Natural Remedies For Eczema

Eczema also known as dermatitis is a non-contagious inflammation of the skin characterized by itching, redness, rashes and scales on the skin.

Eczema can be mild, moderate or severe. Most times, it affects certain areas of the body like the back of the knee, elbow or neck and areas that bend. But it can also appear randomly on the body. The bitter truth about eczema is that there is no known cure for it. But it can be managed. Eczema can start from infancy and even enter into adulthood. However, some people can outgrow eczema as they get older especially those diagnosed from infancy. Eczema has certain symptoms. And symptoms can differ among people. Symptoms include: dry and sensitive skin, itchy rashes, oozing or crusting, red inflamed skin, patches on the skin.

There are periods of flare ups when the eczema condition worsens and periods when the skin is relieved. But it all depends on the cause or triggering factor. These causes can range from allergy, bacteria, stress, temperature, irritants, and in some cases hormones. A study reported in 2014 showed that Staphylococcus aerus was the main cause of eczema. The study which was carried out among patients with eczema reported that the bacteria produced biofilms on the skin that block the sweat ducts. This triggers the immune system to produce molecules that cause itching. The study also showed that a gene called filaggrin had a role to play in this. When sweat ducts are blocked, people with filaggrin gene deficiency suffer from inflammation while those who have the gene sufficiently will suffer from prickly heat. Eczema also occurs in families who have a history of asthma and allergy.

There are different types of eczema. And they are identified by their mode of appearance and symptoms. They include; Atopic dermatitis (which is a severe type of eczema characterized by scales on the skin. It usually starts from infancy and in some cases people outgrow it. But people that outgrow it can suffer from life time dry skin. Studies also suggest that it can be inherited)

Hand dermatitis (which is red itching and inflammation of the web spaces of the fingers. It can be as a result of a combination of genetic and external factors like irritants. Irritants can come from occupations like cleaning, hair dressing etc.)

Seborrheic  dermatitis (triggered by stress, change of season and illness), Dyshidrotic eczema (characterized by blisters), Nummular eczema (triggered by insect bite and cold temperature) and Contact dermatitis.

Natural Remedies

There are a lot of hyped eczema treatments like Corticosteroid creams. But most people discontinue these treatments after a while because of different reasons. Reasons which include; “treatment is expensive or ineffective or the treatment is messy”. But it is important to note that people suffering from eczema need to take proper care of their skin.

Taking care of eczema through natural remedies has a lot to do with your lifestyle and nutrition. Some of these natural remedies have been very effective to a lot of people. But bear in mind that some natural remedies may work for some people and not work for others. Just keep on trying to find the one that works for you. Don’t give up.

• Finding allergy: Eczema can be as a result of allergy. Food allergy and other allergens like animal dander, pollen, dust, and molds can trigger eczema. Before avoiding anything, it is best to confirm if you are allergic to it. You can do this by closely monitoring your body reactions to some diets or other allergens. Or you can go for an allergy test.

Gluten and dairy allergy: Some patients are allergic to gluten and some dairy products like milk. Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. Find out if you are allergic to these and avoid. It is best to avoid processed foods as they might contain ingredients that trigger inflammation.

Note: avoiding gluten and dairy foods may also mean avoiding vitamins, minerals and fibers contained in these foods. So it is best to look for alternative sources of these vitamins and minerals like vitamin b and iron. Food dyes can also trigger inflammation.

Products: Find out if you are allergic to any of your personal hygiene products as some can trigger eczema. Avoid personal hygiene products with sodium lauryl sulfate and skin care products with parabens. For example, some people are allergic to some ingredients in some shampoo and tooth paste.

Temperature: Check temperatures that might trigger eczema. If it’s hot temperature, avoid tasks that can make you sweat. If it’s cold or dry temperature, use a humidifier.

 Note: Dry air in the room can trigger itching. Natural indoor plants like Boston fern can serve as a substitute for a humidifier. This is because plants add moisture to the air through transpiration.

• Bath: Water can be helpful for relieving Inflammation. Water helps to soften the skin so that moisturizers can easily be absorbed. Water helps in relaxation and reduction of stress. And water also helps to cleanse crusted skin. Use fragrance free and low pH cleansing products.

 Bleach bath: Bleach has antimicrobial properties. Add a little household bleach to your water in the bathtub. Don’t do this more than twice or thrice in a week. During bleach bath, don’t submerge the head into the bath tub. It should be from the neck down and between 10-15 minutes.

Bath oil: Adding bath oil to your bath tub can also be helpful. Bath oil leaves the body moisturized. It gives the skin a refreshing feeling. Add some drops of bath oil into the bath tub. It shouldn’t be more than 10-15 minutes. You have to be careful because it can make the bath tub slippery.

Vinegar bath: Vinegar has antimicrobial properties. Adding a little vinegar into the bath tub will help to kill bacteria on the skin.

