Photo courtesy of James Heilman, MD [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], from Wikimedia Commons
Eczema is a troublesome condition that most people recognize by the presence of red and itchy skin. Most people with eczema know the strife of looking all over for a product that’s helpful for their skin.
Unfortunately, the sad reality is that a lot of over-the-counter products can actually make things worse. Many people have reported that their symptoms only become exacerbated when they use products that they bought from the pharmacy.
The reality is that, in many cases, nature simply has the best remedies. Diseases our a sign that our bodies are not in balance, and one of the best ways to help return our body to balance is to take care of it. Some of these natural remedies are not just things that can help you get rid of eczema, but things that you should be doing on a regular basis regardless.
In serious cases, if none of these remedies work, then medication can be a viable option. But for your sake, if your condition is not too bad, it could be worth your while to try out some of these natural remedies before you go to the doctor and get prescribed some heavy lotion.
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1. Oatmeal Baths
Oatmeal baths, particularly those made with colloidal oatmeal, are tremendously beneficial for the skin. Colloidal oatmeal is a certain type of oatmeal that has been ground u very well.
Colloidal oatmeal (and regular oatmeal) are known for being useful for helping to soften and soothe inflammation on the skin. You can find colloidal oatmeal in the form of cream and powders, but the easiest way to use this interesting remedy is to simply make a bath with it.
Add the oatmeal, at least a cup of it, ,to your bathwater and mix it well. Soak in the bath for a while, until you experience some relief from your itching and make sure that you dry off well. Some people recommend using an oily moisturizer afterwards to prevent drying.
Colloidal oatmeal can be found at natural health food stores and some pharmacies. Regular oatmeal can be purchased from the grocery store.
2. Check Your Diet
Many people find that their eczema breakouts are triggered by food that their eat. There are a number of common triggers, though everyone has their own unique set of eczema triggers. .
Eggs, fish, various nuts and soy can all cause eczema to flare up. So can foods and additives that are known to cause inflammation, like stimulants and sugars.
One of the easiest ways to find out what foods cause you to flare up or have an allergic reaction is to cut out certain foods for several weeks. Try eating nothing but vegetables and grains for a few days and see if your symptoms are reduced, then gradually introduce meat, eggs, and dairy back into your diet and figure out which ones are responsible for your flare ups.
3. Get Softer Clothes
If you’re wearing scratchy, uncomfortable clothes then it’s no wonder your skin is uncomfortable. Even if you don’t have eczema it can be quite unpleasant to walk around all day while wearing itchy clothes.
Not only should you swap out itchy fibers for soft ones (including bamboo, cotton, and silk) but you should make sure that your clothes aren’t too tight on your body. This can cause your skin to become irritated, cause problems with your blood, and lead to inflammation.
4. Use Better Laundry Detergent
Considering our laundry detergent is what gets absorbed into our clothes, it’s no wonder that you would want to get a healthy, organic laundry detergent.
Unfortunately, this usually means that you have to go somewhere aside from the local grocery store or department store. Most laundry detergents are full of harsh chemicals that, while they might smell good, can be quite harmful to your skin.
Natural health food stores often carry organic laundry detergents made from ingredients that smell just as good, like tea tree oil, that won’t harm your skin.
5. Magnesium Bath
In some cases, people with serious eczema don’t actually get a lot of relief from moisturizing their skin. In the worst situations, people might actually find that their symptoms become aggravated when they soak in water.
These people might find benefits from taking a magnesium bath. All you have to do is add some Epsom salts or magnesium flakes, both of which can be found at health food stores and pharmacies, into your bath.
Not only will this help to keep your skin feeling healthy and comfortable, but it will help to relax you and get rid of anxiety. Magnesium is a fantastic and versatile supplement that has many uses. Adding Himalayan salt to the bath, which can also be found at health food stores, will further improve the benefits.
6. Use Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is widely used for a huge number of health benefits, both when used as a supplement or when used topically. There aren’t too many skin conditions that can’t be at least somewhat improved by using coconut oil.
As far as eczema goes, coconut oil helps to relieve itching and mild pain. Coconut oil can be found at pretty much any natural health food store, and many grocery stores and supermarkets are beginning to carry it now.
Not only can coconut oil be great for managing acute symptoms of skin conditions, but it can also improve your general health if you replace less healthy oils like canola with coconut oi.
7. Use Turmeric
Turmeric has been known for its potent benefits for many thousands of years. In India, turmeric is considered a powerful medicine for treating all sorts of things ranging from cognitive impairment to inflammation.
