Alternative Approaches: A Thoughtful Conversation on Integrative Dermatology

In episode 54 of Derms and Conditions, our host James Q. Del Rosso, DO, sits down with Raja Sivamani, MD, MS, AP, a board-certified dermatologist who practices at the Pacific Skin Institute and runs the Integrative Dermatology Symposium through LearnSkin. They discuss the concept of integrative dermatology, which involves uniting principles from pharmaceuticals, diet, nutrition, supplements, and probiotics to deliver holistic care.

Dr Del Rosso begins by asking how to learn more about the science and evidence behind specific supplements and diets. Dr Sivamani advises starting with medical literature and evaluating publications with a search of PubMed or even Google. He suggests specific integrative medicine journals such as the Journal of Integrative Medicine and the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine. However, he notes that even the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and British Journal of Dermatology will publish on nutrition and cosmeceuticals. Regarding social media posts or blogs, Dr Sivamani advises considering the source–is it a board-certified dermatologist or a local beauty educator?

Next, Dr Sivamani discusses how to counsel patients on the evidence behind making certain holistic changes using atopic dermatitis as an example. Even for his naturopathic patients, he can obtain their consent to start a biologic or other systemic medication by discussing how to approach their symptoms from multiple facets. This can be particularly helpful for conditions such as acne where patients are often concerned with what they are eating. Tune in to this episode to learn more about integrative dermatology and how you can incorporate it into your practice.