Natural (alternative, herbal, nutritional, botanical) treatments for skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne rosacea, acne, and vitiligo

Most "skin conditions" are manifestations of internal abnormalities especially those of the digestive system.  This is why treatments and skin creams that only treat the manifestations/symptoms of the problem always fail to provide permanent relief of the problem.  For example, patients with eczema (atopic eczema, atopic dermatitis) generally have increased intestinal permeability ("leaky gut") which must be assessed and addressed if the patient is to reach optimal health.

Increased intestinal permeability in atopic eczema. 

J Invest Dermatol 1986 Feb;86(2):101-4

We have investigated gastrointestinal permeability in children with atopic eczema by measuring the relative urinary excretion rates of the inert di- and monosaccharides lactulose and rhamnose following their oral administration. The median lactulose/rhamnose ratio was greater in 26 children with atopic eczema than in a control group of 29 children which included both healthy individuals and others with various noneczematous dermatoses. This increased permeability may be a primary abnormality of the gut or may reflect intestinal mucosal damage caused by local hypersensitivity reactions to food antigens.

    Similar abnormalities are seen in patients with psoriasis.  

Physical stress-induced secretion of adrenal and pituitary hormones in patients with atopic eczema compared with normal controls.
Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1997;105(1):39-45

Rupprecht M, Salzer B, Raum B, Hornstein OP, Koch HU, Riederer P, Sofic E, Rupprecht R.
Department of Dermatology, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany.

Atopic eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin disease which shares some psychological and neuroendocrine disturbances with patients suffering from depression. In view of recent findings of an attenuated response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system in patients with atopic eczema during a human corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH) challenge paradigm fourteen consecutive non-specifically trained in-patients with atopic eczema (8 men, 6 women) and an age-matched control group (8 men, 6 women) performed exhausting incremental graded bicycle exercise to evaluate cortisol, adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), beta-endorphin, epinephrine and norepinephrine releases induced by physical stress. The exercise yielded significant increases in cortisol, ACTH, beta-endorphin, epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations in both groups. Patients with severe eczema displayed a significantly lower increase in norepinephrine levels when compared with the less affected patient group. ...

Most "skin specialists" - dermatologists - are not even aware of these problems, let alone how to correct them!

Thus since it is true that many skin conditions involve subtle abnormalities in the function of the gastrointestinal and endocrine systems, it becomes clear that any treatment plan that hopes to restore the patient to optimal health must include assessment and correction of these abnormalities - a holistic approach.

Using this holistic approach, I have a remarkably high success rate in treating many skin conditions, especially psoriasis and eczema.

 

• Note to Houston-area patients: Dr Vasquez has relocated to Fort Worth and is still available by phone and email for all patients; new Fort Worth office will open in the late summer / early fall. Patients in Houston can continue receiving care at the office with Dr Manso, Dr Diaz, or Dr Shafi: 713.840.9355. This website is being completely revised/updated in July 2006 to reflect these changes; some information will be "in transition" until these changes are complete.
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This page was updated on October 30, 2006.   Copyright © 1999-2006 by Dr. Alex Vasquez.  All rights reserved

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Alex Vasquez DC ND in Fort Worth, Texas (Ft. Worth, Ft Worth, Dallas, DFW): Naturopathic medicine, natural medicine, holistic medicine, naturopathy, chiropractic, chiropractor, doctor, nutritional medicine, botanical medicine, functional medicine, environmental medicine, therapeutic nutrition, integrative medicine