Holistic Dermatology and Integrative Medicine

Dairy and Acne. A connection?

Back when I started my dermatology training, there were still a number of older dermatologists who had trained before the era of widespread use of antibiotics, who told their acne patients to stop drinking milk to improve their acne condition. That advice became unpopular for about 30 years, with the easy use of tetracycline to calm acne and avoid the issue.  

But during the past decade, a study on nurses and then two subsequent studies on their sons and daughters (published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2005-8,) demonstrated a definite association between drinking milk, and especially skim milk, and acne occurrence. The fact that skim milk had a greater association suggested that it was not the fats, but possibly the hormones in milk, which were causing the problem.  Milk contains hormones like progesterone, because 80% of the cows producing milk have recently been pregnant.

But milk also possesses a number of androgen-related hormones that go on to influence the sebaceous gland unit to form an acne lesion. Dr. William Danby, who was involved with these studies and lectured on this subject at the recent American Academy of Dermatology meeting, pointed out that the androgens in cows' milk cause acne, but are different than human androgens.  

As a result, the production of the body’s own androgens are not turned off by their presence, as in a normal feedback loop situation.  That would be like having another heater in your house not wired to the regular thermostat, and wondering why it was getting so hot.  So cow’s milk androgens turn up the male hormone activity that is driving the acne.  I will discuss other ways milk may aggravate acne in future blog. Do your own dairy experiment by cutting it out of your diet completely and see if it has any effect...

 

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner
Holistic Dermatology
New York, New York

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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.

10 Things to Eat for Perfect Skin

Check out a copy of Prevention Magazine this month; I'm quoted in the current November 2012 issue of Prevention, in their article, 10 Things to Eat for Perfect Skin.

I discuss the relationship between eating sugar and the accelerated breakdown of the collagen and elastin in the skin, leading to wrinkles. Sugar binds to proteins in the skin forming Advanced Glycation Endproducts (or AGE’s). These AGE’s stimulate enzymes that chew up to collagen and elastin, leading to sagging skin. Check out the article for the full story. (Prevention, Nov 2012, p 52)

-Dr. Dattner 

Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine
New York 

Integrative Dermatology & Holistic Medicine: What is it?

In this newly posted video, Dr. Dattner discusses the differences between traditional dermatology and natural, holistic treatment of the skin.  

 

Speaking about Holistic Dermatology in India

It is the beginning of the New Year, so I want to wish the best to all of you and to our world.

I would like to share some very exciting news with you. I was invited to go to India to be a featured speaker for an International Symposium on Integrative and Holistic Dermatology. To my knowledge, this was the first Symposium on Holistic and Integrative Dermatology sponsored by an academic Dermatology department, ever on the planet. On December 4, I gave three lectures on various aspects of holistic dermatology, and participated in a panel wrapping up the session at the Dermatology Department of Kasturba Medical College in Manipal University in Manipal, located in South West India. It was quite an experience to be honored by having the opportunity to teach about the approach to treating skin disease, and to do so to eager listeners halfway around the world. I have already heard from Dr. Shenoi, the head of the department, that what I presented was well received, and has given rise to new ways to treat difficult cases at the hospital there. In addition, my listeners were awakened to the neglected aspect of nutrition in Dermatology.

My knowledge was also enhanced by hearing the two other speakers, one of whom I had met when she was just entering this field of study.
I had a chance in Manipal to see the Ayurvedic department and the Yoga department at the medical center, which represents an integration of traditional care with conventional medical care that is rare in India as it is throughout the world. We spent a morning at a naturopathic hospital, which focused on diet and physical modalities for healing. Cleansing diet, simplicity, spirituality, and beauty of the surroundings, and yoga, were mainstays of the healing program there beyond the diet and other cleansing processes.

One of the other Integrative Dermatology speakers, Dr. S. I. Narahari, was having anopening of his new clinic for Applied Dermatology, and invited me to participate in the dedication and speak at his 5th annual National symposium. The physicians from all over India, honored mentor dermatologist Dr. Terrence Ryan from England,the press, and many people from the local government were present. More than 15 patients with elephantiasis were presented to a group of over 25 dermatologists and other physicians. Between presentations, I was asked by Dr. Narahari and a government minister to help design studies on nutrition and skin disease as, it relates to rural India. I am excited about being able to help those who might otherwise not receive care, and about extending studies in nutritional dermatology that can have a more widespread benefit.

