Topical steroid use for itchy skin can set up a vicious circle.
When faced with horrible itching, steroids are the method most turn to. Why?
Because they work.
The problem is they work in a way that may not be what you’re looking for.
For one thing, they set the body up for a dependency that makes it terribly hard to stop using them.
The internet is filled with stories of sufferers who have been using the creams for years. For many, eventually, they become less effective. So, looking for more relief, they increase their usage of the cream way beyond what their doctors ever intended.
Long-term overuse can lead to complications all the way from additional skin conditions, to serious systemic health issues. But, when these sufferers try to stop using the creams, they are tortured as their skin flares from Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW).
That’s what I mean by, “Damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.” But it doesn’t have to be that way if we add homeopathy into the mix.
Many sufferers ask, “How long will this take?” A fair question when itching is causing misery.
As a first step toward freedom from topical steroids, let me share the Banerji Protocol for super itchy skin all over the body:
Antimonium crud 6 twice a day. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of this page to receive your free remedy card containing this information in an easy-to-reference form.)
That next step might be to use a different homeopathic for the itchy skin, or a different strategy altogether. As a reminder, Antimonium crudum 6 is not the only homeopathic we have in our arsenal for itchy skin, but especially if there's no rash, it's been a winner for my family and me just about every time.
Allow me to share a word or two about what I mean by “improvement,” because this is important. “Improvement” means it’s better than it was — not necessarily that it is completely gone.
To give you a better idea of what I mean: a friend of mine has recently been experiencing overall itching. Of course, I’ve been trying to help her, so the other day I checked to see if she was noticing any improvement. She said, “I still have itching.”
My question followed, “Has it improved? And if so, by how much?”
How my friend answered is the most important part of this exchange. “I’m still itchy … but it's not keeping me up at night anymore. It’s also not making me scratch so much that it causes bleeding like it did before starting the homeopathics.”
That’s it. That’s what I was looking for. An improvement. A net gain. This means we stay with the medicine because it was well chosen. That is, we stay with it until the completion of the condition, or until the medicine stops acting.
If instead, she had reported no change after taking the homeopathic twice daily for a few weeks or, worse yet, that the itching was worse or covered more of her body, it would also give me important information.
This information would mean either a) the medicine was not taken long enough OR b) it was ill-chosen in the first place and ought to be halted.
How do you know that the medicine needs more time to act?
I wish I could give you a list of which ones take longer or which conditions require more patience, but it all reduces down to experience with this method. If pressed for an answer, I suppose the simplest one is that if the itching is rather new and steroids have not been used (or not used for long), it should only take a few weeks to see improvement.
But for a chronic condition to show a change, it’s a different story. This is when we stay with the medicine for about 6-8 weeks until it acts fully, stop because it has made things worse, or stop because it did nothing at all.
Lots of rules … I know, but if you read this carefully, I believe you’ll get the hang of it.
In case you didn’t get it, here it is again:
If the condition is chronic, continue with the use of the medicine for 6-8 weeks or until it's very much improved and the itching is resolved.
If it's done no good, either by not acting or making things worse, the use of the homeopathic ought to be halted.
In fact, anytime a homeopathic has made things worse, stop using it.
However, if you’re honestly not seeing improvement after six to eight weeks, then it might be time to look to the next protocol and learn how to assess more fully. Should you be interested in learning more on your own, check out my course “Skin, the Ugly Truth: Safe, Effective Treatment of Skin Ailments, Chronic or Acute, with Homeopathy.” Many of the questions that you might have after reading this blog are covered — in depth — in this comprehensive course.
For instance, I teach how to read symptoms, and how to know if the remedies are working. Homeopathy is a very complex medicine. I do my best to make it simpler by distilling it for you in these blogs.
It's important to learn how to take care of ourselves without submitting to a vicious circle. I hope that armed with this information, you will be well on your way to freedom from depending on topical steroids!
Warmly,
P.S. I lived an itchy little life during my entire childhood with eczema. Now if I get itchy (though the rash has not appeared in decades), Antimonium crudum 6 is always my go to.
I am a homeopath with a worldwide practice working with families and individuals via Zoom. I'm also a teacher and most importantly, a mom who raised my now-adult children depending on homeopathy over the last 31 years. I lived decades of my life with food intolerances, allergies, and chemical sensitivities until I was cured with homeopathy, so I understand pain, anxiety, and suffering. You may feel that your issues are more severe or different than anyone else’s, but I have seen it all in my practice and in my work in India. My opinion is that nothing has come close to the reproducible, safe and effective results that my clients, students and I have achieved with homeopathy.
