A Mineral Deficiency May Trigger Many Cases of Dermatitis.

There are many different types of dermatitis, a skin rash that can be red, itchy, swollen, oozing, crusty, scaly, or any combination of those symptoms. There is irritant contact dermatitis. Allergic contact. Photo contact. Atopic (also called eczema). Nummular. Seborrheic. Hand. Perioral.
Although a dermatologist can figure out which kind of dermatitis you have, he may not be able to do much about getting rid of it.

"Dermatologists can often accurately diagnose a dermatitis, but quite often, their therapies are terribly ineffective," says Andrew Rubman, N.D., a naturopathic physician and founder of the Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicine in Connecticut. Most conventional treatments fall into either of two categories. One is topical-a cream, salve, or other application that provides some degree of symptomatic relief. The other is orala prescription drug that suppresses bacteria or a virus that may be associated with the problem.
According to Dr. Rubman, however, most of the organisms associated with the dermatitis were living peacefully on your skin before the problem started. Somehow, the skin became less healthy, allowing the organisms to multiply and a rash to begin.
The unrecognized cause of this weak skin, he says, is often a deficiency of the trace mineral selenium.

SELENIUM: Stop the Organism Overgrowth
In your body, selenium hooks up with other substances to form a compound called glutathione peroxidase, which allows the immune system to "sample" the organisms that are inhabiting but not yet overgrowing the outer layer of the skin.

If the organisms are harmful in type or number, immune warriors are alerted, and they reduce or eliminate the threatening population. "Glutathione is the Rambo of the skin," says Dr. Rubman.
If you're selenium-deficient, however, the skin doesn't have that powerful advance warning system. "Without enough selenium in your diet and supplement regimen, I believe it's impossible to improve the body's resistance to many different types of dermatitis beyond a certain level," Dr. Rubman says.
To make matters worse, it's not that easy to get enough selenium from either food or supplements. Intensive farming practices have depleted the soil of the mineral, while food processing removes even more. And if you try to get your missing selenium from a supplement, you may be out of luck. Many supplements contain a form of the mineral that is poorly absorbed and therefore poorly utilized, Dr. Rubman says.

To make sure that you're getting enough selenium, he recommends an easily absorbed liquid form of the mineral, and his favored product is Aqua Sel, manufactured by T. E. Neesby. This supplement provides odorless, colorless, tasteless drops of a very bioavailable form of the mineral. Dr. Rubman recommends taking about 190 micrograms of selenium a day for the duration of the problem. If the symptoms don't improve within 6 weeks, it's time to consult a doctor.

ANTIOXIDANTS: Helping Injured Skin Heal
Antioxidants can help repair damaged skin by disarming free radicals, the unstable molecules that oxidize or destroy healthy cells. Free radicals can be produced as by-products of the body's fight against the inflammation of dermatitis as well as by exposure to sunlight, smoking, eating fatty foods, and many other lifestyle factors. By muting free radicals, antioxidants not only help the dermatitis heal, they may also help prevent future flare-ups.
Here are what Dr. Rubman considers the most important antioxidants for the health of your skin. Again, if the problem doesn't clear up within 6 weeks, consult a doctor.

. Beta-carotene: 12 to 18 milligrams daily
. Vitamin C: 3,000 milligrams a day in three divided doses (at least % hour before or 1 % hours after meals, since stomach acid and the content of the meal can destroy C)
. Vitamin E: 600 to 800 international units daily
. Zinc: 20 milligrams a day for women; 30 milligrams a day for men (men need more because the prostate concentrates zinc in the gland and in seminal fluid)

FATTY ACIDS: Reduce the Inflammation
Certain components in oils, called fatty acids, can help reduce inflammation and ease dermatitis, Dr. Rubman says. For the best combination of the full range of anti-inflammatory fatty acids, look for a supplement that contains oils from flaxseed and borage seed and omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 oils from fish. He favors a product called Perfect Oils, manufactured by Nutritional Therapeutics. If you can't find that brand, look for a product that provides the ingredients listed above. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

FOOD: Avoid These Causes of Dermatitis
A sensitivity to certain foods in your diet can cause dermatitis, says Bradley Bongiovanni, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A blood test that detects food sensitivities, called an IgG (immunoglobulin G) test, is a very accurate way to discover foods that may cause an allergic reaction. You can also do a self-test by eliminating the most common dermatitis-causing culprits one by one to see if you get any relief.