To recover from jet lag on arriving in India, I spent the first 4 days in an Ayurvedic Spa, where I experienced the famous medicinal oil massages and hot herbal applications. We were treated to a visit to the associated third-generation manufacturing plant, which used age-old processes to manufacture Ayurvedic remedies. It has taken time for me to recover from the travels during flu season, so I finally writing to you now.

What has been most amazing to me are the similarities between several thousand-year old Ayurvedic concepts and what I am now doing, incorporating what is now being called functional medicine into my practice of dermatology. This will be thesubject of some of my letters and blogs in the future.

Gray Hair and Stress

“You’re giving me gray hair!” a cry that I’m sure I was not the only one who heard this from their mother when their difficult behavior caused her stress. True or not, it all sounded a little like a folk tale, until now. New studies from the laboratory of Dr. Robert Lefkowitz at Duke University show that chronically elevated levels of the stress hormone adrenaline damage the DNA in specific ways that could lead to a spectrum of conditions from gray hair to tumor formation.

The damage was shown to break down p53 protein, the protein that protects the genome against cancer by helping potential cancer cells either repair their cancerous nature, or self-destruct.

In this report in the August 21 issue of the journal Nature, they also showed more detail of the pathway by which adrenaline cause this damage. This included the role of a molecule called beta–arrestin-1 in the process of causing the damage.

Two major conferences were held at the New York Academy of Science in the late 1960’s on the effects of psychological factors in causing cancer. An impression of this effect was present for a long time, and supported by numerous studies.

This recent paper by Lefkowitz brings a new level of proof and understanding to the relationship between chronic, excessive stress and the onset of gray hair and cancer. While other factors certainly contribute to onset of these conditions, we can now pinpoint one factor over which we may have some control.

Exercise, meditation, breathing exercises and other stress-management techniques may contribute to longer, healthier, and less gray lives.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner
Holistic Dermatology
New York, New York

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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.

Taking Stock of Your Medical History

Discovery of what illness a person has, and what is the underlying reason that illness is going on, often requires a lot of information.  Most of that information is related to your history, that of your family, and that of those around you. 

No one knows this information better than you, so it is helpful to keep a record of what has been going on with your health:
·      Serious or recurrent illnesses, surgeries and accidents, medications, vaccinations and other treatments, and their dates
·      Supplements, vitamins, herbs, other alternative treatments and the apparent positive and negative effects of these treatments on you.
·      Diet, or changes or slips in your diet and their dates are also important.
·      Don’t forget to get copies of important lab test results, and recent lab tests results, even if negative.

From my perspective, the events preceding your illness may be the most important clue to the cause of your specific illness that followed the exposure.

It may be more useful to edit the report you bring to a doctor, rather than bringing the whole file.  Try to keep a full file for yourself, and bring copies to your doctor, so that you keep a full set of your information.  Remember, doctors may only keep records for a period of up to 7 years.

Until there is a universal medical record kept, or perhaps a chip with that information in our wallet or under our skin, you are the best keeper and provider of information which may help with your health.  

Put together your own health file, and keep it where you or your family can find it.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner
Holistic Dermatology
New York, New York

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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.

 

Herbal Medicine and Dermatology article in New York Times

I was just browsing the internet to collect articles I've written, and came across this one in the New York Times. Here, I discuss camomile, plantain, aloe vera, lemon balm, and cayenne for dermatitis, psoriasis, herpes, and other conditions.  Please read the full article for specifics. 

To your health,

Alan M Dattner, MD
Holistic Dermatology, New York

More Pomegranate!

Pomegranates are back on the shelves, and hopefully, back in our hearts! I havejust spotted Pomegranates on the shelves of my local produce stores at rock bottom prices, meaning they are in season nearby. They contain valuable anti-oxidants that are well known to protect the heart.

What’s news is that they also have been shown to have protective effects on the skin. Dr. Hassan Mukhtar, who I met over 10 years ago when he presented his findings on the anti-oxidant protective effects of green tea extract, EGCG,recently published studies on the protective effects of pomegranate extract against Ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage. His group’s studies, published in 2005 showed that pomegranate extract inhibited UV damage in cultured human skin cells by inhibiting the changes in two molecular pathways associated with cancer (knownas NF-kappaB and MAPK).

