We work with you step-by-step over time to alleviate the symptoms of your skin condition, diagnose and treat the true underlying causes of your disease, and help you clear it for good.
Here’s an example of how we might treat acne with Integrative Skincare instead of Conventional Treatment:
CONVENTIONAL DERMATOLOGY ACNE TREATMENT
WHAT I DO WITH NATURAL ACNE TREATMENT
Patient History Nurse/physician’s assistant takes a brief patient history (5 min).
Patient History I take your history personally, and also include a thorough history of digestive function, including drugs and events which disturb the GI tract.
Examination After triage, the examination focuses on the local skin problem.
Examination I examine the local skin problem, and then widen my scope to include the entire system, looking for other signs of organ malfunction to correct, throughout the body.
Diagnosis Doctor makes a conventional diagnosis of the “disease” present, using biopsy, scraping, or other lab tests.
Diagnosis In addition to the conventional dermatological diagnosis, I make a second “causal” diagnosis for the chain of events involved. I also use Applied Kineseology, tongue diagnosis, and advanced electronic testing devices, and your history help understand what affects the digestive tract, and other sources of stimulation of the inflammation going on. Finally, if necessary, I will use lab tests, conventional and otherwise.
Treatment Treat with a pill and/or a cream to suppress your rash (acne, etc), rather than correcting the actual cause of your condition.
Treatment We aim to unravel all of the problems and reactions which led to your skin’s inflammation, improving your digestion, aiding the function of supportive organs, all or mostly with herbs, diet changes, and natural supplements rather than drugs.Drugs and surgery are considered only when they are the best alternative.
Side Effects Since treatment often involves suppression of the body’s immune system, infection or other problems steroids, may have negative results. Antibiotics may wipe out normal bacteria in the digestive tract, setting the stage for yeast overgrowth, and all of the related damage to the intestinal barrier, including bloating, overweight, poor digestion, acne, rashes, brain fog, and more. The underlying problems often still persist.
Side Effects (all positive) Happily, the side effect of working to rid the underlying layers of problems is often improved energy, normalization of digestion, reduction of allergies, and pain, and weight loss.
My work with food allergy has taken me to functional medicine and applied kinesiology to improve digestive function. As a result, I can be helpful with various digestive problems, especially ones which your gastroenterologist has already worked up and told you either there is no problem he can find, or that there is nothing he can do for it.
Neurologic Conditions, especially of metabolic origin, as after medication, or due to toxins causing brain fog, brain allergy, etc. I would expect that a competent neurologist has already evaluated the patient, and has nothing to offer.
Fibromyalgia is part of the spectrum of autoimmune conditions. They require most of the same first steps as mentioned above, but they may need support of other organs of the body, such as the adrenal glands, which have become exhausted in the process of trying to control allergy.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and more vague varieties of loss of energy seem to be becoming more common. I work with many of the underlying issues, including hypoglycemia, food allergy, Candida, Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr Virus, CMV, chemical and food sensitivity, environmental sensitivity, and metabolic imbalance, to correct the cause of the problem.
As a medical detective, I have had to solve problems for my patients and my family members, for which no solution was known to medicine. Where I have had dramatic success, I credit prayer and a network of collegues and consultants. The important question is whether I feel that I can work with the condition at hand, not how many times I have treated it successfully before. Each individual is unique in their genetic makeup, metabolism, and exposure experience. Had I required that answer of myself, I would not have been successful in helping many patients, friends, and family members. I applied the methods I know of going deeper into finding the underlying cause and fixing it. If I had only one method for fixing the cause for each specific disease, I would have been as unsuccessful as the doctor who tried before.
Important notice-disclaimer: This material is presented for information purporses only. It is not intended to be used to either diagnose or treat disease.
As a medical detective, I have had to solve problems for my patients and my family members, for which no solution was known to medicine. Where I have had dramatic success, I credit prayer and a network of collegues and consultants. The important question is whether I feel that I can work with the condition at hand, not how many times I have treated it successfully before. Each individual is unique in their genetic makeup, metabolism, and exposure experience. Had I required that answer of myself, I would not have been successful in helping many patients, friends, and family members. I applied the methods I know of going deeper into finding the underlying cause and fixing it. If I had only one method for fixing the cause for each specific disease, I would have been as unsuccessful as the doctor who tried before.
