7 Natural (and Easy!) Remedies for Eczema

I get quite a few questions about skin problems like eczema and psoriasis. I’m not a dermatologist by any means, but I have had some personal experience with eczema (in myself and my family) and have found some natural remedies that have helped us so I wanted to share. As always, ask your own doc and specialists before trying anything!

The Diet Connection With Eczema

I feel it is important to note that all of the topical remedies in the world didn’t help us until we addressed the underlying problem, in our case: diet and lifestyle factors that were causing/contributing to eczema.

Just as you can’t out supplement a bad diet in other areas, topical remedies don’t address the underlying problem.

Certainly, eczema and other skin issues are complex conditions with a potential variety of causes, but there do seem to be some common things that help (both dietary and other).

My Son’s Eczema (& What We Tried)

In our family, our son struggled with eczema off and on for a long time. He was born via c-section (due to placenta previa) and was given antibiotics and steroids as soon as he was born. This led to problems with his gut bacteria, some learning delays, and some skin/digestive problems.

We started the GAPS program (find all the details here) combined with a pretty intensive supplement and lifestyle change for him and finally started to see improvement.

If you haven’t heard of it, GAPS is an intensive diet that focuses on gut-healing foods like bone broth (traditionally prepared and long-simmered so it’s gelatin-rich) and many healthy fats and nutrient sources we typically don’t get enough of in our modern diets. It also includes a fair amount of fermented vegetables, making their nutrients more accessible to those with impaired digestive systems and helping the overall healing process.

How to Try a GAPS Diet

Depending on the severity of the patient, one either begins with or works up to the Introduction Diet, which is the strictest part of the protocol, focused on intensive healing. There are then stages as the person begins to introduce other foods. The most difficult factor of the GAPS diet is that in order to be effective, especially in the beginning, one must be 100% compliant. This means a lot of preparing foods at home, as practically any foods prepared by someone not familiar with the protocol will have things that can aggravate the gut.

For us, it meant consuming more homemade broth and soups (or ones from a quality source) as well as removing certain foods including gluten and casein (wheat and dairy). We also found that it was helpful to avoid food dyes and any processed ingredients, though this was as much from a behavior perspective as a skin one.

If you or a family member struggle with skin problems, allergies or behavior struggles, I’d definitely recommend at least checking out the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome to see if the protocol would be helpful for you.

Natural Remedies for Eczema

Of course, once diet has been addressed, there are some things that can be used topically that may speed healing or limit discomfort during the healing time. For us, these things were helpful:

1. Coconut Oil

We use coconut oil for skin, hair, teeth, and even soap making at our house! It is also great for eczema (as long as the person isn’t allergic/intolerant… I found this out the hard way when I took this genetic test and found out I don’t tolerate it well as a food.)

I’ve found that a thin layer of coconut oil or a coconut oil lotion bar helps cool eczema itching and pain.

For those sensitive to coconut oil, these hypoallergenic lotion bars work really well too.

2. Sea Salt Magnesium Spray

For eczema that is wet/oozing, I’ve found that drying it works better than trying to moisturize it. I’ve often heard people with skin problems say that they felt better at the beach, and it makes sense between the vitamin D from the sun and the magnesium and the minerals in the salt water.

For those who don’t live near the ocean, this homemade magnesium salt spray can help achieve some of the same benefits at home.

3. Omega-3 Oils (While Limiting Omega-6)

This natural eczema remedy may not provide immediate relief but may help get at the root cause. Certain research as recently as 2016 found that consuming high levels of omega-3 (that is, more than you would get from occasionally eating fish), especially at an early age may reduce the risk and severity of eczema. This is due to the DHA and EPA fatty acids found in fish.

While some studies suggest that more research is needed to pinpoint the degree of effectiveness, it seems that avoiding inflammatory omega-6 oils (found in many processed foods and vegetable oils) while increasing omega-3 sources from fish oil and consumption of fish had a positive effect on eczema in the studies listed below.

