Natural Remedies for Eczema

Natural remedies for eczema are progressively gaining popularity worldwide and many eczema sufferers achieve excellent results by using them. To date there is no known permanent cure for eczema. However, the condition can be effectively managed and kept under control. In fact there are countless people who have responded much better to eczema natural remedies than to conventional medications and methods who manage to keep their skin symptoms free for years, with occasional, short lived, mild flare ups.

Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition, which can be caused by a wide variety of factors. Therefore successfully managing your condition and using natural remedies for eczema will involve a multi-dimensional approach, which can be incorporated into your everyday life. Using natural remedies for eczema and keeping your symptoms under control will involve the following:

• identifying and eliminating foods or irritants that cause your condition,
• providing the right nutrients for your body which will promote your skin’s health
• using a sensible skin care routine which will nourish and protect your skin without irritating it
• enhancing your immune system

There are numerous supplements and skin care products and eczema natural remedies are available on the market today, especially developed for the treatment of this skin disorder. However, using them alone will not be sufficient to keep your condition under control for the long run. It is both important to treat and protect your skin by using topical products as well as it is vital to be aware and address the root causes of your condition and treat yourself accordingly. This step is often overlooked by eczema sufferers, although paying attention to it can achieve dramatic results.

Identifying Food Allergies – The Most Important Step Before Using Home Remedies for Eczema

Since over 50% of people who develop this upsetting and uncomfortable skin condition suffer from a type of food allergy, identifying and eliminating foods that trigger your eczema outbreaks or intensify your existing symptoms is the first and most important step before using any topical or dietary eczema natural remedies. Without doing this vital step, regardless of what types of conventional treatments or natural remedies are used, your condition will inevitably recur or will become exacerbated.

Make a list of foods that you suspect might contribute to the development of your condition. Be sure to include items from the most well known food groups that are known to trigger this condition, such as dairy products, nuts, shellfish, foods containing chemicals, preservatives, yeast or gluten. There are cases where an eczema sufferer will show signs of sensitivity to multiple types of foods and only after carrying out this test thoroughly will allow a person to be aware of this. Therefore finding one type of food hypersensitivity or allergy might not mean that your search is over.

For a whole month write down your eczema symptoms, the time when they develop, their intensity, the location of where they develop and how long it takes for them to clear if they do.

It is also worthwhile to list any other potential triggers, such as stress, chemical irritants, cleaning solvents and detergents, air humidity or wool.

You may want to consult an allergy specialist or immunologist to carry out a placebo controlled food challenge, a blood test or an atopy skin test in order to isolate the causes of your condition.

Unfortunately many people overlook or disregard the fact that in the treatment of eczema prevention is the first and foremost step. Prior to using natural remedies for eczema or any medical treatment methods, you need to primarily focus on avoiding foods or substances that cause it and after you have completed this vital step, your condition will significantly improve or even clear up completely for the long term.

Vitamins and Supplements Used as Natural Remedies for Eczema

Vitamins and natural supplements are important natural remedies for eczema, since they provide your body with vital nutrients that are both important for your skin’s health as well as your immune system. The most important vitamins that are essential when treating eczema include the following:

• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids – a powerful antioxidant, essential for skin health – will boost your body’s natural defense mechanisms and will act as an antihistamine during an allergic reaction associated with eczema, overcoming the histamine produced by a sufferer’s body, which could activate an eczema outbreak
•  Vitamin B complex – an important nutrient that supports skin health – will help reduce stress hormones released by your body during difficult times and will stimulate the reproduction of skin cells
•  Vitamin D is helpful in healing damaged skin tissues, vitamin D deficiency tends to worsen eczema symptoms in patients.
• Vitamin E is vital for skin health and when applied topically, it can soothe the itchiness associated with eczema. However, be sure not to use synthetically produced vitamin E on your skin.
•  Studies show that eczema sufferers tend to have lower levels of mega 3 fatty acids in their diet, which is found in nuts, seeds and oily fish.
•  GLA or gamma-linolenic acid, found in evening primrose oil, black currant oil or borage oil has the ability to correct mild to moderate deficiencies in skin lipids.
• Probiotics will mitigate allergic reactions associated with eczema and other types of dermatitis and will strengthen the immune system.

Magnesium Salts Used as Natural Remedies for Eczema

According to The National Association of Eczema salt baths are effective in reducing eczema symptoms. Magnesium salts, such as Epsom salt, Himalayan salt or sea salt are effective natural eczema remedies as they have the ability to significantly reduce the roughness and redness associated with eczema. Epsom salt, which is magnesium sulfate is the best choice of the three, but you can add a cup of any of these salts to your baths. Himalayan salt contains 84 different minerals and it is not only suitable for the treatment of eczema, but also for psoriasis, herpes, contact dermatitis or candidiasis symptoms reduction.

Eczema Natural Remedies Used in Homeopathy

Arsenicum Album, which is one of the 15 most widely used homeopathic remedies is helpful for treating cases where the patient suffers from swelling, itching or burning. If your discomforts associated with eczema tend to intensify when your skin is exposed to dry, cold wind or humidity, Arsenicum Album maybe one of the best eczema natural remedies you can use.

Rhus toxicodendron is another excellent homeopathic medicine made from poison ivy leaves, used for skin and musco-skeletal disorders. Rhus toxicodendron is prescribed for the treatment of acute cases of eczema, rosace or diaper rash in small doses.

The homeopathic medicine called Psorinum is often prescribed by holistic and homeopathic practitioners not only for the treatment of eczema, but also for blisters, psoriasis, acne or boils, especially in severe cases where oozing of fluids and an unpleasant odor is present.

Mezereum can be used for all types and intensities of excema, especially helpful for the symptoms of itching, crusting, burning, oozing and redness.

Tags: eczema natural remedies, natural remedies for eczema

Category: Eczema, Home Remedies, Skin