American Liverleaf (Hepatica americana), also known as liverwort, has a history of traditional use in North American herbal medicine, primarily by Indigenous peoples and early European settlers. Traditionally, it was used for a variety of ailments, including liver disorders and skin issues such as dryness and flakiness. The rationale for its use stemmed partly from the "Doctrine of Signatures," a historical concept suggesting that plants resembling certain body organs could treat ailments of those organs. The leaf of the American Liverleaf resembles the human liver, hence its application in liver and skin conditions, since skin health was often linked to liver function in traditional medicine systems.

However, there is very limited scientific research to substantiate the effectiveness of American Liverleaf for dry or flaky skin. While it contains some tannins and mucilaginous compounds that could theoretically have a mild soothing effect, direct evidence for its benefit in skin hydration or treatment of dermal conditions is lacking. Modern herbal references may still mention its traditional uses for skin, but clinical studies or pharmacological research validating these uses are essentially absent. Therefore, support for American Liverleaf in treating dry or flaky skin is based mainly on historical and anecdotal evidence rather than robust scientific data.