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Cosmetic Conundrum
Herbs for Health June 2007
Kathy Keville-Herbalist
For more than 20 years, I used cosmetic products containing methyl and propyl parabens, stearates, myristtates, oleates, etc. Last October, my face started showing red spots, which are the early signs of dermatitis. My doctor gave me steroids, but they did not help. My face is itchy and flakes out every day. Also, I am rapidly developing astigmatism. It seems the chemicals in cosmetics produce vapors that irritate my eyes. What can I do now? J.O. from Sunnyvale, CA
Keville Responds: The cosmetic ingredients you mentioned are some of the most commonly used, even in “natural” body-care products. Although they are considered safe by the cosmetics industry, they could indeed have contributed to your skin condition. It is difficult to know if any of these ingredients are directly responsible or if they irritated your face, making it more susceptible to the problem. In any case, you’re right to discontinue their use. It’s a good idea for anyone, even those who aren’t experiencing skin problems, to keep their skin-care products as free of artificial chemicals as possible. Most people who experience skin sensitivities find that the problem starts to clear up once the offending products have been discontinued. So, there might be something else that is irritating your face. There are a few things to consider, such as whether your face is exposed to cold air, you sit by a heating or air conditioning vent at work, you often wear a scarf or hat, the detergent used to wash your pillowcase, and especially what you use to wash your face.
You can try topical herbs right on those troublesome spots. The steroid drugs you took act as a potent anti-inflammatory. As an alternative, turn to skin soothing salves or creams that contain anti-inflammatory herbs, such as Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and chamomile (Matricaria recutita). These herbs also speed skin healing and are antiseptic, so they’ll prevent an opportunist bacterial infection from getting involved. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) and aloe (Aloe Vera) are other excellent herbal skin healers. Products containing tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) also are often helpful. These herbs often are found in herbal skin-care products and you can just dab them on your face where the spots are appearing. Experiment to find what works best for you.
The majority of skin conditions respond far better if you also treat the body internally. Even without knowing anything about you, the primary organ I would consider treating is your liver-it’s the first place an herbalist considers for almost any ongoing skin problem. Herbalists, and some progressive dermatologists, have found that treating the liver with herbs often is all it takes to clear up skin problems. The liver is an obvious place to begin if you have a history of any type of liver problem, such as hepatitis, heavy alcohol consumption, or take sedative or antidepressant drugs regularly. However, skin disorders also can be caused by a relatively healthy liver that is overworked. That’s quite common in our modern, chemical-laden world.
It certainly won’t hurt to take a blend of liver-healing herbs as a tea or extract. One of the most popular is milk thistle (Silybum marianum). Its use to help a damaged liver repair itself is supported by scientific research. Turmeric (curcuma longa), burdock (Arctium lappa) and the Chinese herb Bupleurum (bupleurum chinense) are just a few other examples of liver healing herbs.
One more thing to do is eat foods that are good for your liver. Beets, carrots, artichokes and dark leafy greens all are on that list. Be prepared to continue your herbal and dietary program for at least a month to see results. The good news is that because you’re addressing this problem early, you should be able to eliminate it completely.
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Natural Health Hut
