Skin conditions can be painful and frustrating, and suffering from a skin condition can often cause much deeper issues of self-confidence and self-esteem.
But while treatments are available for your symptoms, they don’t target the underlying reasons for why your skin is flaring up in the first place.
The naturopathic doctors at Annex Naturopathic have experience dealing with a wide variety of skin conditions.
Naturopathic Treatments For Eczema
Eczema, more formally known as atopic dermatitis, is a skin condition that causes red, itchy rashes.
It’s a genetic disorder, caused when your skin’s natural ability to retain moisture and protect itself from irritants is impaired. Children are most commonly affected by eczema, but it can affect anyone.
Symptoms of eczema may include:
- Itchy, dry skin
- Red or grey skin patches
- Cracked, scaly, or thicker skin
- Raw or sensitive skin
Although eczema can affect any part of your body, it’s most commonly found on the neck, chest, hands and wrists, feet and ankles, eyelids, elbows, knees, and the scalp. The face is often affected in infants.
There is currently no cure for eczema, but a naturopathic doctor can help you manage your condition and minimize its effects.
Digestive issues are common underlying causes for eczema and must be addressed when treating this condition.
Patients often respond well to an elimination diet that removes inflammatory foods, removing one of the main sources of the problem. From there, you’ll work with your naturopathic doctor to repair the damage done by these inflammatory foods and address any nutrient deficiencies. Other patients may respond well to herbal medicine and lifestyle counseling.
Whatever the cause is of your eczema, trust the naturopaths at Annex Naturopathic. Together, you and your naturopath will work to discover the root cause of your eczema and address the problem. From there, you’ll get a plan that works for you to help manage your eczema symptoms, with the goal of leaving you with clear, healthy skin.
Naturopathic Treatments For Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin condition where the life cycle of the cells in your skin speed up. Its cause isn’t yet understood, but it seems to be an autoimmune reaction related to the T cells in your body attacking healthy skin cells.
As the T cells attack your healthy skin cells, your body responds by increasing production of skin cells to replace the damaged ones, as well as more T cells. This perpetuates the redness and other skin irritations that are commonly associated with psoriasis.
What are the symptoms of psoriasis? The most telltale sign is red patches covered with thick, scaly growths on the skin. Otherwise, you may experience:
- Dry, cracked skin
- Bleeding skin
- Swollen joints
- Itching or burning sensation
- Sore skin
- Thickened or ridged nails
There is currently no known cure for psoriasis. There are, however, a number of conditions that can trigger a psoriasis flare-up. Addressing these concerns can help you manage your psoriasis better.
Like eczema, psoriasis is often linked with a digestive disorder of some sort. In particular, it’s common for those with psoriasis to also have leaky gut syndrome, a health condition where the cellular lining of your digestive tract becomes permeable and allows small bits of undigested food into your bloodstream.
Other psoriasis triggers may include stress, a vitamin deficiency, tobacco or alcohol abuse, or certain pharmaceuticals.
When you visit Annex Naturopathic for natural psoriasis treatment, your naturopath will start with a full health assessment. They will address every aspect of your health, with the goal of uncovering the root cause of your psoriasis and any other health concerns you may be facing.
Whatever it is that’s triggering your psoriasis symptoms, your naturopathic doctor will provide you with a lifestyle plan that works for you designed to address these symptoms.
Naturopathic Treatments For Acne
Acne is a skin condition just about everyone has faced at some point or another.
When you have acne, your skin’s sebaceous glands over-secrete a substance called sebum. The sebum plugs your pores, which may cause blackheads or whiteheads, both of which can develop into cystic nodules below the surface.
Acne is one of the most frustrating skin conditions we face, because although just about every-one has dealt with acne, the cause of it is not yet fully known. However, there are a number of known factors that contribute to it.
As with other skin conditions, acne has been associated with digestive disorders. While it’s a myth that eating too many chocolate bars will cause acne, food intolerances and mild allergies have been associated with acne flare-ups. At the same time, spikes in blood sugar can also trigger acne flare-ups, as can a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients, like zinc, vitamins A, B3, and B5. Hormonal imbalances, and even stress and anxiety, are known to trigger acne
Whatever the root cause is of your acne flare-ups, the naturopathic doctors at Annex Naturopathic can help. By conducting a full examination of your health, your naturopath can better understand the root causes of your acne and other health concerns. From there, they’ll draw from their tool belt of naturopathic modalities to help. Depending on your concerns, your naturopath may recommend botanical medicine, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, hormone therapy, or a detox plan, among others.
Acne can be a difficult disorder to live with. It can sap your self-confidence and make it difficult to even leave the house during the day. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Call Annex Naturopathic, and take your first step toward cleaner, clearer skin.
Naturopathic Treatments For Hives
Hives is the more common term for a condition known as urticaria.
If you’re suffering from hives, you’ll see an outbreak of swollen and red lumps on your skin. They sometimes appear as an allergic reaction, but they might also pop up with no obvious reason.
They can appear anywhere on your skin, as well as your tongue and throat.
When you have hives in response to an allergen, blood plasma leaks out of the blood vessels in your skin in response to the histamines created by the presence of the allergen.
Often, acute hives will go away on their own within a few hours up to a day after you remove the allergen. However, chronic hives can last for weeks or even months. This makes the cause more difficult to determine.
While acute hives are relatively harmless, chronic hives can cause damage to your lungs, muscles, and digestive tract.
When it comes to hives, there are many different possible causes. These include:
- Certain foods (eggs, dairy, nuts, fish, tomatoes, and berries are common triggers)
- Certain pharmaceutical drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen, codeine, and high blood pressure drugs)
- Pet dander
- Pollen
- Stress
- Excessive perspiration
- Certain viruses and illnesses
- Lupus
- Thyroid disorder
- Hepatitis
- Certain types of cancer
- Leukemia
Whatever it is that’s causing your hives, trust the naturopaths at Annex Naturopathic to get to the root cause of it.
A Naturopathic Approach To Skin Conditions
At Annex Naturopathic, the approach is based on healing the body from the inside out.
If you’re suffering from a skin condition, it likely stems from some sort of functional problem within your body. This may include problems with your immune system, your detoxification pathways, your hormones, and your digestive system.
So yes, treatment for your skin condition symptoms is important. It can relieve discomfort and help you repair any surface damage. But it’s important to address the underlying causes for the condition as well.
Book an appointment with Annex Naturopathic and find out how naturopathic medicine can help with your skin conditions.
