AccScience Publishing / EJMO / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/EJMO025120060
Submit to EJMO
Cite this article
4
Download
194
Views
Related Info Links
Google Scholar
More by Authors Links
Azzam Alkhalifah
Journal Browser
Volume | Year
Issue
Search
Forthcoming Issue
Current Issue
View All
News and Announcements
View All
ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Popularity and efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine in managing atopic dermatitis in Saudi Arabia

Faisal Tobeigei1 ,  Ghadah Mohammad Al-Mutairi2 ,  Majd Fahad Alkhalidi3 ,  Saifaleslam Abdulmonem Mahmoud4 ,  Lamees Ali Zaalah5 ,  Ahmed Hussain Almutlaq6 ,  Ibrahim Hassan Najmi7 ,  Abrar E. Bukhari8 ,  Azzam Alkhalifah2*
Show Less
1 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Dermatology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Asir Province, Saudi Arabia
2 Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Unaizah, Al Qassim Province, Saudi Arabia
3 Department of Dermatology, Al Jouf University, Sakakah, Al-Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia
4 Department of Medicine and Surgery, Batterjee Medical College, Aseer, Asir Province, Saudi Arabia
5 College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia
6 Department of Dermatology, Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region, Khamis Mushayt, Asir Province, Saudi Arabia
7 Department of Dermatology, Khamis Mushayt General Hospital, Khamis Mushayt, Asir Province, Saudi Arabia
8 Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
EJMO, 025120060 https://doi.org/10.36922/EJMO025120060
Received: 19 March 2026 | Revised: 18 April 2026 | Accepted: 14 May 2026 | Published online: 15 June 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Download PDF
XML
Cite
Abstract

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) or eczema is a common inflammatory skin condition in Saudi Arabia, impacting adults with a varying prevalence. Previous research in the Aseer province has indicated that a significant proportion of dermatological patients resort to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat AD.

Objective: To investigate the nature, prevalence, and influence of CAM usage among Saudi adults with AD.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized an electronic survey distributed to Saudi adults through social media platforms and included adults diagnosed with AD for over a year.

Results: Our study included 163 participants with atopic dermatitis; 73.6% were females, 57.7% were aged 18–24, and 65.0% were from the Central region. Most participants were single (63.2%), students (47.2%), and had a monthly income < 5000 SAR (69.3%). CAM usage was prevalent (62%), with 36.8% reporting positive effects. Gauze moistened with warm water and olive oil was the most common remedy (16.4%). Motivations for CAM usage included dissatisfaction with medical drugs (55.8%). Logistic regression revealed significant factors for CAM usage, including the impact of AD on quality of life (regression coefficient/beta coefficient [B] = 0.618, p = 0.005, odds ratio/Exp[B] = 1.856) and the belief in CAM for treating skin diseases (B = 1.282, p = 0.001, Exp[B] = 3.604).

Conclusion: Our study on AD in Saudi participants revealed a prevalence of CAM usage, notably gauze moistened with warm water. Various factors, including the impact of AD on quality of life and belief in CAM for treating skin diseases, significantly influence CAM usage.

Keywords
Complementary medicine
Eczema
Herbal medicine
Prevalence
Olive oil
Sidr
Funding
This study was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Khalid University (grant no. GRP/122/44).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
References
  1. Weidinger S, Novak N. Atopic dermatitis. Lancet. 2016;387(10023):1109-1122. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00149-x

 

  1. Brunner PM, Silverberg JI, Guttman-Yassky E, et al. Increasing comorbidities suggest that atopic dermatitis is a systemic disorder. J Invest Dermatol. 2017;137(1):18-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.08.022

 

  1. Gittler JK, Shemer A, Suárez-Fariñas M, et al. Progressive activation of TH2/TH22 cytokines and selective epidermal proteins characterizes acute and chronic atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012;130(6):1344-1354. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2012.07.012

 

  1. Barbarot S, Auziere S, Gadkari A, et al. Epidemiology of atopic dermatitis in adults: Results from an international survey. Allergy. 2018;73(6):1284-1293. doi: 10.1111/all.13401

 

  1. Alqahtani JM. Atopy and allergic diseases among Saudi young adults: A cross-sectional study. J Int Med Res. 2020;48(1):030006051989976. doi: 10.1177/0300060519899760

 

  1. Oh J, Lee M, Kim M, et al. Incident allergic diseases in post-COVID-19 condition: multinational cohort studies from South Korea, Japan and the UK. Nat Commun. 2024;15(1):2830. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47176-w

 

  1. Chong M, Fonacier L. Treatment of eczema: Corticosteroids and beyond. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2016;51(3):249-262. doi: 10.1007/s12016-015-8486-7

 

  1. Frazier W, Bhardwaj N. Atopic Dermatitis: Diagnosis and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(10).

 

  1. Lee E, Kim JH, Cha HR, et al. Association between atopic dermatitis and school readiness in preschool children. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2023;34(7):e13996. doi: 10.1111/pai.13996

 

  1. Lee J, Bielory L. Complementary and alternative interventions in atopic dermatitis. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2010;30(3):411-424. doi: 10.1016/j.iac.2010.06.006

 

