Effective Eczema Treatments

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Recent studies have shown that there are 15 million people in this country who suffer from a form of eczema. Eczema can occur at any age and unfortunately, there is no known cure for eczema. However, the good news is that many very effective eczema treatments are available.

Before attempting to find an eczema cure it is important to understand exactly what the condition is.

Eczema is a dry skin condition that can occur at any age, but mostly is found in children. The severity of the condition varies from person to person, and as a result, different cases will require different help. Eczema is not a contagious condition.

A person suffering from eczema may find their skin will not only look dry, but also be itchy and red. In severe cases, bleeding, crusting and weeping may occur in affected areas of the body.

So, what is the best eczema treatment? The first step to eczema relief is to stop scratching. Scratching causes the skin to split and bleed, making it more vulnerable to infection. Should infection occur, oral and topical antibiotics are available and, in most cases, are very effective.

As eczema sufferers will know stopping the scratching is easier said than done. Keeping skin moisturized will prevent dryness and splitting of the skin even if scratching continues. Every person is different, but it is recommended that a moisturizer or cream is applied to affected areas at least twice a day. The best time to apply it is after bathing. This way moisture from the bath or shower is still locked into the skin. Keeping skin moist is a critical part of all eczema treatments.

Another option is to apply cold compress. If this still does not work, the next best option is non-prescription corticosteroid creams and ointments that are designed to reduce inflammation. These are readily available over the counter at any drug store.

If the non-prescription corticosteroid creams and ointments are ineffective, the next step is to try those that are prescribed by a doctor. Stronger corticosteroid creams and ointments have been found to be very successful, but can have side-effects. Talk to your doctor to ensure you fully understand any risks or possible side effects of using these creams. The length of eczema treatment and the area of usage should always be reduced to the least amount of time possible. In severe cases, doctors may prescribe oral corticosteroids. Once again, there are risks and side-effects involved in taking corticosteroids, so always talk to your doctor about these issues first.

In some cases, especially those in which the person is suffering from severe itching, the previously mentioned creams may not be effective. For that, doctors may recommend sedative antihistamines. These are available in both prescription and over-the-counter varieties. Since drowsiness is a common side effect, these are usually given during the evening to ensure a restful nights sleep.

The last resort for eczema treatment is a drug called cyclosporine A. This is designed to modify the bodys immune response. However, this treatment is known to have serious side effects.

Little Known Natural Remedies For Eczema

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Looking for natural remedies for eczema can be hard and time consuming. Discovering a permanent solution for your eczema problem can be even tougher. In this brief article I will touch upon 3 natural eczema remedies that might not be well known, but they are indeed effective.

It’s a good idea to understand that the label “natural remedies” is by no means a guarantee for safety or effectiveness. The remedies I will be discussing in this article should have no problem in that department though.

Many people spend a lot of time looking for remedies that work, and they never consider that some of these remedies might be found in any kitchen or grocery store. Let’s now take a look at the three remedies that has proven themselves effective in many cases.

Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Unrefined olive oil, or so called virgin and extra-virgin olive oil, is very healthy for your digestion. It has a calming effect on your entire digestive system. Many people like to take on table spoon of extra-virgin olive oil as a food supplement in the morning and evening.

This will do wonders for your digestion, and help ease the food safely through your system. It has to be a high quality olive oil though, but that doesn’t mean it has to be all that expensive.

You should also consider increasing the quality of the olive oil you use in your cooking. There is a connection between eczema and digestion, and extra-virgin olive oil will improve your digestion and diminish your eczema symptoms.

B vitamins

B vitamins is also connected to digestion. A lot of vitamin B is actually produced by beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.

However, when you suffer from eczema and your digestion is not working properly, it will affect your vitamin B level. Since vitamin B is also important for proper digestion a vicious spiral will soon emerge.

Therefore it can be a very good idea to take vitamin B supplement if you suffer from eczema. In milder cases this might actually be enough to completely remove the symptoms altogether.

Probiotics

Probiotics can in some cases be almost like a miracle remedy for your eczema. Among all the natural remedies for eczema this is probably the most important I’ve ever come across.

After a few weeks or so on pro-biotics you can expect to go into what is often referred to as “healing crisis”. This is very common with natural remedies, and it will feel similar to a common flu. It will blow over in a few days.

Once the healing crisis is over with you can expect your eczema symptoms to clear up to various degrees. Some report of being completely cured, but that is mostly milder cases. Don’t expect this if you case is more severe.

The connection between digestive problems and eczema is supported by the effect probiotics have on many eczema sufferers. You should really explore this connection further if you want to gain a deeper understanding of your condition.

Eczema – How To Treat It In A Natural Way

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A good moisturizer is a must for eczema sufferers. A good moisturizer helps you replenish the natural oils of your skin. An Emollient-rich moisturizer will help your skin by keeping the skin hydrated and thus avoiding irritation.

