Hypnotherapy for Dermatological Conditions

Hypnosis is currently an underused therapy in dermatology. In appropriately selected clients, it can decrease or eliminate symptoms and in some cases, it can induce lasting remissions or cures of skin diseases. The time requirements for screening patients, educating them about realistic expectations for results from hypnosis, and performing the hypnotherapy are generally no longer than those for screening, preparing and educating patients about surgery and then performing it.

Many dermatologists choose to refer patients with complex surgical problems to competent specialists in dermatologic surgery. Likewise, many dermatologists choose to refer patients with complex psychosomatic dermatologic problems to competent specialists in hypnotherapy as hypnosis can be especially helpful in dealing with skin diseases that have a psychosomatic aspect.

Hypnosis can regulate blood flow and other autonomic functions that are not usually under conscious control. The relaxation response that occurs with hypnosis also affects the neuro-hormonal systems that regulate many other body functions. Studies on the influence of hypnosis on immediate immune responses have shown the ability of hypnotized volunteers to significantly decrease the flare reaction to a histamine prick test.

Hypnosis can be very effective because it treats the symptom and the cause of the symptom; skin creams just treat the symptom.

Hypnosis may be used to:-

· Increase healthy behaviours,
· Decrease situational stress,
· Control harmful habits (eg scratching),
· Provide immediate and long-term analgesia,
· Ameliorate symptoms related to diseases (eg. itchiness),
· Accelerate recovery from surgery, and
· Enhance the mind-body connection to promote healing.

The theory is to accept that skin conditions can sometimes be an expression of an underlying emotion problem or repressed emotions.

Direct suggestion, Post-hypnotic suggestion and repeated use of a recording (during self-hypnosis) are very effective techniques for dermatological issues. Direct suggestion may even produce a sufficiently deep anaesthesia in highly hypnotizable individuals for minor surgery. Direct suggestion can also be used to reduce repetitive acts of skin scratching or picking, nail biting or manipulating, and hair pulling or twisting. Unwanted psycho-physiologic responses, such as sweating, blushing, and some types of allergic skin reactions, can also be controlled by direct suggestion.

Some of the dermatologic conditions for which hypnosis is reasonably helpful in reducing symptoms or in improving aspects of the condition include;

· Verruca vulgaris
· Psoriasis
· Alopecia
· Skin rash
· Acne
· Herpes
· Boils

Hypnosis is a tool - analogous to a scalpel - that is used to ‘cut through’ psychological and behavioural blocks to facilitate healing. The skin is a mirror of the inner self, and we frequently use phrases which reflect this:

· '...getting under your skin...'
· '...thick skinned...'
· '...itching to do something...'

These all reflect the fact that our skin is recognised as a measure of our vulnerability and it is also exactly why dermatological conditions are worse when we are stressed. An imbalance within the nervous system may frequently be reflected in the skin itself. It is a signal of vulnerability to a situation, or a response to an initiating trigger.

With any condition with a psychogenic (or emotional) component, the client suffers from feelings of being out of control and this is made worse by the visibility of the symptom. This visibility has social implications and can hold the client back from forming the social bonds which in themselves can take them away from the problem.

Stress increases the vulnerability of the autonomic nervous system and this also has a direct effect on the skin. This increases the dermatological symptoms and sets the client into an ‘anxiety loop’. The worse the external stress becomes, the higher the reaction in response, the worse any dermatological reaction. One of the most effective ways the therapist can help in alleviating the symptom is to teach the patient self-hypnosis for stress reduction. This allows the client to regain a level of control of certain autonomic functions of the system. With dermatological conditions which provoke a conditioned reflex such as scratching, the most distressing aspect for the individual is the feeling that they are out of control.

In addition to the symptom itself, the conditioned response needs to be addressed. Scratching or itching, which gave temporary relief to a client from the condition, itself becomes a habit. Even when the trigger has been removed and the new dermatological response generated, the reaction still remains in place and must also be ‘de-conditioned’. If this is not done, at any time in the future should the individual become stressed or their immune system depleted, the habit can resurface and cause an apparent re-occurrence of the symptom. Once the client becomes aware that their skin condition is deteriorating, they begin to focus on that area, they become more stressed, and the pattern becomes a 'vicious circle' until the condition starts afresh. The scratching or itching can be dealt with by hypno-desensitisation, a gradual process which weans the individual off the behaviour.