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You will find on this page: Information About Hair, Skin and Nails.

Information About Hair, Skin and Nails :

The Skin

The skin is the largest organ of the body in terms of surface area. The health of the skin comes from the inside out. Many times people apply creams, lotions, salves, and medications (especially topical cortisone creams) which can block the pores and hair follicles or simply suppress symptoms, driving the root cause of the problem deeper, and often leading to reoccurring symptoms or more serious health conditions. This is especially true of medicated creams that suppress symptoms. In our clinical practice, we have seen this problem far too often.

How Can Poor Digestion Affect the Skin?

Skin conditions occur for a variety of reasons. Often it is due to a person’s inability to digest fats. The digestion and assimilation of dietary fats and oils are essential for the body to be able to make the protective oils for the skin and hair.We have found food allergies to be one of the most common causes of skin rashes in children and adults.

Which Nutritional Deficiencies Lead to Dry Skin?

One of the most common skin complaints we see in our practice is about dry, scaly skin. This condition is common in people who do not digest fats well and therefore are lacking the dietary fatty acids needed to produce lubricating oils for the skin. What we recommend in these conditions are vitamin A, beta carotene, B vitamins, zinc, and essential fatty acid (EFA) supplements. Essential fatty acids assist in improving many conditions including eczema, and psoriasis. The most essential of the EFA’s is linoleic acid and can be found in high amounts in evening primrose oil or black currant oil. Gamma-linolenic acid, found in high quantities in evening primrose oil, has been shown to be successful with cases of inflammatory skin conditions, eczema, and psoriasis. The EFA’s found in many fish oils have many nourishing qualities for the skin. Salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines are all good sources of Omega-3 EFA’s. Food allergies and deficiencies in zinc, minerals, B vitamins, and beta carotene all contribute to dry skin conditions, including dandruff on the scalp.

Another basic cause of many skin conditions, whether it be acne, skin rashes, or psoriasis is due to the body’s waste removal organs and systems (the colon, liver, kidneys, blood and lymphatic systems) either performing poorly or being overly toxic. The liver is one of the major organs for detoxifying the body. The body becomes toxic from external, environmental toxins (in the air, tap water, and various chemicals), and internally from by-products of poor digestion & food allergies, fermentation with gas formation, and rotting food. The organs usually are responsible for eliminating these toxins become overworked and eventually become fatigued. The colon (large intestine) is how most waste from food and the digestive tract is supposed to leave the body. Foods to be avoided are those containing chemical ingredients, herbicide and pesticide residue, industrial pollutants, artificial (chemical) flavors, artificial (chemical) colors, hormones and hormone metabolites, antibiotics and antibiotic metabolites, preservatives, stabilizers and synthetic or genetically altered ingredients. Many of these products are regularly found in commercially grown meat and dairy, commercially grown fruits and vegetables, and in overly refined, pre-packaged, and “fast’ foods. Another consideration is lifestyle habits and addictions such as sugar, tobacco, alcohol and all drugs, prescription or recreational.

When the colon becomes toxic itself from by-products of chemicals in foods and poor digestion, fermentation, and rotting food, greater amounts of these auto or self-toxins enter into the blood stream. Now it is the job of the liver and kidneys to clean these toxins out of the blood.

When the liver or kidneys cannot keep up with the toxic load, the skin will serve as an organ of elimination. As these toxins leave the body through the skin, a variety of problems or ‘disease’ states like acne, dermatitis or psoriasis appear. Many skin conditions can also be caused by hormone imbalances, as with teenagers when they go through puberty. However, when people present to us with skin conditions and digestive problems we usually find that the skin condition clears up after we detoxify and nutritionally support the colon, liver, and/or kidneys.

After any content related to acne, skin rashes, or psoriasis- ADD: To learn more about how nutritionally supporting the function of your liver and detoxification pathways see Liver Support System

Psoriasis can be a very difficult condition to treat because of its many underlying causes. In our practice we have found that for patients with psoriasis it is important to increase pure water intake, cleanse the colon and support liver and kidney function, decrease stress with adaptogenic herbs for the adrenal glands, improve the assimilation of essential fatty acids with food enzymes, and support the body nutritionally with vitamins A, C, beta carotene, bioflavonoids, liquid lecithin, capsaicin ointment (applied topically) and zinc. This program has been successful for numerous psoriasis sufferers.

Acne, or pimples, most often seen with teenagers, have been shown to be a combination of a variety of factors including poor diet, poor digestion and assimilation, food allergies, poor hygiene, stress, hormonal stimulation or imbalances, toxic colon (dirty blood) and certain bacterial infections. We recommend that people with acne increase water intake, decrease the consumption of sugar, oils, fats, fried foods, junk foods and support the body nutritionally with vitamin A, B vitamins (especially B5), Tea tree oil (applied topically) and zinc. This will help reduce skin outbreaks.

For women who are experiencing pre-menstrual acne we recommend the herbs burdock root and vitex agnus-castus.

Click Here: Link to PMS Relief

Water is very important in assisting the passage of nutrients throughout the body and to flush out toxins. When people get dehydrated they naturally begin to have conditions of dryness in the tissues. We find that most people with skin conditions do not drink enough water. We recommend that people who have any kind of skin condition should drink 6 to 8 eight-ounce glasses of pure, filtered water per day.

