[Homeopathy. Basic aspects and principles of use in dermatology]

Homoeopathy was established in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). This method is an alternative form of therapy involving treatment by natural remedies. The basic principles of homoeopathic medicine, "similia similibus curentur", "experimenta in homine sano", "doses minimae" and "unitas remedii", are founded upon the idea of illness as a disorder of the internal equilibrium at the physical, mental and psychic levels. The entire picture of symptoms is ascertained in each individual case by scrupulous history taking. A remedy which provokes a similar picture of effects in healthy persons is finally employed as the homeopathic therapeutic agent (law of similars). According to the homoeopathic view, skin diseases are manifestations of an internal or constitutional disorder. Thus, homoeotherapy of skin diseases is based on morphological, local and constitutional criteria.