Q I'm in my 30s with an atopic, allergy-prone constitution so my skin itches easily. Is that why I also get neurodermatitis easily? Are they related?
A A constitution with dry, itchy skin like atopy or allergy is more prone to neurodermatitis as well. Because frequent itching and scratching thicken that spot, addressing the underlying dryness and itch together helps them subside together.
Detailed Answer
People with atopic dermatitis or an allergy-prone constitution tend to have dry, easily itchy skin, so frequent scratching makes neurodermatitis (lichenification) likely to develop on top of that spot. The basis for starting the itch-scratch vicious cycle is already laid out. So rather than looking at neurodermatitis alone, it helps to address the dry, sensitive skin constitution together.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we view such cases as a common basis of skin that has become parched and sensitive from a deficiency of body fluids and blood (blood deficiency with wind-dryness, hyeolheo-pungjo). In addition to addressing the spots thickened from scratching, with an internal-medicine approach that replenishes body fluids to moisten the skin (nourishing blood and moistening dryness, bohyeol-yunjo) and stabilizes the hypersensitized internal immunity and constitution, our goal is to help not only the neurodermatitis but also the underlying dry, itchy constitution subside together.
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