By Granuloma Annulare
Granuloma annulare(GA) is a long-term skin condition that is characterized by raised reddish skin bumps arranged in the pattern of a ring. Granuloma annulare usually affects the hand or feet. No one knows what causes it or how a person develops it, although there are speculations that heredity, certain drugs, vaccinations, or skin injury can trigger the symptoms. But do home remedies help cure this skin condition? Let’s find out.
What is Granuloma Annulare
Doctors term this skin condition as idiopathic, meaning a condition whose cause is still unknown. Although it can be accurately diagnosed and there are various types of it, granuloma annulare has no dermatologist-sanctioned medications.
The raised rashes usually disappear by themselves in one or two years. However, it can look ugly or probably take longer to vanish. While in rare cases the lesion causes itching and pain, but most often granuloma annular is just a harmless, weird skin condition. Since medical treatments haven’t been studied in large clinical settings, many individuals have inclined to home remedies to treat this skin condition and speed up scar disappearance.
Before you try the following home remedies, make sure you diagnose the skin condition first. Sometimes people do mistake granuloma for ringworm and don’t get it treated. If your condition worsens after 4 weeks, it might be something else altogether.
1.Apply Vitamin E Oil
You can apply Vitamin E oil directly on the skin lesion and massage it gently to cause penetration to reduce inflammation. You can also have a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) along with it to make this more effective. You can reapply vitamin E oil as long as you want because it is safe and benefits the skin in a million other ways.
2.Chinese Herbs and Oils
Essential herbal oils are a great remedy to treat skin conditions naturally, including something as elusive as granuloma annulare. Herbs are an essential part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TMC) and are being used in the treatment of several ailments for centuries.
You can apply olive oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, ginger-based carrier oil, basil oil, turmeric oil on your skin to reduce inflammation considerably. You can also mix herbs such as skullcap, white willow bark, and Boswellia into a carrier oil and apply the paste on to your skin to relieve the symptoms of the skin problem.
Herbal Treatment for Granuloma Annulare use Eucalyptus oil has soothing properties and it can be useful on itchy skin.
3.Aloe Vera for Soothing Skin
Aloe Vera gel has natural soothing effects. It can reduce itching and painfully, dry skin, which is normal in Granuloma annulare. Aloe Vera gel is used in treating various skin conditions because of its ability to penetrate deep within skin layers, and decrease inflammation and heal wounds associated with skin problems.
If you are using a store brought aloe vera gel, make sure it is pure and doesn’t contain any other active ingredient or essential oil. Freshly extracted aloe vera gel directly from the plant is also a good alternative. Use the gel directly on your skin, apply generously and leave it just like that.
4.Avocado and Olive Oil Treatment
Vitamin E is considered an effective Home Remedy for Granuloma Annulare for it is good on rashes and inflammation. Avocado is rich in Vitamin E. On the other hand, olive oil is a skin nourisher. It conditions the skin and essentially decreases marks on the skin caused by rashes.
Consequently, you can make a paste of avocado along with olive oil and apply it generously to the affected area. Leave the lather for an hour before washing it off with water. Repeat the home treatment every day for effectiveness.
5.Apply Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is great for the skin. You can apply pure or virgin coconut oil for any skin condition without worrying about side effects. If you aren’t sure whether it is GA or not, you can massage coconut oil on the rashes. Coconut oil is a natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-septic, and anti-viral. It is also a skin and hair conditioner. If you do not like the greasiness of the oil, you can take the oil orally. However, you must consume 3 Tablespoon three times a day for effective results. And that’s a lot of calorie intake. So, we suggest you stick to applying the oil on your skin rather than consuming it.
6.Herb Consumption
Some individuals also recommend baking soda for treating this skin condition. Although the benefits of baking soda on health are innumerable, we aren’t sure about its effectiveness on granuloma annulare. You can try adding herbs and spices in your diet instead to improve the symptoms. Few potential herbs for GA are:
- Ginger tea: Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-septic.
- Turmeric: Contains curcumin as an active ingredient; effective anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antioxidant.
- Indian edible gum (Boswelliaserrata): Anti-inflammatory and limits the production of leukotrienes (unsaturated fatty acids).
Note that regular application of these home remedies will just reduce the signs and symptoms of Granuloma Annulare, but not prevent its recurrence. Though the skin condition has no cure, it is not harmful either.
