Skin - the third lung
Understanding Skin Health Naturally
The natural approach views the skin as a reflection of internal health. Healthy skin mirrors the balance of your digestive, immune, and nervous systems.
The Skin: Your Body’s Largest Organ
The skin covers the entire body, making up about 15% of body weight. Its thickness varies: thick on the feet, thin on the forehead. It is your first line of defense, protecting you from mechanical damage, chemical toxins, UV radiation, and pathogens, while also preventing fluid loss.
The skin also plays a vital role in sensation—helping you feel touch, pressure, pain, and temperature changes—and in thermoregulation, by adjusting blood flow and sweat production. Exposure to sunlight allows the skin to produce vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones. Beyond health, the skin communicates socially and sexually through color, texture, and scent.
Holistic Perspectives on Skin
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Chinese Medicine: The skin is considered the “third lung,” controlled by lung health, pores, and sweat.
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Homeopathy: The skin acts as a safety valve, protecting internal organs while eliminating waste.
The skin is also tightly connected to the nervous system, providing continuous sensory feedback, and to the kidneys and fluid balance, regulating sweat and hydration.
Skin Structure
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Epidermis: Outermost layer, constantly renewing, crossed by sweat glands, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands.
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Dermis: Middle layer, rich in blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Contains hair roots and glands. Collagen provides strength; elastin provides flexibility.
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Hypodermis: Subcutaneous layer storing fat, protecting bones, regulating temperature, and acting as an energy reserve.
Principles of Natural Skin Care
Unlike conventional medicine, which focuses mainly on external treatments such as antibiotics, steroids, and antihistamines, the natural approach treats both internally and externally, addressing chronic skin conditions with acute episodes.
Internal care includes:
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Detoxification
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Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal support
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Anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory support
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Nervous system and immune system balance
External care includes:
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Cleansing and disinfecting the skin with masks, infusions, and decoctions
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Treating lesions with creams and ointments to soothe, protect, and heal
Naturopathic Approach to Skin Health
The goal is to reduce overload in the body:
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Mental: stress and anxiety
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Metabolic: accumulated toxins
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Immune: weak immune system
Key areas of focus:
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Symptom relief through external treatment
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Supporting liver and digestion
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Addressing emotional and mental well-being
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Balancing immune response and anti-allergic activity
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Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapies
Conditions Treated Naturally
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Allergy or food-intolerance related: atopic dermatitis, urticaria, seborrhea, psoriasis
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Infectious skin conditions: herpes, fungal infections, acne
By focusing on internal health, detoxification, and balanced immunity, natural skin care supports long-term skin health, reducing flare-ups and strengthening the body from within.
