Homeopathic medicine, treatment and remedies for Skin Rashes

• Alumina
  Common name: Oxide of aluminium
  Symptoms: This remedy is prescribed to older individuals suffering from debility. It also works well in those suffering from abnormalities of skin. Their condition gets worse during the noon, on waking up or on consumption of potatoes and is relieved during the evening or in open air. The most common symptoms that indicate a need for this remedy are:
  • Itching on getting warm
  • Dryness of skin
  • Itching and dryness that often lead to bleeding
  • Brittle and painful skin 
• Anthracokali
  Common name: Anthracite coal dissolved in boiling caustic potash
  Symptoms: Common symptoms, which are relieved with anthracokali are:
  • Skin infections
  • Scabies
  • Chronic herpes
  • Cracks in skin 
• Antimonium Crudum
  Common name: Black sulphide of antimony
  Symptoms: Antimonium crudum is prescribed in conditions where the affected region is sensitive to cold baths or hot weather and where the pain gets worse during evening and on excessive exposure to water. Patients who benefit from this remedy experience the following symptoms:
  • Sharp and horn-like warts on skin
  • Eczema
  • Pimples
  • Scaly skin 
• Arbutus Andrachne
  Common name: Strawberry tree
  Symptoms: Skin symptoms where arbutus andrachne is helpful are:
  • Eczema in different areas
  • Joint pains along with eczema
  • Swelling in joints along with skin abnormalities
• Arsenicum Album
  Common name: Arsenious acid
  Symptoms: This remedy is prescribed to anxious people who are usually tidy and fastidious. The condition of such individuals gets worse after midnight, after exposure to cold weather and at seashores and is eased by the application of heat. Common symptoms that are relieved by this remedy are:
  • Feeling of coldness throughout the whole body
  • Itching and burning sensation of skin
  • Dry, rough and scaly skin
  • Psoriasis
  • Scirrhous (hard) growths on the skin 
• Berberis Aquifolium
  Common name: Mountain grape
  Symptoms: Berberis aquifolium is a typical skin remedy, which is prescribed for the following symptoms:
  • Dry and rough skin with scales
  • Eruptions on neck and face
  • Psoriasis
  • Dry eczema with acne 
• Boricum Acidum
  Common name: Boracic acid
  Symptoms: This remedy is mainly prescribed for the treatment of skin infections. Other symptoms that are relieved by this remedy are:
  • Exfoliating dermatitis
  • Puffiness around eyes
  • Redness of skin 
• Carbo Vegetabilis
  Common name: Vegetable charcoal
  Symptoms: This remedy is well suited to people with a bulky build who are lethargic and have signs of imperfect oxidation. The condition of the individual is bound to get worse during evenings and on consumption of certain products like milk, butter or coffee and is relieved by fanning. Other symptoms where carbo vegetabilis is prescribed are:
  • Bluish discolouration of skin
  • Itching, which gets worse during evenings
  • Itching worsened by the warmth of the bed
  • Increased perspiration and moistness of skin
  • Formation of gangrene in toes
  • Rashes that bleed easily when rubbed
  • Hair fall (Read more: Common reasons for hair fall)
• Castor Equi
  Common name: Rudimentary thumbnail of the horse
  Symptoms: This remedy helps relieve the following symptoms:
  • Thickening of skin
  • Warts developing on the forehead and breasts in women
  • Extreme dryness leading to chapped hands
  • Psoriasis
  • Itching of chest 
• Causticum
  Common name: Hahnemann’s tincture acris sine kali
  Symptoms: Causticum is prescribed in conditions that get aggravated by cold weather and wind and relieved by warm weather or the heat of the bed. People who benefit from this remedy show the following symptoms:
  • Soreness in skin folds around arms, ears and legs
  • Warts on face
  • Warts on the tip of the nose
  • Skin conditions that do not go away easily
  • Old wounds that reopen
  • Dry skin that bleeds easily 
• Dulcamara
  Common name: Bitter sweet
  Symptoms: This remedy is typically prescribed in skin conditions caused due to cold damp weather that ease with the application of external warmth or with motion. Symptoms that are relieved by this remedy are:
  • Eruptions on skin
  • Ulcerations, which bleed easily
  • Red spots and boils on skin
  • Large warts on face and hands
  • Eruptions, that often result in discharges on bursting 
• Fluoricum Acidum
  Common name: Hydrofluoric acid
  Symptoms: This remedy is well suited to individuals who are sensitive to cold and feel better when the surrounding or the region affected is given warmth. Symptoms for which fluoricum acidum is prescribed are:
  • Ulceration
  • Itching of skin
  • Itching, especially of the orifices
  • Feeling of hot emission from the pores of skin 
• Graphites
  Common name: Black lead
  Symptoms: This remedy is suited to stout and fair-skinned individuals. Graphites is also prescribed to people who catch cold easily and whose condition tends to get worse during the night and with a rise in temperature. Common symptoms shown by such individual are:
  • Rough and dry skin
  • Frequent pimples and acne
  • Eruptions on skin that ooze a sticky discharge
  • Redness and itching in the bends of arms and legs and behind ears
  • Burning and stinging pain in the skin
  • Cracks in the skin around the mouth, in between toes and in the nipples 
• Rhus Toxicodendron
  Common name: Poison ivy
  Symptoms: Rhus toxicodendron is an excellent remedy for skin conditions. It is effective in conditions that are sensitive to cold and tend to get worse when the affected region is at rest and are relieved by warm climate and small movements of the affected region. Common signs and symptoms where this medication is prescribed are:
  • Herpes
  • Swollen skin
  • Redness of skin
  • Extreme itching 
• Sulphur
  Common name: Sublimated sulphur
  Symptoms: Sulphur is a common homeopathic remedy, which affects the skin by producing heat and burning. It is generally prescribed in individuals with poor hygiene who are prone to infections. The remedy is indicated in conditions that recur periodically and get worse with rest, when the affected region is frequently in contact with moisture or water and after consumption of alcohol and are relieved by dry and warm weather. Common symptoms where sulphur is prescribed are:
  • Dry and scaly skin
  • Unhealthy skin with suppuration (formation of pus) of every little injury
  • Pimples and eruptions on skin
• Thuja Occidentalis
  Common name: Arbor vitae
  Symptoms: Thuja occidentalis primarily acts on the skin. Symptoms that respond well to this remedy are:
  • Skin warts
  • Freckles
  • Dry and scaly skin with brown spots 

