Blog & Columns
Useful information about health and Korean medicine.
Total 127 posts
Pityriasis Rosea Symptoms - Herald Patch and Christmas Tree Pattern
One day, all of a sudden, a palm-sized red spot appears on your chest or back. Its surface might look slightly scaly, and the center can appear a bit lighter. At first, you might just dismiss it, thinking it's simply dry skin. But after a few days, or about a week, small rashes start appearing one by one around it...
Psoriasis and Diabetes: The Connecting Link
Psoriasis is a skin disease, and diabetes is a problem with blood sugar regulation. One involves the skin thickening and developing scales, while the other is a disease where blood sugar levels rise and pancreatic function declines. Therefore, most people consider these two to be diseases belonging to entirely different domains, just like dermatology and internal medicine. However, recently...
Nummular Eczema, What's the Cause?
Something round appeared on my arm. It was about 2-3 centimeters in diameter. It's itchy, oozes if scratched, and scabs over after a few days. At this point, many people would likely just dismiss it as 'probably just eczema.' But the strange thing is... it doesn't go away over time. Instead, that circle just kept getting bigger...
Baby Seborrheic Dermatitis: Is It Just a Common Baby Rash?
An infant about a month old. Looking at their head, I noticed crusts. Initially, it appeared as greasy dandruff, then later evolved into hard, dried, yellow crusts. Similar scales are also visible around the eyebrows, and behind the ears, it appears greasy and slightly peeling. It doesn't seem to be itchy, but the skin constantly feels rough...
Common Areas for Atopic Dermatitis and Why?
Atopic dermatitis can be defined as a disease characterized by recurrent chronic inflammatory processes, resulting from a combination of innate immune hyperresponsiveness and dysfunction of the skin barrier. Key pathological elements include the following:...
Should Atopic Patients Sweat? - Lifestyle Management Tips
In a previous post, I discussed the link between how the areas affected by atopic dermatitis change with age and its association with sweating ability. What are the common sites for atopic dermatitis and why?...
Does an atopic constitution exist?
Let's start by discussing the skin barrier. When we talk about the skin barrier, the most important aspect we discuss is the epidermal barrier, and specifically, the stratum corneum – or SC barrier for short. As you all know, starting from the basal layer (the lowest layer of the epidermis), each...
How to choose a moisturizing cream for atopic skin?
The image above clearly shows how the skin barrier breaks down during the cleansing process. The blue elements you see are keratinocytes, and the round, green elements inside them are Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF). NMF plays a role in retaining moisture in the skin.
Why Your Body Itches
Itching isn't solely a symptom of skin conditions like atopic dermatitis. It can be triggered by a variety of factors. Poor blood circulation is often cited as the primary cause of itching. Consequently, beneficial prescriptions, such as those that dispel wind and promote blood circulation, are frequently utilized.
Understanding Phototherapy for Eczema and Atopic Dermatitis
In my last post on managing itch, I emphasized the importance of considering every possible means for symptom relief. I completely overlooked discussing phototherapy then, so I'm quickly adding a bit more information on it here.
Skin Barrier Strengthening Methods and Ceramide Cream?
In my previous posts, I've been discussing the skin barrier and skin conditioning, with a particular focus on atopic dermatitis. Readers who have been following the series from the beginning will understand that all these topics are interconnected...
Atopy Causes: Skin Barrier Function and pH Conditioning
The topic of pH on the skin alone is extensive enough to fill an entire book. It is known that skin functions optimally in a slightly acidic state. Let's take a closer look...