A visit to an allopathic dermatologist typically lasts about 20 minutes. The dermatologist will ask you a series of questions about your symptoms and medical history and then examine your skin with a dermatascope. In some cases you’ll receive diagnostic tests such as skin swabs or blood tests. Treatment may include oral or topical medications or procedures such as injections, cryotherapy or surgery. There may be side affects and treatment is usually indefinite.
A homeopathic consultation is a completely different affair. Your first visit lasts about 90 minutes and follow-ups about 30. Your homeopath will ask you about your rosacea and medical history in minute detail. In addition, you will be asked about your general health, your lifestyle, and probably also about your emotional wellbeing. You will then be given a homeopathic medicine, supplements such as flower essences or cell salts, and also some lifestyle advice and counseling.
Treatment is usually successful and symptomatic relief can occur within a few days, but it generally takes a few months to be free of this condition. The length of treatment depends on the severity of the condition.
What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a chronic rash on the face; affecting the forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. It most often affects people with fair skin and blue eyes. It may be transient, recurrent or persistent. Rosacea was once known as "acne rosacea", but this is incorrect because it is unrelated to acne.
In the beginning the face becomes visibly red; this is followed by the appearance of pimples. As the condition advances, the blood vessels in the face dilate and become visible. If the condition continues, connective tissue grows around blood vessels and thickening of skin results. Nodules form on the nose, which gets enlarged. There may be redness, itching and watering of the eyes.
Rosacea results in red spots (papules) and sometimes pustules. They are dome-shaped rather than pointed and unlike acne, there are no blackheads, whiteheads or nodules. Rosacea may also result in red areas, scaling (rosacea dermatitis) and swelling.
Characteristics of rosacea include:
• Redness in the face
• Spider veins (broken blood vessels)
• Swelling and painful skin
• Sensitive skin that easily reacts to the sun, skin care products, heat or sweating
• Stinging and burning in the skin
• Dry, rough, itchy or scaling skin
• Easily blushing when embarrassed
• Acne-like breakouts and overly oily skin
• Large, visible and inflamed pores
• Raised patches of skin called plaques
• Bumpy texture to the skin
• Thickening of the skin – usually around the nose on the chin, forehead, cheeks and ears
• Sensitivity of skin around the eyes, including watery or bloodshot appearance, redness, dryness, stinging, itching, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, cysts and pain
5-part Heilkünst Rosacea treatment
To rid yourself of rosacea completely on all levels you need a systematic, multipronged approach that addresses every aspect of the disease.
ONE: HOMEOPATHY
Homeopathy treats the person as a whole, complete and unique person. A homeopathic medicine is selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the patient’s pathological condition, medical history, physical and mental constitution, family history, presenting symptoms, underlying pathology, possible causative factors, and more.
There are hundreds of homeopathic medicines that homeopaths can use to treat rosacea. I have included three examples below. The reason for the examples is not to help you to select your own homeopathic medicine, but simply to give you a clear picture of what they are like. Most people can correctly select the right supplement, but choosing the right homeopathic medicine really requires a professional.
A homeopathy doctor tries to treat more than just the presenting symptoms. The focus is usually on what caused the disease condition? Why ‘this patient’ is sick ‘this way’. The disease diagnosis is important but in homeopathy, the cause of disease is not just probed to the level of bacteria and viruses. Other factors like mental, emotional and physical stress that could predispose a person to illness are also looked for.
Atropa Belladonna
Belladonna lives in a world of his own. Is stubborn, changeable and disinclined to talk.
Belladonna always is associated with hot, red skin, flushed face, glaring eyes, an excited mental state, heightened senses, restless sleep, convulsive movements, dryness of mouth and throat with aversion to water. Symptoms come on suddenly and intensely.
Headaches come on suddenly and are worse from light, noise or lying down. The pupils are dilated. The eyes feel swollen and protruding. The conjunctivas are red and dry. The nose is red and swollen with a tingling tip. The skin is hot, burning, dry and sensitive; scarlet. Eruption spread quickly. Pustules on face. Glands swollen, tender, and red.
Silica Terra
Silica is shy, quiet, and sensitive. They are intellectual and sometimes stubborn. They tend to lack strength, both mental and physical and become mentally and physically exhausted easily. Silica is cold, chilly and wants plenty warm clothing, hates drafts, hands and feet cold, worse in winter. Ailments attended with pus formation.
Profuse sweat of head and feet that could smell bad. Aversion to daylight. Sneezing in morning. There is a tendency for abscesses, boils and ulcers. Delicate, pale, waxy skin. Painless swelling of glands. Rose-colored blotches. Scars suddenly become painful. Pus smells offensive. Every little injury suppurates.