Unfortunately, studies suggest eating fish alone probably isn’t enough to get therapeutic benefits (though we do incorporate low-mercury seafood often). I find I get the most benefit when I take a fish oil supplement. I get the most benefit from these capsules due to the quality and ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. This company makes a chewable supplement for kids as well.

4. Magnesium Baths

For some people with eczema, soaking in water makes it worse. For those who tolerate it, magnesium baths and other types of detox baths can be helpful in skin healing.

I regularly add a cup of Epsom salts or magnesium flakes and a few tablespoons of Himalayan salt to my kids’ baths. When I have the time, I take relaxing baths in this mixture also.

When I can’t take the time for a bath, magnesium oil also helps. Amazingly, I notice the benefits of transdermal magnesium on the skin much more quickly than when I take internal forms of magnesium.

My favorite magnesium bath recipe is:

1-2 cups of Epsom salts or magnesium flakes (magnesium flakes are absorbed much more easily)
1/2 cup Himalayan or sea salt
1/2 tsp of natural vanilla extract
10-15 drops of essential oil of choice (I love lavender and mint)

These three detox bath recipes are also all great if the person can handle warm water.

5. Probiotics

Research on whether probiotics help eczema is mixed. A 2018 review found probiotics had “little to no effect” on eczema symptoms, although no adverse effects were noted either. This article at NationalEczema.org reviews many of the existing studies and concludes that “probiotics are not effective for the treatment of established atopic dermatitis but may be helpful in prevention.” It also points out that the current body of research may not be conclusive since the type of probiotic strain seems to matter greatly.

I know that probiotics seemed to help my son (high quality probiotics are an important part of the GAPS diet). I’m also constantly seeing more research on the many ways that gut bacteria influence our health, and I can’t believe that skin health is any exception. Could there be a link?

Probiotics and probiotic-rich foods are an element that is increasingly missing in the modern diet as we moved away from traditional food preparations like fermentation. (Find out how to bring back those methods here.) We also make an effort to wash our hands and our food (a good thing with the chemicals on them these days) which also wash off the beneficial soil-borne micro-organisms that provide friendly bacteria to the gut.

I’ve also found that the probiotic strains in those foods were not enough for us. We all now take Probiotics and have seen dramatic improvements in skin and digestive health.

6. Gelatin-Rich Foods

I’ve mentioned that bone broth was an important part of a healing diet for us, and this was partially because of its high gelatin content. Gelatin helps soothe the gut and the collagen it contains is also great for hair, skin, and nail health.

To make broth, you basically save the carcass when you roast a chicken, duck, turkey, or goose and follow these steps. Ideally, the animal lived its life outdoors eating its natural food. This means you’re looking for bones from grass-fed cattle or bison, pastured poultry, or wild-caught fish. Since you’ll be extracting the minerals and drinking them in concentrated form, you want to make sure that the animal was as healthy as possible.

There are several places to find good bones for stock or tallow (rendered fat) from healthy animals:

From a local butcher, especially one who butchers the whole animal
From local farmers who raise grass-fed animals (ask around at your local farmer’s market)
Order online from companies like Butcher Box or US Wellness Meats
I use grass-fed tallow when cooking or in soaps. I get mine at a discount from Thrive Market.

For those who aren’t ready to jump into having a pot of boiling bones on the stove, there is now a great pre-made shelf-stable bone broth available and I always keep this stocked in my pantry.

I also use gelatin in recipes like:

I also stir powdered collagen into smoothies, since this form of gelatin doesn’t clump in cold water.

7. Homemade Healing Salve

For scars or blisters from eczema that take longer to heal, a homemade healing salve was helpful for us. Our son would get eczema on his face before we were able to heal his gut and we are still working on reversing the scars from that. One thing that is helping is this homemade healing salve.

My homemade healing salve (or “boo-boo lotion”, according to the kids) is helpful on eczema as well as: cuts, bruises, stings, poison ivy, and skin irritations. It also helps diaper rash and baby skin irritations- just don’t use with cloth diapers or line them first!