Auto-immune diseases: People quietly develop allergy to various foods, organisms, chemicals, inhalants, until the reactivity spills over to an attack on their own tissues, hence the name auto-immune. A few auto immune skin disorders are lupus, scleroderma, vitiligo, and alopecia areata. Arthritis, and fibromyalgia may also be auto-immune.
Chronic fatigue, and more vague varieties of loss of energy seem to be becoming more common. I work with many of the underlying issues, including hypoglycemia, food allergy, Candida, Lyme disease, chemical and food sensitivity, environmental sensitivity, and metabolic imbalance, to correct the cause of the problem.
Alopecia areata Patches of hair loss, sometimes associated with stress, have an underlying autoimmune cause. Finding what has thrown the body into a reaction against itself is the key I use to unlock the condition.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is a chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed by a variety of cell- and antibody-mediated immune processes.
Hives (urticaria) An immediate immune response with moving red Wheals or hives. Often hives are a reaction to something entering the body orally or by inhalation. Antibodies cause histamine release when they meet the triggering foreign material or “antigen”. Some types of urticaria can cause swelling of the respiratory canal and lead to a fatal condition known as anaphylaxis. Conventional treatment includes antihistamines to reduce allergic swelling, and for more severe cases, administration of potent cortisone derivatives. Eliminating the cause is important, but the time and framework for good detective work is not usually available in a busy conventional practice.
Lupus makes up a set of conditions in which there is an autoimmune attack of the skin, joints, and in some cases, parts of the body essential to life such as the kidneys. It may start with a “butterfly rash” across the cheeks from sun exposure of the face. Bringing the overactive attack of the immune system back under control is crucial.
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease such as lupus and scleroderma, is an autoimmune disorder that has clinical and laboratory features of more than one defined autoimmune condition, such as lupus. These conditions involve attack by the body’s immune system against itself. My four-decade background in cellular immunology helps here.
Morphea is a condition which involves thickening and hardening of the skin in localized areas, and is a localized form of scleroderma.
Psoriasis is a condition of thickened red skin patches, especially over joints and pressure points, which can be highly resistant to treatment. It is caused by an extremely rapid overgrowth of the skin in the patches, which in turn has been caused by an immune reaction targeted in that area. The immune reaction is well recognized to be stimulated by specific streptococcus bacteria, in some cases. I work with patients to change the conditions which stimulate their skin to react and get thick and inflamed. Patients may still continue on light treatments with their regular dermatologist, while they work with me.
Scleroderma is a condition of thickening and hardening of the skin due to an autoimmune attack which stimulates the fibroblasts to increase the production of the fibrous material that gives the skin its strength.
Vitiligo is an auto immune condition causing patches of loss of pigment in the skin. Looking for and working on removing possible causes of allergy against oneself can help. So can helping the pigment cells work better.
Simply put, autoimmunity is the condition of one’s immune system attacking one’s own body. There is an overlap with allergy in that immune responses in allergy are overreactions to substances entering the body, causing damage to areas of the body.
Classical autoimmune conditions include lupus, scleroderma, dermatomyosiitis, mixed connective disorder. Psoriasis, not classically considered an autoimmune condition, does involve the immune system starting an attack on the skin, and the resultant series of events that occurs in those susceptible individuals. Often there are one or multiple genetic problems that contribute to an autoimmune condition. That does not mean there is no treatment, because the expression of specific genes is constantly modified by the body, so we can make changes which alter that expression.
Sometimes, persistence of an allergic stimulation occurs because the body’s detox mechanisms are not working, or have been worn down by repeated exposure. Restoring that ability to remove or break down toxins or irritants, can be part of the treatment. Sometimes that means supporting the activity of eliminative organs such as the liver, kidneys, lymphatics or bowel. Sometimes, specific enzymes, the chemical machines involved in breakdown of chemical toxins, need to be supplemented with cofactors such as specific minerals, vitamins, or other co-factors, to get them working better.