More recent studies showed that feeding Pomegranate extract to mice protected against a wide variety of biological markers related to UV light induced development of cancer. This information is important because it substantiates the mechanism by which pomegranate protects against skin cancerinduced by UV light. Some of those mechanisms of UV damage also contribute toaging of the skin. So data is emerging suggesting that food derived anti-oxidants such as pomegranate may protect against both skin aging and cancer.

You can pick up pomegranates at your local produce store and enjoy them as a snack or desert. I eat them with an old dark sweat shirt or apron on, and not my favorite light colored clothing, as the red juice from the seeds has a tendency to squirt andstain when you cut them open. It may take you a few tries to get used to the slightly tart taste.

The seeds are the size of corn kernels, andhave hard seeds inside. The white pulp around them is slightly bitter, but is also loaded with anti-oxidants, so I eat some of that along with the delicious red juice inthe seeds. I make sure that the seeds have the rich purple color, and toss away thosethat have turned brown, in some sections of the fruit.

Pomegranates have been revered for thousands of years in the Middle East. Ifyou travel to those lands, you will notice the familiar round shape with a wide, protruding stem in paintings and jewelry. Perhaps they were revered because of benefits seen in those who ate them over generations. It’s exciting to know studies simply confirm that you now can protect both your skin and your heart by enjoying this tasty fruit.

To your health,

Alan M Dattner, MD
Holistic Dermatology, New York 

Featured on The Kathleen Show

It gives me pleasure to announce that I will be featured in a radio interview on the topic of nutrition and the skin on the Kathleen Show, which will be aired in a handful of selected cities throughout the US on different days, from Thursday, Feb 25 through Sunday, February 28, 2010.

Please see the link below for city, time and station, and let your friends and relatives in those cities know about the show if it is not near you. The program airs in Philadelphia PA, (Thursday) Madison WI, Providence RI, Reading PA, Fairbanks Alaska, Astoria Oregon, Grand Junction CO, Eureka CA and Minneapolis/St. Paul MN.

http://www.thekathleenshow.com/About/Stations/tabid/98/Default.aspx

I feel honored to follow such notables as Dr Andrew Weil, legendary Maya Angelou, women’s health pioneer Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Michael Roizen, best-selling author of the YOU series co-authored by Dr. Mehmet Oz, as well as award-winning journalist and author Michael Pollan, as guests on Kathleen’s radio show. This link will allow you to hear the show when it gets posted as a webcast available to hear online in a few more weeks. I believe that you will find the interview both enjoyable and informative, packed with tips on how to better care for your skin naturally. Be sure to not only enjoy it yourselves, but to pass on the link to share it with others who will benefit from the free and useful advice Kathleen gleans from me. http://www.thekathleenshow.com/Listen/tabid/56/Default.aspx

I will post a link to my guest page from the show in a week or two, when my interview will be available for download.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner
Holistic Dermatology
New York, New York

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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.

Holistic Dermatology at the American Academy of Dermatology meeting?

I just returned from the American Academy of Dermatology meeting with lots of new information from the host of sessions I attended. I will present a series of blogs from my experience at this meeting in the upcoming months. On the exhibit hall floor, many products from skin care companies appeared for the first time. 

Products which I have been using in my alternative medicine practice for the past 15 to 20 years. What an affirming surprise to find how far ahead of the curve I have been, and to see that methods I have been practicing are finally catching on.

One product, which appeared in various forms, was homeopathic Arnica for post operative healing and pain prevention. In some cases it was sold with or combined with the enzyme bromelain. I was reassured to see that I had been using this at least 20 years ago, that my correct insights had been confirmed.

Sadly, Still Using Only the Western Model

Unfortunately, although products I have used are appearing, the philosophy and understanding with which I employ these seems to be sorely lacking. Probiotics (healthy bacteria, like acidophilus) were both praised and questioned for use in treating atopic dermatitis. 

Despite multiple positive studies, skeptics mentioned one study in which children's dermatitis actually did worse with probiotics. But no consideration was given in the study regarding which diets corresponded to counteracting yeast and helping the probiotics work better. 

Now that alternative medicine supplements are being accepted into traditional medicine, researchers are creating studies on them, but are treating these supplements in the same way they treat pharmaceuticals. So the idea of having a magic pill that cures everything still seems to float above the concept of treating the whole person, which is what I continue to do and promote as a holistic dermatologist.

To your health,

Alan M Dattner, MD

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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.