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Joette is not a physician and the relationship between Joette and her clients is not of prescriber and patient, but as educator and client. It is fully the client's choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Joette presents. Homeopathy doesn't "treat" an illness; it addresses the entire person as a matter of wholeness that is an educational process, not a medical one. Joette believes that the advice and diagnosis of a physician is often in order.
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The Author disclaims all liability for any loss or risk, personal or otherwise incurred as a consequence of use of any material in this article. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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I have celiac, and was horribly itchy, esp. at night. Once I stopped eating gluten it went away. My son has allergies/eczema, and quercetin really tamps that down, and helps with sniffling, etc from allergies as well.
Folks find homeopathy to be superior because it uproots conditions instead of forcing a life of abstinence.
I know this is an old comment, but I would like to say that many times is very tricky with homeopathy.For acute conditions seems to work fine, but not too great, nor fast for chronic conditions.
Not everyone has the time or patience, while suffering, to try and find the right remedy. I suffered for over 1 year from severe eczema, pretty much all over my body.It was painful, oozing, itchy…
Tried many remedies, went to homeopathic doctors, even one in Europe. Nobody was able to even alleviate it, let alone help me get rid of it.Diet was the only way.
Never had eczema before in my life until I was 43.Right after a bout of sinus infection, I developed eczema.When desperate and in pain, we don’t have the time to play finding the right remedy.
Precisely. That’s why I teach protocols and call my work Pratical Homeopathy. Classical homeopathy is too complex and time consuming and unfortunetly is the predominate form of homeopathy found in the U.S. and Europe.
After spending years in India working with the Drs. Banerji, I returned to teach the protocols used there for hundreds of years. Should you be interested, go to JoettesLearningCenter and find the course I teach on Skin with exactly what needs to be addressed and how as well as my course titled Good Gut Bad Gut.
And may I say that of course it was diet particularly after a bout of infections. That’s what eczema usually is.
Do you have suggestions for an itchy condition called lichen sclerosus?
Nice post Jorte,! Thanksm
Well, I tried Graphites 6 globules internally and Graphites Ointment externally.
Beautiful Results!
-Chandrakant.
Yes, Graphites is great too, especially when its fungus related. THanks for this.
Could one take Graphite and Antimonium crudum as part of the same schedule to address toenal fungus on the one hand, and itching on the other?
Thank you!
We often see that one medicine can resolve more than one condition at a time.
Ant Crud 6 2XD worked wonderfully for my pups rash during pregnancy! I was miserable everynight and even conventional doctors wouldn’t prescribe something (pregnancy protects you that way!). I started the protocol and felt less itchy within days and the rash even went away within weeks, such that you can’t even tell where it was!
Thanks for your comment. Pls pass on the word.
Started Ant Crud 6x last night for a very itchy rash on both knees that wakes me in the night. Very timely article for me. I will use it 2D until the rash is gone. It is a rash I have dealt with for years and comes and goes so it is probably food related but I realize that this should help it heal and eventually stop coming back for which I am thankful.
If a medicine has worked and you are ready to stop, do you taper it off or take doses farther apart for a while or do you just stop the medicine all at once? Thanks!
If you’re referring to this article and not generally, then the way we stop is to just stop. If the conditions resumes, so should the medicine.
I have macular amyloidosis and I would like a cream. What do you have I can use?
I have psoriasis on my right ankle and bottom of foot. it can be very itchy. there seems to be very slight improvement since I cut back on dairy. Would ant crud 6X help?
I can ‘t tell you whether it would help or not because I’ve not used it for psoriasis per se. Psoriasis is a horse of a different color and requires working with a seasoned homeopath.
You might want to consider my skin course where i cover this condition as well as my course Good GUt Bad GUt where I discuss in great detail the connection between the GI and other related conditions.
Hi Joette! I have a question in reference to the Banerji Protocols book: all conditions list first line medicines/remedies, second line, third line…I could not find any guidance in the beginning as to use first line first if that doesn’t show improvement/change then are we to employ second line remedies? Or do we use simultaneously 1st line 2nd line etc. Any insight would be so helpful as I am new into homeopathy this year and so grateful for your website, blogs, and approach to making this a useable curative force in the lives of all mom’s out there! It all just makes perfect sense in a world where we are bombarded by so much information regarding health, medicines, food intolerances! Bless you many times over!- Aeiza
Would this remedy be a good option for one that is currently going through topical steroid withdrawal?
