Yoga and the Skin

Compiled by: Trisha Lamb

Last Revised: April 27, 2006

International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) 2005

International Association of Yoga Therapists

P.O. Box 2513 Prescott AZ 86302 Phone: 928-541-0004
E-mail: mail@iayt.org URL: www.iayt.org

The contents of this bibliography do not provide medical advice and should not be so interpreted. Before beginning any
exercise program, see your physician for clearance.
Atreya. Eczema and skin problems. In Atreya, Prana: The Secret of Yogic Healing. York
Beach, Me.: Samuel Weiser, 1996, pp. 123-124.

Bhajan, Yogi. Skin problems. In Alice Clagett and Elandra Kirsten Meredith, eds., Yoga
for Health and Healing: From the Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D. Santa Monica, Calif.:
Alice B. Clagett, 1994, pp. 59 (see colon, to cleanse); 98 (see thyroid gland imbalance).

Bhat, Vasanthi. Acne; Pimp les. In Vasanthi Bhat, The Power of Conscious Breathing in
Hatha Yoga. San Jose, Calif.: Vasanthi Bhat, 1997, p. 218; 223.

Biswas, R., and M. Dalal. A yoga teacher with persistent cheilitis. International Journal
of Clinical Practice, May 2003, 57(4):340-342.

Abstract: This is a depiction of an evolving case report right from its presentation to the
physician and its documentation and further sharing of it through the net via e- mails and
evidence-based-health@jiscmail.ac.uk as well as other colleagues.

Herriott, Eva M. Ayurvedic solutions for stressed skin. Yoga Journal, May/Jun 2000,
pp. 118-122. (Includes asanas.)

___________. Poses for your complexion. Yoga Journal, May/Jun 2000, pp. 119-122.

Iyengar, B. K. S. Skin (acne, eczema, psoriasis). In B. K. S. Iyengar, Yoga: The Path to

Holistic Health. London/New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2001, pp. 322-328.

Kabat-Zinn, J., E. Wheeler, T. Light, A. Skillings, M. J. Scharf, T. G. Cropley, et al.

Influence of mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention on rates of skin
clearing in patients with psoriasis. Psychosomatic Medicine, 1998, 60(5):625-632.

Karmananda Saraswati, Swami, under the guidance of Swami Satyananda

Saraswati. The skin in health and disease. In Swami Karmamanda Saraswati under the
guidance of Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Yogic Management of Common Diseases.
Bihar, India: Bihar School of Yoga, 1983. (Provides yogic recommendations for various
disorders.)

Khanna, S. L. Abscess - boil; Acne. In S. L. Khanna, Yogic Health Plan for Human
Race. Delhi, India: B. Jain Publishers, 1995, pp. 88.

Kumar, Surinder. Yogic Cure for Skin Diseases (Charm Rog). Delhi, India: Books for
All, [n.d.]

Kumar, Surinder. Yogic Cure for Sweat Control (Paseena Niyantran). Delhi, India:
Books for All, [n.d.]

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Mental and physical illness can be caused by spirits: An interview with Segyu
Rinpoche. Mandala, May-Jun 2000, pp. 66-67. (Discusses skin disease and nagas.)

Mia, Tillie. Improving the complexion through yoga. In Tillie Mia, Get in Touch with
Yourself through Yoga: A Modern Program for Total Health and Well-Being. Englewood
Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1972.

Moyer, Donald. Eka pada rajakapotasana I: One- leg king pigeon pose. Yoga Journal,
Jul/Aug 1987, pp. 23-26, 29.

In this article, the author discusses the importance of the skin in our awareness of asana
and the relationship between the skin and breath.

Ranade, Subhash, and Sunanda Ranade. Eczema; Erysipelas; Leucoderma; Pruritis;

Psoriasis. In Subhash Ranade and Sunanda Ranade, Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy. Pune,
India: Anmol Prakashan, 1995, pp. 54-55; 57-58; 92; 108-109; 109-110.

Ravishankar, N. S. Boils and pustules. In N. S. Ravishankar, Yoga for Health: Curative

Powers of Yogasanas. New Delhi: Pustak Mahal, 2001, p. 140.

Sarkar, Shrii Prabhat Ranjan. Eczema. In Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, Yogic
Treatments and Natural Remedies. 3d ed. Calcutta, India: Ananda Marga Publications,
1993, pp. 25-27.

Shivananda Saraswati, Srimat Swami. Abscess - boils (bidradhi); Acne (bayah-bran);

Carbuncle (dushta-bran); Itches and scabs (katchu - pama). In Srimat Swami Shivananda
Saraswati, Yogic Therapy or Yogic Way to Cure Diseases. 7th ed. Umachal Series No.
10. Guwahati, Assam/Calcutta, India: Umachal Prakashani, 1994, pp. 56-59; 63-66; 99-
100; 236-238.

