Dry skin and itching cannot be resolved simply with moisturizers, can they? Modern medicine views these symptoms as a chronic inflammatory disease arising from the entanglement of complex bodily systems. The concept of internal heat in Donguibogam can be regarded as an insightful perspective encompassing this chronic inflammation and internal imbalance.
First, our skin possesses a front-line defense shield that protects the body from external stimuli: the skin barrier. People with atopy or allergic dermatitis often have a weakened skin barrier function. In particular, when proteins like filaggrin or lipids such as ceramides are deficient or altered, microscopic gaps form, allowing external allergens, bacteria, and irritants to easily penetrate the skin. This penetration hyperactivates the immune response, constantly inducing inflammation and itching. The blood dryness in Donguibogam can be seen as deeply connected to the scientific concept explaining this dry, weakened skin barrier state vulnerable to external stimuli.
Next, shall we discuss the chronic inflammatory response? Internal heat is very similar to the body's chronic low-grade inflammation. Due to modern stress, irregular dietary habits, and environmental toxins, inflammatory substances such as cytokines are continuously secreted in the body. These inflammatory substances directly affect skin cells, further worsening inflammatory reactions and even diminishing skin regeneration capacity. In particular, when the balance between Th1 and Th2 immune cells is disrupted, allergic reactions are easily triggered. When Th2 cells become hyperactivated, the production of IgE antibodies commonly seen in atopic dermatitis increases, and mast cells are activated to release massive amounts of potent itch-inducing substances such as histamine. This is precisely why scratching never brings relief and only makes it itch more.
The skin is also closely connected to the nervous system. Chronic pruritus and the resulting stress directly affect our autonomic nervous system. When the sympathetic nerve is excessively stimulated, blood vessels display abnormal responses such as constricting or dilating, which can impair the ability to regulate inflammatory reactions. In addition, the secretion of neuropeptides like substance P increases, worsening pruritus further and altering blood flow volume or sweat secretion, making the skin even more sensitive. Stress caused by internal heat also influences the secretion of stress hormones like cortisol, which can lead to an imbalance in the immune system. This is why everyone has experienced their skin flaring up when they are fatigued and under high stress.
Finally, there is the gut-skin axis. The Donguibogam discussion of spleen-stomach heat in a Soyangin can be seen as an early insight into the close relationship between modern gut health and skin health. When gut health deteriorates, intestinal permeability increases, and endotoxins or microbial imbalances in the gut lead to systemic inflammation, adversely affecting skin issues. In other words, inflammatory substances originating in the gut travel through the bloodstream to the skin, inducing allergic reactions or inflammation.
In conclusion, dry skin and allergies in a Soyangin are not simple issues of the skin surface, but a comprehensive health signal from our body where internal organ imbalances, chronic inflammation, immune system disruption, autonomic dysfunction, and gut health problems are intricately intertwined. Only by understanding this complex link can we find a fundamental solution.