A Note About Infant Eczema

Eczema isn’t a problem just because it causes pain and itching. In babies, it can be a risk factor for other problems. I didn’t realize this when we were figuring out my son’s issues, but according to newer research babies with eczema have a 1 in 3 chance of developing a food allergy later in life. In fact, they are 11 times more likely to develop a peanut allergy by their first birthday compared to infants without eczema.

It’s also important to note that symptoms of eczema often occur earlier than a food allergy, furthering the importance of food allergy prevention for babies with eczema.

Due to this research and other landmark clinical trials such as the LEAP trial, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommend introducing allergenic foods early and often — specifically for infants with eczema — to reduce their risk of developing a food allergy. (I explain more in this post.)

Helpful Eczema Resources

I vividly remember how terrible it was to watch my son suffer through his eczema and I know the pain of not being able to take away the pain/itching a child experiences. The book The Eczema Cure is a very thorough resource and provides answers when it feels like you’ve tried everything else.

For more, don’t miss this podcast interview with Jennifer Fugo, an expert on all things eczema (both personally and professionally), this one with Dr. Nelli Gluzman, and Getting Rid of Eczema for Good With Dr. Ana-Maria Temple.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Have you ever struggled with eczema or skin problems? What helped you? Share below!

Sources

Calder, P. C., Kremmyda, L. S., Vlachava, M., Noakes, P. S., & Miles, E. A. (2010). Is there a role for fatty acids in early life programming of the immune system?. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 69(3), 373–380.
Martin, P. E., Eckert, J. K., Koplin, J. J., Lowe, A. J., Gurrin, L. C., Dharmage, S. C., Vuillermin, P., Tang, M. L., Ponsonby, A. L., Matheson, M., Hill, D. J., Allen, K. J., & HealthNuts Study Investigators (2015). Which infants with eczema are at risk of food allergy? Results from a population-based cohort. Clinical and experimental allergy: journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 45(1), 255–264.
McPherson T. (2016). Current Understanding in Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis. Indian journal of dermatology, 61(6), 649–655.
Miles, E. A., & Calder, P. C. (2017). Can Early Omega-3 Fatty Acid Exposure Reduce Risk of Childhood Allergic Disease?. Nutrients, 9(7), 784.
Proksch, E., Nissen, H. P., Bremgartner, M., & Urquhart, C. (2005). Bathing in a magnesium-rich Dead Sea salt solution improves skin barrier function, enhances skin hydration, and reduces inflammation in atopic dry skin. International journal of dermatology, 44(2), 151–157.
Schlichte, M. J., Vandersall, A., & Katta, R. (2016). Diet and eczema: a review of dietary supplements for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Dermatology practical & conceptual, 6(3), 23–29.
Varma, S. R., Sivaprakasam, T. O., Arumugam, I., Dilip, N., Raghuraman, M., Pavan, K. B., Rafiq, M., & Paramesh, R. (2018). In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 9(1), 5–14.

Become a VIP member!

Get access to my VIP newsletter with health tips, special deals, my free ebook on Seven Small Easy Habits and so much more!

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

348 responses to “7 Natural Remedies for Eczema”

Danny

February 23, 2015

THANK YOU WELLNESS MAMA!
Although I’ve had eczema my whole life (29-ish years!) I only started getting serious about overcoming it last year. I really want to do it without Steroid Creams.
I’ve checked out and used your website SO MANY TIMES (and will continue to do so!)

Reply
ALYCIA

February 19, 2015

MY SON HAS A MINOR CASE OF IT AND IS OF COURSE HAS SENSITIVE SKIN. I USE COCONUT OIL AND VITAMIN E OIL FOR IT

Reply
Carisa

February 2, 2015

Hi!

My 5 year old suffers from Eczema. it usually pops up on her back and tops of hands but recently it’s come up on her face. It took a visit to the dermatologist to actually determine what it was because it doesn’t look like it does on other parts of her body. We were given a prescription cream to use for a week but it hasn’t showed any improvement, in fact, I think it looks worse. This is after 2 months of dr visits. I do not want to put any more chemicals on my baby’s face. Can you please suggest a natural oil or paste that might help us?
Thank you!