Autoimmune conditions often involve a specific target in the body. For example, blistering diseases such a Pemphigoid not only involve the junction between the epidermis and the dermis, but it appears the attacking antibodies are directed against the specific structures which “glue” the two layers together. As for cause, there is often a target, such as an infecting organism, which incites the reaction, because it has a segment with chemical makeup that resembles exactly a segment in one’s own tissue. This has been proven in immunologic studies. My own studies were on the detection of similarity by one of the key players in the immune system, the white blood cells know as lymphocytes. We call the attack of such similars “cross reactivity”, and we now call the similarity of foreign substances to our own sub-cellular tissues, “molecular mimicry.” Removing the cause so such molecular mimics is a key part of treating autoimmune conditions from the inside.
It may take more than mimics to set off an auto-immune condition. There may need to be some sort of condition that interferes with the proper regulation of the immune system, and actually confuses it. Such confusion might come from a viral condition, severe stress, or weakening of the body. My approach is to identify likely sources of both molecular mimicry and of dis-regulation, and correct them, as part of the process of reversing auto-immune disease.
Fixing the digestive system as a source of possible molecular mimics to stimulate the system is just a part of the foundation of getting these conditions under control.
Fibromyalgia and Chronic fatigue are also part of the spectrum of autoimmune conditions. They require most of the same first steps as mentioned above, but they may need support of other organs of the body, such as the adrenal glands, which have become exhausted in the process of trying to control allergy.
Important notice-disclaimer: This material is presented for information purporses only. It is not intended to be used to either diagnose or treat disease.
The importance of getting the digestion working properly has been discussed in “conditions of the skin.” When it comes to treating not only skin disorders, but other disorders of the body which involve inflammation or even hormones, we cannot over-emphasize the importance of the digestive system.
Bloating, Gas, Abdominal Pain, Constipation, Diarrhea Patients who have this often have a combination of food allergy and problem organisms living in the digestive tract. Identifying and correcting those problems can lead to improvement without long-term dependence on suppressive drugs.
Celiac Disease is a condition caused by sensitivity to gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. It damages the small intestine, causing flattening of the villi, the tiny hair-like projections that greatly increase the surface of that organ to absorb nutritional substances from the food we eat. In addition to gluten sensitivity, celiac disease involves specific transplantation antigen types.
Colitis includes conditions involving inflammation of the colon, often causing abdominal pain, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, and fatigue.
Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes usually involves infection with a virus which mimics the cells in the insulin-producing part of the pancreas. When the inflammatory process that follows has destroyed the entire pancreas, one needs to inject insulin in order to get sugar into the cells.
Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is related to a loss of effectiveness of insulin’s ability to bind to the cells and let sugar in. This is caused in part by repeated eating of too much sugar, driving up the insulin, and eventually making the insulin receptors less able to bind. Treatments to make the insulin receptors more responsive are as important as diet changes and medications in correcting type 2 diabetes.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a sensitivity of the digestive tract to a variety of foods, that presents as pain, gurgling, gas in the belly after eating.
Overweight and Obesity is largely related to eating too much sugar and carbohydrates (starches) which turn into sugar, and are stored by the body as fats. Once a certain amount of overweight occurs, the complex signaling between fat tissue and the body gets deranged, and it becomes much harder to lose weight. Inflammation can play a role here, including the effect of food allergy on causing and maintaining weight gain.
As a medical detective, I have had to solve problems for my patients and my family members, for which no solution was known to medicine. Where I have had dramatic success, I credit prayer and a network of collegues and consultants. The important question is whether I feel that I can work with the condition at hand, not how many times I have treated it successfully before. Each individual is unique in their genetic makeup, metabolism, and exposure experience. Had I required that answer of myself, I would not have been successful in helping many patients, friends, and family members. I applied the methods I know of going deeper into finding the underlying cause and fixing it. If I had only one method for fixing the cause for each specific disease, I would have been as unsuccessful as the doctor who tried before.
Important notice-disclaimer: This material is presented for information purporses only. It is not intended to be used to either diagnose or treat disease.
I also treat allergy & environmental illness. These include:
Eczema Unquestionably an allergic condition, with food being among the larger sources of foreign material suspect for causing outbreak, or throwing the immune system into allergic overload. Changing the balance of essential fatty acids has been documented in the medical literature to play a role in some patients in helping eczema.