Avoiding too much exposure to the direct sunlight is another common natural treatment for eczema. The sun has harmful rays and it is known to destroy the skin. This is why so many people use sunscreen when they have to be outside for a long period of time. If you want to use sunscreen then do so with the type that is all natural without dyes or perfumes of any kind.

Natural carriers oils are helpful for treating eczema because they are rich in omega fatty acids. Good oils for this purpose include avocado oil, almond oil, jojoba oil and cold-pressed vegetable oil. To make an oil blend, mix 20-25 drops of essential oil for every 2 ounces of your chosen carrier oil. Apply the blend once a day, preferably after bathing.

Another common remedy is grape seed extract. The reason this can help prevent the recurring itchy skin is because it contains anti-oxidants that help to stop the allergic response that your skin is having. Anti-oxidants help fight free radicals and remove toxins from the blood stream. There are many different supplements that contain high levels of anti-oxidants which may be beneficial for treating eczema.

Another natural treatment for eczema is blueberry extract. You can find this extract in lotions and creams. The blueberry extract will help you stop the itching, inflammation, and irritation that’s associated with eczema. To get this best benefit from this treatment, apply it to your skin at least once a day. You can find lotions and cream with blueberry extract in it at your local cosmetic store.

With all these elements that make your more healthy, Aloe Vera is certainly a fantastic natural treatment for eczema. In addition to the vitamins that Aloe Vera offers in also contains vital minerals like Potassium, Copper, Zinc, Calcium, Sodium, Iron and much more important minerals that are needed to maintain a healthy body. With Aloe Vera your body is certainly not going to be without the necessary minerals to have a healthy fit body that can fight off Eczema.

The application of mudpacks is another natural treatment for eczema. You can apply fuller’s earth on the area. Make a paste of fuller’s earth along with camphor, sandalwood and rosewater. Apply it on the affected area and allow it to remain for 30 minutes. Sometimes, turmeric is also suggested in these packs as it has healing and anti-bacterial properties. Turmeric can be applied with leaves of bitter Neem, which is also an anti-bacterial agent. Mashed papaya is another suggested remedy for curing eczema naturally. You can also mash the seeds of papaya and apply on the affected areas for reducing itchiness.

Eczema Solution – Fix Eczema With A Natural Treatment Ch 6 – Dietary Causes Continued

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Fish and seafood: Oily fish like salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel and sardines have all been implicated in causing eczema flare-ups. While oily fish is generally extremely good for you because it contains the essential omega-3 fatty acids (which have been shown to help to combat depression, cancer and heart disease), these fatty acids can sometimes cause problems for eczema sufferers.

However, there are no hard and fast rules about what particular foods will cause an eczema sufferer problems and which will help them. This is particularly true of omega-3 fatty acids, because in many cases, they can help reduce inflammation in every area of the body rather than causing a problem. As eczema is a condition of skin inflammation, it might indeed be that some people will actually benefit from including omega-3 in their diet, rather than suffer adverse side-effects.

Given the degree of uncertainty, if you want to try including fish oil in your diet to increase the levels of omega-3, you must keep a very close record of your results (remember the elimination diet notion).

I would also recommend that you use supplements rather than trying to eat lots of oily fish. This is because many predator oily fish (those that get the omega-3 from eating other fish, like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna) also tend to eat lots of toxins at the same time.

As an example, it is increasingly common for salmon and tuna to be very high in mercury and dioxins, so if you want to include larger amounts of omega-3 in your diet, use provably safe supplements to do so.

In this same group, it is also believed that crustaceans such as lobster, crab, prawns and crayfish as well as mollusks (clams, oysters, mussels etc) might be foodstuffs to avoid. In fact, while the jury is probably out on whether eating oily fish is good for someone who suffers from eczema, there can be little doubt that shellfish and crustaceans are almost always a problem for people who have eczema.

Acidic fruits: Research has indicated that including acidic fruits such as cranberries, blueberries and currants will cause an increased level of eczema affected skin production in many sufferers.

Canned or glazed fruits will often cause problems as well, primarily because in the canning or glazing process, artificial preservatives are very commonly used.

Nuts: All ‘true’ nuts like almonds, pistachios, cushion nuts, hazelnuts and walnuts have the ability to make eczema far worse if they are included in your diet.

Peanuts are often believed to cause problems for anyone who has eczema, despite the fact that a peanut is not in fact a nut at all (it’s a legume, similar to beans and peas).

