Eczema, also known as “dermatitis”, is an inflammation of the skin caused by an overreaction of your body to an environmental factor.

It is a condition where one has extremely dry, itchy, cracked and flaky skin. In more severe cases, the eczema patches can become crusty and ooze pus or blood.

Skin folds and exposed skin surfaces are more prone to eczema than other parts of the body. This means that you are more likely to notice eczema lesion inside of the elbows, at the creases of your wrists, your armpits, the backs of your knees, or exposed skin surfaces (face, hands and feet).

Eczema is most commonly seen in children. However, this is more of an observation than a rule because eczema can occur at any age.

Eczema is not caused by any known virus, fungi or bacteria. This means that it is not contagious.

What are the common symptoms of eczema?

The most common symptoms of eczema are red, dry, flaky and itchy skin.

In mild eczema, the skin is only dry and flaky. There is no pain, pus or bleeding.

The skin can bleed or become infected when the eczema becomes more severe. If it becomes infected it will begin to ooze pus.

What is Eczema from an Ayurvedic Perspective?

In Ayurveda, we view eczema as a Dosha imbalance.

What are the Dosha energies?

The three Dosha energies in Ayurveda are the Pitta, Vata and Kapha. They are the energies that run through our bodies. These energies correspond to the natural elements found on earth. Since our body is a natural phenomenon, it must be regulated by elements found in nature.

PITTA DOSHA

Pitta Dosha is the fire energy. It regulates how much heat our body produces.

Inflammation can result when the Pitta Dosha is not in balance.

Where there is inflammation, there is excessive heat. If you touch an inflamed part of your skin, you will notice that it feels hot.

The physical manifestations of eczema are due to a Pitta energy imbalance.

A Pitta dominant eczema appears very bright red.

VATA DOSHA

Vata Dosha is our body’s wind energy. Vata is the energy that enables quick but controlled movements of the body.

A Vata Dosha imbalance leads to uncontrolled bodily movements, as well as the uncontrolled movement of materials throughout the body.

An accumulation of Vata can lead to the sensation of pain.

A Vata dominant eczema appears pinkish. It can be dry, flaky or cracked. This type of eczema can feel very itchy or painful.

KAPHA DOSHA

Kapha Dosha is the water Dosha. Kapha Dosha acts as a lubricant. It helps to keep substances moving smoothly through the body.

When Kapha is out of balance, movement of substances can slow down. A slow moving Kapha can lead to the formation of sticky plugs in the body. This results in the accumulation of cellular wastes, as well as nutrients not being delivered to the cells.

When Pitta or Vata become aggravated, your body may begin producing more Kapha in an attempt to subdue the other two energies. However, this may lead to an overproduction of Kapha.

When too much Kapha is produced, the body may become more acidic. Microorganisms grow well in an acidic environment, therefore the Kapha aggravated body is also more prone to infections.

If the eczema is Kapha dominant, the skin can become infected very quickly. The infected areas can begin to ooze a watery substance and become even itchier. The body may start to form pus. Western medical doctors may treat this with antibiotic/steroid creams or ointments.