With so many different advertisements for both skin care products and treatments, we so easily get caught up in a frenzy of overconsumption, often times without any real help. Month after month, year after year, we may spend hundreds of dollars on our skin, but is it really doing any good?
So the number one question I tell everyone to ask themselves is this, “Is your current skin care regime working for you?” This question is particularly for those suffering with chronic skin disorders like psoriasis, eczema, acne, rosacea, etc. Are you actually getting better? Is your skin healing? Are you having fewer flare ups?
If you are getting better, then stick with it. Hopefully long term gain will be achieved and you will not have any dependancy on any product, or service, other than a good moisturizer and sound nutrition.
How easy it is to convince ourselves that a certain expensive product (because of the way it was extracted, or cold pressed, or what have you), or treatment (because it originated in France or Taiwan or is based on some fancy technology), is helping us, when in fact a whole year may have gone by and yet our skin is not much better than it was before. This goes for those all too often diagnosed “food allergies” like wheat, dairy, soy and eggs. If your skin still isn’t any better, and you have been avoiding these things for the past year, why do you think you are still allergic to those foods? Shouldn’t your skin be better by now?
I see this all the time in my patients. They come to me claiming they are allergic to some foods (usually based on some “new age” method of allergy testing) and yet the problem still exists. This makes no sense to me. If the problem was related to an allergy to a certain food, then the avoidance of that food should allow the skin to clear up – correct?
(Of course many people do have food allergies and/ or sensitivities, and these people should absolutely avoid these known culprits.)
The same is true for the long list of expensive vitamin supplements, lotions, creams, etc. that may have actually been prescribed by a “natural health” care provider. Again, if your skin is not doing any better after taking these products for say 4 or more months, then chances are they are not the right treatment choice for your skin problem. Maybe they are good for something else, just not your skin problem. Be honest with yourself.
Again a simple and easy question to ask, “is my current skin care regime working for me?” If it is not, then try something else. Try a different angle, like I suggested to me wife Gillian so many years ago.
Even if you have tried Chinese herbal medicine in the past and didn’t find good results. Question the approach. What was the skill set of your practitioner? How much training in dermatology did they have? How much actual success did they have with your particular problem? What kind of herbs did they use – raw and dried that you cook as a tea (better option), or was it in a capsule or powder format? It is important to ask questions.
When I treat a patient’s skin, depending on the actual problem, I usually like to see some type of change by the 8th or 12th week. If there is no obvious change by that time, then I will usually give up and recommend that they try something else. Skin disorders can be extremely stubborn and as such there really is no one perfect way to achieve success. I feel confident in my skills and I see many amazing changes in my patients, but it is certainly not perfect, and it is certainly not for everyone.
Always remember that different approaches do exist. Stay open and be honest with yourself as to your progress, or lack of. Ask questions and always remain hopeful and positive.
Wishing you health,
Dr. Trevor Erikson
Copyright © 2019 Dr. Trevor Erikson