Hives (urticaria) An immediate immune response with moving red Wheals or hives. Often hives are a reaction to something entering the body orally or by inhalation. Antibodies cause histamine release when they meet the triggering foreign material or “antigen”. Some types of urticaria can cause swelling of the respiratory canal and lead to a fatal condition known as anaphylaxis. Conventional treatment includes antihistamines to reduce allergic swelling, and for more severe cases, administration of potent cortisone derivatives. Eliminating the cause is important, but the time and framework for good detective work is not usually available in a busy conventional practice.
Rhinitis An inhalent allergy. Chronic and seasonal nasal allergies are often aggravated by foods as well as dust and pollen.
Allergy presents on the skin in may ways. Some people develop hives, not only from breathing or touching substances that set it off, but also from pressure, cold, or no apparent reason at all. They become hyper-reactive. To clear hives from the inside, without long-term dependence on drugs such as anti-histamines, one has to start by clearing up all of the important sources of foreign material setting off the immune system. Of course, this means starting off with fixing the gut, the largest source of foreign materials entering the body.
Carefully finding all of the likely factors that have set off the hives is critical to identifying the spectrum of stimulating event. With training, a physician comes to understand what other exposures may be related to the observed likely stimulating events, and can help identify and remove those from the environment of the person who suffers.
Other environmental allergies have different mechanisms by which they occur, but share a lot in terms of the initial steps to reduce the source of allergy. Again, carefully looking at one’s history for possible stimulating sources, disregulation of the immune system, disruption of the gut and digestion, infections, drugs and chemical exposures, can help hone in on the cause of the allergy so that it can be calmed down without immunosuppressives.
Sometimes, there is an overspill to inhalant allergies, such as to dust, mold and pollen. One branch of the immune system actively suppresses reactions that are not appropriate to the body. When that branch of suppressors cells gets overwhelmed with too many reactions to calm down, it stops being effective. So calming down reactions in a different part of the body, such as the from the digestive system, can help the body calm down inhalant reactions as well. Of course the converse is true as well; too many allergic reactions in various parts of the body makes it more likely that other forms of allergic attack could get out of hand. This may be a factor in autoimmune reaction.
My work with food allergy has taken me to functional medicine and applied kinesiology to improve digestive function. As a result, I can be helpful with various digestive problems, especially ones which your gastroenterologist has already worked up and told you either there is no problem he can find, or that there is nothing he can do for it.
Chronic fatigue, and more vague varieties of loss of energy seem to be becoming more common. I work with many of the underlying issues, including hypoglycemia, food allergy, Candida, Lyme disease, chemical and food sensitivity, environmental sensitivity, and metabolic imbalance to correct the cause of the problem.
As a medical detective, I have had to solve problems for my patients and my family members, for which no solution was known to medicine. Where I have had dramatic success, I credit prayer and a network of collegues and consultants. The important question is whether I feel that I can work with the condition at hand, not how many times I have treated it successfully before. Each individual is unique in their genetic makeup, metabolism, and exposure experience. Had I required that answer of myself, I would not have been successful in helping many patients, friends, and family members. I applied the methods I know of going deeper into finding the underlying cause and fixing it. If I had only one method for fixing the cause for each specific disease, I would have been as unsuccessful as the doctor who tried before.
Acne Once thought to be caused by the foods teens ate, it is often treated today with oral antibiotics. The time-honored wisdom is returning, as dietary factors are again validated as contributing to acne through a variety of different metabolic mechanisms. I use supplements and techniques to help the digestive system to break down foods into non-allergic particles. When patients also change the types of fats they put into their bodies, which make they see a big difference in their acne.
Age spots and blemishes Some of these spots can be lessened or prevented by the right creams and internal treatments.
Aging and Wrinkles I am well-versed in the non-surgical and preventive techniques to help slow skin aging using supplements, vitamins, minerals, botanicals, enzymes, massage, relaxation, and inner focus techniques.
Alopecia areata Patches of hair loss, sometimes associated with stress, have an underlying autoimmune cause. Finding what has thrown the body into a reaction against itself is the key I use to unlock the condition.
Blemishes of the skin any notable discolorations, swellings, or marks on the skin, I treat holistically.
Dandruff (seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis) Flaking in the scalp, eyebrows and around face. When dandruff shampoos are not enough, it’s time to go for a deeper fix. Incidentally, I literally wrote the book on natural treatment of Seborrheic dermatitis, in the book Rakel’s Integrative Medicine.
