BCT # 20 (SKIN DISEASES)

There are many skin conditions affecting humans which should be differentiated and managed accordingly. Some of the most common skin diseases seen are:

• Acne: It is a disorder of the skin caused by inflammation of the skin glands and hair follicles.
• Alopecia: Also known as hair loss or baldness, it is an autoimmune condition characterized by loss of hair from part of head or body, but mostly it is seen affecting the head.
• Boils and abscess: It is a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue.
• Eczema: It is an inflammatory condition of the skin characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted, or hardened. It is of various types which includes atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, etc.
• Hives / Urticaria: It is an allergic disorder marked by raised oedematous patches of skin or mucous membrane and usually intense itching and caused by contact with a specific precipitating factor (such as a food, drug, or inhalant) either externally or internally.
• Moles: It is a pigmented spot, mark, or small permanent protuberance on the human body.
• Warts: It is a horny projection on the skin usually of the extremities produced by proliferation of the skin papillae and caused by any of numerous human papillomaviruses.
• Sunburn: It is the inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation especially from sunlight.
• Tinea: It is a fungal infection of the skin which can affect various parts of the body. The most common types according to location of lesion are Tinea pedis, Tinea cruris, Tinea capitis, Tinea unguium, and Tinea corporis.
• Psoriasis: It is a chronic skin disease characterized by circumscribed red patches covered with white scales.

Action of Ingredients:

Calcarea fluorica: It is a remedy for stony hard indurations on skin, fissures or cracks in palms of the hands, whitlow, indolent ulcers and suppurations with callous, hard edges. Ulcers are fistulous, indolent, secreting thick, yellow pus and with hard edges. Also effective on warts.

Calcarea sulphurica: It is indicated for unhealthy cuts, wounds or bruises which refuse to heal. There are yellow, purulent crusts or discharge and yellowish scabs. Effective for dry eczema in infants.

Kali sulphuricum: It is indicated in many skin ailments like psoriasis, polyps, epithelioma, seborrhea, favus, eczema and ringworms. Eczema with burning, itching, and papular eruption. Ringworm infestation of scalp or beard with abundant scales.

Natrum muriaticum: It is indicated for dry eruptions on margin of hairy scalp and bends of joints. Skin is greasy and oily. It is effective for urticaria, intertrigo, warts on palms, alopecia, etc.

Natrum sulphuricum: It is indicated for sycotic excrescences, wart like red lumps all over the body. There may be itching while undressing. Jaundiced, watery blisters also respond to its action.