Ayurvedic Medicine in Dermatology: Expert Q&A - Dermatology Advisor

Tori Rodriguez, MA, LPC, AHC
June 25, 2019

An estimated 30% of adults and 12% of children in the United States use complementary and integrative medicine approaches, and the application of these modalities is increasing in health care settings.1 Accumulating evidence supports the effectiveness of numerous integrative therapies for various conditions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, biofeedback, and acupuncture for migraine treatment (See Complementary and Integrative Treatments for Migraine: An Expert Interview). In addition, ongoing studies are investigating the use of integrative approaches for pain management in veterans and military personnel, symptom relief in cancer patients and survivors, and other purposes and in other populations.1

There is a growing interest in integrative medicine — among patients, practitioners, and researchers alike — and one approach that has garnered increasing attention is the ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda. Far from a fleeting health trend, Ayurveda (which means “Science of Life” in Sanskrit) was established more than 5000 years ago and is currently the primary healthcare system in India.2,3

Ayurvedic medicine is relevant to all specialties and is used in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of disorders. To learn more about Ayurveda and its potential applications in dermatology, Dermatology Advisor interviewed Raja Sivamani, MD, MS, AP, adjunct associate professor of clinical dermatology and director of clinical research at the University of California, Davis; medical editor of LearnSkin.com; founder of the Jiva Factory blog and podcast focused on integrative approaches to wellness; and co-chair of the Integrative Dermatology Symposium to be held in October 2019 in San Diego.