Bermudian homeopathic practitioner Melanie Dupres has developed a programme to help people, especially eczema sufferers, attain clear skin. Unlike the cosmetic potions many of us rely on, Ms Dupres' approach is holistic.Ms Dupres has more than 20 years experience in homeopathy. She left Bermuda in 2007 to share her knowledge with rural people in the West African nation Ghana. She's been living and working in Britain for the past three years and said she developed the skin care regimen for herself as she suffered with eczema for several years."I had it as a child and then seemed to grow out of it between the ages of ten and my early 30s," she said."When my father died it came back with a vengeance and I struggled for many years to be free of it."I tried the A to Z of natural medicines from acupuncture, detoxes, homeopathy, psychotherapy to yoga and much more. I even went as far as India seeking a cure."She said she realised each technique helped a little but not enough. And she said eventually it dawned on her that she, not the modality, was the problem."I was not listening to what my eczema was telling me," she said. "I was not making a long-term commitment to my own healing and health. I was looking for the same quick fix that people do through steroids, only I was looking to do it through natural medicine."That is when I started to create the programme," she said.She's named it Healing Essentials for Clear Skin and explained that it's specific to each person."It is a tailor-made programme to help guide and support eczema patients through their process of healing, " she said.Built on the understanding that eczema is the body's way of pointing out that it is lacking in some way, Ms Dupres has to first ensure her clients understand this theory."The symptoms of eczema are the body's extremely clever way of telling you that there is something wrong. This may sound obvious but if patients don't understand this they will not get to know how to fix it," she added.In the next stage of the programme Ms Dupres said her patients have to determine what is bothering them and therefore causing them to have eczema.“Patients have to become aware why they have eczema — the cause. They also have to come to grips with what emotional, environmental and physiological factors are contributing to their condition,” she said.Once these two stages have been accomplished Ms Dupres said her Healing Essential for Healthy Skin programme becomes an easy step-by-step guide which includes homeopathy, yoga and a nutritional programme.“It is like a broken car, first you have to acknowledge that there is something wrong, then understand what is wrong with the car, then you need to find the right tools. Then and only then can you fix the problem and carry on with the journey.”Having worked with her programme for a few years, Ms Dupres said the time it takes to see results varies from patent to patient.“The results that come are individual to the patient. If they are committed and really determined then they will get the best results,” she said.“Other aspects such as sleep, emotional disturbances and appetite issues can also improve sometimes before the skin improves,” she added.The programme is about lifestyle change and the results last as long as the person sticks with it.“If they want clear skin long term, there are some things that they will need to maintain long term,” she said. “This is about changing mindset, your lifestyle and ultimately the skin that you live in. The change has to come from within because that is where the illness is, it just shows on the outside and this varies from person to person.”Asked if her programme has been successful in severe cases of eczema, Ms Dupres said: “The only success is when people stick to the programme — when they follow their 'gut' and intuition about choices they make when it comes to food and treatments.“So many people take medication blindly without understanding why they are taking it. The programme is about empowering people to take control of their own health.”Ms Dupres said patients will have to see her about once a week for four weeks. She will charge an initial fee for an information pack and the first four consultations and follow up fees for subsequent consultations.Ms Dupres will be offering the programme in Bermuda in January at the Yoga Centre.Additional information on her Healing Essentials for Clear Skin programme can be found at her website http://www.healingessentialsmd.com/