Eczema: it isn’t just about the skin you see
Going Deeper Than the Skin
Eczema, a chronic skin condition characterized by redness, itching, and inflammation, affects millions worldwide.
While its symptoms manifest visibly on the skin, addressing eczema effectively often requires delving deeper into the body's internal workings, mainly focusing on digestive and immune health.
Types of Eczema
Eczema presents itself in various forms, each with distinct characteristics:
Atopic Dermatitis: This is the most common type, often appearing in childhood and characterized by dry, itchy skin and inflammation.
Contact Dermatitis: Triggered by contact with irritants or allergens, leading to localized redness, itching, and sometimes blistering.
Seborrheic Dermatitis: Typically affects the scalp, face, and other oily areas of the body, causing scaly patches, red skin, and stubborn dandruff.
Dyshidrotic Eczema: Affects the palms of the hands, sides of the fingers, and soles of the feet, causing blisters and intense itching.
Nummular Eczema: Circular or coin-shaped patches of irritated skin, often more prevalent in older adults.
There are many other less common types of eczema to note, and they are also important to address similarly.
The Gut-Skin Connection
Numerous studies highlight a significant link between gut health and skin conditions like eczema. The digestive tract, which starts at your mouth and continues to the anus, I refer to as the "inner skin”. It all plays a crucial role in immune function and inflammation regulation throughout the body. Various important aspects of our digestive health can trigger immune responses that manifest as skin inflammation and conditions like eczema.
It truly is the key factor that most providers do not address when trying to address and heal eczema.
Now, depending on the type of eczema you experience dictates how I test and treat it, but for the sake of discussing most eczema cases, I want to address one of the most critical areas of testing- your poop!
Comprehensive Stool Testing: A Holistic Approach
In treating eczema, simply addressing the skin with topical treatments such as a steroid cream may provide temporary relief but often fail to deliver lasting results.
This is where comprehensive stool testing proves invaluable. By examining various aspects of digestive and immune health, including digestion efficiency, immunology markers, bacterial composition, and the presence of pathogens like yeast and parasites, healthcare providers can uncover underlying issues that directly contribute to eczema.
Key Components of Comprehensive Stool Testing:
Digestion Efficiency: Assessing how well the digestive system breaks down and absorbs nutrients.
Immunology Markers: Identifying immune responses and inflammation markers that may be linked to eczema.
Microbiome Analysis: Examining the diversity and balance of gut bacteria, crucial for immune regulation and overall health.
Pathogen Detection: Utilizing both microscopy and molecular testing to detect yeast, parasites, or harmful bacteria that may contribute to gut imbalance and subsequent skin issues.
Integrative Treatment Approach
Addressing eczema comprehensively involves integrating findings from stool testing into a tailored treatment plan. We can support long-term skin health and reduce eczema flare-ups by improving digestive health through dietary adjustments, possibly digestive lining inflammation, and antimicrobial treatment for pathogens when applicable.
Topical Treatments: While topical creams and ointments can alleviate symptoms like swelling and itching, they are most effective when combined with internal treatments that address the root cause of eczema.
Nutritional Support: Recommending diets rich in anti-inflammatory foods, such as omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, can further support skin health and reduce inflammation.
Lifestyle Modifications: Stress management techniques and adequate sleep play crucial roles in supporting immune function and reducing the severity of eczema.
Other considerations
Other things I often times find myself considering for patients with skin conditions are mold, Lyme disease, toxic exposures to chemicals, hormone changes, and food sensitivities. Investigating in these areas can be just as important as looking at digestive and immune health to dig deeper or on other areas that may be the root cause of illness.
All in all, treating eczema effectively goes beyond surface-level management of symptoms. By understanding and addressing digestive and immune health through comprehensive stool testing and integrative therapies, we can offer patients a more holistic approach to managing and healing eczema.
I am not here to put a bandaid on your eczema; I am here to identify the cause and provide long-term, lasting relief and improved quality of life.
Here to empower you with the knowledge of healthiness and happiness,
Dr. Meg
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This post is not meant to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose conditions or diseases and is meant for educational purposes. As always, please consult your doctor before trying any new treatments or supplements.