Symptoms of the condition get worse at night, by the warmth of the bed or from cold air. The condition also takes a bad turn after consumption of tea or any fatty food.

• Tuberculinum
  Common name: A nucleoprotein
  Symptoms: Tuberculinum is prescribed to individuals who are very sensitive, both physically and mentally, and get exhausted easily. Their conditions are bound to get worse in humid and damp surroundings and improve in open air. Common symptoms that indicate a need for this remedy are:
  • Eczema
  • Intense itching of skin that worsens during night
  • Psoriasis
  • Development of acne in children suffering from tuberculosis 
• Urtica Urens
  Common name: Stinging nettle
  Symptoms: Common symptoms of the conditions treated with urtica urens are periodic and get worse with cold weather and touch. Urtica helps relieve the following conditions:
  • Burning heat all over the skin
  • Itching
  • Stinging pain accompanied by a sensation of heat 

In India, skin rash typically occurs due to poor living conditions and contact with irritant substances. It easily spreads through touch. So, the hygiene of an individual and his/her immediate surroundings plays an important role in the development of skin rashes.

Homeopathic treatment often requires a person to follow a strict routine during the treatment phase to bring a rapid recovery. The steps of this routine are clearly defined for an effective and ideal outcome of the medication. Below are a few do’s and don’ts to be kept in mind to reduce the risk of skin rashes and improve the efficiency of skin rash treatment.

Do’s

• Maintain good personal hygiene
• Clean clothes made of cotton or silk should be worn to prevent itching and worsening of rashes
• Follow a healthy diet and eliminate food products that cause worsening of the rash
• Temperature and humidity of the surroundings should be maintained according to the patient's need

Don’ts

• Foods with excess of salt or sugar should be avoided
• Caffeinated beverages and alcoholic drinks should be avoided
• Intake of sour food products must be limited to prevent any hindrance to the workings of homeopathic medications
• Woollen or synthetic clothes should not be worn next to the skin as they can increase irritation
• One should not dwell in places which are damp, warm or moist, as it does not complement the medications or the condition of the individual 

Homeopathic treatment of a skin rash depends on three factors displayed by the individual, namely, appearance of the rash, psychological makeup of the person and general appearance of the individual as a whole. 

Homeopathic medicine is based on the principle of ‘like cures like’. This means that a substance which causes a certain set of symptoms in a healthy person can cure the same symptoms in a sick person when taken in small amounts. Homeopathic medicines are prescribed in the minimum required quantity that is just sufficient for the body to produce necessary substances to fight the condition. 

As homeopathy is a holistic system of medicine, intake of any homeopathic medicine heals the whole body instead of just the condition. This effect has been substantiated by the testimony of people suffering from eczema who reported complete relief from the condition along with an overall sense of well-being without any side effects.

A case study of a 38-year-old Indian man suffering from atopic dermatitis suggested that homeopathic remedies like graphites and causticum are helpful in successful remission of skin conditions without any adverse effects and without any assistance from any other form of treatment.

Homeopathic medicines are administered in diluted forms, which pose little to no risk of side effects to the individual. Due to the holistic nature of homeopathic treatment and administration of natural products tailored according to the totality of symptoms, these remedies are free from side effects and are safe for people of any age, including infants and pregnant women.

However, it is advised to avoid self-medication and instead consult an experienced and well-qualified practitioner before taking any medications as higher doses may lead to some secondary effects.

Skin rashes are characterised by the appearance of itchy and red skin patches. The primary cause of skin rashes in our country is unhygienic living conditions, making contact dermatitis the most prevalent form of skin rashes in India.

Homeopathy, with its wide array of remedies, is an effective method of treatment for any kind of skin rash. Moreover, homeopathic treatment often results in complete cure of skin rash and prevents relapse of the condition.

There are limited number of drugs available in allopathy for the treatment of skin rashes, many of which are either low in potency or have side effects which worsen over time. The proven efficacy of homeopathic treatment makes it a comparatively safer and reliable choice in the management of skin rash.