Reply
1. Amy Duong
  
  February 11, 2015
  
  Hi Carisa,
  
  So sorry to hear about your child. I too had chronic eczema as a child and there were sleepless nights for my mom and hiding my skin in long-sleeve shirts all through school. I believe your child has a combination of food allergies and overall toxic burden on the liver to detoxify and so the body is eliminating through the skin as eczema. It is a multi-faceted condition.
  
  Reply
2. La-Tasha
  
  February 26, 2015
  
  My son is 9 mos old and we have been battling eczema since he was 2 mos old. Like most of you, we’ve seen countless dermatologists, pediatric dermatologists and allergists. The treatment plan is consistent: steroids, aquaphor/vaseline, bathe everyday, baby zyrtec and hydroxizine for itching. We did not get much relief from this plan and the constant use of meds bothered me. There had to be a better way!
  
  About 1 month ago we started our own plan which includes:
  – Bathe every 2-3 days
  – no aquaphor/vaseline, instead use my own lotion
  – homeade lotion = shea butter, coconut oil, calendula oil, olive oil, vit e oil, lavender oil, chamomile oil, jojoba oil
  – green pastures fermented cod liver oil (.5 ml daily)
  – removed all wheat and oat products
  – infant probiotics 3xdaily
  
  It takes a while to change the system. We DID NOT see immediate results, it took about two weeks, but now we are med free and my sweet boy finally has the soft skin babies are supposed to have!!
  
  Reply
Phyllis

February 2, 2015

Thanks for all the info. I recently starting having problems with a red rash . on my faceand I just turnedc60 years old. Primarily cheeks and forehead but also nose and chin. I have been to two dermatologists but the antibiotics, steroids and creams and gels seem to have little or no effect. I believe a change in diet is the key and I started using the ACV solution today. Our son gets married in 3 weeks and I pray that my skin will be presentable by then. Thanks again for the site and the help you provide.

Reply
Jas

January 24, 2015

Hi there … I just came across this blog and wanted to briefly share my story. My son has had eczema since he was 1, he is 9 now. Last summer I was in England and by luck met a lady who makes and sells an eczema cream. I was skeptical, as I usually am, but for some reason decided to try it. I’m so glad I did. The cream is made of natural high grade ingredients – shea butter, coconut oil, sea chalk, rooibos tea and more. It has been 5 months since I have been using this cream on my son. Within the first 7 days, his eczema mostly cleared up. Within 2 weeks it had cleared in his stubborn areas. I could not be happier that he is no longer using the steroid creams. My fingers are crossed that this will continue! I have passed this on to a few friends who were also struggling and it has made an improvement.

Reply
1. Lindsey
  
  July 16, 2015
  
  How’s the cream working? Would you be willing to post the full ingredients list for the rest of us? Thanks!! Most of us reading through all of these comments are quite desperate 😉
  
  Reply
2. Debbie Hertzog
  
  July 17, 2015
  
  Can you please share the name of the cream you purchased in England. Do you know if it is available online?
  
  Reply
pam

December 16, 2014

Alexandria, Charity, please do cut/ reduce sugar from your diet, as well as all meat and fish and dairy products and excessive fat-based food. You need to reduce nuts too as well as spicy and deep fried stuff. Do add cucumber, raw, sans salt or dressing of any sort to your diet, about one or two whole ones everyday. It will provide relief and promotes healing to some extent. Juice it in an ultra clean juicer and drink the juice if you’re not able to eat it. For the baby maybe a little palm sugar could be added. Do avoid using packed, canned products high in preservatives, snacks, savories, sweets. Fruits too are not all advisable except watermelon, pears, moderate quantities of bananas. Do apply aloe vera gel in its natural form if available or the best nearest option of aloe vera preparations for relief. Go for organic if you can as far as possible. Semolina, wild rice or unpolished rice, seem to be agreeable. Arrowroot as long as its natural seems to be ok too. Do please consult a doctor first and foremost to check out for a professional opinion.

