Eczema is an itchy, rash-like skin ailment that is extremely common. It usually appears on the arms and legs, but outbreaks on the hands, feet, and face are common as well. Many people suffer from eczema during the cold winter months, when they are under a lot of stress, or if they have skin allergies.
Personally, my eczema appeared when I moved 500 miles away for college – to a much colder, drier climate – and then was overwhelmed the stresses of college life. I struggled with an itchy dry patch on the back of my hand for three years before I turned to natural remedies (I had been given the prescription cream Elocon by Campus Health, but it didn’t even begin to help). Natural remedies, especially for children, can be the best way to treat eczema.
No matter the cause of eczema, the biggest symptom is itchy, dry skin. If you can keep your skin hydrated, there is a change the eczema will clear itself up. Some people swear by coconut oil, or Vaseline. The best way to make sure you skin soaks this up is to apply it at night, before you go to bed, and cover it with a soft bandage to keep your pillows and sheets from getting too greasy.
Oatmeal is also a great way to rehydrate skin, believe it or not. EczemaFree.org suggests using an oatmeal-based lotion or soap, available at any drugstore – or you can make your own to avoid the chemicals and preservatives you might find in a store-bought brand. Blend up 2-4 cups of dry oatmeal to make a find powder. You can use this in a nice warm bath or as a poultice on the affected area. Oatmeal is actually full of proteins, sugars and fats that your body can absorb to help heal itself.
EczemaFree.org also suggests a natural cleanser to help ease the itching of eczema. Natural cleansers include comfrey root, white oak bar, and slippery elm. You can find these supplements at a health food or supplement store. Follow the instructions on the package to make a poultice that you can use to regularly clean the affected areas.
Natural Home Remedies also takes a page from the medicine lore of Native Americans, who used witch hazel to treat inflammation. The tannins in this shrub act as an astringent to cleanse and soothe irritated skin – from eczema, psoriasis, poison ivy rashes, to muscle pains. You can find witch hazel products in stores.
If you’re interested natural home remedies, be sure to check out 35 Great Home Remedies That Take Care of Everything. You can find natural products you probably already have in your home that will soothe eczema, as well as soothe headaches, cure the common cold, and even help you sleep.
Eczema should always be diagnosed by a doctor, just to ensure that no other underlying conditions are the cause. A major cause of eczema is actually food allergies, so be sure to rule this out before attempting to treat your own skin conditions. But if your eczema is simply caused by dry skin or stress, natural remedies may be the way to go.
Jillian Gile is a guest blogger for An Apple a Day and a writer on online nursing classes for the Guide to Health Education.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Here are some home remedies for treatign eczema:
- Take 4 cups of oatmeal (powdered is best) and mix it with warm bathwater, soak for about 15 mins, rinse with more warm water and pat yourself dry (dont rub!).
- Make a paste out of oatmeal and warm water, leave it on until it dries then wash off
- Leave raw honey on affected areas for 20 minutes then rinse off with warm water
- Take natural supplements like fish oil, vitamin E, and vitamin C
- Keep your skin moisturized, use creams with blueberry or licorice extract
- Cut out or reduce milk, eggs, peanuts, sugar and spicy foods from your diet
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and shower after you sweat
- Don’t scratch! It may cause infection and make it worse. If you scratch while asleep then wear cotton gloves
- Keep your nails short and rounded so you dont puncture the skin if you do scratch
- Dust and dust mites can worsen eczema, so keep your room clean and change bedclothes regulary
- Stay calm. Stress is a common eczema trigger, so try to avoid situations that make you tense.
If you’re interested in other home, natural and other medical treatments then check out this site:
http://alleczematreatments.com/atopic-dermatitis-treatment/
And I highly recommend this e-book, it tells you how to treat eczema in “3 simple steps”, if you’re interested then you can get it here:
http://www.vanisheczema.com/
I was always looking for a natural way to cure eczema. Thanks for the post.
i am one of those ‘too clean’ type of people and sometimes i have itchy skin because i use too much soap when taking showers especially in the winter. i use a vasoline cream but i saw in your posts where someone recommended honey and wash it off after 20 minutes. that sounds like a good idea.
I have used so many medications for treating eczema and all of them help for just a while. The fact that a natural treatment exists sounds awesome.