Eczema is a chronic inflammation of the outer skin layer. It is an allergic condition that occurs in bouts. During its active phase, it produces oozing, crusting blisters, redness, itching, and occasionally pain in the affected areas. As the blisters dry, moisture is lost, resulting in dry, itchy, scaly skin with the appearance of thick leathery patches. The dryness and constant itching and scratching may lead to ulcerations of the skin, making it prone to infections. Eczema affects more than 15 million people in the United States, particularly children under the age of five. Eczema is exacerbated by exposure to environmental irritants such as household chemicals, laundry detergents, temperature changes, and dry weather. Food allergies and nutritional deficiencies can contribute to its development. Recent studies have linked stress and anxiety with eczema.

The skin is the largest organ in your body. It is a functional part of your immune system, and it is an interface with the environment with its millions of tiny pores through which substances exit and enter the body. In Chinese medicine, the lungs govern the skin; they are responsible for the proper opening and closing of the pores and for proper nourishment of the skin. When the lung network is impaired, the skin manifests signs of the imbalance. The lung network includes the large intestine, which has the largest number of immune cells in the body. The digestive tract is responsible for removing impure substances from the body, preventing their buildup in the skin. When the bowels are sluggish, constipated, and unable to cleanse the body, toxic substances back up into the skin and show up as lesions representative of damp or toxic heat. In chronic eczema there is often an underlying condition of blood deficiency in which the blood is unable to properly nourish and moisturize the skin. This condition must be addressed.