Many eczema patients wonder, “When should I try herbal medicine? Is it good for the beginning stages of eczema? When it’s flaring? When it’s chronic and has been going on for years?”
The short answer is: It’s good to start as soon as you are ready.
All Stages
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides solutions for all stages of eczema and all types of eczema. What makes this possible is this medicine’s ability to provide customized herbal formulas that address your individual needs.
No matter where your eczema lands on the spectrum from a few small rashes to full body aggravation, extreme dryness to damp and oozy lesions or minor itching to incessant irritation; herbal ingredients are selected to match your unique pattern of eczema.
And because of the adaptable nature of this medicine, herbal ingredients are typically changed throughout the treatment process to meet your skin’s changing needs as it heals.
All Ages
It doesn’t matter if you are 2 months old, a younger or older child, or a full-grown adult; every formula is adjusted to accommodate your weight and general health. Herbal medicines also come in different forms like drinkable liquids, washes, topicals, and syrups. Therefore, depending upon your age (and the severity of your condition), we may have options to choose from to help make taking herbal medicines easier.
All Forms
TCM also offers a myriad of herbal ingredients to address different forms of eczema including pompholyx eczema, head or neck eczema, discoid eczema, cheilitis, erythrodermic eczema and localized forms on the eyes, genitals, nipples, etc.
Herbal formulas can also address associated features of eczema-like bacterial and viral infections, edema, dirty neck syndrome, hyperpigmentation, allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and some allergies.
Other Situations
Lastly, we can work with you while you are weaning-off other medications like a biologic. With other conventional medicines like steroids, it’s easier to measure progress during herbal treatment if you are steroid-free since it’s difficult to tell if you are truly healing or if the steroid is masking your symptoms.
If you’re currently using any conventional medicines for eczema and are unsure what to do, we’re happy to discuss your individual case during a complimentary consultation via video conference or in person at our Chicago office to figure out the best game plan for you.
Summary
No matter how old your eczema journey is, where your eczema is located on your body or how severe your eczema condition is, TCM can help as soon as you are ready to start.
Need Help with Eczema?
If you are looking for answers to eczema for yourself or a loved one, watch this video to learn more about herbal medicine and dermatology, and what a first consultation is like.
Want to Learn More?
Click Here for our free e-course “Healing Eczema Inside and Out,” and you will also receive our Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions Newsletter. Both will give you interesting information about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and eczema via articles, before/after pictures, case studies of Amethyst Eczema patients. Feel free to click the icons below to share this article with someone who may benefit.
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.