). A psoriasis patient is also given a strict diet regime called pathyam.
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