The most common trigger is dairy products. To start your health experiment, cut dairy products out of your diet for 30 days. If your symptoms improve, you have very strong evidence that dairy is the cause. Then reinstate dairy in your diet for 1 week. If symptoms return, you know that these foods are responsible. If you forgo dairy products, however, it's very important to replace the calcium that you'll miss. You can do that either by taking a calcium supplement or increasing your intake of other calcium-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, and leafy green vegetables.

If eliminating dairy doesn't make a difference or doesn't completely solve the problem, use the same elimination test for the following foods, one by one: wheat, sugar, citrus fruits, corn, soy, peanut butter, chocolate, coffee, and alcohol. In this way, work through all the offenders, month by month, food by food, until you find those that are triggering the problem.
Another way to do this is to eliminate all of the potential offenders from your diet at once for 30 days, then reintroduce them one by one to find the culprit. This speeds up the detection process, but be sure to take a multivitamin supplement while you're doing the test to keep your strength (and health) up.

Topical Relief-Naturally.
Many different types of natural remedies, including essential oils, herbs, and formulations from Chinese medicine, can provide relief from the symptoms of dermatitis.

AROMA THERAPY: First-Rate Relief
A combination of the anti-inflammatory essential oils German chamomile and high-Alpine lavender is considered one of the best therapies for soothing dermatitis, says Barbara Close, an aroma therapist and herbalist in East Hampton, New York.
Put three to four drops of each oil in a base of 1 ounce of borage or evening primrose oil, both of which contain nutritional factors that are thought to decrease inflammation. Apply the mixture to affected areas as needed until the irritation disappears. If the irritation worsens or does not abate after 3 days, discontinue use and see your doctor for treatment.

HORSETAIL: Relieffor Eczema
Horsetail is an ancient emollient herb that can be very helpful in soothing the discomfort of eczema, says Norma Pasekoff Weinberg, an herbal educator in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
To make a horsetail compress, put 1 teaspoon of dried or crushed fresh horsetail stems in 1 cup of water and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool until the liquid is just comfortably warm to the skin. Immerse a clean, soft, cotton kitchen towel in the boiled water, then squeeze out the excess liquid. Wrap the towel around the inflamed area and cover with another dry, heavy towel. "Keep the compress wrapped around the area for at least 10 minutes," says Weinberg. Do this treatment at least twice a day until the symptoms disappear. After each treatment, apply a few drops of pure avocado oil. If the problem persists after a week, see your doctor.

CHINESE HERBS: Reduce Redness and Swelling
The remedy Hua Tuo is a cream containing a number of Chinese herbs that can reduce the redness and swelling of dermatitis, says David E. Molony, Ph.D., a licensed acupuncturist and director of Lehigh Valley Acupuncture Center in Catasallqua, Pennsylvania. Apply as needed until symptoms disappear.

For Eczema Treatment Calm Your Emotions Through Meditation.
Stress can cause or contribute to flare-ups of eczema, but the ancient Indian healing system of Ayurveda offers an antidote: Sit comfortably in a quiet room where you won't be disturbed, close your eyes, and meditate for about 15 minutes. "Meditation can help a person with eczema release the stress they've accumulated during the day," says Pratima Raichur, a naturopathic doctor in New York City. During your meditation, Dr. Raichur recommends using the mantra "Yam" (pronounce the "a" like the "e" in the word the).

"Let your attention go easily to the mantra," she says. "Repeat it aloud softly and at a natural pace, not too fast or too slow. As you repeat it, let your voice gradually get softer and softer, until the mantra is an unspoken thought:' If you notice that you've forgotten the mantra or been distracted in some way, gently reintroduce it into your mind. "Do not strain to focus on the sound or try to control your thought," she says. "That would create even more stress. Just maintain the attitude that whatever happens, happens. Just try to stay in the mood."