Whole Person Skin Health

Rodger Douglas
2 hours ago
3 min read

Skin problems can be frustrating because what helps one person may do very little for another. For one person, diet may be important, and for another, stress may clearly aggravate the skin. Someone else may need to look at their general health.

That's why, as a Doctor of Medical Heilkunst (DMH), I take a whole person approach to skin health. There are four main parts to treatment.

1. Nutrition

Food is one of the first things I ask about, but I don't believe everyone with a skin problem needs to follow the same diet.

One person may feel considerably better eating more protein, while another feels heavy and sluggish on the same diet. Some people thrive on plenty of fresh vegetables and lighter meals. Others need more substantial foods and fats to feel well.

My aim is not a new diet. It's simply to make a few tweaks here and there.

2. Mind, Stress & the Skin

Many people notice their skin changing during periods of stress. An itch becomes more intense. A rash flares before an important event. Acne worsens during a difficult period. Scratching increases when someone is anxious or tired. There is now an established field known as psychodermatology devoted to this relationship between psychological wellbeing and skin disease.

For some people, this emotional dimension is minor. For others, it is central. I may use counseling, reflective exercises or techniques that help a person become more aware of what is happening internally rather than simply trying to suppress uncomfortable feelings.

I may also use flower essences when there is a clear emotional pattern, perhaps frustration, discouragement, self-consciousness, or overwhelm. I select them according to the individual emotional picture rather than according to the name of the skin condition.

3. Homeopathy & Cell Salts

Homeopathy comes later in my assessment because I first want to understand the person.

A homeopathic remedy is not normally selected simply because someone has eczema, acne or psoriasis. I look at the particular expression of the problem.

Where is it located? Is the skin dry, moist, cracked, thickened or intensely itchy? Is it worse from heat, cold, bathing or particular times of day? Does scratching relieve the itch or make it worse? What other symptoms accompany it?

Two people with the same medical diagnosis may therefore receive completely different homeopathic prescriptions.

I may also use Schüssler cell salts, a traditional system of twelve mineral preparations developed in the nineteenth century. Within that system, different salts are selected according to characteristic symptom patterns, including particular appearances and sensations of the skin.

4. Natural Skin Care

It is easy to become so interested in internal causes that we forget the simple things we put directly onto our bodies every day. Soaps, shampoos, detergents, cosmetics, perfumes and moisturizers can all affect sensitive skin.

I am particularly fond of simple home skin-care preparations. Depending on the individual and the condition of the skin, this might mean a plain oil, a soothing bath, a compress, a simple cream or another uncomplicated preparation made from a small number of ingredients.

There is something valuable about this part of treatment because it is immediate and practical. Instead of feeling helpless about their skin, a person has something gentle they can actually do for it.