Dr. Snigdhodip Saha

The skin covers and protects all parts of the body. It is also most exposed to the outside world including the dust, pollution and other environmental pollutants. Smooth, healthy, glowing skin is what most of us desire, in addition to diet, lifestyle and stress produce various changes to the skin, which are just totally undesirable. In addition to the cosmetic effects, they also have a huge psychological bearing on a person. Imagine a person with acne-filled face, or a person with eczema on the hands, or a person with warts on the neck. They are obviously embarrassed and try to hide the affected part with clothing.

Homeopathy believes that these skin conditions are not just due to environmental causes, but have a deep underlying health condition. Correcting that will help restore normal healthy skin and improve the overall personality and quality of life of a person. Acne, psoriasis, eczema, warts and urticaria are the most common skin ailment commonly seen. Let's know more about these skin disorder-

1. Acne: Acne is a common skin disease that causes pimples. Pimples form when hair follicles under your skin clog up. Most pimples form on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Anyone can get acne, but it is common in teenagers and young adults. It is not serious, but it can cause scars.
2. Psoriasis: Psoriasis is a noncontagious skin condition that produces plaques of thickened, scaling skin. The dry flakes of skin scales result from the excessively rapid proliferation of skin cells. The proliferation of skin cells is triggered by inflammatory chemicals produced by specialized white blood cells called lymphocytes. Psoriasis commonly affects the skin of the elbows, knees, and scalp.
3. Eczema: Rather than a specific condition, eczema is a group of unrelated diseases that have a similar appearance. When it is new eczema, the affected skin appears red and elevated with small blisters (vesicles) containing a clear fluid. When the blisters break, the affected skin will weep and ooze. In older eczema, chronic eczema, the blisters are less prominent and the skin is thickened, elevated, and scaling. Eczema almost always is very itchy.
4. Warts: Warts are raised bumps on your skin caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Wart viruses are contagious. Warts can spread by contact with the wart or something that touched the wart. Warts are often skin-colored and feel rough, but they can be dark (brown or gray-black), flat, and smooth. 
5. Urticaria: Hives, also known as urticaria, affects about 20 percent of people at some time during their lives. It can be triggered by many substances or situations and usually starts as an itchy patch of skin that turns into swollen red welts. The itching may be mild to severe. Scratching, alcoholic beverages, exercise and emotional stress may worsen the itching.

However, there is a lot of overlap in terms of what homeopathic medications are used in each of these conditions. Most commonly used medicines are:

1. Graphites: In patients with eruptions on the face, scalp, various joints, which are extremely itching, scaly, and dry, graphites is used. These people have dry hair with increased hair fall.
2. Lycopodium: If the eruptions are dry and scaly, this can be used.
3. Causticum: This is again widely used in treating warts, acne, and psoriasis.
4. Calcarea: Eczema which covers the scalp and the face with white crusting, which is extremely itching especially in the morning. This is also useful in solitary warts which are round and hard.
5. Sulphur: The sore skin has pustular eruptions. The scalp is dry but hot to the touch. There is a great tendency to scratch, especially at night. This is also the first choice to treat pustular acne, warts, and urticaria. It also helps in removing old scars from acne. A word of caution, it can cause exacerbation of symptoms, and this should not cause panic.
6. Puslatilla: Acne is often associated with puberty, and in young girls, this is commonly used where there is an association with menstrual cycles.
7. Antimonium crudum: This is widely used in warts that can be single or in groups, hard or smooth. There could be associated digestive issues and irritability.

With treatment for most of these skin troubles, there would be a dramatic improvement in the person’s mood before the actual skin problems improve. The person also would feel more motivated with higher energy levels. This is one of the major benefits of homeopathy, where not just the symptoms, but the person’s overall quality of life improves without any known side effects.
 

Numerous individuals suffer from hair loss and hair fall problems, which inevitably cause low self-esteem and low self-confidence. Although this is not a life-threatening condition, this disorder can cause serious self-esteem issues in individuals. Most individuals with extreme hair loss issues are uncomfortable in having a social life and face a constant suffering from within.

There have been numerous kinds and types of medications for treating and preventing hair loss. However, homeopathy has proven to be amazing without causing any side effects. Homeopathy is an alternative medicine which uses no harsh chemicals and works on the principle of triggering the healing process in the body.

