When confronted with the discomfort of eczema, many visit their GP and end up with a prescription for a steroid cream to help ease the symptoms temporarily. It can be difficult to know where to turn with a host of topical products, cleanses, supplements and snake-oil salesmen claiming miraculous results.

It is altogether common for people to come into my clinic and say,  “My naturopath has told me that I’m allergic  to certain foods including: a,b,c,x,y,z and that’s what is causing my eczema to flare. I’ve cut all of these things out of my diet and it seems to be better.” Well, yes the condition seems to have improved, it is not totally gone, and anytime you slip one of these items back into your diet, the eczema comes back, or you wouldn’t be in my office. Hmmm… It is my belief that elimination diets are only indicated for a very few conditions, and that they often cause more stress than they are worth. Eczema is often present during infancy and the foods you may be “sensitive” to now were likely not present in your diet as an infant. If these foods did not cause your eczema why would eliminating them be a cure? The problem lies a little deeper.

Chinese medicine is different and has an excellent track record for treating various forms of eczema including atopic (allergic) and pompholyx (dishydrotic). This reputation for results is backed by a long history and a wealth of modern research. It is a natural treatment that addresses the underlying imbalance associated with eczema helping to encourage overall well being as well as the possibility of a life with clear comfortable skin. Once your body is in a state of balance you will no longer present with eczema. It’s that simple!

Therapy involves a thorough examination of how the skin is behaving, a differential diagnoses and a highly individualized herbal formula to treat the symptoms specific to the case. Some patients present with more itching, weeping and crusting, some have more dryness and redness etc… These differences are taken into consideration before a herbal remedy is customized to address the condition. 3-6 months of treatment is typically indicated while some cases clear up more quickly and others can take longer. When appropriate, topical therapy including all- natural soaks, steams, compresses and creams are used to help speed healing.

Article – Traditional Chinese Medicine Effectively Treats Eczema

Dr. Kelly Cmolik DTCM is one of the few Doctors of Chinese Medicine in the Vancouver area who has specialty training in the treatment of dermatological conditions. She has trained with world-renowned TCM Dermatology specialist Mazin Al-Khafaji and continues to tirelessly upgrade her level of knowledge.