Biochemic Treatment of Skin Diseases

Skin is the surface layers which covers the body, protects the underlying tissues from injury, drying and invasion by foreign germs; helps to regulate the body temperature. Skin owing to its vast exposed area to the external environment is vulnerable to many diseases too.

Calc. Phos. When the secretions are like the white of an egg. Skin diseases associated with anaemia.
Calc. Sulph. Discharge of thick, yellow matter with yellowish scabs; unhealthy wounds with pus which do not heal. Pimples, pustules occurring during adolescence.
Calc. Fluor. Chaps and cracks of the skin; cracks in palms of hands, fissures about the nail, around the mouth and anus, brittle finger nails, thickening of the skin which becomes hard and tough.
Ferrum Phos. Acute inflammation of the skin with fever, heat, pain, throbbing or redness; pimples: congestion of the skin.
Kali Mur. Acne, pimples on the face with thick, white contents. Connected with gastric or genital derangement. Eczema, scurfy eruptions on the head and face of little children. Dandruff, with characteristic tongue; dry, flour-like scales on the skin. Vesicular eczema, albuminoid secretions. Erythema herpes, lupus, warts on hands, chilblains, etc.
Kali Phos. Eczema and eruptions of the skin if accompanied by offensive odour: exhausting perspiration, nervousness, secretions cause soreness. Itching chilblain. Malignant pustule.
Kali Sulph. All eruptions of the skin when the discharges are watery yellow and foul matter. Greenish yellow exudate and the formation of crusts. Dry skin; sudden suppression of eruptions; peeling of the skin, with or without sticky secretions, brittle nails; in alternation with Silicea. The principal tissue salt for psoriasis and also athlete’s foot. Dandruff yellowish or white scales on the scalp, falling off of the hair.
Nat. Mur. All affections with watery blisters and thin, transparent, white scales. Skin and hair dry, hair falls out. Shingles where irritation is felt. Effect of insect bites; itching and burning of the skin. Skin affections accompanied by watery discharges which burn and irritate the parts. Eczema in bend of joints. Tongue clean but with frothy bubbles along the edge.
Nat. Phos. All skin eruptions; the discharges are creamy, golden yellow or colour of honey; irritating: symptoms of acidity and sour-smelling perspiration; creamy yellow coating on the root of the tongue.
Mag. Phos, Barber’s itch; herpetic eruptions with white scales. Dandruff, pustules and pimples on scalp. Rash like insect bites, worse about knees, ankles and elbows.
Nat. Sulph. Chaffing of the skin in children with bilious symptoms. Chilblains. Eczema. Vesicles containing yellowish water. Pemphigus. Warts caused by long exposure to dampness.
Silicea. To hasten suppuration. Secretions are mattery, or blood and matter. Offensive odour and sweating of the feet. Boils, ulcer with tendency to suppurate. Diseased and softened nails. Symptoms are worse from cold; better from warmth.

Acne

The first sign of getting mature or adult-hood, but is very annoying in young people. A constant source of anxiety as it is a cosmetic problem. The period of maturity and personality building does not allow such spots on face; this is what is the main reason for anxiety. Acne is a condition of inflammation and infection of the oil glands and ducts.

Nat. Mur. Chief remedy used in 12x potency: a dose night and morning. Persons of pale, earthy complexion, constipated, depressed, often students.
Kali Mur. 6x. Pimples on face and neck filled with white substance. Pimples at puberty caused by uterine derangements.
Calc. Sulph. Pimples discharging thick, yellowish pus, leaving deep spots.
Calc. Phos. Pimples during puberty, menses too early, too profuse in young girls. Pimples with black heads.
Silicea. Constipation, acne spots, styes. Use 3x.

Acne Rosacea

A variety of acne with big, red, rosy eruption on checks.

Kali Mur., Calc. Phos, and Silicea in 6x potency given in rotation is a very effective combination.

