Homeopathy Tips for 10/04/11 Acute Skin Remedies

The skin being the largest and least vital organ of our bodies has probably the very most symptoms for people in general. There are hundreds of diagnosed skin conditions and you would have to be a dermatologist to even begin to recognise their differences. But the most common skin conditions are urticaria and eczema. These effect more people than any other conditions and are usually acute and self resolving.

Eczema is sometimes referred to as dermatitis. The word derives from Greek meaning to boil over and is quite descriptive of the condition. Principle symptoms are redness, swelling, sensations of heat and itching.  The causes of eczema may be internal, external or a combination of the both. As with urticaria the causes are usually an allergic response that the body is finding a way to resolve. Food allergies, detergents, plant or mineral contact can all play a part in the development of allergic responses. Most common are foods including milk products, eggs, nuts, wheat products, fruits and shellfish.

Urticaria is more commonly referred to as hives. This condition is usually a pure allergic response. It can be caused by an acute reaction to fever or the sun and rarely has emotional causes. The skin is characterized by pale slightly raised swellings or wheal. These usually have a red area around them and are very defined. The condition usually appears quickly and can affect any part of the body. In severe reactions anaphylaxis is possible and presents a very serious condition. Swelling of the throat can close the airway and suffocation could occur.

The allopathic way to treat these conditions is with steroids in acute or chronic eczema and antihistamines in urticaria. Finding the cause and avoiding the allergen is the best prevention. This can be a daunting task of eliminating different foods and allergens and reintroducing them to find the culprit.

Here is a list of some remedies useful in treating eczema. These remedies are only a partial list and it must be understood that eczema can become a chronic condition. When this is the case you must receive a full case and prescribe for the person and not just their skin. They are much more than their skin and allergic responses. The skin being the largest organ and at the surface will find many ways to express the derangement of the vital force.

• Bovista – Moist eruptions with a thick crust. Aggravated during hot weather and at full moon.
• Clematis – Moist eruptions that itch horribly. Worse washing in cold water. Worse from the warmth of the bed. Eczema worse during the waxing moon and better during the wane. Aggravation at new moon.
• Croton Tiglium – Eczema over the whole body. Burning pains that hurt to scratch. Affinity for the face and genitals.
• Graphites – Eruptions that are cracked and moist and bleed easily. Rough skin that cracks easily and exudes a gluey moisture. Honey like crusts or watery and clear fluids.
• Mezereum – Eruptions on areas that are devoid of fat. Intolerable itching, worse from touch and the heat of the bed. Copious exudation. After vaccination. Eczema on the head that is covered with a thick crust. Hair matted and glued together. Exudation excoriates other parts.
• Natrum Muriaticum – Eruptions especially at the margins of the hair. Worse from salt and salt air.
• Petroleum – Chronic moist eczema. Oozing after scratching. Aggravated in winter. Eruptions in the folds of the skin. Rough cracked, bleeding and burning skin.
• Rhus Toxicodendron – Thick crusts. Oozing exudation. Burning and tingling. Offensive discharge. The more you scratch the more you need to scratch. Better from a hot shower.
• Sulphur – voluptuous itching. Feels so good to itch. Burning and soreness after itching. Dry, scaly unhealthy skin.

Here are a few remedies for Urticaria;

• Apis Mellifica – This is the leading remedy for hives of an allergic response. Swelling with burning, itching and stinging. Worse from heat and covering. A feeling of suffocation. Try Medusa if Apis does not work.
• Causticum – Chronic hives. Worse in fresh open air. Aggravation by the heat of the bed.
• Dulcamara – Red spots as if bitten by bugs all over the body. Itching. After scratching much burning. Worse from warmth and better from cold. Worse from exposure to dampness.
• Natrum Muriaticum – Wheals itch smart and burn. Worse from exposure to cold, damp, salt or salt air.Whitish hives that become red and itching after rubbing.
• Rhus Toxicodendron – Worse from getting wet. Worse in cold air. Burning after itching. Worse on hairy parts.
• Urtica Urens – Wheals elevated with a white central spot and red areola. Stinging and burning pains better by rubbing. Pale rash requiring constant rubbing.

Treating either of these conditions it is necessary to look for exciting causes. If the condition is acute, meaning of a short duration and self resolving, then try a 30C potency and give as infrequently as possible. Let the persons reaction tell you when to administer the next dose. It may be necessary to repeat more often up to 3-4 times per day for a short while if the condition does not yield to a single dose. If the condition is very strong and the 30C potency does not last then a higher potency may be necessary. Go to the 200C and if it does not hold then the 1M potency. If there is a positive response then potency may be the issue if the condition does not yield. Otherwise it may be necessary to find a different remedy.

Treating skin conditions is tricky because many of the remedies have similar symptoms. Pay close attention to any other changes that the person may be experiencing. Remember the remedy is for the person and not the symptom. Homeopathy can help cure where drug treatments can suppress at best.