Deficiency disease This is due to nutrients lacking in your diet and I treat it holistically by finding the most absorbable forms of nutrients to nourish your body.
Dry skin is a condition caused not only by bathing and what makes contact with the skin, but also with what you put in the body. If you have a problem which has truly not responded to all the best care with creams and lotions, you may want me to take a serious look at what is going on beneath the skin regarding your lipid metabolism.
Eczema Unquestionably an allergic condition, with food being among the larger sources of foreign material suspect for causing outbreak, or throwing the immune system into allergic overload. Changing the balance of essential fatty acids has been documented in the medical literature to play a role in some patients in helping eczema.
Fungus or ringworm may be related to exposure to people or animals with the same, and may be related to how much your body is exposed to molds, fungus, and yeast from inside and out. I’ve observed that integrating compelementary treatment with modern dermatologic treatment produces results superior to either method alone.
Hair loss Many factors that influence hair loss are possible to alter. Searching for those factors and making changes can complement more conventional treatments, and sometimes yield benefit where more conventional diagnostics and treatment was unsuccessful. Hair regrowth can occur with stimulation of blood supply, supplying of growth factors, removal of substances toxic to the metabolism of the hair follicle and shifting hormonal patterns forcing hair loss. The combination of herbs, supplemental enzymatic co-factors, pharmaceutical products and other treatments, tailored to the specific individual, has an unsurpassed likelihood to make a difference.
Hives (urticaria) An immediate immune response with moving red Wheals or hives. Often hives are a reaction to something entering the body orally or by inhalation. Antibodies cause histamine release when they meet the triggering foreign material or “antigen”. Some types of urticaria can cause swelling of the respiratory canal and lead to a fatal condition known as anaphylaxis. Conventional treatment includes antihistamines to reduce allergic swelling, and for more severe cases, administration of potent cortisone derivatives. Eliminating the cause is important, but the time and framework for good detective work is not usually available in a busy conventional practice.
Lymphoma (early lymphoma of the skin) I have had some success in treating early lymphoma of the skin, characterized by dense accumulation of white cells on biopsy.
Moles that are changing should always be evaluated carefully by a dermatologist, and I can include this in my evaluation.
Nail diseases Slow growth and splitting may respond best to an individually tailored supplement and nutrition program. Fungus clears best when you change general diet and other environment factors favoring the fungus growth. When I combine this with medical and chemical treatment, results improve above the norm.
Pityriasis lichenoides (PLEVA) I have had successes in treating this condition, which is conventionally considered to have no known cause.
Pityriasis rosea I treat this and other diseases of patterned, scaly rashes.
Psoriasis is a condition of thickened red skin patches, especially over joints and pressure points, which can be highly resistant to treatment. It is caused by an extremely rapid overgrowth of the skin in the patches, which in turn has been caused by an immune reaction targeted in that area. The immune reaction is well recognized to be stimulated by specific streptococcus bacteria, in some cases. I work with patients to change the conditions which stimulate their skin to react and get thick and inflamed. Patients may still continue on light treatments with their regular dermatologist, while they work with me, if they chose.
Rosacea is a chronic condition of redness and inflammation. I have had lots of success trerating rosacea as well as its underlying causes.
Shingles or Herpes Zoster (and its occasional sequel, post-herpetic neuralgia), is a painful blistering rash on one segment of the body caused by chicken pox virus. I use modern anti-viral pharmaceuticals complemented by a regimen of supplements and vitamin injections to help against the virus, the target of stress, the inflammation, and the nerve pain, tailored to the individual. The sooner treatment is begun, the better, in this condition.
Skin Cancer Prevention is the key here, and removal of skin cancer may give better results with supplements added to complement the wound healing and reduce the chances of new lesions.
Vitiligo is an auto immune condition causing patches of loss of pigment in the skin. Looking for and working on removing possible causes of allergy against oneself can help. So can helping the pigment cells work better.
Warts are a benign virus caused tumors which often can be kept under control by strengthening the immune system, in addition to removing them.
