In this podcast, we’re going to talk about dermatitis. Dermatitis means inflammation of the skin, and there are many different types.

At their core, skin problems are either related to an allergy or an immune reaction. You can consider many cases of dermatitis as an over-reactive immune system.

Topical and oral steroids are the most common treatments of dermatitis. They work by suppressing the immune system. Antibiotics are also commonly used to treat cases of dermatitis but often lead to a secondary infection.

The superficial layer of your skin contains a multitude of microbes and acts as a barrier for your lymphatic tissue and blood vessels. These tissues are full of immune cells ready to protect you against foreign invaders.

Dermatitis seems to respond positively to vitamin D. For example, vitamin D works to mitigate symptoms of contact dermatitis by lowering the histamine response. Vitamin D is the main regulator of the immune system.

Skin conditions are typically worse in the winter when we get less vitamin D. They are also worse when a person is under stress. When you raise cortisol levels from stress, you deplete vitamin D.

Vitamin D can decrease acne by shrinking and normalizing the sebaceous glands. This can help regulate the overproduction of oil, decreasing acne breakouts. Seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp is also known as dandruff. Vitamin D cream can help reduce dandruff.

Eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo, and alopecia are all related to vitamin D deficiency. Microbes involved in certain skin issues can reduce the vitamin D receptors in your skin, allowing them to survive.

DATA:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
https://dermazen.co/blogs/news/seborr...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0...
https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2014/02...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/...