I've been treating patients with atopic dermatitis (itchy, inflamed skin) for years. Fortunately, about 20 years ago, I came across a study that has guided my approach — much to the relief of several of my patients who couldn't find solutions elsewhere.
That was the case for Elisabeth, who not only had dermatitis, but was also going through menopause. As you can imagine, she was miserable. She had tried Premarin (an estrogen replacement therapy), but it made her feel even worse, especially because it just inflamed her skin further. Her gynecologist took her off Premarin, but wasn't sure what to do instead for her dermatitis. Elisabeth came to me for help.
I had read a study about women with atopic dermatitis. For this study, researchers divided 60 participants with atopic dermatitis into two groups. One group received a placebo, while the other received gamma-linolenic acid for 12 weeks. A dermatologist evaluated the participants' skin every four weeks, and the women also completed self-evaluations. Compared to the control group, the gamma-linolenic acid group showed gradual, but significant improvements over the course of the study.
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I had a feeling that gamma-linolenic acid would be a great solution for Elisabeth — and not just because it would help her skin. I prescribed her 1,000 mg of primrose oil (which contains gamma-linolenic acid) three times a day for three months. I also had her take 500 mg of pantothenic acid three times a day for the first 10 days and then continue with a liquid vitamin B complex.
After a week, she called to report that her skin was looking and feeling better. But not only that — her hot flashes had been cut in half. I suspected that might happen. You see, gamma-linolenic acid doesn't just reduce inflammation; it can have a unique impact on hormones as well.
Since Elisabeth, primrose oil has been one of my go-to treatments for atopic dermatitis. You can find inexpensive options on Amazon such as hexane-free NOW Super Primrose product or Barleans Organic Primrose Oil. It's worth a try if you're suffering from an inflammatory skin condition.
To your health, naturally,
Janet Zand
Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24435467