Baking soda bath: Baking soda can help to relieve the itching when added to water. Baking soda can help to neutralize the acidity of the skin and kill toxins.

Epsom Salt bath: Adding one cup of Epsom salt to bath tub can help reduce significant flares. Epsom salt contains magnesium and sulfate which is good for the body. It helps in relaxing the body. Epsom salt can be seen at drug stores and natural food stores.

Oatmeal bath: The fat and sugar contained in oatmeal can help to relieve the skin when itching or inflammation occurs. You can use colloidal oatmeal or you can also use the non-powdered oatmeal. Pour the oatmeal into a porous container or filter bag or socks. Tie with or rubber band. Fill the bath tub first then tie up the rubber band somewhere but make sure the oatmeal is soaked in the tub. The idea is just to make sure that the oatmeal does not mess up the bath tub when the water is drained.

Note: After bathing, don’t scrub the towel on the body. Just pat dry (but don’t dry completely). Rub moisturizer immediately to lock in moisture into your skin. Bathing for long can cause dry skin. 10-15 minutes bath is preferable. Bath with luke-warm water (not hot). Use mild non-soap cleansers.

• Topical remedy: People that have eczema usually have dry and sensitive skin. A dry skin doesn’t mean that your skin lacks grease or oil. It means that your skin is not able to retain moisture.Taking care of dry skin entails soaking the skin briefly in bath and applying moisturizer immediately after bath. Moisturizers should be applied frequently. In cases of hand eczema, moisturizers should be used after washing of hands. Using natural moisturizers is ideal for eczema. The following can serve as moisturizers;

Sun flower seed oil: Sun flower oil contains vitamin E which helps to moisturize dry skin. The vitamin E also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that helps to protect the skin. It helps to relieve the itching and inflammation.

Coconut oil: Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties which is good for people with eczema. Coconut oil can help with the itching and inflammation except if you are allergic to it. Use cold pressed coconut oil.

Jojoba oil: Jojoba oil is a liquid wax. It is a rich moisturizer that contains long chain fatty acids good for the skin. It is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial because of the rich vitamins and minerals it contains. Using it as a moisturizer helps to relieve itching and inflammation.

Aloe-Vera gel: Aloe-Vera gel direct from the plants have anti-inflammatory properties and there is little or no side effects. It moisturizes the skin. Squeezing out the gel from the plant leaf is better than buying any Aloe-Vera product.

Note: Try some of these topical remedies in small quantity first to know if your body will react negatively. For example, some people are allergic to coconut oil.  It’s good to use natural home-made moisturizers with no additives.

• Supplements: Supplements can also help to control inflammation.

Gamma Linolenic Acid(GLA): In the 16^th and 17^th century, evening prime rose was used to treat inflammations. This is because of the gamma linolenic acid(gla) found in evening prime rose. Gamma Linolenic Acid helps to relieve eczema and also helps to keep the skin cells strong. Other sources of GLA include borage seed oil and black currant seed oil.

 Probiotic supplements: An intestinal imbalance of microorganisms may cause inflammation. Probiotic supplements will help to maintain a microbial balance. They increase the friendly bacteria and eliminate the bad bacteria in the intestines. They also remove toxins and help for better absorption of food.

Vitamin D supplement: People with eczema has been shown to have low levels of vitamin d. And current researches suggest that vitamin D supplement may be good for eczema patients.

Note: Make sure you take the accurate or required daily dosage of any of these supplements. You can contact a health care provider before usage.

Important tips

Don’t be depressed or worried about your condition. Your worry won’t solve the problem. It can only aggravate the situation. There are people who will always love and care for you no matter your condition.

As much as possible, avoid scratching the affected area because it can lead to bleeding which can cause further infection.

Wear soft fabrics (rough ones might trigger itching).

Use natural moisturizers without additives. Shea butter is also good for eczema.

Use of harsh soap, cold temperature, low humidity, and excessive washing without moisturizers can aggravate eczema.

During flares, use of cleansers should be limited to avoid irritation.

Hot water can irritate the skin.

Soap and detergents can trigger eczema. Less soap, less hot water and more moisturizers could help in managing reoccurrence of eczema.

Corticosteroid creams seem to work at first but there can be side effects like thinning of the skin after a period of time.

Keep your humidifier clean to avoid growth of microorganisms on it.

Reduce stress as stress is one of the causes of eczema.

Sugar scrubs can be very useful. Sugar contains glycolic acid that helps skin regeneration. Sugar scrubs helps to remove dead, flaky skin. It works well for dry eczema. Just mix sugar (preferably brown sugar) with coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil in a container. Dampen your sponge or bath towel a bit. Put the sugar mixture on the sponge or towel and scrub the affected area gently. Rinse with luke-warm water after the scrub.

Omega 3 oil rich foods like fish is good for the skin.

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