Ayurvedic Viewpoint on Skin Disorders: Acne, Eczema, Rosacea, Rashes & Psoriasis
- Martyna Bajer
- Nov 23, 2025
- 4 min read
I know how painful and frustrating chronic skin disorders can feel - not just on the surface, but emotionally too. I’ve personally been through chronic cystic acne, and I know the shame, the self-doubt, and the “why is this happening to me?” cycles that follow...
But here is something deeply comforting that I want every person struggling with their skin to hear:
Ayurveda offers an incredibly unique, holistic, and compassionate approach to skin disorders - and these stubborn, multi-layered conditions can be beautifully balanced using natural principles!
The skin shouldn't be ot treated as a separate organ.
Our skin is a direct reflection of:
digestion (Agni)
the purity of the blood (Rakta)
the state of the mind
emotions
immunity (Ojas)
past experiences and patterns
even karmic lessons
"Why do I suffer from a skin disorder?"
All skin disorders fall under the category of Kushta, and Ayurveda considers them tri-dosha in nature - meaning all three doshas play a role. But the dosha causing the most discomfort is always treated first!
Most skin issues follow a very similar internal chain of events:
Something disturbs digestion (Agni), which leads to the buildup of Ama, the sticky metabolic waste the body cannot process ->
When Agni is weak, this unprocessed waste moves into the deeper tissues ->
Once it reaches Rasa and Rakta dhatus - the plasma and blood tissues connected directly to the skin - symptoms begin to appear ->
Ama travels through the water-carrying channels of the body, which means it spreads easily. This explains why cold environments, excessive watery foods and even sudden climate changes can all trigger flare-ups.
How to heal skin disorders with Ayurveda?
Healing begins by identifying what is causing you to produce toxins in the first place. Food choices, stress levels, sleep patterns, climate, emotions, hormone balance - they all matter.
From there, treatment follows a natural order:
First, stop producing new toxins.
Then, strengthen Agni so the body can digest what is already there.
Burn accumulated Ama gently using herbs and spices (adjusted to your unique constitution)
After that, purify the channels and blood.O
nly then do we treat the skin externally — with oils, lepas, herbal creams, and lymphatic work.
And finally, we calm the mind, because no skin disorder is purely physical!
Acne: When heat & hormones collide
Acne is seen as a Pitta disorder that emerges when there is excess internal heat combined with hormonal imbalance.
For the skin to stay clear, the pituitary gland and the reproductive organs need to work in harmony. When this link weakens, the body generates heat that rises through the blood and expresses itself on the skin. This is why acne often gets worse during stress, before menstruation, after eating spicy foods, or in hot weather. It’s heat trying to escape.
But acne is never just about the pores - it’s about the entire internal system. Cooling the body from the inside, stabilising hormones, improving digestion, and calming the mind are essential. External skincare helps, but only when the deeper layers are addressed.
Eczema: "The skin’s way of expressing what the voice cannot"
Eczema often has an emotional story behind it. From the Ayurvedic perspective, this condition is typically a mix of Vata and Pitta imbalance - the dryness and cracking point toward Vata, while the redness and inflammation show Pitta.
But what is most striking is how often eczema appears when emotions go unexpressed. Children, especially, develop eczema around the neck when they cannot articulate their feelings. Eczema can feel very heavy for the entire family. Watching a child deal with constant itching, discomfort, or sleepless nights affects parents deeply.
Thr Ayurvedic books say that caring for someone with eczema brings karmic benefit to the caregiver - a reminder that this condition carries spiritual lessons of compassion, patience, gentleness, and presence.
Treatment focuses on soothing Vata and Pitta simultaneously: warming routines, calming the nervous system, nourishing the tissues, and cooling the inflammation — always with emotional awareness.
Rosacea
Rosacea is deeply connected to Pitta in the blood (Rakta). It is reactive, sensitive, easily triggered, and vulnerable to both emotional and physical heat. Stress, embarrassment, hot weather, intense emotions, alcohol, and spicy foods can all cause immediate flare-ups.
Rosacea often appears in people who “burn hot” emotionally - passionate, sensitive, caring deeply, feeling deeply. The skin responds to the inner fire.
One my clients had lived with rosacea flare-ups for years. She tried every chemical cream on the market, all of which made her skin even more reactive. When she finally stopped them and switched to a natural Ayurvedic routine, while simultaneously calming the Pitta internally, the flare-ups disappeared completely!
Ayurvedic rosacea care focuses on cooling the blood, soothing the mind, reducing inflammation, and rebuilding the skin barrier gently.
Psoriasis: Emotional imprints & the deeper tissues
Psoriasis is often a combination of Vata and Pitta showing up in the deeper bodily tissues. It behaves differently from other skin disorders because it is connected to dryness deep within the system, nervous system exhaustion, and emotional trauma.
It can also be influenced by environmental changes. I’ve seen clients who developed or worsened psoriasis after moving from warm, humid climates like Sri Lanka to colder, windier regions like the UK. Cold weather aggravates Vata dramatically.
Psoriasis needs patience, warmth, nourishment, and emotional softness.
Ayurvedic therapy includes oiling, internal cooling, slow detoxification, stabilising digestion, and soothing emotional stress. This condition often heals gradually - layer by layer - because it rests in the deeper tissues. But it is curable!
And what about rashes?
Rashes appear quickly and dramatically, and Ayurveda sees them as the body’s emergency way of letting go of excess heat or toxins. When Ama (undigested metabolic waste) starts circulating in the water channels of the body, and Pitta rises at the same time, the skin becomes the outlet.
This is why rashes often occur after stressful periods, consuming incompatible foods, sudden emotional shifts, or exposure to high heat. The body chooses the quickest exit.
Treatment focuses on cooling from the inside and supporting the liver, blood, and digestion so the skin no longer needs to act as the release valve.
If you’re ready to understand your skin with compassion and holistic wisdom, I’d love to guide you :)
Book your Ayurvedic consultation and let’s begin your healing journey together!
