On Your Skin, A Never-Ending Vicious Cycle | Incheon Chronic Eczema

Hello, this is Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic.

If you scratch an itch, it oozes. When the ooze heals, scaling occurs. When the scales fall off, the unbearable itch begins anew.

It only offers temporary relief when ointment is applied, but this relentless cycle shows no sign of ever breaking.

“Not knowing when it will get better is the most despairing part. It feels like my skin isn't my own, and I dread people's gazes.”

Chronic eczema is not merely a skin condition. It's a problem that combines the physical suffering of itching and pain with the mental stress about one's outward appearance, gradually eroding our self-esteem and daily life.

Causes and Symptoms

The Skin Barrier, Collapsed by an 'Earthquake of Inflammation'

Our skin is like a robust and sturdy 'dam' that fends off external irritants and retains internal moisture. However, with chronic eczema, an 'earthquake of inflammation' originating from within our body constantly assails this dam.

Due to immune system dysfunction, inflammatory reactions persist within the skin. The dam cracks (itching), water leaks through the fissures (exudate/oozing), and eventually, the dam's surface becomes rough and crumbles (scaling, lichenification).

As this dam, the skin barrier, collapses, the skin becomes even more hypersensitive to minor external stimuli, perpetuating a vicious cycle of worsening inflammation.

Traditional Korean Medicine Perspective

A 'Hot and Boggy Swamp' Within My Body

In Traditional Korean Medicine, we regard the human body as a 'land.' The skin serves as the clearest indicator of this land's condition.

Chronic eczema is viewed as a state where this 'land' has transformed into a hot and boggy 'swamp' due to excessive 'Heat (熱)' and 'Dampness (濕).''

Reduced circulatory function leads to the accumulation of unexcreted waste products (Dampness), while inflammatory reactions (Heat) resulting from stress or poor dietary habits intertwine, ultimately ailing the 'land' of the skin.

No beneficial vegetation can thrive in such a swamp. Therefore, Traditional Korean Medicine treatment doesn't just suppress skin inflammation; it focuses on fundamental constitutional improvement by draining the 'swamp water' (Isu-samseup 利水滲濕 – promoting diuresis and dispelling dampness), cooling the 'land's heat' (Cheongyeol-haedok 淸熱解毒 – clearing heat and detoxifying), and making the land itself healthy and dry to prevent it from reverting to a swamp.

Lifestyle Management

3 Lifestyle Principles for Extinguishing the Embers of Inflammation

Reducing factors that trigger inflammation in daily life and making efforts to protect compromised skin are of utmost importance.

Principle 1: Diet Control

Greasy foods, instant foods, alcohol, and for some individuals, dairy products or flour, can act as 'kindling' that fuels the body's inflammatory response. It's crucial to carefully observe what your body reacts sensitively to and avoid those triggers.

Principle 2: Gentle Moisturizing

To protect the compromised skin barrier and prevent moisture loss, it's essential to consistently use non-irritating moisturizers. As scratching further damages the skin's integrity, use a cold compress to soothe the itch.

Principle 3: Stress Modulation

Stress is a primary culprit, disrupting the immune system and triggering an 'earthquake' of inflammation. Relaxing the tension in both body and mind through adequate sleep and rest is the most crucial step towards restoring skin health.

Prognosis and Golden Time

Before 'wounds' leave 'permanent marks,' there's the endless repetition of itching, oozing, and scaling. What awaits at the end of neglecting this painful 'cycle of inflammation'?

It is 'Lichenification,' where the skin becomes thick and rough like elephant hide, along with 'permanent scars' and 'post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation' resulting from repeated trauma.

You will permanently lose your skin's inherent softness and clarity.

However, now is the time to break this vicious cycle and extinguish the embers of inflammation within the skin. This path offers more than just relief from itching; it's the wisest choice to promote the healthy recovery of your damaged skin barrier and reclaim your original smooth, blemish-free skin.

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