Natural Therapies for Healing Eczema
Dr. Jane Litsey’s Favorite Strategies to Optimize Skin
As many of you know, Dr. Jane Litsey is a naturopathic doctor at Boulder Natural Health who specializes skin conditions, digestive issues and hormone imbalances. Dr. Litsey was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado. Before becoming a naturopathic doctor she worked in the dermatology department at Boulder Medical Center and the neurophysiology lab at the University of Colorado. She has an undergraduate degree in human physiology. Dr. Litsey sees the body as an intelligent system and symptoms as indicators of imbalance. By removing obstacles to cure and giving the body what it needs we can stimulate the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Q: What is eczema?
Eczema is a chronic skin condition with redness, itching, dryness, scaling, crusting and thickening of the skin over time. In adults it most commonly occurs on the face, the head, the elbows, knees, or groin. It often begins in childhood and can become chronic throughout life. I commonly see it with other allergic / immune conditions including allergies, asthma and autoimmune disease.
Q: What are the underlying causes of eczema?
External Factors: Toxins in our environment can aggravate the immune system and drive eczema flares. Common sources of environmental toxins include chemical cleaning products, laundry detergents, herbicides and pesticides in conventional produce, growth hormones in conventional meats, and chlorine in our water supply. Even the skin care products we apply daily such as makeup, face lotions and hair products can become sources of chemical exposure. If sheets are not washed regularly or the home has significant dust, dirt, mold, etc., that can also push the skin into an allergic, eczema-prone state.
Q: What is your holistic approach to resolve eczema?
First, I tell patients to clean up their external environment. Wash bed sheets regularly, vacuum the home regularly, get a chlorine water filter on the shower head such as the Sprite Showers filter, choose soaps and lotions that are non-irritating like Naked body lotion by Soothing Touch. A good resource for clean makeup and cleaning products is the EWG. I also recommend patients get an air filter and switch their drinking water to spring or filtered water to remove chlorine which can dry the skin.
Third, I work on establishing the foundations for health including a high fiber, whole foods diet with plenty of healthy fats and oils such as avocados, salmon, olive oil, coconut oil, and cacao and to eliminate processed foods and refined oils. Exercise is foundational for supporting the body to eliminate metabolic waste so the skin doesn’t serve as a detoxification organ. Adequate sleep quality and quantity gives the body time to clean house and repair tissues including the dermal skin layer.
Fourth, I help support and repair any imbalances in gut. Patients can have low stomach acid contributing to poor digestion, leaky gut, and skin inflammation. Personal herbal formulas can help change the environment of the gut to encourage symbiotic healthy bacteria and discourage parasitic and pathogenic bacteria and yeast. A high quality probiotic can also support a robust microbiome and balanced ecosystem in the gut.
Fifth, I consider if the patient needs support with liver detoxification. Removing alcohol from the diet can be extremely helpful. Decreasing stress is also very important. I also want to make sure the foundations for health are fully in place and my patients are drinking enough water, getting enough fiber (fruits and veggies), and exercising or at least walking daily to help with circulation and detoxification. Herbal medicine and targeted supplementation can also support the liver to remove waste from the body and heal leaky gut.
Q: What are your favorite herbs to help with eczema?
I individualize the herbal treatments for each patient based on the symptom presentation. Generally speaking I use a lot of alterative herbs that help the body eliminate metabolic waste and clear the skin. Some of my favorites include dandelion root, Oregan grape, burdock root, yellow dock root, sarsaparilla, black walnut, Chinese skullcap, red clover and others. I also use a lot of herbs to heal leaky gut including marshmallow root and aloe gel. Topically I use herbal hydrosols to help reacidify the skin and to normalize the skin microbiome.
Q: Are there any natural remedies to help with itching?
Yes. Topically, I recommend a Stellaria Media Cream (chickweed) by Herbal Vitality to reduce skin itching. I also like using the Eczema Cream by Herbal Vitality. And I like Wild Weed Salve by Wise Woman Herbals.
Q: Any other supplements you think are beneficial for eczema?
I use a skin nutrient complex that includes vitamin A, zinc, vitamin E, copper, biotin, vitamin D and selenium. I also recommend cod liver oil or fish oil to decrease inflammation and improve moisture content of the skin. And lastly I recommend probiotics to help rebalance the gut microbiome.
Q: Many patients are using steroids to address their eczema. How do you feel about this treatment option?
I don’t think steroids address the underlying cause of the inflammation and they can cause long-term skin problems such as thinning of the skin. Steroids can suppress the immune function of the skin and change the microbiome of the skin. Topical steroids can even dysregulate your circadian rhythm.