Amino acids (protein) supplements are very helpful for tissue repair, and for rebuilding the tissues of the skin.We often also recommend the following nutrients for various skin conditions: vitamin A and beta carotene, vitamin E, selenium, silica, and zinc. Beta carotene and vitamin A are important fat-soluble vitamins that we have found to be beneficial in cases of blemishes, acne, and dry skin, acting as antioxidants and by reducing the effects of aging caused by chemicals and smoke. A deficiency of vitamin A can lead to a variety of skin conditions. Selenium and vitamin E help reduce the risk of skin and other cancers

The skin, hair, and nails are all strengthened by silica. Zinc is important for cellular repair, enzyme production and function, and in keeping the immune system strong. There are many studies cited in respected literature which support these findings.

Hair

Hair is found on nearly every part of the surface of the body. Hair varies greatly in color, length, and thickness in different parts of the body and in different races of humans. A hair consists of a root, the part found under the skin, and a shaft, the part projecting up from the surface of the skin. Each hair is set into an opening in the skin called the hair follicle. If the hair is very long the follicle may extend deep into the skin. Near the skin surface are ducts that open into the hair follicle called sebaceous gland ducts, which secrete oils onto the hair and skin. The duration of life of a hair ranges from about four months (eyelashes) to about four years (hair on your head), after this the hair is shed and replaced by the sprouting of new hair cells. Graying or whitening of hair is caused by the collection of tiny air bubbles in the shaft of the hair and due to a loss of the pigment (coloring agent) melanin. Graying can also be related to zinc deficiencies.

At the bottom of each hair follicle are capillaries (blood supply) from which the hair gets its nutrition.

Related Conditions:

Hair loss (alopecia).

In males, the primary factors of alopecia are heredity, hormone balance, stress levels and age.

In females, alopecia is usually not as severe as with males, usually occurring after delivery of a child, after menopause (associated with imbalanced hormones), or other times of severe stress. Common factors or causes of hair loss include poor circulation, poor nutrition- diet with excess salt and sugar (junk food), acute illness, surgery, chemotherapy, glandular (hormonal) imbalance, sebum plugs in hair follicles, radiation, skin disease, stress and anxiety, anemia, excessive tissue copper levels, sudden weight loss, iron deficiency (anemia), diabetes, thyroid disease, pregnancy, mineral deficiencies, and/or vitamin deficiencies.

Dandruff/ Flaky Deposits.

Dry scaly material shed from the scalp. Small amounts can be normal, however, excessive scaly material is associated with underlying nutritional deficiencies, liver and/or colon toxicity. Please see Liver Support and Everyday Fiber products for nutritional support.

Nails

The nails are flattened, elastic (bendable) structures of a horn-like texture, found at the ends of the fingers and toes. The part growing into the body is called the root, the exposed part of the nail is called the body, and the part that extends from the skin is called the free border (the part you have to clip).

The condition and color of the nails and nail beds are often useful as an early-warning system to self-diagnose underlying or sub-clinical health conditions. The nails and nail beds are found at the ends of our arms and legs- the last areas of the body to receive oxygen and nutrients carried in the blood, and will often show signs of deficiencies sooner than tissues receiving sufficient nutrients.The skin of the body provides a protective barrier to outside environmental substances, but the nails are porous (have small channels and holes) and allow substances and chemicals (especially chemicals such as acetone used in nail polish and remover) to travel directly into the highly vascular (lots of blood supply) nail beds.

Many women have reported to us that their fingertips become numb after “doing their nails”. Repeated exposure to toxic chemicals in this manner is very dangerous. Exposure to acetone can cause nerve damage, contribute to diabetes and other metabolic disorders, and can create such symptoms in the body as blood poisoning; dizziness; drowsiness; gastritis; headaches; increased heart rate; impaired reflexes; incoordination; inflammation of stomach; liver injury; loss of sensation; nausea; pneumonia; respiratory failure; restlessness; shock; slurred speech; stupor; vomiting; weakness. Over-exposure to acetone has also been related to low birth rate; coma and death. We recommend that you look at and try the non-chemical products and cosmetics, including nail polish and remover offered by the following companies: Aveda, Ecobella, Earth Science, Paul Pender’s, and Real Purity.

Biotin, a member of the B vitamin family, nourishes and promotes the growth of strong nails, healthy hair and skin. It aids specifically in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis. Biotin deficiencies cause dry, scaly skin and seborrhea (excessive secretions of sebum, an oily substance made from fat and cellular debris). Biotin deficiencies in children under 6 months old cause “cradle cap” or hair loss (alopecia) and infantile seborrheic dermatitis. Folic acid, pantothenic acid (B5), para amino benzoic acid (PABA), and copper are all known to diminish the graying of hair. Copper is also necessary for the formation of the stretchable connective tissue elastin, which helps keep the skin firm, supple, and pliable (less wrinkles). L-cysteine, an amino acid, supplies the sulfur which is essential for healthy, strong hair and nails. Inositol and zinc both function to regulate the oil content in hair and are both essential to maintain good hair growth.

For fungal nail infections we recommend the topical application of Tea tree oil (melaleuka). This oil works very well with even the most stubborn fungal infections. We have seen this product work for patients who swore they “had tried everything, without success”.

Nutrients which are important to hair growth and the maintenance of hair color and thickness include folic acid, pantothenic acid (B5), PABA, inositol, silica, and biotin. If a person’ hair is becoming coarse, dry and brittle, or if their nails are becoming thin and brittle, often with grooves going sideways across the nails, then these could be signs of hypothyroidism. This is treatable by nutritionally supporting the thyroid gland with kelp products or thyroid glandular products. Kelp is a good source of the trace minerals needed for human metabolism (including iodine for the thyroid gland) and to support the growth and maintenance of hair, nails and skin. Essential fatty acids are important for maintaining the oils and moisture in the skin and hair. Antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, E, with zinc and copper help maintain the oxygen supply to the hair follicles and outer layers of the skin.