Reply
Alexandria

December 15, 2014

Hey, I’m an teenager, 15 to be exact, and I absolutely hate eczema!!! I live in Anniston, Alabama…… I’ve tried just about everything. From steroid shots, to oatmeal baths, to vitamins…. I just don’t know what to do! I have eczema on my face, around my neck, my arm pits, behind my knee, on my thighs……. mostly EVERYWHERE… It’s HORRIBLE on my face and around my neck. I use Centaphil soap and Tea Tree Oil and Tea Tree Lotion but nothing seems to works for me! I’ve went days without eating but I’ve still been very very very itchy. My main problem is the itchiness. I’ve even cut my nails but I still have little whips on me. My eczema also burns a lot, and is very soar. I, myself, always stress a lot and I know that flairs it up 🙁 I try not to be depressed or stressed out but eczema is ruining my life!!! Everything the doctors have prescribed haven’t worked,,, Maybe I should try another doctor or something but I just wanna give up! I think/know if I don’t find SOMETHING that at least half way make my eczema better…….. This’ll drive me to death…..! So may someone PLEASE give me some ideas… May you recommend me to some dermatologist around my area?! I;m literately begging you……… I’m an young lady I don’t think I should have to go through this! I mean I know there is something out there for me… I just need yal’s help… May You Please Help……?

Reply
1. maria roth
  
  January 10, 2015
  
  Alexandria, check Eczema diet book by Karen Fischer. It’ll help you and clear your problem. Eliminate all the cause of it like gluten, dairy, corn sugar etc. everything you need to know in the book. Hope this help.
  
  Reply
Charity

December 12, 2014

Hi I came across this page on my quest to find s cure for my girls’ eczema. I have a 2 year old who has been suffering from eczema since 3 months old. She usef to sleep with mittens as infant beacuse she would scratch all night long. We have been through so much remedies….from aveeno eczema products to coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil, evening primrose to the prescribed steriods. Nothing has helped. I used to give her cod liver oil buy stopped as it turned out she is allergic to fresh/salt water fishes…how common is fish allergy? Peanut allergy too. Her skin is extremely dry and scaly, very discoloured from the inflammation and scratching. I had eliminated dairy from her diet since birth…i just recently added it to her almost natural organic food regime. I say almost because occasionally she would have what my husband and I are having. She was breast fed.

And now my 4 months old who is also breastfed has developed eczema. I haven’t bothered taken her to the GP nor the dermatologist since I felt it was a waste with my oldest. Am revisiting the coconut and shea treatment option again. It does not seem to work. What am I doing wrong as a mother who is nursing? And what dietary changes can I make to help my children rid off eczema?

I love love your site.
Thanks

Reply
Kalisa

December 7, 2014

Hi, I found your page searching for natural treatments for eczema. I stopped eating gluten more than 2 years ago and found that not only did my digestive problems go away, but so did my eczema. The problem is – as with any autoimmune disorder – the eczema comes back during times of high stress. I was surprised to read here about the gut-eczema connection. Really fascinating and makes SO MUCH sense in my case. Thanks for your work. I will try some of your suggestions.

Reply
Anita Kingsberry

December 5, 2014

I have been suffering with many forms of skin problems. Eczema is my main problem at the moment. I would love to be able to make my own lotions and soaps but I live in a small town. I can’t afford to send away for this and that. I was wondering if any one makes it and would sell it to me?
I do the changing of my diet but the making of lotions and soaps I cannot do. I can find some of the ingredients for the lotion but not all of them. Would it work if some of the ingredients were missing?
Thank you for the information. All tips are well.

Reply
1. Angie R.
  
  February 15, 2016
  
  I know this is an old comment, but instead of making your own lotion (which I have done many times) just stick to the straight oils. Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Shea Butter whatever works for you. It’s much cheaper and easier. 🙂 Also Dr Bronners Baby Castile Soap is pretty economical and as gentle as you can get when it comes to soap (and I have been making my own for years) Hope you have had good luck finding relief.
  