For people who find themselves particularly susceptible to peanuts as a cause of eczema, it is essential that you check processed or pre-packed foods for peanut traces. While the practice of including peanut extract or traces in processed or pre-packed foods has significantly decreased in the past few years, you should still check to make sure anything you eat does not contain peanut residue if peanuts are a big problem.
Eggs: Eggs and other foodstuffs that are either based on or use eggs in the creation or manufacturing process should be avoided as well. As an example, cakes often contain eggs, so cakes should be avoided.

Egg allergies are common, with some sources suggesting that an allergy to eggs and egg materials is one of the most common causes of atopic eczema in children.

Don’t forget the idea of the elimination diet. If you suspect that eggs are causing a problem, cut them out of your diet for a period of time, before reintroducing them a little further down the line. If your eczema problems reappear, you have a much clearer picture of what is causing you difficulties.

Many of the better-known and more commonly used food additives, colorings and preservatives can also cause your eczema to flare-up. It is a fact of modern life that the majority of foods we eat and beverages we drink include preservatives or additives of some description, but as far as possible, you should try to avoid consuming foods or drinks that are laden with chemical additives.

As an example, substances like tartrazine, monosodium glutamate and sodium benzoate are all known to be capable of irritating your system to the extent that you suffer a flare-up of eczema. None of these chemical-based food additives could ever be considered to be natural. It therefore follows that if you are trying to get rid of your eczema problem completely naturally, you should avoid foods with these preservatives or colorings in them.

Causes Scalp Eczema

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I am often asked what is the best remedy for dry scaly scalp – or another question is what are scaly bumps on scalp? If you too ask this question, you are likely suffering from Eczema of the scalp.Eczema is an itchy, prickly irritation of the skin that can be extremely annoying to those who are unfortunate enough to be affected with this malady. People can be affected with eczema all over the entire body, but one of the most common types of eczema is that which affects the scalp.

Where and When Does Scalp Eczema Begin? When you have eczema of the scalp, the oil glands contained in the skin of your scalp are involved. These oil glands are connected to the follicles of the hair, and their job is to produce enough oil to keep the skin of the scalp smooth and supple as well as to keep the hair from being dry and rough to the touch. This involvement of the oil glands is why scalp eczema also goes by the name of either Seborrhoeic dermatitis, or Seborrhoeic eczema. This type of eczema affects the parts of the body that produce more skin oil than other areas are known to, such as the scalp, eyebrows, and sides of the nose. You may have first noticed scaly scalp or bumps.Many times, scalp eczema starts at puberty, when the oil glands in the scalp began to produce more oil than usual because of the influx of hormones that have begun to flood the body. But, this disorder can appear on a person of any age. It seems to be a bit more common in men than in women, although females certainly suffer from it as well. Scalp eczema is known to be a chronic condition in that it can flare up seemingly for no reason at all, and then retreat, not to be seen again for months or years. Or, it can be an ongoing condition where the time without any symptoms is quite rare.

What Causes Scalp Eczema? No one is exactly sure what the cause of scalp eczema is, but there are several theories as to why it occurs, such as Hormones, no matter what your age group A skin fungusToxins in the body which seem to overwhelm the immune system Stress, which in turn can further aggravate the condition.

Symptoms of Scalp Eczema Scalp eczema can start out with very mild symptoms. In fact, many people are totally unaware that they have this skin condition until it has gotten out of hand. The first telltale sign is a slight case of dandruff which can quickly escalate to an unusually oily scalp with extremely itchy, red and irritated skin. Scaly patches of skin with a yellowish crust from the excess oil are also quite common. Itching of the scalp of course causes scratching, which eventually breaks the skin and can create open sores.

Treatment of Scalp Eczema There are a number of topical creams and ointments on the market which are manufactured to treat scalp eczema and help the itching, excess oiliness and flaky skin. Medicated shampoos are also helpful, and may be used on a regular basis to help control symptoms. Many times, doctors will prescribe hydrocortisone (also known as steroids) to treat scalp eczema, but studies have shown that this only masks the symptoms. The steroid treatment does nothing to get to the actual cause of the disorder, but merely helps to relieve the itching, which can allow the skin to begin to heal. Scalp on the scalp eczema has the maddening habit of recurring once you think you have it conquered and cease treatment. But beginning a treatment routine at the first sign of a flare up is the only way to keep a bout with scalp eczema from getting out of hand. I am often asked what is the best remedy for dry scaly scalp?

You can use a variety of natural treatment including slight diet adjustments for a while and also by using natural oils such as hemp or neem and lavender to soothe and heal. You can also do a lot to help your scalp by using products that are gentle on your skin instead of harsh cleansing ingredients found in most shampoos. To find a good shampoo for scalp eczema look for one that doesnt contain sulphates (a harsh foaming agent called a surfactant) and instead contains natural surfactants like yukka or coconut.Scalp eczema and other scaly scalp conditions can be eliminated by understanding what to avoid and what you can use at home to nourish and heal your scalp.