Treating Eczema

Why Some Eczema Treatments
May Make Your Eczema Worse!

Treating eczema can be complicated when you have sensitive skin, because eczema is a chronic condition and many of the medicines used for eczema treatment actually prolong the cycle of itching and inflammation by further unbalancing your immune system.


Eczema is a frustrating condition because the itching is so severe, and when you try to relieve the itching by scratching, the protective layer of skin is eroded. Your skin gets more sensitive and your rashes increase :(

Then the itching gets more intense and sometimes you feel like you want to scream! When the itching is really bad, you may end up scratching so hard that your skin bleeds!

It is my hope that this information can help you to find ways of treating eczema that can improve your overall health and break the terrible cycle of itching.

Eczema is a chronic skin condition, also known as atopic dermatitis, which produces itching, inflamed, and irritated skin. It appears most often on the face, hands and feet, though it can show up anywhere on your body. It is estimated that up to 30% of the U.S. population suffer from eczema, and its prevalence is increasing. Eczema is very common in children and 20% of babies or young children may develop eczema.

Treating eczema is a challenge because often times the symptoms recur, and some of the treatments can create their own side effects which further stress the immune system and end up making the eczema worse again.

Some of the symptoms of eczema include:

• Itching and burning skin
• Redness
• Blister like raised areas
• Swelling
• Bumps
• Crusting of the skin
• Scales

Some forms of eczema like allergic contact eczema cause a redness, discharge and itching when the skin has come into contact with an irritating substance.

Seborrheic eczema can form yellow, oily, scaly patches of skin on the scalp, face and other parts of the body.

Dyshidrotic eczema is usually found on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. This is very painful as it causes deep blisters that itch and burn.

Nummular eczema appears as coin shaped patches of crusted, scaling and itchy skin.

Different types of eczema may look quite different, so it is important to see a qualified dermatologist so that you know for sure whether you have eczema or another type of skin condition. In general, eczema looks like this:

• Dry, thickened, cracked or scaling skin.

• Inflammation and redness.

• Oozing and weeping skin sores.

• Light skinned people may see a rash that is initially red, and then may turn brown.

• Dark skinned people can experience a rash that is either lighter or darker than the rest of the skin.

• In babies, eczema rash can create oozing sores and crusting on the face and scalp.

Please see our Pictures of Eczema page for more information on what eczema looks like.

Treating eczema is a challenge because doctors do not yet know what the causes of eczema are. So far, eczema is linked to an overactive immune system which responds to unknown triggers in the environment, creating an allergic reaction. Eczema is more often found in families who have a history of allergies or asthma. Here are some of the things that can trigger eczema:

• Contact with rough or scratchy materials like wool

• Excessively hot, cold or windy weather

• Animal dander

• Stress

• Cigarette smoke

• Foods which cause an allergic reaction like wheat, dairy, nuts, chocolate

• Chemicals irritants in soaps or laundry detergent

• Fragrance in laundry dryer sheets

• Chemicals in skin care and personal care products - see our Safe Cosmetics Guide

• Household chemicals - most all of the household cleaning products on the market today contain HUGE numbers of toxins.

Some people who have eczema find that certain foods cause eczema outbreaks. These are generally foods that tend to be allergy producing, and include:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Wheat
• Soy
• Peanuts
• Nuts
• Chocolate
• Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes or grapefruit)
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries

If you have chronic eczema, keep a food diary for a few weeks. Write down everything you eat each day, and make a note of any skin eruptions that occur. You will be able to discover whether there is any relationship between your diet and your eczema outbreaks.

If you'd prefer to quicken your learning curve and learn exactly what works to heal your eczema naturally, try an eczema diet approach . This has worked even for people who've had eczema for years. You can find more information about this at Which Foods Cause Eczema?

Treating eczema with simple home remedies is generally less expensive than most medicines, and usually will have a lower risk of side effects. Here are some of the home remedies that people find most helpful.

• Use cold compresses to relieve itching.

• Drink lots and lots of pure water. Many people swear by this very simple home remedy for treating eczema!

• Take a short, not too hot bath with oatmeal, which is soothing and moisturizing to inflamed skin.

• Take a short bath in 1/4 cup of baking soda. Be sure the water is not too hot.

• Use pure, refined Emu oil , which has remarkable anti-inflammatory benefits and has been helpful to many people with eczema.

  Be careful with the brand of Emu oil you choose though, the effectiveness depends a lot on the purity of the product. I've tried a few brands but the only one I use is the Cleure Emu oil , as it is more effective on my skin rashes and it feels lighter and purer on my skin than other brands.

• Olive oil applied to your scalp can loosen eczema scales. After letting the olive oil sit for a few minutes, use a good quality, gentle hypoallergenic shampoo.

For more ideas visit our Home Remedies for Eczema page.

In addition to treating eczema with home remedies, there are some very simple lifestyle changes that cost nothing but can greatly help to reduce your eczema symptoms:

• Reduce your stress - schedule time for rest, relaxation and recreation, no matter what else is happening in your life. This is crucial!

• Shower, do not bathe, and make it quick one that is not too hot.

• Immediately afterwards, apply gentle hypoallergenic skin care products.

• Moisturize your skin frequently. It's sometimes difficult to find good moisturizers that will hydrate your skin without causing more breakouts, unless you use a good quality, safe hypoallergenic products.

• Use a humidifier.

• Expose your skin to fresh air and sunshine for SHORT periods of time, without any creams or sunscreens. This is a natural form of UV therapy! I would say 15 or 20 minutes a day is good amount so you reap the benefits without sun damage.

