The skin of an average adult consist of 3 identifiable layers
1) Epidermis
2) Dermis
3) Hypodermis
Skin infections can affect all ages from neonate to the elderly and cause Discomfort, Disfigurement, Disability and sometimes Death.
Most common Skin infections are:
ECZEMA:
eczema or dermatitis refers to distinctive reaction patterns in the skin which can be either acute or chronic. It is of 2 types.
Exogenous:-1) Irritant Eczema 2) Contact Allergic
Endogenous:-1) Atopic 2) Seborrhoeic 3) Discoid 4) Gravitational
Clinical Features :-Itching, dryness of skin, discrete coin shape,edema, red or bluish discolouration, loss of hair, pigmentation and aberration.
PSORIASIS-
It is non-infectious, inflammatory disease of the skin, characterised by defined erythromatous plaques with large silvery scales.
Clinical feature includes – well demarcated lesions – red with dry silvery, white scaling which may be obvious only after scraping the surface.
ACNE VULGARIS-
Also called pimples, the lesions are limited to the face, shoulder upper chest and back. Greasy skin isoften the cause, but sometimes excessive dry skin may also cause breakouts. Black heads, white heads are always evident. Inflammatory papules, nodules and cysts occurs and it scars the face.
VITILIGO:-
It is an autoimmune disease in which de-pigmented patches develop on the body. In this condition there may be complete loss of Melanocytes from affected patches. Vitiligo white patches are seen on hands, wrist, knees, neck etc. The hair of scalp and beard may also be depigmented.
According to Ayurveda, all types of skin diseases are correlated to kushta or kshudrakushta. The main features of kushtam are “KushnatiAngam” that which causes disfigurement of the doshas, dhatus,anga’s of our body is called as kushta. Main Nidana/cause for this are virudhahara (incompatible food) i.e taking seetha or ushna foods together, curd with fish, honey and ghee in equal quantity etc.
All these leads to visha (poison) in our body. Taking excess oily, spicy food and improper lifestyles also are the causative factors causing prakupitavatadosha in our twak (skin), mamsa, lasikaetc causing small rashes on the body. Main features include excess dryness or oilyness, itching, discolouration, burning sensation, numbness, loss of sensation etc.
• Kilasa/Switra may be compared with vitiligo/leucoderma. In this body becomes swethavarna (white patches)
• Youvanapidaka/ Mukhadooshika can be correlated to Acne vulgaris. In this due to above reasons kapha ,vata ,rakta gets vitiated and produce shalmalikantake (small rashes) on the face.
Main treatment includes
1) Avoid all causative factors
2) Follow the correct food habits and lifestyles.
3) Do shodhana therapy along with shamanaoushadi
Main treatment line for all types of Kushta arevamana (Emesis therapy) and virechana (Purgation therapy), raktamokshana. Poorvakrma includes snehapanam and swedanam.
By:Archa Dave