  1. Ng JY, Boon HS, Thompson AK, Whitehead CR. Making sense of “alternative”, “complementary”, “unconventional” and “integrative” medicine: exploring the terms and meanings through a textual analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16(1). doi: 10.1186/s12906-016-1111-3

 

  1. Lu CL, Liu XH, Stub T, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine for treatment of atopic eczema in children under 14 years old: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1). doi: 10.1186/s12906-018-2306-6

 

  1. Fisher P, Ward A. Medicine in Europe: Complementary medicine in Europe. BMJ. 1994;309(6947):107-111. doi: 10.1136/bmj.309.6947.107

 

  1. Frass M, Strassl RP, Friehs H, Müllner M, Kundi M, Kaye AD. Use and acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine among the general population and medical personnel: a systematic review. Ochsner J. 2012;12(1).

 

  1. AlGhamdi KM, Khurrum H, Al-Natour SH, et al. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among dermatology outpatients: Results from a national survey. J Cutan Med Surg. 2015;19(6):570-579.

 

  1. Jones VA, Patel PM, Wilson C, Wang H, Ashack KA. Complementary and alternative medicine treatments for common skin diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAAD Int. 2021;2:76-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jdin.2020.11.001

 

  1. Simpson EL, Basco M, Hanifin J. A cross-sectional survey of complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with atopic dermatitis. Dermatitis. 2003;14(3):144. doi: 10.2310/6620.2003.6156

 

  1. Al-Atif HM, AL-Ghamdi HS, Alzubaidi WA, Alnaem NM, Qahtani SH. The prevalence of complementary and alternative medications use among dermatology patients in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022;15:2607-2615. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S381199

 

  1. General Authority for Statistics. The Saudi 2022 census is an essential pillar of the kingdom’s Vision 2030. Accessed January 10, 2022. https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/news/418

 

  1. Fatani MI, Al Sheikh AA, Alajlan MA, et al. National Saudi consensus statement on the management of atopic dermatitis (2021). Dermatol Ther. 2022;12(7):1551-1575.doi: 10.1007/s13555-022-00762-6

 

  1. Johansson EK, Bergström A, Kull I, et al. Prevalence and characteristics of atopic dermatitis among young adult females and males—report from the Swedish population‐based study BAMSE. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2022;36(5):698-704. doi: 10.1111/jdv.17929

 

  1. Abuabara K, Margolis DJ, Langan SM. The long-term course of atopic dermatitis. Dermatol Clin. 2017;35(3):291-297. doi: 10.1016/j.det.2017.02.003

 

  1. Boguniewicz M, Nicol N, Kelsay K, Leung DYM. A multidisciplinary approach to evaluation and treatment of atopic dermatitis. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2008;27(2):115- 127. doi: 10.1016/j.sder.2008.05.001

 

  1. Schäfer T. Complementary alternative medicine (CAM) and atopic eczema. Allergol Select. 2017;1(1):44-52. doi: 10.5414/ALX01287E

 

  1. Galli E, Neri I, Ricci G, et al. Consensus conference on clinical management of pediatric atopic dermatitis. Ital J Pediatr. 2016;42(1). doi: 10.1186/s13052-016-0229-8

 

  1. Schiffner R, Schiffner-Rohe J, Gerstenhauer M, Landthaler M, Hofstädter F, Stolz W. Dead Sea treatment - principle for outpatient use in atopic dermatitis: safety and efficacy of synchronous balneophototherapy using narrowband UVB and bathing in Dead Sea salt solution. Eur J Dermatol. 2002;12(6).

 

  1. Koo K, Nagayah R, Begum S, Tuan Mahmood TM, Mohamed Shah N. The use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with atopic eczema at a tertiary care centre in Malaysia. Complement Ther Med. 2020;49:102355. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102355

 

  1. Khan S, Zagona-Prizio C, Yee D, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults with eczema: A population-based study. JAAD Int. 2022;8:154-156. doi: 10.1016/j.jdin.2022.05.013

 

  1. Tangkiatkumjai M, Boardman H, Walker DM. Potential factors that influence usage of complementary and alternative medicine worldwide: a systematic review. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020;20(1). doi: 10.1186/s12906-020-03157-2

 

  1. Alharbi SF, Althbah AI, Mohammed AH, et al. Microbial and heavy metal contamination in herbal medicine: a prospective study in the central region of Saudi Arabia. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2024;24(1). doi: 10.1186/s12906-023-04307-y

 

  1. Naeem A, Anees T, Khalil M, Zahra K, Naqvi RA, Lee S-W. SNC_Net: Skin Cancer Detection by Integrating Handcrafted and Deep Learning-Based Features Using Dermoscopy Images. Mathematics. 2024;12(7):1030. doi: 10.3390/math12071030

 

  1. Ali MU, Khalid M, Alshanbari H, Zafar A, Lee SW. Enhancing Skin Lesion Detection: A Multistage Multiclass Convolutional Neural Network-Based Framework. Bioengineering. 2023;10(12):1430. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering10121430
Share
Back to top
Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology, Electronic ISSN: 2587-196X Print ISSN: 2587-2400, Published by AccScience Publishing
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here
Accept