Treatment Pearls From Europe
July 1998
in “
Dermatologic Clinics
”
TLDR European dermatologic treatments focus on lifestyle and psychosocial factors, use diverse methods like baths and climate therapy, and emphasize the importance of diet and supplements for skin health.
The 1998 document compares dermatologic treatments between Europe and North America, noting Europeans' emphasis on body image and psychosocial factors and North Americans' focus on drug side effects. It highlights European practices like regimen, placebos, dietary regimens, and physical treatments, particularly balneology and climatotherapy for skin conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. The placebo effect's significant influence on treatment outcomes is discussed, along with the importance of essential fatty acids (EFAs) for skin and hair health, and the need for dietary intake of EFAs and other supplements like vitamins and minerals. The document also discusses the role of copper, selenium, and sulfur-containing amino acids in skin health, and describes novel treatments like hypothermia for preventing hair loss during chemotherapy, hyperthermia for cancer treatment, electrorydesis for wrinkles, and ratokderm therapy for vitiligo, with varying degrees of success. The document calls for more research on these treatments, which are less known in North America.