As a medical detective, I have had to solve problems for my patients and my family members, for which no solution was known to medicine. Where I have had dramatic success, I credit prayer and a network of collegues and consultants. The important question is whether I feel that I can work with the condition at hand, not how many times I have treated it successfully before. Each individual is unique in their genetic makeup, metabolism, and exposure experience. Had I required that answer of myself, I would not have been successful in helping many patients, friends, and family members. I applied the methods I know of going deeper into finding the underlying cause and fixing it. If I had only one method for fixing the cause for each specific disease, I would have been as unsuccessful as the doctor who tried before.
“Dr. Dattner is an extremely gifted physician who helped me recover from a painful and disfiguring skin disorder. When I first met with Dr. Dattner, my lips were dry, cracked, inflamed, and bleeding so extremely I had to wear a surgical mask.
He was able to identify and treat holisticially the autoimmune damage from which I suffered. Within days, my skin improved so dramatically, I no longer needed to cover my face. Sleep was finally possible due to reduction of inflammation.
Progress steadily continued due to Dr. Dattner’s extraordinary attentiveness and care. With gratitude and appreciation, I have only the highest recommendation for Dr. Dattner.” -MK, New York
“Dr. Dattner’s vitamin regiment and acne diet really worked. My skin cleared completey. Thank you.” -DF, Connecticut
“I just want to thank you for the all you did for me. I’m totally healed. No bumps or lumps on my face. You did magic. My skin feels and looks so much better all over even on my body.
I’ve received amazing results from your treatment: my face is now clear of rosacea, perioral dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and the stubborn itchiness that affected me for years. I have absolutely no trace of any skin condition. Thank you so much for spending your time and energy to heal me. I’m very grateful.” -MP, New York
“I wanted to take the time to thank you for your herbal remedy to fight my severe acne condition.After my visit with you, I tried your herbal remedy, and I have seen a tremendous improvement in my skin. I had a lot of breakouts particularly on my nose, one of the most visible areas on the face on a weekly basis. Now, my face has cleared up tremendously, and I feel so much happier.
Having battled acne for years, I had stress–and the acne gave me even more stress. You are the answer to my prayers. In the past I have tried many different remedies, going to other dermatologists who only prescribed antibiotics, which can be a health hazard over a period of time.
I feel so much safer taking herbal remedies.” -JoC, New York
“After decades of struggling with fatigue, colds, and muscle ache, I can finally say I have my life back.
I came to see Dr. Dattner after seeking treatment from a dermatologist for a condition called piityriasis rosea, which appeared as red welts and is very itchy. A dermatologist tested me for allergies and other conditions and told me there was nothing to do except wait it out. In my case, nine months later, neither applied and I was miserable. It was so bad I couldn’t work.
Under the care of Dr. Dattner, within 3 weeks I was welt-free and itch-free. Dr. Dattner also helped other health problems I was experiencing for years: chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, gastritis, constipation and acid reflux. Because treatment has been so successful, I am now working once again. Even better yet I have eliminated naps, which were vital to my daily functioning. I have even escaped colds and flu I used to get throughout the winter season, without an annual flu vaccine.” -BV, New York
“Visiting Dr. Dattner was the best health decision I have ever made.
I had suffered with acne and skin problems for most of my life. Like many people, I have been to dozens of dermatologists and have been mistreated or misdiagnosed numerous times. Some doctors said I had Eczema, some said I had rosacea. I felt as though I was being treated like a “guinea pig” since with each visit I was given a different form of antibiotic or topical solution that made my skin worse.
I gave up hope and tried to do my own research. That’s when I came across Dr. Dattner’s holistic approach. After considerable thought I decided to make an appointment. This turned out to be the best decision I could have made, because in the one hour that I spent with him he diagnosed what others could not do for so many years. His holistic approach is top notch and I have no regrets. Now I am truly on my way to recovery! Thank you Dr. Dattner!!” -Anthony M. Bronx NY
“Dear Dr. Dattner, I’m feeling well these days–stomach is better, no skin eruptions for the moment.Thanks for everything. All best,” -GB, New York
“I used to have heartburn. I awoke with pain or had pain in the abdomen 2-3 times per day. Dr Dattner suggested that I take a particular herb, andI haven’t had abdominal pain since I began taking it.” -EL, New York
Alan M. Dattner, MD has been a pioneer for over 30 years in integrating nutrition, dermatology, Applied Kinesiology, and holistic medicine into the practice of dermatology.
