Not All Dermatology Is Equal: Integrative Dermatology & Why It Matters
Integrative dermatology builds on conventional dermatology by treating conditions at their root cause, from the inside out. Typically, integrative dermatology is referred to as holistic dermatology by the general public.
Holistic dermatology or skin care aims to treat the whole person using a combination of evidenced-based medicine and integrative therapies when appropriate.
A 360 Approach To Care
At K’ept Health, we use holistic dermatology to inform what we call our 360 Approach to Care. Our approach focuses on six factors – medical history, lifestyle, nutrition, fitness, sleep, stress, and mental health – all of which directly correlate to a major source of skin conditions and concerns.
Medical History
Medical history can help determine risk or predisposition for certain skin conditions and disorders. By knowing your family history, your practitioner can connect any symptoms you may have to a disease that may run in your family.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle includes aspects like where you live, your current skincare routine, how much time you spend in the sun, exposure to pollution, how much water you dink, and if you smoke.
Nutrition
A healthy diet can promote clearer, brighter and more supple skin. It can even help to promote skin’s natural defenses against environmental aggressors. Skin, like any other organ, requires water and nutrients to perform.
Fitness
Fitness has a direct impact on skin health as it promotes healthy circulation and the increased blood flow helps nourish skin cells and keep them vital.
Sleep
Lack of sleep causes the stress hormone cortisol to be released, which in turn encourages inflammation in the skin, causing flare-ups in conditions like acne, psoriasis, and even eczema. When we sleep, we recharge.
Stress
Evidence has shown that common skin concerns are often made worse by stress, including acne, rosacea, psoriasis, itching, and eczema.
Stress has the potential to weaken your immune system and a weakened immune system can lead to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut and skin known as Dysbiosis. When this imbalance occurs on your skin, it can lead to redness or a rash. Stress also causes changes to the proteins in your skin and reduces its elasticity.
Mental Health
Mental health concerns impact your overall health and skin the same as stress. Improving the above factors will help aid in mental fatigue.
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Holistic dermatology views the skin as a window into your overall health and wellness. While it's not an approach taken by every provider, we believe this is truly the best way to deliver a better experience with better results and outcomes.
If you want to join a community working to change healthcare, send us a note. We can’t wait to hear from you.
