Atopic Dermatitis (Neurodermatitis)

Where does atopic dermatitis come from?

It is often said that allergy or atopy is the cause of atopic dermatitis. However, the allergy – like the skin changes – is a symptom and not the cause. How far back the cause lies is still unclear today. In most cases, it is a multifactorial process with individual causes and manifestations.

Possible causes of atopic dermatitis:

• Genetic predispositions

• Enzyme defects of the intestinal mucosa

• Antibiotic treatments and the resulting disturbance of the intestinal flora

• Weaning too early or not breastfeeding at all

• Amalgam fillings

• Environmental toxins (smoking, environmental pollution)

• Disorders of the immune system

• Poor diet (refined sugar, alcohol)

People with atopy react particularly sensitively to all kinds of internal or external influences with eczema or allergic mucous membrane complaints.

Flare-ups of atopic dermatitis are favored by:

• Psychological stress (emotional disturbances, conflicts)

• Infections, fungi (increased tendency to inflammation)

• Dry heated indoor air

• Allergens, e.g. animal hair, house dust mites, pollen, foods – IgG food allergies

• Skin irritation from detergents and skin care products (toxins, allergies to cosmetics: beware of synthetic ingredients!)

Caution with certain foods

Certain foods can make the condition worse, especially if food allergies are present. Digestive complaints, headaches, atopic dermatitis, frequent infections and excessive fatigue are among the possible consequences of a food allergy. In addition, citrus fruits, fruit juices, alcohol and highly spiced foods can worsen the condition of the skin. Many of those affected already had cradle cap as infants (an early manifestation of atopic eczema that appears as a scaly crust on the scalp, forehead and cheeks). Sometimes eczema also occurs in the diaper area, especially if the child spends a long time in diapers or if plastic diapers are used. Children who are breastfed for a long time suffer from atopic dermatitis less often. The condition often shifts to another organ area, e.g. allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and later bronchial asthma.

Cradle cap and cow’s milk intolerance

The German term for cradle cap, “Milchschorf” (literally “milk crust”), is apt. In fact, a large proportion of patients with atopic dermatitis suffer from cow’s milk intolerance. However, in most cases a clear “lactose intolerance” cannot be detected. Immune reactions are subliminal and difficult to define diagnostically. It is typical for those affected that low hair calcium levels can be detected even with high consumption of dairy products. Blood values are almost always normal, even when acute calcium deficiency symptoms such as nocturnal muscle cramps are already present. Although the blood values are normal, the tissue supply of these patients is poor. In addition to the usually dominant calcium problem, experience from hair mineral analysis shows disturbances of magnesium and phosphorus metabolism, and the combination of these mineral disturbances causes further deterioration. The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis becomes increasingly irritable, sensitive and susceptible to infection. With persistent irritation, redness and even bleeding, zinc metabolism is also overtaxed. Wound healing deteriorates. At the same time, sensitivity to environmental influences increases. In addition to cow’s milk and wheat allergies, allergies to nickel have also been observed in people with atopy. In our experience, high sugar consumption is associated with increased itching. Whether avoiding foods containing sugar (especially refined sugar) affects the itching varies from person to person.

Vitamin and mineral deficiency and atopic dermatitis

A marked zinc deficiency (due to impaired absorption in the gut) should be professionally assessed. The supply of vitamin D3 during the dark season is also frequently discussed in this context. B vitamins are responsible for the metabolism of the skin and nerves. If B vitamins are lacking, metabolism no longer takes place completely and the first symptoms appear. The mucous membranes (e.g. paranasal sinuses, bronchi, gastrointestinal tract) are also among the affected areas. This is why people with atopic dermatitis often also suffer from chronic sinusitis (inflammation of the nasal mucosa), hay fever and bronchial asthma.

The damaged intestinal mucosa and atopic dermatitis

The syndrome of the permeable intestinal wall, also called leaky gut syndrome , offers an approach for getting to the bottom of unexplained symptoms. In fact, many complaints can be related to a dysfunction of the intestinal tract  because, under certain conditions, the intestinal walls can be damaged in such a way that the resulting immune reactions and deficiency symptoms make life difficult for us. The damaged intestinal mucosa is only partially functional. It can therefore hardly absorb B vitamins from food (malabsorption). In most cases, the derailment in the skin cells is caused by a lack of gamma-linolenic acid in the cell wall. This in turn is in most cases (but not always) due to a genetic defect that almost always has hereditary causes. The defect means that, due to the absence of an enzyme, linoleic acid in the cells cannot be converted into gamma-linolenic acid, which is, however, an important building block of the cell wall. The cell can therefore no longer carry out normal metabolism properly. The vicious circle arises from the loss of moisture of the skin, which is no longer intact – cell metabolism is further impaired as a result – and the affected areas itch.