Srinivas, P. R. Supplement to savasana: Care of the skin. Yoga Made Easy: Your Health
Is in the Palm of Your Hands. New Delhi, India: Concept Publishing Co., 1981, pp. 41-
49.

Tekur, Padmini, and H. R. Nagendra. Stress busting through yoga. Deccan Herald, 15
Jul 2005.

The authors write about ways of tackling Lichen planus, a skin disease.

Weller, Stella. Acne. In Stella Weller, Yoga Therapy. London: Thorsons, 1995, pp. 85-
86.

Your skin problems solved. Yoga Journal, May/Jun 2000, p. 124.

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Zysk, Kenneth G. Jayanya [suppurating skin ulcers]; Skin disorders. In Kenneth G.
Zysk, Medicine in the Veda: Religious Healing in the Veda with Translations and
Annotations of Medical Hymns from Rgveda and the Atharvaveda and Renderings from
the Corresponding Ritual Texts. 2d ed. Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass, 1998, pp. 18-
19; 81-89. Available online from Books of India, editor@oscarindia.com.

Of Related Interest

Bernhard, J., and J. Kabat-Zinn. Effectiveness of relaxation and visualization

techniques as an adjunct to phototherapy and photo-chemotherapy of psoriasis. Journal of
American Academy of Dermatology, 1988, 19:572-573.

Stressed mice quicker to get skin cancer. Baltimore: Ascribe Newswire, 8 Dec 2004.

Does stress speed up the onset of skin cancer? The answer, in mice anyway, appears to
be yes. Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say that chronic stress
may speed up the process in those at high- risk for the disease. Their new study, published
in the December issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, shows
that mice exposed to stressful conditions and cancer-causing UV light develop skin
cancers in less than half the time it took for non-stressed mice to grow tumors.

The Hopkins investigators say that if what they are seeing in mice has relevance in man,
stress-reducing programs like yoga and meditation may help those at high risk for skin
cancer stay healthy longer.

Theres a lot of evidence pointing to the negative effects of chronic stress, which
dampens our immune system and impacts various aspects of our health, says Francisco
Tausk, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins and director of the
study. But, to help create solid treatment strategies, we need a better understanding of
the mechanisms of how stressors affect skin cancer development.

Tausk exposed 40 mice to the scent of fox urinethe mouse equivalent of big-time
stressand large amounts of UV light. The first skin tumor in one of the mice appeared
after eight weeks of testing. Mice exposed only to UV light began developing tumors 13
weeks later. By 21 weeks of testing, 14 of the 40 stressed mice had at least one tumor,
and two non-stressed mice had tumors. Most tumors were squamous cell skin cancers,
also known as non-melanoma cancers, but which have the potential to spread to other
parts of the body.

Chronic stress is known to suppress the activity of immune system cells that recognize
foreign invading cells and target them for destruction. Acute stress, which is episodic and
time- limited, such as parachuting or riding a roller coaster, may have the opposite effect
of chronic stress.

Acute stress actually can rev up the immune system, Tausk says.

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Tausk and his team will conduct more studies to find the cancer pathways influenced by
chronic stress.

Stress reduction programs usually are a good option for many people, but we think they
may be more important for individuals at high-risk for skin cancer, he says.

Fair-skinned people exposed to large amounts of UV light and patients previously

diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer, genetic diseases or organ transplants that
predispose them to the disease are considered high-risk.

The investigators urge people concerned about their risk for skin cancer to speak with
their health-care provider before starting any stress-reduction or exercise program.

This research was funded by the Johns Hopkins Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine.

Participants in this research are Jason L. Parker, Sabra L. Klein, Warwick L. Morison,
and Xaobu Ye from the Johns Hopkins; Martha McClintock from the University of
Chicago; Claudio J. Conti from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; and Carlos Nousari
from the University of Miami. CONTACT: Vanessa Wasta, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Office of Corporate Communications, 410-955-1287, wastava@jhmi.edu.

Zachariae, R., H. Oster, P. Bjerring, and K. Kragballe. Effects of psychological

intervention on psoriasis: A preliminary report. Journal of the American Academy of
Dermatology, Jun 1996, 34(6):1008-1015.

From a review by Belleruth Naparstek (http://healthjourneys.com/hotresearch.asp):

Fifty-one patients with psoriasis vulgaris were randomly assigned to a treatment group
(where they got 7 individual sessions over 12 weeks, learning stress management, guided
imagery and relaxation skills) or a control group. All subjects were measured on the
Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), Total Sign Score (TSS) and Laser Doppler Skin
Blood Flow (LDBF) at weeks #4, #8 and after treatment was completed. The treatment
group showed slight but significant changes in TSS and LDBF. The control group did
not. With more in depth analysis, investigators found that the treatment group indeed
displayed significant reductions for all three psoriasis activity measures, whereas no
changes were found in the controls. The study concludes that behavioral training may
produce moderate improvement on this condition.