Dr. Dattner is one of the founding members of the American Academy of Dermatology’s groundbreaking Task Force for Nutrition and Evaluation of Alternative Medicine and is a board certified dermatologist.
Education, Research, Professional Associations, Journal Articles, & Lectures
Intra-Curricular Year Research Fellowship with Dr. Barry Bloom (recent head of Harvard School of Public Health) and Boyce Bennett, investigating in vitro testing of delayed hypersensitivity, 1968-1969.
Medical Staff Integral Health Services 1979-1982 Putnam, CT
Private Practice of Dermatology 1979-2000 Putnam and N. Grosvenordale, CT
In-Depth Bio:
Dr. Dattner has written several scientific articles on nutrition and herbal medicine in dermatology. He has lectured locally, nationally and internationally to both dermatology and CAM organizations, and has been quoted in numerous popular magazines and The New York Times regarding his work. He has a strong background in research methodology and 47 years of experience in the science of cellular immunology.
More specifically, he elucidated key concepts linking environmental factors to inflammatory disease, during 3 years of investigation of human lymphocyte recognition at the National Cancer Institute. Results of this work are published in peer review journals and were presented by Dr. Dattner at plenary sessions of the Society of Investigative Dermatology.
Dattner, AM. Chapter 72 “Seborrheic Dermatitis” In Rakel, David, Integrative Medicine3rd edition. Elsevier Philadelphia, 2012 (This chapter also in 2nd and 1st editions.)
Dattner, AM. Chapter 30 “The History, Research, Education, and Future of Integrative Medicine and Dermatology.” in Norman, Robert et al, Integrative Dermatology. Integrative Medicine Library, Oxford University Press 2014.
Dattner, AM. Chapter 241 “Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Dermatology” in Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine 8th ed. Goldsmith L, Katz SI, and Gilchrest BA et al. eds. McGraw Hill 2008 (This chapter is also in the previous edition.)
Dattner, AM, Mann DL, Levis WR. Studies on the contact sensitization of man with simple chemicals: V. Clonal priming allows direct in vitro assessment of autologous HLA-associated factors required for immune response to dinitrochlorobenzene. J Invest Dermatol. 1979 Sep;73(3):246-9. PMID: 89174
Hardy MA, Goldfarb P, Levine S, Dattner, A, Muggia FM, Levitt S, Weinstein E. De novo Kaposi’s sarcoma in renal transplantation. Case report and brief review. Cancer. 1976 Jul;38(1):144-8. PMID: 59624
Seifter, E, Padawer, J, Dattner, AM, Levenson, SM Rettura, G: Vitamin A alters adrenal and thymus responses in stressed mice. 172nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, August, 1976.
Dattner, AM and Levis, WR: Specific clonal priming of human lymphocytes to microbial and chemical antigens, presented at S. I. D. Meeting, Washington, D. C., April 30, 1977. Clin. Res. 25: 528A, 1977.
Levis, WR and Dattner, AM: Hayry priming of human lymphocytes whith specific antigens. Federation Proceedigns 36: 1220, 1977.
Levis, WR and Dattner, AM: Histocompatibility requirement for specific immune recognition of dinitrochlorobenzene and other antigens: Identification of human immune response gene products. Clin. Res. 25: 663A, 1977.
Dattner, AM, Levis, WR, Shaw, JS, and Shearer, GM: Cytotoxic effector cells in contact sensitivity: Specificity for DNP and self determinants. Formal presentation, S. I. D. Meeting, May 1978. Clin. Res. Vol. 26. p. 569A, April 1978.
Levis, WR, Lincoln, PM, and Dattner, AM: DNCB immune response (IR) gene function behaves like a lymphocyte defined (LD) function to ultraviolet light. Fed. Proc. 38: 1369, 1978.
Levis, WR, and Dattner, AM: Studies of clonal activation of human lymphocytes with specific antigens. Presented at the 12th International Leukocyte Culture Conference.
Levis, WR, and Dattner, AM: Effect of autologous and allogenic leukocytes on lymphocytes clonally primed to soluble protein antigens. Accepted for presentation at AFCR (Eastern Section) October 1978.
