Can garlic treat neurodermatitis?

Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
Updated on May 10, 2025
00:00
00:00

Neurodermatitis, also known as chronic simple lichen, is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by episodic severe itching and lichenoid skin changes due to neurofunctional disorders. Clinically, topical medications are chosen based on the characteristics, location, and type of skin lesions. Commonly used topical medications include corticosteroid ointments, tar-based moisturizing ointments, and anti-itch ointments. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, garlic can be used topically to kill insects and relieve itching, but it has strong irritants that can cause skin redness, blisters, and itching. Therefore, we do not recommend patients to use garlic to treat neurodermatitis.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
46sec home-news-image

How to treat neurodermatitis

The treatment of neurodermatitis consists of three aspects. First, patients should be advised to avoid scratching, rubbing, and other irritations, and appropriate psychological treatment should be provided to interrupt the vicious cycle of itching and scratching. Second, the use of topical medications should be based on the location and characteristics of the rash. Hormonal ointments, anti-itch moisturizing ointments can be rationally selected, and occlusive treatments can be applied in severe cases. If the rash is widespread, treatments such as medicated baths and ultraviolet light exposure may be chosen. Thirdly, the treatment involves systemic medications, mainly including oral antihistamines, calcium supplements, vitamins, and so on.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Jing
Dermatology
1min 1sec home-news-image

How to treat neurodermatitis

Neurodermatitis, also known as simple lichen, commonly occurs on the eyelids, elbows, neck, and sacral areas. It exhibits recurrent symptoms such as skin lesions and itching. It is necessary to enhance skin moisturization, avoid excessive irritants such as friction, and provide anti-inflammatory symptomatic treatment. Oral medications such as levocetirizine tablets, moisturizing and anti-itching capsules, compound glycyrrhizin tablets, Guweisupian tablets, or Duluoping tablets, along with topical application of tacrolimus ointment, or early use of potent steroids such as halometasone cream or betamethasone valerate cream, can control the symptoms of skin lesions. However, steroid creams should not be used for prolonged periods as they can cause side effects including skin atrophy and hypertrichosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
1min 3sec home-news-image

What is the body lacking in neurodermatitis?

Neurodermatitis, also known as chronic simple lichen, is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by paroxysmal severe itching and lichenoid skin changes due to nervous dysfunction. The causes of the disease may be related to neuropsychiatric factors such as irritability, overthinking, tension, depression, fatigue, and poor sleep. It is also associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction and endocrine disorders. Additionally, local skin irritations such as friction from stiff collars, exposure to chemicals, infection sites, soaking in sweat, and sun exposure are related, as well as diet, including alcohol consumption, and the avoidance of spicy or stimulating foods like chili peppers, and allergenic foods such as crabs and other seafood. These factors can all contribute to the development of neurodermatitis, which is not related to any deficiency in the body.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
50sec home-news-image

Symptoms of scrotal neurodermatitis

Neurodermatitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease characterized by episodic severe itching and lichenoid skin changes, frequently seen in young and middle-aged adults. It often occurs in areas such as the neck, lateral sides of both elbows, sacral region, thighs, perineum, and around the anus. When it affects the scrotal area, its base layer can appear as pinpoint or rice-grain-sized polygonal flat papules, in light red, light brown, or normal skin color, generally firm and shiny. The surface may have small amounts of scale. Due to repeated scratching and rubbing, the lesions can gradually merge into large patches, and the local skin becomes thickened and rough, forming lichenoid changes accompanied by severe itching.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
49sec home-news-image

How to completely cure neurodermatitis?

The causes of neurodermatitis may be related to various factors such as neuropsychiatric factors, inappropriate diet, local irritation, gastrointestinal disturbances, and endocrine disorders. Furthermore, scratching and chronic friction may be the main triggers and aggravating factors. During the course of the disease, an itchy-scratch-itchy vicious cycle is prone to form. Therefore, in clinical practice, when treating neurodermatitis, in addition to applying topical medications and oral formulations, we emphasize the avoidance of scratching and other irritations. Providing patients with psychological therapy is essential to break the itchy-scratch-itchy vicious cycle, thus reducing the recurrence of neurodermatitis.