Situation
Allison* had suffered from a lifetime of eczema. Throughout her youth, she managed her condition with topical steroid creams. But once she entered her 20’s and found herself in more stressful situations, Allison’s eczema steadily worsened, covering more and more of her body’s skin. Last year, she tried a biologic called Dupixent® which unfortunately caused a head and neck rash that was worse than her original eczema. After weaning off Dupixent®, Allison’s skin continued to deteriorate and she started on an immunosuppressant that did not provide lasting relief. By the time I met Allison, she had reduced many stressors in her life making her eczema less extreme but she was tired of the seemingly endless daily struggle.
Five Months
Allison and I worked together at first in person, but then exclusively thru video conference. Prior to each appointment, she took her own photos and sent to me via my HIPAA compliant email system. Over the course of five months, Allison took two forms of herbal medicine, a customized liquid formula and two topicals. These were used to address the swelling, oozing and crusting in her eye area, as well as the constant, reoccurring eczema on her cheeks, wrists, arms and legs. Every week, Allison saw improvements and felt more relief. She did experience a few flares during the treatment series, but noticed they lasted for much shorter periods and became much less extreme as typically happens with continued herbal medicine treatment. Over this period, Allison could tell her skin was becoming less itchy, much more resilient and looked and felt much more like her normal skin.
Before/After
What Allison Says
“TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) has allowed me to ween off all topical steroids and an immunosuppressant. Along with a consistent shower routine, and a serious look at my mental health, TCM has put my eczema into remission. I currently am symptom-free. The herbs Olivia first prescribed had an immediate positive effect on my mood. I also experienced an immediate cooling of my body, which had begun to feel feverish most nights. The bags under my eyes have become less and less prominent, so long as I do my own work to avoid known allergens and explore potential unknown allergens. Over the treatment time, severe itch went from disrupting my nightly sleep and life to a complete non-issue. My arms, legs, neck, face, and back have cleared.
I know how much distress this condition can cause. I’ve personally watched my life plans and dreams take a back seat to just getting through another severely distressing night. I know enough of the pain of getting your hopes up about a treatment only to have it not work for you. But this was the approach that genuinely brought me back to health. If it’s possible for me, it’s possible for you. And thank you so much Olivia for all your help getting me back to health. Seriously. Thank you.”
Allison was recently discharged from Amethyst and is medicine free (herbal and pharmaceutical). She’s very excited to live her life fully!
*Allison is a pseudonym to protect patient privacy
#Treatment times will vary dependent upon individual response to herbal medicine
Need Help with Eczema?
If you are looking for answers to eczema for yourself or a loved one, here’s a video that describes what an initial consultation is like, and provides more information on the herbal medicine approach to dermatology.
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About the Author
Dr. Olivia Hsu Friedman, LAc, DACM, Cert. TCM Dermatology is the owner of Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions and treats eczema patients via video conferencing using only herbal medicine. Olivia serves on the Advisory Board of LearnSkin, is the Chair of the American Society of Acupuncturists Board of Directors, and is a faculty member of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Support Group sponsored by The National Eczema Association.