This is mostly because of curcumin, the main active ingredient found in the turmeric plant. Curcumin is a fantastic anti-inflammatory compound and can be useful when used internally or externally.
You can mix turmeric with water and turn it into a paste which you can apply to the skin. Beware, if your skin is very light then this might leave a stain for a day or so. Try to make some cool shapes for a temporary tattoo!
You can also get curcumin extracts from supplement shops and pharmacies if you don’t want to get turmeric from the spice aisle at your grocery store. Many of these come pre-mixed with black pepper which helps to improve the absorption of cumin.
8. Watch Your Stress Levels
A devilish paradox that living with eczema can cause someone a lot of stress, but stress can also cause breakouts of eczema. If you’re good at observing your stress levels, then you should take care of making sure that you don’t get too stressed out.
Simple practices like doing yoga and following a deep breathing or meditation routine can be fantastic for helping to manage stressful times, and these things can be done anywhere at anytime.
You can also manage stress by taking a number of adaptogenic herbs like ginseng or rhodiola. These herbs help your body adapt to stress and make it less likely to succumb to outbreaks.
9. Ginseng
There are several different types of ginseng, but the most common are Panax (Korean) ginseng and Siberian ginseng. Chinese ginseng is all quite popular.
All of these plants are adaptogens and help your body fight off stress. But more than that, they are known to be helpful in reducing inflammation and improving your body’s ability to fight off stressors and invaders by boosting your immune system.
Studies have been done on Panax ginseng that have revealed it to be quite effective at fighting lesions in mice. Considering how well-known ginseng is for fighting inflammation in humans, there’s no reason to believe that it wouldn’t help fight eczema.
10. Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil is a double whammy when it comes to helping treat eczema. That’s because it can be used topically as well as ingested.
When used topically, it can be beneficial for helping to treat all manner of irritable skin conditions – including eczema. The oil is very soothing and can provide quick relief.
It can also be taken orally, and in this case it helps to relieve people of chronic inflammation, but please read the instructions and talk to your doctor before doing this. Part of the reason for this is because the oil is rich in omega-6 fatty acids which are known to be immensely helpful in maintaining the health of the skin and for fighting inflammation.
Evening primrose oil can be found in natural health food stores and in some pharmacies.
11. Sunflower Oil
You’re probably getting the picture by now that oils in general are good for your skin. However, each oil has different properties and it’s important to be aware of even the subtle differences when you’re dealing with a condition like eczema.
Sunflower oil, extracted from the seeds of sunflowers, is known to protect the epidermis or the top layer of skin. This means that it helps the skin retain moisture while creating a preventative barrier against bacteria.
In addition to this, the oil helps to keep the skin hydrated and can reduce symptoms of inflammation and itching. Get organic sunflower oil from the health food store.
12. Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is a powerful astringent and a great tool to enhance the health of the skin. It’s a traditional folk remedy that has been used for many, many years to help fight inflammatory problems of the skin.
There hasn’t been a lot of research done on the specific use of witch hazel for eczema. However, anecdotal reports suggest that it is quite effective, and the impressive way in which the compound targets other inflammatory conditions suggest that it would be quite effective.
Witch hazel can be found in pharmacies, but organic varieties that are more powerful and healthier can be found at natural health food stores. Witch hazel can also be mixed into other oils and made into pastes with other ingredients on this list to form even more powerful remedies.
13. Calendula
Calendula is another popular folk remedy that has been used for many hundreds of years to help people manage skin problems. Calendula creams, which are readily available in pharmacies and natural food stores, are known to help fight off inflammation and discomfort from burns our wounds.
By helping to enhance blood flow to the area, calendula is able to help hydrate the skin and fight off infections. Again, there isn’t too much research done on how well calendula affects eczema, but many people have reported improvement.
14. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a very old practice that has been used since ancient times in Traditional Chinese Medicine. For a while, people in the West were skeptical about acupuncture because it seemed like voodoo. Acupuncture simply involves putting tiny needles into parts of the body.
However, it quickly became clear that acupuncture is highly effective for all manner of ailments. Acupuncture works by affecting various energy meridians in the body and clearing up blockages or redirecting energy.
Some research has suggested that acupuncture shows some promise in regard to helping people manage eczema. Acupuncture can be found at many naturopathic clinics.