• Avoid sudden temperature changes. I know this is difficult with today's unusual weather patterns!

• Use cotton pajamas and bed sheets.

• if itching is severe, wear socks on hands and feet at bedtime.

• Avoid exposure to potential allergens like mold, dust, pollen, and animal dander.

• Avoid harsh soaps, shampoos or detergents that contain artificial color, fragrance, or irritants like sodium lauryl sulfate. For more on sodium lauryl sulfate please see our hypoallergenic shampoo page.

• Use hypoallergenic products for your skin care, dental, cosmetic and personal care needs. Unfortunately MOST hypoallergenic products can STILL cause irritation and skin problems because they contain chemicals that are known to cause rashes. I've found only one brand of hypoallergenic products that is completely free of irritating chemicals and that also contains no plant allergens.

Some people have found relief by treating eczema nutritionally. Evelyn Lim actually eliminated her eczema completely using a dietary approach, see her book Eczema Diet Secrets .

Some of the additional ways you can help your eczema through nutrition include:

• Keep a food diary and write down everything you eat. Note when your skin flares up, and eliminate those foods.

• You can also try an elimination diet, which eliminates most allergy producing foods from your diet such as wheat, eggs, dairy products, chocolate, refined and processed flours, sugar, artificial colorings and flavorings and processed foods.

• Eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables. Consider making fresh raw vegetable juices or "green smoothies", which are blender drinks made with water, 60% raw fruit and 40% fresh green leafy vegetables.

• Eat more essential fatty acids which are in natural cold pressed oils, fish oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, sardines, and salmon. You may want to consider taking essential fatty acids supplements. The best I've found are Xtend Life Omega 3 .

• Supplement your diet, in moderation, with zinc. Or, better still, use a total body supplement that includes zinc. Most whole body nutrition formulas that actually work (i.e. are absorbed by the body and make you feel better) are quite expensive, however there is one brand that I use that offers affordable high performance supplements . They manufacture their own and keep the costs low by selling direct to customers.

  Important note ... do not overdo with isolated zinc supplementation, or you will develop a copper deficiency. The supplement formulas I recommend are safe and will not cause deficiencies.

• Take probiotics, which are friendly bacteria such as acidophilus and bifidus. Preliminary research studies have shown that these can help children with eczema, and that a probiotic supplement, when used in conjunction with medication, can help reduce the severity of the eczema.

Recent studies suggest that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help clear up eczema. Drinking a mixture of Chinese herbs, bathing in them and applying an herbal cream helped to decrease severe eczema in the majority of patients who were studies.

Green or black tea may also help eczema. You can drink the tea and also apply it externally to your skin. Tea does contain caffeine so please use moderation when drinking it.

You can make a double strength cup of tea to apply to your skin. Some people add other ingredients to this such as lemon juice, rosemary and olive oil.

Tea tree oil may also be a useful way of treating eczema naturally, as long as you use it in moderation and use a pure brand.

Many people with chronic eczema find that treating eczema with conventional medications and creams may help for a while but then it recurs. That is because they are treating the symptoms rather than the cause of eczema, and some of the treatments actually weaken the immune system which adds to the cycle of irritation and stress on the body.

Even though researchers do not yet understand what causes eczema, a holistic approach to treating eczema that includes dietary changes, stress reduction and avoiding eczema triggers, can help you to maximize your results when treating eczema medically.

Sometimes your body is just so stressed out that even all the natural, dietary and herbal methods of treating eczema don't work. In that case, you may try some of the medical treatments for eczema, such as:

• Non-prescription hydrocortisone creams

• Prescription corticosteroid creams - steroids have many side effects

• Corticosteriods taken internally for severe cases - severe side effects are possible

• Antibiotics - these can kill friendly bacteria in intestines which lowers immune system functioning

• Antihistamines

• Phototherapy and ultraviolet light therapy - risk of skin cancer and premature aging

• Tar treatments to reduce itching - tar is a toxic substance which may cause an allergic reaction in sensitive skin

• Barrier repair moisturizers can rebuild the skin, but these are extremely expensive.

  I personally prefer a more natural method of barrier repair. For example the Cleure Day Cream is extremely moisturizing and protective, forming a natural barrier for the skin without containing harmful chemicals.

  You can add yet another layer of natural protection to your skin with hypoallergenic loose mineral powder which provide both sun protection and also coverage for the skin. Loose minerals aren't just for women! Men use them too, both for the health benefits and to improve their appearance.

Baby eczema is one of the most common skin problems in children. One in five babies develop eczema. Most infants will outgrow eczema by age three. Most children will outgrow eczema in their teens.

Breastfeeding in one of the most effective ways to help control eczema. Breastfeeding your baby for at least 6 months can help prevent eczema.

Some babies who are breastfed will still get eczema if they are sensitive to the foods that their mom is eating. Dairy products, nuts, eggs, seafood, wheat or other more highly allergic foods may not be well tolerated by your baby.

Mothers whose babies develop eczema can try to minimize their exposure to more highly allergic foods. If the baby is on formula, try switching from cow's milk formula to a hypoallergenic baby formula.

If your baby has eczema, keep bath time short so that the skin does not pucker up like a prune, which is a sign that the moisture retaining layers of skin are being disrupted.

Use a humidifier to keep baby's skin moist, and use a hypoallergenic baby shampoo and moisturizing lotions.

Thankfully eczema is not contagious, but families with asthma and hay fever have a higher incidence of eczema in their families. Learn more about why eczema can APPEAR contagious here at Is Eczema Contagious?

What Helps Eczema?

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