Prevention, November 2004, Fight Acne with a One-Two Punch, p. 69
The New York Times, December 8, 1998 Science Times, With Herbs, a Fuller Palatte for Skin Care
In treating patients with non-responsive conditions, it’s important to consider altering your method of inquiry, said Alan M. Dattner, M.D., FAAD. “I go beyond a clinical diagnosis to make an etiological diagnosis and treat on the basis of that.”
Alternative Medicine, September 2004, Natural Beauty section- Nails p 38
Alternative Medicine, June 2005, Zapping Varicose Veins, nutritional information
Holistic Dermatology: Alternative modalities in your dermatology practice; environment, nutrition, immunology & the skin. New York University Medical Center Department of Dermatology Residents Lecture, June 28, 2011
Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Dermatology: Siverman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel, April 5th, 2009
Herbal Medicine: presented at the section on Alternative Medicine and Dermatology at the World Congress in Dermatology in Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 5, 2007
Integrating Natural Medicine into Dermatology: presented at American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting 2003, 2004, and 2005
“Immunotherapies” at the Comprehensive Cancer Care Conference: Integrating Complementary & Alternative Therapies, Moderator: Alan M. Dattner, MD
Presenters: Josef Beuth, MD, PhD; President, German Society of Oncology; Institut fur Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene der Universitat Koeln Arnold I. Freeman, MD; Chief, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Hadassah University Hospital Ralf Kleef, MD; Austrian Society of Oncology James McCoy, MD; Director of Cancer Research and Immunotherapy, Immunocomp Laboratory Commentator: Jeffrey White, MD; Director, Clinical Trials and Clinical Care Program, Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute.
Turns out Melatonin and Vitamin D may be useful in preventing recurrent melanoma formation, and may even have a preventative effect.
This might be most helpful in patients with Parkinson’s disease, who have an increased risk of melanoma, and also in those with a history of excessive sun exposure, other skin cancers, a family history of melanoma, or use of Viagra, which now is suspicious for increasing the incidence of melanoma.
A Rising Tide in Complementary and Alternative Medicine
In an estimate from the National Health Institute, a nationwide government survey from December 2008 states that approximately 38 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 years and over and approximately 12 percent of children use some form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). And almost half of the adults between 50-59 use some form of CAM. In the six years since that study, the number has risen considerably.
The World Health Organization estimates that between 65 to 80 percent of the world’s population–about 3 billion people–rely on what we call alternative medicine as their primary form of health care.
In 1998, the American Medical Association (AMA) introduced Resolution 514, “encouraging its members to become better informed regarding alternative medicine and to participate in appropriate studies of it.” Almost one-third of American medical schools–among them Harvard, Yale, John’s Hopkins, and Georgetown Universities–now offer coursework in alternative methods. It’s a relief to be able to practice Holistic Dermatology in the open now, and to treat skin naturally.
The American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA) was founded in 1978 to unite licensed physicians who practice holistic medicine. It is the oldest holistic medicine organization of its kind, and many of today’s national leaders in holistic medicine got their start as members of the AHMA. Since its first meeting in Denver, Colorado, the AHMA has continued to strive toward creating fellowship and collaboration among practitioners and those they work with–bringing an understanding of how the mind, the body and the spirit all have a part to play in healing.
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As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to prevent, diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.
We work with you step-by-step over time to alleviate the symptoms of your skin condition, diagnose and treat the true underlying causes of your disease, and help you clear it for good.
Neurologic Conditions, especially of metabolic origin, as after medication, or due to toxins causing brain fog, brain allergy, etc. I would expect that a competent neurologist has already evaluated the patient, and has nothing to offer.
As a medical detective, I have had to solve problems for my patients and my family members, for which no solution was known to medicine. Where I have had dramatic success, I credit prayer and a network of collegues and consultants. The important question is whether I feel that I can work with the condition at hand, not how many times I have treated it successfully before. Each individual is unique in their genetic makeup, metabolism, and exposure experience. Had I required that answer of myself, I would not have been successful in helping many patients, friends, and family members. I applied the methods I know of going deeper into finding the underlying cause and fixing it. If I had only one method for fixing the cause for each specific disease, I would have been as unsuccessful as the doctor who tried before.
“Visiting Dr. Dattner was the best health decision I have ever made.