15. Acupressure
Acupressure works in a way similar to acupuncture, but instead of using needles to redirect energy the practitioner will simply use their hands and fingers to apply pressure to certain areas. This can be nearly or just as effective as acupuncture, and maany acupuncture practitioners offer this service as well.
16. Use a Humidifier
This tip is only really effective if you’re living in a house that has very dry air. Dry air can be a trigger for eczema outbreaks, and it’s important to make sure that you’re getting enough moisture in your air.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to get a humidifier. These are particularly important during the colder months when using a heater or a wood stove tends to suck all the moisture out of the air.
If you have a wood stove, you can simply put a pot of hot water on top of the stove. The water will slowly vaporize into the air, retaining the levels of moisture in the air.
17. Exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to help people manage their stress levels. Exercising helps the body produce endorphins, which are basically our natural feel-good chemicals. When these chemicals aren’t being produced, we’re more likely to experience anxiety and stress.
As we have already mentioned, stress is one of the biggest triggers for eczema. When we’re highly stressed out, our body sends out an inflammatory response and this can lead to serious outbreaks. Try light exercise at first, like doing yoga or jogging.
18. Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the things that we consume that is known to cause inflammation. Alcohol actually causes all kinds of health problems, but many of these arise as a result of the serious inflammation that the drug causes.
For that reason, alcohol is not recommended for people with eczema. It’s not uncommon for people with eczema to experience breakouts when drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
19. Massage
There are a couple reasons that massages can be useful for someone who is experiencing eczema.
First off, massages are great for helping to relieve stress levels overall. Stress, as have mentioned, is one of the biggest triggers for eczema, and reducing your overall stress levels is important for helping to regulate your breakouts.
Furthermore, massage can help to reduce inflammation in the local area. Applying a moisturizing massage oil and massaging an area that frequently gets breakouts can be a very useful way for helping people prevent their breakouts.
20. Vitamin D
In addition to being one of the most important nutrients that we need, vitamin D can be useful for helping to manage symptoms of eczema.
If you live in an area that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight or if you choose to spend a lot of your time inside, then chances are that you should get more vitamin D. In this case, it can be wise to take a supplement. However, foods like sardines can be useful for helping people supplement their diet with vitamin D.
Studies have also revealed that people who take vitamin D during wintertime are less likely to experience eczema, despite winter being a time when people generally experience a worsening of eczema.
21. Hypnosis
There’s a lot of evidence out there that suggests that hypnosis can be used for helping people manage physical conditions. The link between the mind and body is irrefutable and by helping people manage their mental health, alternative treatments like hypnosis can be useful for helping to manage conditions like eczema.
One of the ways to look at this is by seeing how effective hypnosis can be for regulating stress. This, in turn, will help to minimize the amount of breakouts that you experience.
22. Go to a Spa
There is some evidence that going to a spa can actually be more helpful than simply bathing at home. However, there isn’t a lot of understanding as to exactly why a spa is more beneficial than bathing at home.
Thermal spas are a refuge for people with serious eczema and psoriasis. These spas are popular in France, and they allow people to get exposure to sunlight and warmth. Their responses are much better than typical therapies, however, they are often quite expensive and not really available for everyone.
23. Probiotics
Take probiotics if you have eczema, because there is some evidence that the bacteria in your gut influence eczema and the condition of your skin. When your bacteria become imbalanced, the condition of your skin often becomes imbalanced as a side effect.
In the case of people with eczema, this can result in flare ups. By taking probiotics and prebiotics (which are supplements that contain nutrients for the bacteria in your gut) you can help to restore a healthy balance to these important little bacteria. Not only will this help you retain good skin health but it will influence all other areas of your health as well.
24. Antibacterial Fabrics
There is some evidence that wearing antibacterial fabrics can help reduce the instance of eczema flare ups. These clothes can be found in some pharmacies, but they are not very popular yet.
The studies that have been done on these garments are not very widespread but there’s no reason that they wouldn’t be able to help prevent the emergence of bacteria-related flare ups.
25. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most versatile natural remedies on the planet. It can be used for everything from helping to manage symptoms of fungal infections to improving the health of eczema.
Apple cider vinegar is an antibacterial and an antifungal and can help to reduce the yeast that can influence eczema. It can also help to restore the skin to a healthy state of being slightly acidic.
Sometimes our skin becomes too alkaline. It’s supposed to be at a pH of around 5, but sometimes it goes closer to 7. This causes the skin to break down and bacteria can increase, causing more frequent breakouts.
Photo: adapted from James Heilman, MD [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], from Wikimedia Commons
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