Eczema is not just a skin condition

Did you know that 70-80% of our body’s immune cells are located in our gut…

The development of the infant’s immune system and how it interacts with its environment is perhaps the most essential of all. As well as being fundamental to survival and ongoing development, it plays a huge part in the development of allergic disease such as eczema.

In eczema, the immune system is “overreactive” and hastens the production of new skin, thereby creating the patchy, thickened appearance, characteristic of eczema.

Conventional treatment of eczema

Conventionally, eczema is treated by a dermatologist or family doctor (GP), who usually prescribes a prescription of an anti-inflammatory topical* treatment (* to apply to the skin). This is usually in the form of one of several types of corticosteroid creams such as Hydrocortisone. For some people, this may provide enough relief to clear the skin and keep it clear. But for many others, prescription corticosteroids serves to “control” the inflammation of eczema, but not heal it. This means that it will provide temporary relief or improvement, but the eczema will return or aggravate when the corticosteroids are stopped.

Steroids cause the blood vessels in the skin to constrict, this temporarily reduces the red inflamed appearance of eczema but as soon as the steroids are stopped the blood vessels dilate again making the skin look just as red and angry, if not worse, than before!

The Naturopathic approach to eczema

A Naturopath will treat the whole person. Eczema is not just a skin condition but rather an autoimmune condition. The body is responding inappropriately to food or environmental proteins which are triggering an immune response.

The diet may play a role in initiating or continuing the inflammatory cycle of the skin because remember 80% of our immune system is located in the gut!

In the exclusively breastfed infant this focuses on the mother’s diet. Eliminating common allergens from the mother’s diet may offer some relief to the infant. Dairy and eggs followed by gluten and peanuts are the most common allergenic foods indicated in eczema.

An infant’s digestive system is immature when they are born and matures during their first few years of life along with their immune system. Their gut is naturally more permeable to enable their immune system to learn what is friend and foe. 

Typically eczema appears between 2 and 6 months of age, and almost always before the age of 5. Whether a child will develop eczema will depend on genetic factors - whether there is a family history of atopy (eczema, asthma and hay fever), how they were born - the gut bacteria of infants differs between those born vaginally and those born by caesarean section, whether an infant was breastfed or formula fed also affects the make-up of their gut bacteria and immune system and of course multiple environmental factors can all contribute to the perfect storm!

For personalised advice for your own or your child’s eczema please book an appointment, I’d love to work with you.