Possible situations that cause hair loss-

1. Stress

2. Too much vitamin A intake

3. Pregnancy (hormonal changes and stress)

4. Menopause

5. Heredity

6. Lack of protein

7. Anaemia

8. Various hormonal imbalances

9. Deficiency of vitamin B

10. Thyroid problems

11. Alopecia Areata

12. Drastic weight loss

13. Ageing

Homeopathic medicines stimulate the hair roots to promote regrowth. The medicines used in Homeopathy to aid hair regrowth are all of natural origin and therefore, safe for use among persons of all age groups. The main advantage of opting for Homeopathic medicines for hair regrowth is the absence of any related toxic side effects. Some of the most common homeopathic treatments to prevent hair loss are-

1. Hair loss due to Alopecia Areata: This disorder is caused due to the immune system, which mistakes hair for foreign objects and attacks it, thereby causing erratic loss of hair. The individual loses hair in patches haphazardly. There are numerous medicines for specific treatments of Alopecia. Some of them are listed below-?

   • Fluricum Acidum: This not only fights alopecia, but is also efficient in preventing hair fall after Syphilis, where hair breakage, hair fall and hair tangles increase immensely.

   • Phosphorus: This is very effective in treating alopecia and can also be used to heal other gastrointestinal problems, blood, bones and nervous tissue problems.

   • Calcarea carbonica: This is one of the best homeopathic medication for hair regrowth. It also prevents itching and sweating of the scalp.

   • Vinca minor: This is very effective in treating alopecia along with dandruff. Abnormal hair growth can also be treated with this medication.

2. Hair loss due to Dandruff: Dandruff is a common problem and the worst part is that it brings intense hair fall with it. Dandruff is caused generally due to eczema and psoriasis. The medications that can be used are as follows-

   • Psonorium: Best treatment for preventing dandruff and hair loss caused along with it
   • Mezereum: Heals rashes and lesions and tackles hair fall in crusty scalps
   • Kali sulphuricum
   • Natrum muriaticum
   • Pulsatilla pratensis
3. Baldness: Mostly affects men. Some of the recommended medicines include:
   • Silicea
   • Baryts carbonica
   • Lycopodium clavatum

However, it is advised that in case of hair loss, before you consume any medicines, visit a homeopathic practitioner for a thorough treatment.

Dandruff is a condition that involves shedding of dead cells from the skin of the scalp. However, it is not just confined to the head and can also affect the ears, eyebrows, sides of the nose, facial hair, as well as the pubic hair. It can occur on any part of the body with hair follicles.

Dandruff is also known as seborrheic dermatitis or seborrhea. When it occurs in newborn children, it is prevalently called a "cradle cap", which usually vanishes after a couple of months to return at a later age. Among teenagers, it is generally known as dandruff.

Homeopathy cures the individual in general. It implies that homeopathic treatment concentrates on the patient as a whole, and additionally their neurotic condition. The homeopathic medicines are chosen after a full examination and case-investigation of the patient. This includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution and so forth. Here are a few homeopathic treatments for dandruff:

1. Thuja occidentalis: This medicine is used for white, textured dandruff with dry hair and flakes that keep falling everywhere. In this condition, itching is very common and usually bad for the patient as well.
2. Natrum muriaticum: Patients who take this usually have dandruff and an oily and sleek scalp. Dry eruptions occur, particularly on the edges of the scalp. Alopecia as well as tingling and blazing of hair follicles happens.
3. Kali sulphuricum: This remedy is usually effective in the later stages of dandruff where there is a lot of swelling and inflammation. The dandruff in this condition has yellow scales and gets worse under warm conditions and during the evening. However, it is better in the cool.
4. Graphites: People use this when they experience dryness of scalp, or a sticky and itchy sensation on the scalp, which gives a foul smell. Patients who are somewhat stout with a fair complexion and are prone to skin disease and constipation, tend to take this solution as well. It builds up the skin and encourages re-growth.
5. Phosphorus: Itching of the scalp, dandruff and hair fall in huge bundles are all cured by this medicine. Hair loss at certain areas in patches is also why phosphorus is taken. It is usually consumed by tall thin people with a reasonable skin, fragile eyelashes, blonde or red hair and an extremely delicate nature. Youngsters who grow too quickly usually get anemic, which causes a lot of dandruff.
6. Carboneum sulphuratum: Chronic skin diseases with much itching are cured by it. It is extremely useful for patients separated by abuse of liquor.
7. Sulfur: Dry scalp, excessive hair fall and dandruff due to continuous washing of hair are fixed by this solution. People with anxious personalities, fast motion, hot temper and sensitive skin are recommended this cure.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!