How Do You Treat Eczema with Hypnosis?

Skin conditions have a large psychological component, in that stress tends to exacerbate various skin conditions from eczema to rosacea and psoriasis.  Stress also can lead to the development of hives.  Thus, as with many medical conditions, skin ailments have a significant psychological component, and thus can benefit from use of hypnosis. 

Use of Hypnosis for Relaxation and Healing 

A patient might be instructed to use hypnosis for relaxation as follows: 

Imagine a place that you find relaxing and safe.  It can be a place you have been to, a place you want to go to, or even an imaginary place.  Once you are there, imagine what you might see, hear, smell, feel, and taste there.   By imagining with all of your senses you can help make the experience seem more real, and help you become more relaxed. 

Imagine a healing light above your head.  It can be any color that you associate with healing.  Allow the light to enter your head and then spread throughout your body.  Notice how your skin can glow as you allow the light to shine from within you.  Everything that light touches can heal.  Every cell, every nerve, every hair, every muscle, every wrinkle, every pore, and every area of discomfort. 

Imagine sending your army of special white blood cells to repair your skin.  They can bring with them large vats of healing ointment that they can spread carefully onto every part of your skin that would benefit from healing.  Imagine how much better you will feel once your skin is repaired.  Imagine yourself several months in the future and feeling content and invigorated by your improved health. 

Use of Hypnosis to Deal with Stressors 

Many times, skin conditions are triggered by specific psychological triggers.  It can sometimes be useful to use hypnosis to identify the triggers in order that they can be addressed.   For example, with hypnosis patients can be taught to allow their subconscious to interact through their fingers.  Movement of one finger can indicate “Yes,” another finger indicates “No,” and a third finger can indicate “I don’t want to say.”  The patient can then be asked a series of questions to figure out what the issue might be. 

For example, patients might be asked whether their skin condition is triggered by conflict with another individual.   An inquiry can be made regarding whether patients’ skin flares are the result of “organ language,” such as a feeling that “I’m feeling as if I want to crawl out of my skin” because of a stressor.  Patients can be asked whether they are motivated to improve their health condition, or whether there was a past event that triggered the symptom and is causing its perpetuation.  For example, a patient might think that a Poison Ivy exposure leads to permanent irritation.  Another line of inquiry might relate to whether patients are punishing themselves through their skin associated discomfort. 

Take Home Message 

A patient’s psychology often is involved in the triggering or perpetuation of skin ailments.  Hypnosis can be very helpful as a non-medical alternative that can promote healing of the skin. 

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Author

Ran D. Anbar, MD Ran D. Anbar, MD, FAAP, is board certified in both pediatric pulmonology and general pediatrics, offering hypnosis and counseling services at Center Point Medicine in La Jolla, California, and Syracuse, New York. Dr. Anbar is also a fellow and approved consultant of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. Dr. Anbar is a leader in clinical hypnosis, and his 20 years of experience have allowed him to successfully treat over 5,000 children. He also served as a professor of pediatrics and medicine and the director of pediatric pulmonology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, for 21 years.