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Skin disorders can have a significant impact on how we feel about ourselves and how we think others feel about us too. Acne, eczema, rosacea, psoriasis and other skin disorders can shake the confidence of the most successful persons. Some struggle for years with an endless stream of doctor visits, antibiotics, skin care products and even depression while living with invasive skin disorders that can leave behind more than physical scars.
For women its as much emotional at some point as it is physical and possibly the same for men too. In order to improve your skin condition you have to put emotions aside and arm yourselves with facts and a plan. Its important to understand the science of these disorders but I believe its even more important to apply science along with healthy mental and physical living for a holistic approach to your skin condition. Science along will not resolve all the issues we have surrounding our skin and appearance.
Whether its hormones, heredity, allergies, immune-dysfunction, or viral infections causing your skin disorder, unless you have been told there are no options for improvement you have to assume there must be some. Medication, diet and nutrition, stress management, cosmetic surgery, aesthetic procedures, skin care products, lifestyle changes and alternative medicine are all possible approaches to healing and improving your skin. For many persons it will be a combination of these in some form that helps clear your skin or at least give you relief and the peace you seek. Finding the combination that works for you is what you want to accomplish.
Managing stress and anxiety is one of the first steps to improvement. The more stress and anxiety about your skin disorder the worse the condition becomes. The clinical connection between stress and disease has been established, the body can react strongly to stress; it can cause acne, other skin disorders and diseases to become inflamed or more acute. Stress can cause diseases that have been dormant for years to re-emerge and others to suddenly appear.
Surround yourself with positive people, join a local support group for your skin disorder and if not available locally try an on-line forum of a reputable site such as the Mayo Clinic and others. At this point I would not suggest trying remedies until you get all the facts about your particular situation. Trying remedies before having clinical information about whats going on in your body can be harmful.
Set realistic expectations and goals. Improving your skin condition is one thing changing the shape of your nose is quite something else. Once you know what you are after you can move forward. It will take time and a lot of interesting things will happen along the way. There is always the possibility that science will not be able to tell you specifically what is causing your skin disorder but even if that happens at least you will have learned what's not causing it; which is just as important.
Seeking a physician early is important, you want to find out whats going on with your skin and body before it becomes critical or more frightening things happen like scars and infection. Pimples, itching, rashes, blotches, cysts, spots and sores may be more than you think. Other illness/disease can manifest in the skin which is why I feel self diagnosis is not a good idea unless youre certain of whats happening. The skin is an organ of the body that is often an indicator of other problems.
See a qualified physician for an evaluation which may be time consuming and require visits to other specialists, such as an Endocrinologist or Dermatologist. Be patient during this phase and remember to minimize stress because this is just a small part of your journey to wellness.
If you dont currently have a physician, ask a family member, co-worker or other associate for the name of a physician they may know and trust. If that fails contact the AMA (American Medical Association) for a list of board certified physicians in your area. Some insurance plans will require you to first see your primary care doctor who will then refer you to a dermatologist or other specialists. Some primary care physicians can be obstacles to care and unless you are persistent and demanding will not refer you to the specialist you need. Don't be deterred, you can change primary care physicians or pay a little more in some cases to visit an out of plan doctor.
Read as much quality unbiased material from books and on-line sources (Medline, Harvard School of Medicine, etc.) as you can about your condition, knowledge is power. Having specific questions, a general understanding of symptoms and what may be going on in your body will help you at this point. Dont get carried away with this, your goal is to get quality useful information not to become a physician.
It's important that your doctor explains his/her diagnosis and prognosis on your level so you can understand it. I always tell my doctors to speak to me, not at me, have them draw a picture if you have to. Once you have discussed this information and are comfortable with it your doctor will probably recommend a treatment plan or further testing.
Follow-up visits and keeping all appointments is important, the goal is to get to the bottom of whats causing the problem. Science can be very helpful in this regard. When your doctor reveals the treatment plan, listen and ask lots of questions, take notes. You will want to discuss at a minimum the following and there are probably more items you can add to this list:
1. Why he/she is recommending a particular treatment? There are so many new medicines find out how long this treatment has been used? Is there a generic? Request education materials to take with you.
2. What realistic results can you expect from this treatment?
3. Possible side effects.
4. Length of treatment.
5. Other options both traditional and alternative.
6. What happens if it is not successful and what will be the next step?
7. Has other of his/her patients with your disorder had success with this treatment?
8. How long will it take to see results and how long will they last?
9. What other changes will/may occur in your body as a result of this treatment?
10. If the treatment works what are the chances this condition will resurface and how can that be prevented?
11. Are there possible interactions with any nutrient or medication you are currently taking?
Persons with ethnic skin may also need to ask how the proposed treatment performs on their skin and are there any known adverse issues or concerns. Remember you dont have to make a quick decision regarding the proposed treatment, you may want to discuss it with a loved one, explore alternatives, get a second opinion or ask your doctor for more information. What ever you decide at this point whether it's antibiotics or laser light treatments stick with it unless something drastic happens and remember sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. If you have done a good exploratory of the proposed treatment you will know what to expect. Some treatments may cause the acne, rash, blotches or other symptoms to worsen temporarily but that does not mean its not working. Always inform your doctor of adverse reactions or concerns, don't ignore anything unusual.
Achieving your skin healing/improvement goal will take time and patience, minimize anxiety and stress because neither will help you get better or make the treatment work any faster. Focus on your diet and skin care routine or some other important aspect of your mental and physical health while you undergo the treatment.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. |
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