Thuja Occidentalis
Thuja has fixed ideas. They are emotional sensitiveness; music causes weeping. There is a tendency for warty growths. They are worse at rest, better in dry weather, worse damp humid atmosphere. Left-sided headaches. White, scaly dandruff; hair dry and falling out. Greasy skin of face. Tubercles, warts, carbuncles; ulcers, especially in ano-genital region. Freckles and blotches. Perspiration sweetish, and strong. Dry skin, with brown spots. Glandular enlargement. Nails crippled; brittle and soft. Eruptions only on covered parts; worse after scratching. Very sensitive to touch.
TWO: NATURAL REMEDIES
In the late 1880’s Dr. Schuessler analyzed the ash residue of human cells, and found 12 inorganic mineral salts that were critical to healthy cellular activity. In the late 1990s an additional 15 cells salts were discovered. The 27 cell salts strengthen the organs and tissues in the body by balancing any mineral deficiencies within the cells. Below are a few cell salts that are commonly used for rosacea.
Calcium fluoride (Calc fluor) – spider veins, connective tissue support
Potassium chloride (Kali mur) – reduces rosacea, red spider veins, inflammation, discharges
Iron Phosphate (Ferr phos) – strengthens blood vessel walls, inflammation, redness, purifies the blood and acts as a blood tonic
Silica (Sil) – cellular cleanser, strengthens connective tissues, tonic for skin and hair
Selenium (Sel) – immune system, heavy metal elimination, eye metabolism, dry skin, liver, detox, psoriasis
THREE: Natural cosmetics
Clinical studies have shown that when patients regularly cleaned and moisturized dry, rough, patchy skin, they found that symptoms, discomfort and overall sensitivity of skin improved.
Commercial skin care products and cosmetics contain several chemicals and can trigger or aggravate rosacea. Homemade beauty products have been used to around the world for centuries to successfully treat skin problems. There is a growing moment, especially among housewives and mothers, to make their own products using natural ingredients such as including coconut oil, aloe vera, herbs and essential oils.
Natural products are not as convenient as commercial ones and they have a much shorter shelf life, but they are so much better – a pleasure to make and to use.
FOUR: IDENTIFY YOUR TRIGGERS
Certain foods, activities, emotions or weather conditions will trigger a rosacea flare up. Common triggers are liver, cheese, avocados, spicy foods, beer, wine, coffee, stress, shame, embarrassment, vasodilators, topical steroids, hot baths, saunas, hot, cold or humid weather, to name but a few.
By identifying and avoiding these triggers rosacea patients can reduce the chances of a flare-up. Identifying these factors is an individual process, however, because what causes a flare-up for one person may have no effect on another.
Patients are encouraged to keep a diary of daily activities or events and relate them to any flare-ups they may experience.
FIVE: MANAGE STRESS
Stress can trigger rosacea flare-ups. Stress-reducing practices such as meditation, healing prayer, journaling and relaxing exercises are a good way to soothe your emotions. Another approach is to be open and honest about your condition and talk about it with someone who understands you.
The founder of German New Medicine, Dr. Ryke Hamer, realized that patients with rosacea had all previously experienced an embarrassing or humiliating shock – becoming beet red at the moment of shock. This incident had left them feeling ashamed, tainted, ugly or somehow deformed.
According to Dr. Hamer each type of emotional shock has a specific biological affect on the body – rosacea, for example, is the result of a past humiliating shock that affects the facial capillaries. In our beauty conscious society any incident that reminds the patient of their shame or ugliness triggers the rosacea.
Dr. Hamer’s treatment is quite simple – go back into the patient’s history and find the original shock. Then assist the patient in understanding and overcoming that experience. In theory this sounds simple but in practice it takes lots of skill and dedication.
I regularly use Flower Essences to support a patient in this process. There are thousands of essences to choose from and every patient is unique. Here are a few essences that often come up with rosacea.
Pretty Face Essence helps those who feel ugly or rejected because of their appearance.
Crab Apple Essence is a cleanser and brings a sense of inner purity. It helps with perceived physical imperfections and feeling of being unclean.
Larch helps those who want to regain self-esteem and self-confidence.
Pink Monkeyflower Essence is for those who fear being seen, both literally and metaphorically. It is excellent for clearing out feelings of shame.
Disclaimer
The information above is my opinion. Its purpose is to give you an understanding of what to expect at a homeopathic consultation and it should not be taken as medical advice. It is not meant as the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of rosacea. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider with questions you have regarding rosacea or any other medical condition. Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read above.