Thank you so much for this helpful information.
Joette, thank you so much for the free information that you post!! Two weeks ago my husband got poison ivy and the itching made him crazy. I gave him a couple different remedies and they didn’t work fast enough so he went to the doctor and got a script for steroid cream and SLATHERED himself in it. Two days later his shingles from 6 months ago (that were treated with Valtrex and Steroids) returned. I began the Banerji Protocol for shingles that I found on your site, antimonium crud 6c every three hours, belladonna 3c every hour for his 102 fever, hypericum 200 for pain and we added sulphur 6c 4 times a day because that had been helping his poison ivy and seemed to also help with the shingles. It is now 8 days later and the poison ivy and shingles are all cleared up with no drugs this time. Thank you so much.
Homeopathy is miraculous. Pass on the good word.
Hi Joette! I’m currently working with a homeopath now. However, I noticed in your article that you mentioned taking the homeopathic remedy for weeks (such as 6-8 weeks) or until the condition improves. My homeopath has instructed me to take a homeopathic remedy for 3 days, stop for 5 days, and then move on to the next remedy for 3 days, and then stop for 5 days, etc. Can you please explain why the difference in the protocol? It makes more sense to me to keep using something until the condition improves. Thx!
Homeopathy is a vast, worldwide medical method used for over 230 years. There are many ways of treating.
Dear Joette,
I have what I believe is dishydrotic eczema that starts one my right middle finger and spreads. It presents with small blisters that are very itchy. Do you have any suggestions on a homeopathic remedy to try? I’ve tried many creams, lotions, anticandida remedies and eat mostly grain-free. But it continues to come and go. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
I’m writing on behalf of Joette this afternoon You will find the information you’re looking for in her course, Skin, The Ugly Truth where this topic (a rather extensive one) is covered with exact specifics. It’s here https://courses.joettecalabrese.com/7-skins.
I started treating my 4 yr daughter with ant crud 6c for over all itching that draws blood. I added ars all 200 also for burning rash around lips for 3 days 2 times a day. She got a sore on her gum the next day but her lips improved. I didn’t think any of it. I dropped the ars alb 200 when it seemed she did not need it but I have continued with the ant crud 6c for the itching. Her itching is getting better but I am also watching food allergen intake. Tonight I noticed a place on her finger that looks like a wart that I have never noticed before. Could I have caused this? Have I chosen wrong and maybe caused a proving? Should I stop all and see what symptoms are still there?
In general, when a condition improves, the remedy was well chosen, even if something minor presents as a result.But by adding in new methods (such as watching food allergin intake) while commencing a homeopathic method it confounds the observation period. One method at a time will reveal less incombered results.
I don’t like the stop and start method when overused, but it would make sense to stop either the food intake restrictions or the medicine.
I’m scrolling down for the skin remedies card but I don’t see it
What about the rash starts to go away almost completely and then all the sudden comes back with a vengeance even while you’re still taking the medicine should you continue or should you stop it did help at first
If while taking a homeopathic everything worsens, its likely time to reassess and move on to the next medicine.
Is this strength 6c or 6x?
It depends on where you live as to what is available, but I usually use it in c.
Is lichen planus treatable by homeopathy?
Just like all conditions and diseases, homeopathy has a history of being able to address such but there’s no guarantee that it will act fully or how far-reaching it will be. should you be interested, I cover the protocol and how to approach this condition in my course titled Skin the Ugly Truth.
What do you suggest for psoriasis?
It’s something that is more involved than a simple protocol so I cover it fully in my course, Skin the Ugly Truth.
Do you or the Banerjis have any protocols for bad anal itching, worse usually at night & mornings? And what about for toenail fungus?
These subjects are fully covered in my on-line course Skin the Ugly Truth.
Thank you so much! I can not find this that you offered.
Remember to scroll to the bottom of this page to receive your free remedy card containing this information in an easy-to-reference form.
It’s there when I open it. Try again.
Love this blog
Free remedy card
I am not seeing the Free remedy card at the end of this post. Sorry, I must have missed it. Can you direct me further?
Thank you.
The free remedy card is gone from this and all of your posts.
There was probably a word press update and the app that controls them was disabled. I’ve got someone on it now.
Many thanks for the alert.
I do not see the Remedy Card. Has the issue been resolved? Or am I just blind to the obvious?
How to consult u
I’m sorry but I no longer take new clients. Instead, pls. go to the Pratip Banerji Homeopathic Memorial Clinic online in Kolkata.