Skin Health
From the itching of Eczema to the emotional discomfort of acne, skin problems can be very hard on us psychologically and physically. With our Naturopathic Doctors you can finally get at the root of the problem and heal your skin once and for all. We connect how the gut, mind and hormones all affect your skin to ensure we heal your skin from the inside and out.
Our Areas of Expertise
Acne (formally called Acne Vulgaris) is probably one of the most common skin conditions that affect people and is usually found on the face, chest, neck, shoulders and back. Acne is truly a problem of high levels of our sex hormones, specifically testosterone and estrogen. That is why acne is more common in teenagers and is often treated with the oral contraceptive pill. The elevation of these hormones leads to more oil (sebum) production that ends up killing skin cells and plugging up hair follicles. Depending on the severity of the condition, symptoms may include whiteheads, blackheads, papules or small red bumps, pustules or pimples with pus, nodules or painful lumps and cystic lesions. Our treatments focus on balancing the hormones and healing the skin from the inside out, this gives lasting results without the strong medications.
Eczema or formally called Atopic dermatitis is a skin condition that appears as an itchy, red rash all over their body, but more prominently on the inside of the elbows, behind the knees, neck, wrists, and ankles. The rashes not have bleeding (except with excessive itchy), but can wheep a clear thick fluid. Babies often have it on their cheeks and chin, and sometimes, on the trunk, scalp, and outer arms and legs. Eczema is part of the Atopic tirade that links Asthma and chronic sinus congestion with Eczema. Eczema often has a genetic and biochemistry problem as the root cause, our treatment focuses on healing and over coming the biochemical problems with nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes.
Rosacea is a chronic facial skin disorder that is characterized by flushing and persistent redness on the cheeks, chin, nose, or forehead. Visible blood vessels, and in severe cases, pimples may also develop. Rosacea is formally called Acne Rosacea, and is related to the common Acne but has a different root cause, it’s less about hormones and more about inflammation in the body often associated with the digestive system. Eyes may also get affected and appear bloodshot and watery. Rosacea can start at any age but is more common in adults (compared to Acne that is more common in teenagers). Our treatments focus on finding the root cause of the inflammation, and by calming down the inflammation we heal the body and clear the Rosacea
Psoriasis is a condition of the immune system that manifests as red patches on the skin, which can be cracked or raised skin, also called plaques. The most common spots for psoriasis is on the knees and the elbow (not the inside of the elbow like eczema). These plaques, when seen under a microscope shows the skin is thickening with quick growth of skin cells, their accelerated life cycle leads to a build-up of dead cells on the skin’s surface. Psoriasis is different then eczema in the locations it is found on the body, but clinically the main visual diagnostic presentation of psoriasis is whitish-silver skin flakes that when removed leads to pinpoint bleeding, but does not wheep clear fluid like eczema. Similar to Rosacea, there is always an inflammation part to psoriasis and is often associated with digestive problems and a food intolerance. It’s important to know that food intolerance from the IgG antibody is not the same as a food allergy which is the IgE antibody, and often people tested for allergies may still have unknown food intolerance. Treatment starts off with a blood based test for food intolerance and looks at all the possible sources of inflammation in the body.
Our Plan
After an initial assessment with one of our Naturopathic Doctors, they will create a unique and customized treatment plan for you to follow. The treatment plan may involve dietary modifications and nutrition counselling, lifestyle counselling, food intolerance testing, body-mind work, supplements, and other naturopathic remedies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and homeopathy. Our plan is too address the root cause and not just add a skin cream.
What Makes Us Different
Our experience has shown us time and time again that skin health is a reflection of deeper concerns. Only when you know where to look can you find deep and lasting results. Our plan of addressing the root cause may take some time as the body heals before you see changes in your skin condition. However, our plan is for the long term. It is our hope that once your treatment plan is completed you will have the tools and knowledge you need to prevent the skin condition from coming back.
Our focus on naturally healing the skin to clear up acne, psoriasis, and eczema without medications, is based on healing from the inside out. That is, when you address the underlying cause for the skin condition. In holistic medicine, we look at the whole person, not just the condition, such as acne.
If you are only treating the skin condition topically then you are not addressing the root cause, which means the condition is likely to keep recurring. In our experience, the majority of skin conditions result from some type of digestive disorder, which is in turn linked to hormones. It’s a matter of identifying that root cause and setting you on your path to healthy skin.