Doctor, I am not getting rid of these pimples at all…..
What should I apply to this skin rash?
Can you please suggest some good treatment for this skin problem doctor?
Such questions are very common for an ayurvedic physician, especially now a days.
Treating acne, allergies, eczema or psoriasis or be it any other skin disorder, is comparatively easy than to make patient understand the root cause and importance of diet, lifestyle & mindset.
Youngsters or I must say teenagers today are facing a real tough time due to online education system. Going out, mingling with friends and learning in school /college is of very much importance. Only learning or studying syllabus is not important as far as mental health is concerned. Moreover today’s children take lots of pressure on their own for getting particular percentage or their performance to be up to the mark. In many cases parents are lenient but child is not. So either by parents or by children themselves, pressure is there for sure.
You must be wondering why I am talking about all this, all of a sudden in a blog related to skin care. well… this pressure plays a big role in skin health of youngsters.
Ayurveda teaches us to find out the root cause & then treat the patient. Treating skin disorders for more than 20 years now has taught me that the real cause lies in wrong- diet, lifestyle and mindset. This trio plays a very important role in skin care today.
Let’s understand what Ayurveda tells about skin.
· Skin is a part of body we inherit from our parents.
· In the 3rd and 6th month of pregnancy skin of fetus is formed.
· Mother’s food intake also determines quality of skin of the fetus. Satvik aahara (mild n nutritious food) leads to formation of soft n supple skin of the baby.
· Skin has 6 layers according to Charaka and 7 layers according to Sushruta. Each layer has its own function and importance. Chronic skin diseases involve deeper layers of the skin.
· Strotasas(channels which carry tridoshas,sapta dhatus & mala in the body) involved in skin disorders are predominantly raktavaha strotas, mamsavaha strotas and rasavaha strotas.
Dushti karana (factors responsible for disturbing balance of these strotasas) are as follows-
After reading the above charts carefully, you can easily find out what’s wrong is being done by you about your diet or lifestyle, if you have any skin problems presently.
This is important because the first treatment by ayurveda is always nidana parivarjana i.e.avoiding food and/or lifestyle which is cause of the disease.
Now let’s take a look at medicines or therapies that helps in skin disorders.
As mentioned earlier nidana parivarjana is the first line of treatment. You can go through the charts above, and correct your diet n lifestyle. Also check the following chart which provides things to follow.
Herbs like Neem, Khadir, Haridra, Guduchi, Bakuchi, Karanja, Aaragwadh, Sariva, Manjishtha, Panchavalkala etc can be used as single drug or in combinations as a choorna.
· Medicines like Kamdhudha rasa, Aarogyavardhini rasa, Chandrakala rasa, Gandhak rasayana, Kaishore guggulu, Swayambhuv guggulu etc can be used after proper diagnosis.
· Other preparations like Tiktak ghrita, Mahatiktak ghrita, Manibhadra guda, Mahamanjishthadi kashaya, Khadirarishta, Sarivadyasava, Aaragvadharishta etc are also used.
· Local applications like rasottamadi lepam, kumkumadi tailam, chandanadi tailam, karanjtailam, neemtailam ,marchyadi tailam etc are used as per requirement.
· Therapies like Vamana, virechana or raktamokshana(especially leech therapy) are more useful though basti and nasya karma are also advised occasionally.
· Practice meditation, omkara chanting and pranayama regularly.
· Do not forget to exercise.
Follow the diet and lifestyle guidelines properly for permanent cure.
All the medicines and therapies mentioned above are to be consumed or conducted under the observation of an Ayurvedic physician. Do not try any of them on your own.
Do not apply any ayurvedic creams or oils without proper guidance of an expert. Your doctor is the right person to diagnose and decide it for you.
Remember, healthy, beautiful and glowing skin doesn’t come from makeup, it is the result of your inner beauty and strength.