Barber’s Itch

An infection of the bearded area of the face and neck contracted by use of an infected razor. May be due to some fungus: eruptions are boggy lumps, and deep seated sores containing pus. Located on chin, neck, upper lip, etc.

Kali. Mur. and Calc. Sulph. 6x alternately will cure them.

Abscesses and Boils

An acute abscess is one which develops rapidly, beginning as a sore spot in some part of the body, becoming hard, inflamed. painful and filled with pus. When pus formation has occurred it is an indication that the white blood corpuscles have successfully overcome the invading micro-organisms. There may be some fever. Hot fomentations will help to relieve the pain, which subsides when the abscess bursts.

Boils resemble abscesses, but usually come in crops. Careful cleanliness of the affected area is important in preventing the spread of infection. The action of Silicea helps the abscess to ripen. A lowered state of health is sometimes a predisposing factor and in such cases a course of Calc. Phos. is indicated.

Ferr. Phos. 3x. Inflammatory stage, when there is heat, pain, congestion and fever. Given in alternation with Kali. Mur. it will often prevent swelling and suppuration (formation of pus).
Kali Mur. 3x. For the swelling before pus has begun to form (alternate with Fer. Phos). Also use locally on lint 2x or 3x powder.
Silicea 12x after Kali Mur., when swelling becomes soft and pus has commenced to form. It will assist suppuration, cause the abscess to ripen and often break without surgical interference in low potencies, aborts in higher (30x). Should also be given after the abscess has broken and is discharging its contents. Gum boils and peri-anal abscess. Throws out foreign bodies from the skin.
Calc. Sulph. after Silicea, if the discharge continues too long and the wound refuses to heal owing to a torpidity of the tissues; use 12x.
Calc. Fluor. When the suppurative process affects the bone. When the abscess has a hard, callous edge. Use 12x.

Bedsores

Degenerated skin patches of varied size, exposing and involving underlying tissues caused by constant localized pressure on the skin of bed ridden patient. Common sites are loins, pelvis, buttocks, hips, shoulders, thighs and ankles. Paralytic patients having spinal cord injuries are prone to get them.

Kali. Phos. and Ferr. Phos. 6x in alternation will help in healing. Few tablets of each dissolved in water and lint pad dipped in the solution can be used as a compress, renewing every few hour.

Blisters

Small localized blebs in the outer layer of the skin containing watery fluid and producing bubble-like elevation of the surface. They are usually multiple and may be caused by a variety of injuries such as burns, scalds, chaffing etc.

Ferr. Phos. & Nat. Mur. 6x. Given frequently and a solution made by dissolving them in hot water may be used as a local application.

Chaps and Chilblains (Frostbite)

Irritation, dryness and redness caused by exposure to cold or by soap, hard water, and detergents used by persons with deficient oily secretion in the skin, commonly found on hands, face and lips. Face should be protected from exposure outdoor with a muffler. Cold cream or bland oil may be applied.

Chilblains – Stagnation and congestion of the blood in the peripheral veins due to exposure of the part to excessive cold, appearing most commonly in the fingers, toes, ears and tip of the nose, and affecting very young and the very old. Blanching of skin followed by tingling and bluish-red coloration and swelling, intense itching and burning, aggravated by warmth are common symptoms.

May be prevented by wearing woollen socks, gloves, rubbing fingers and toes to promote circulation, adequate nutrition should be maintained.

Calc. Phos. is the principal remedy.
Kali Mur. Useful where there is much swelling,
Ferr. Phos. In alternation with Kali Mur for the pain and inflammation.
Kali Phos. May be given intercurrently to counter the effects of irritation.
Calc. Fluor. Useful when there are cracks in the skin.
Kali Sulph. Broken chilblains exuding thin, yellow fluid.

Corns

Horny thickness of the outer layer of the skin produced by pressure, mostly on the toes and feet. A hard corn is thickening caused by the pressure of the tight shoe, a soft corn between two toes, by heat and moisture. Sufficiently wide shoes often relieve the symptoms.

