Treating Skin Conditions With Hypnotherapy

Anyone who has a skin condition will tell you how debilitating it can be. A person with a skin condition not only has to cope with the symptoms which are very often accompanied by itching but also with the fact that usually the condition is visible to all. For many people, this can lead to issues with confidence and self-esteem. Sometimes, teenagers with acne have received significant unpleasant attention and even bullying as a result, and may have grown into shy adults or adults afraid of socialising.

The skin is said to express the state of our emotions. The reason for this goes back to embryonic development. Both the skin and the tissue of the nervous system develop from the ectoderm; the outermost germ layer of the embryo. Thus, the connection between the skin and the nervous system is established very early on.

Skin Conditions

Acne is a common and upsetting skin condition amongst adolescents which can leave unsightly scarring. Treatment for this includes topical preparations and oral medications. A condition which mostly appears in middle age is acne rosacea. It manifests as the appearance of spider veins under the skin which gives an appearance of flushing. In addition to the avoidance of certain foods and alcohol, treatment comprises creams and antibiotics. Eczema appears as an itchy rash which can appear on any part of the body. This can respond to dietary treatment and the reduction of stress as well as prescribed creams. Psoriasis is a condition where plaques of red, scaly skin appear. This is commonly treated with exposure to sunlight if possible, creams and steroid drugs.

Stress and the Skin

In modern life, dealing with fluctuating levels of stress is the norm. Stress mobilises the nervous system into activity and, owing to its close link with the skin, can lead to a worsening of the symptoms. This can set up a cycle where, as the skin condition worsens, the person becomes more anxious thus increasing the burden on the skin. Consequently, a vicious cycle develops.

Hypnotherapy and the Skin

One of the aims of hypnotherapy treatment is to manage the stress so that the skin can calm down. This is achieved by teaching you self-hypnosis. In addition to the direct physiological effect on the nervous system through achieving deep levels of relaxation, you can be taught to give yourself post-hypnotic suggestions for improved management of stressful situations. Being able to better self-manage in this way can give an enormous sense of control.

Other hypnotherapy treatment is directed at treating the root cause in order to alleviate the underlying emotional aspect. In addition, you will be taught to make use in self-hypnosis of those things you have found helpful in the past. For example, if sunlight has helped your condition, you can imagine yourself in self-hypnosis being bathed in sunlight and feeling its gentle warmth healing your skin. If coolness helps, you can be taught a technique called 'glove anaesthesia'. Here, you learn to create a coolness or numbness in a hand which you can then transfer to another part of the body. Any other effects of having a skin condition can also be dealt with. These might include insomnia and self-esteem issues.

There is no need to suffer unnecessarily. Treating your skin condition with hypnotherapy can give you the relief you need and give you back your confidence and self-esteem.