title: Nutrition and skin: Kids are not just little people.
abstract: There has been a surge of new data regarding the pathophysiology of skin diseases. We are appreciating the sophisticated interplay among the skin, the immune system, and the environment. More elegant and highly specific medicines have been designed to target certain immune mediators of the adaptive immune system. In parallel fashion, we are learning more about the elegance of the innate immune system and how nutrition as early as the prenatal period can affect the priming of other immune cells. Concerns about the long-term impact of new immune-modulating medicines-especially in the pediatric population-have patients asking their dermatologists for nutritional alternatives to medical therapies. Nutrients and nutritional therapies appear to play a role at different ages for different dermatoses. Probiotics are showing promise as a therapeutic option for patients older than 1 year for atopic dermatitis. Systemic contact allergens appear to be a bigger burden on the adult population with atopic dermatitis. Obesity is a growing concern for both children and adults with psoriasis. Milk and high glycemic foods have a strong impact on the teenage acne population. Vitamins A and D are addressed as piece of the alopecia areata puzzle. Zinc and homeopathy are presented finally as possible treatments to the everlasting wart.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT. Electronic address: mccusker@uchc.edu.
authors.forename: Meagen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCusker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sidbury
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D056692:Prebiotics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology; D019936:Probiotics; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000628:therapy*; D012393:Rosacea / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D000067251:Symptom Flare Up; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D056692:Prebiotics; D014801:Vitamin A; D014807:Vitamin D