Calc. Flour & Kali Mur. 6x Alternately. Silicea intercurrently.

Eczema

A noncontagious condition affecting skin characterized by itching, inflammation, blistering and scaling. Allergic reaction to a particular food, medicine, or air borne pollen can be the cause if children or infants are affected.

Anyone with skin rash that involves blistering and scaling should not experiment with advertised commercial products without consulting physician. Infants and aged need special attention if they suffer from this ailment.

Calc. Phos. For want of blood and calcium, emaciated patients. Intense itching in the aged. Alternate with Kali Phos. for better result.
Ferr. Phos. As soon as some irritation is felt in the skin; heat, congestion, throbbing.
Kali Mur. Scurf on the head and face. Vaccination with impure lymph. Deranged uterine functions. Obstinate chronic eczema.
Kali Phos. Accompanied by nervous irritation, over-sensitiveness. Greasy scabs with offensive smelling secretions; irritating, crawling sensation, gentle friction agreeable, excess causes sore and chafed skin. Itching of scalp, excessive sweats, little exertion tires.
Kali Sulph. Eczema suddenly suppressed; will awaken suppression and promote cure. Itching more in evening.
Nat. Mur. White scales, eruptions with watery contents, from eating too much salt. Eczema in eyebrows and weeping eczema behind the ears, and bends and joints; washing with water disagrees.
Nat. Phos. Symptoms of acidity; secretions creamy, honey coloured: scurfy eruptions about ears in children. Intense itching, honey coloured discharge.

Hives (Nettlerash Or Urticaria)

Hives is a disorder of the skin characterised by an eruption resembling the effect produced by the sting of a nettle, namely, raised red or red and white patches, occurring in parts or over the whole of the surface of the body, and attended with great itching and irritation.

In many cases the attack appears to be connected with digestive derangements, or the taking of certain articles of diet particularly of protein nature, such as various kinds of meat, fish, shellfish, etc., also occasionally from the use of certain drugs.

Ferr. Phos. When there is feverishness.
Kali Sulph. When the skin is dry and tending to scale
Nat. Mur. Eruptions with clear, watery contents. Urticaria after becoming over-heated.
Nat. Phos. Soreness of the skin, with symptoms of acidity. Creamy exudations.

Scabies

A highly contagious disease caused by a parasitic mite which makes burrows under skin of finger webs.

Kali Phos. Chief remedy (3x).
Kali Mur. Look for characteristic tongue coating.
Nat. Mur. Over large areas and intense itching (3x).
Nat. Phos. & Silicea. Pus and blood not watery.
Kall Sulph & Nat. Sulph. (3x) externally.

Ingrowing Toe-Nail

The entry of the toe-nail into soft tissue and causing pain. It is because of pressure on the sides of the toe nails, due to which there is an overgrowth of tissue around the corners of the nail itself. Eventually the nail grooves in the soft tissues and causes an ingrown toe-nails. The large toe is commonly afflicted.

Calc. Fluor. & Silicea 12x alternately.

Alopecia

Baldness. Falling of hairs in patches or complete. Some may have a familial trend to it. Anxiety, old catarrh, etc. may play in causative role.

Calc. Phos. 6x. Stops falling and thinning of hairs.
Kali Phos. and Nat. Mur. 6x in patients who are mentally tired and depressed. Loss of hair in bunches.

Cracked Lips

Nat. Mur. & Silicea 12x in alternation.

Cysts

A sac containing fluid or gelatinous substance which may be located beneath the skin or mucous memberane in various parts of the body, of all size and degree of severit.

A cyst has a distinct surrounding wall and may be filled with various foreign substances including serum, mucus, blood, hairs, skin cells, etc.

A wen is a skin cyst usually located on scalp containing sebaceous material.

Calc. Phos. & Silicea 12x alternately.
Nat. Mur. 6x. Best for sebaceous cyst (rounded tumour due to retention of excrement).