Understanding and Treating Skin Conditions: Focusing on Skin Barrier Function
Skin Disease Treatment Subjects
Acne, Eczema, Atopic Dermatitis, Seborrheic Dermatitis, Psoriasis
Folliculitis, Warts, Chronic Urticaria, Keratosis Pilaris, Pompholyx
Hyperhidrosis, Herpes Zoster, Purpura, Rosacea, Facial Redness, Rhinophyma
Acne Scars, Body Acne, and 20+ Other Skin Conditions
There are many types of skin diseases. For example, eczema, atopic dermatitis, warts, psoriasis, folliculitis, and acne. These can manifest in various ways on the skin, such as comedones, inflammation, scales, and edema. The way these skin diseases present themselves can vary greatly, and their symptoms can be difficult to identify.
Therefore, people often focus on treating the symptoms that appear on the skin. The problem is that if you focus solely on these symptomatic treatments, you may not fully understand the difference between improvement and cure.
Skin diseases are caused by functional abnormalities of the skin barrier. Therefore, restoring the skin barrier function can lead to natural healing.
In conclusion, most skin diseases manifest because the skin's functional balance is disrupted. This is often referred to as the 'loss of skin barrier function'.
To effectively treat chronic or persistent skin diseases, it is essential to understand the concept of the skin barrier and the fact that its functional impairment occurs when the body's internal activities become unbalanced.
Let's examine the causes of skin diseases treated at Hanbang ENT Dermatology Clinic and explore how to approach and treat these conditions.
"Warts" are viral diseases caused by skin infections from the human papillomavirus (HPV). However, the occurrence or persistence of warts is often due to impaired immune function, which is one aspect of the skin barrier's function.
In a broader sense, the problem lies in the skin's inability to overcome the virus.
"Folliculitis" is caused by Staphylococcus aureus infection. Prevention and treatment should also focus on strengthening the immune function, which is part of the skin barrier's function.
Only then can the skin independently fight off and overcome bacterial infections.
"Seborrheic dermatitis" is a type of eczema. Medically, its exact cause is not clearly defined.
Various factors are considered as causes of seborrheic dermatitis, including abnormal nerve substances, the influence of temperature and humidity, epidermal proliferation, abnormal sebum secretion, and nutritional deficiencies. These factors are related to the skin barrier's four main functions: immune function, sebum secretion, and thermoregulation.
In essence, most skin diseases arise due to problems with one or more of the skin barrier's four functions: sebum secretion, keratin turnover, immune function, and thermoregulation.
In the case of "psoriasis," the presence of erythema and scaling makes it visually prominent, causing significant external stress upon onset.
Psoriasis occurs when the skin barrier's "keratin regeneration" function becomes excessively active, causing immature cells to be pushed to the skin's surface. These cells then rupture, leading to inflammation.
"Keratosis pilaris" is characterized by excessive growth of hair follicle bumps on the skin, leading to what is commonly known as 'chicken skin'.
It occurs due to impaired keratin regeneration within the skin barrier. Therefore, restoring normal keratin function, i.e., normalizing the skin barrier function, is necessary.
"Atopic dermatitis" is similar. It is a condition where the skin barrier's immune function collapses, leading to the skin attacking itself through hypersensitive immune activity.
Therefore, it is believed that normalizing the skin barrier function is the only way to eliminate atopic dermatitis symptoms and achieve the desired results.
"Pompholyx" causes blisters and oozing on the skin. It is also prone to recurrence, making it challenging to manage. Treatment methods that strengthen the weakened skin layer are required.
Pompholyx can be described as inflammation caused by reduced skin regeneration due to impaired skin barrier function.
"Rhinophyma (strawberry nose) and facial redness" are conditions characterized by chronic vasodilation in the nose or face due to stimuli from within the body.
Facial redness refers to a state where an imbalance in the body's internal environment disrupts the body's condition, causing abnormal vasodilation and constriction.
"Urticaria (chronic skin allergy)", a common skin condition, can be triggered by various factors, ranging from pollen to food.
Urticaria also results from a hypersensitive immune response within the skin barrier, causing the skin to react sensitively even to minor stimuli.
Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate the irritants that cause the skin barrier to become hypersensitive.
So, what are the causes of skin barrier dysfunction?
As we have seen, most skin diseases are caused and sustained by skin barrier dysfunction.
Chronic skin diseases, in particular, are characterized by daily symptoms due to the skin barrier's inability to recover.
Importantly, skin barrier function is influenced by both external and internal factors.
External factors include exposure to irritating cosmetics or chemical ingredients that sensitize and irritate the skin barrier itself. Internal factors involve problems with internal organ function or circulation, which negatively affect the autonomic nervous system and hormones, leading to abnormal skin barrier function.
We should pay close attention to internal factors. These factors are a combination of lifestyle and behavioral patterns, along with congenital factors, and cannot be eliminated with medication or procedures.
What about "acne," which is one of the most common conditions treated in Korean medicine dermatology clinics and is easily found around us?
Acne is clearly a problem of sebum and keratin in the skin, but the cause of these problems lies within the body.
Problems such as organ dysfunction, abnormal heat sensation, and hypersensitivity of the autonomic nervous system disrupt the normal functioning of the skin. As a result, the sebaceous glands become overactive, and the ability of keratinization is impaired. The skin barrier's function is either excessive or insufficient, leading to acne.
Acne can also occur on the body, such as on the back or chest. Although the location differs, the underlying cause remains the same: impaired skin function.
However, acne can lead to acne scars or blemishes, requiring special care.
Acne scars appear as pitted areas where acne used to be. Once the skin is pitted, it does not naturally regenerate, making treatment necessary.
Acne blemishes are caused by skin irritation from acne, leading to pigmentation. Like acne scars, they can leave a cosmetically undesirable impression, especially when they occur on visible areas such as the face.
Acne scars and blemishes can be prevented by treating acne early on.
A common characteristic observed in many patients undergoing skin treatment is that "health prevents disease."
In addition, hyperhidrosis is treated based on the influence of body heat and the autonomic nervous system. Herpes zoster is treated by restoring immune function to combat the virus. Purpura, an allergic reaction in the body, is treated by normalizing the body's immune response.
This simple statement encapsulates the core principle of treating skin diseases.
Skin diseases can be treated by improving skin barrier function, which relies on a strong internal body. Of course, external care such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and skin care treatments are also performed in parallel.
Above all, skin barrier dysfunction causes skin diseases, and the majority of factors that cause this dysfunction in chronic skin diseases are internal (internal imbalance).
Whether you are currently struggling with acne, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, or any other skin condition, the ultimate goal is to improve skin barrier function.
Even if there is a genetic predisposition to skin diseases, treatment is not impossible.
Genetic problems are ultimately triggered by acquired factors. Therefore, skin can be improved with acquired management.
Remember that being healthy applies to skin problems as well.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/iostart1/224089817731
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