  Reply
2. Shene
  
  June 11, 2016
  
  I started tinkering with handmade creams and lotions trying to find some sort of relief for my daughter. She’s had eczema all her life and I couldn’t bear to watch her scratch and scar her own skin. So after a few attempts I finally came up with a cream that works but it was expensive to make. So I tried my hand at soaps and eureka!! My first batch softened all her rough scalely patches. I figured we couldn’t be the only ones going through this so I set up a shop on etsy skingoals.etsy.com She uses Bliss or The Anti daily and her eczema is under control. No more scratching until she bleeds. ? The soaps are olive and coconut oil based . No synthetic fragrance or color. I use essential oils for fragrance and their anti bacterial and anti viral properties.
  
  Reply
cecilia

December 2, 2014

My son suffered from eczema all over his body at starting at the early age of 18 months. It was so sad, he itched everywhere. I took him to our local clinic and they told me it was most likely a STAPH infection so they were going to prescribe antibiotics. Of course I told them that was one of the stupidest things I have ever heard in my life and I would not be bringing my baby back to see them. I got a referral for a natural dermatologist who explained to me that all over eczema rashes like what my son had can be caused by one parent having asthma (Me) and the other parent having hayfever (My husband) and the two conditions can both be passed down to the child and show as a reaction in the skin. She recommended only twice weekly bathing and applying Safflower oil to his skin. Safflower oil is tatseless and odorless and absorbed quickly. Within a week and a half his rash was completely gone!! He is now almost six and now only gets seasonal rashes but when he does the safflower oil after his bath takes his rash away. I hope this can help some other Moms out there 🙂

Reply
Orlene

November 12, 2014

Hello, im excited to try pretty much all of these ideas. Ive had severe eczema since i was a baby, it has lessened a bit, now that I am older (21) that could be because i eat alot better and have slightly better control when it comes to scratching (slightly) but it does always comes back randomly.

I have pretty bad scaring behind my knees and on my arms and was wondering if you knew natural ways to reduce them, i know these will not completely go away but a reduction would make me very happy.

Also was wondering if you have noticed or if others have noticed that they have very short eyelashes and very sparse eyebrows. Mine seems to disappear whenever i get really bad patches on my face. However this could also be linked to my vitiligo. I have never thought of taking gelatin as a supplement maybe this will help improve this problem

I found your blog randomly on google, will defo look around at the rest of it to see what other gems you may have

Thankyou
=]

p.s sorry for the novel ahaha

Reply
Mei

November 11, 2014

My eczema comes and goes, but the past two years have been particularly bad, especially on my scalp. I can put tons of lotions and creams on my skin, but I can’t put that on my scalp. Is there anything anyone recommends for eczema in the scalp?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  November 12, 2014
  
  You could massage coconut oil into your scalp..
  
  Reply
Derek

November 3, 2014

So, I’ve got some annoying eczema. I’ve been battling this issue for about 3 years. I haven’t had issue with this before until about two years in of working for a pizza place that requires you to wash your hands every time to make a pizza. So, basically hundreds of times a day. I’ve tried the strong steroid creams to rub/saturate/ bla bla bla to your hands. That stuff seemed to help but than noticed that it made my hands uncomfortable sensitive to warm or hot water. I’ve also tried mixing vinegar with water and spray that on my hands….that seemed to help a little but stung the snot out of me ( had to hide a couple of tears sometimes). And, now i’m trying a new lotion called cornhuskers lotion. The stuff stinks but seems to help just as much as everything else that I’ve experienced. I’m honestly getting really tired and frustrated with this issue. Any ideas?….im looking for something (if it even exists out there) that i can use to help my hands rapidly and be able to help my stay moist even after so much washing from work. And if anyone says “just find a new job”….that is something Im doing but also strungling with. Elk Grove/Sacramento, Ca is one of the worst places to find a decend part time job let alone a simple fulltime.

Reply
pam

October 31, 2014

Hello again. Eczema–weepy, severe eczema– like someone earlier said is a symptom; it’s as far as i know a reaction to the real cause of the disease, and this real cause could well be scabies. If so it needs a whole new regimen of treatment and I’m doubtful it works at all in the end. Invariably u reinfect yourself, and I understand, as if things weren’t bad enough that u suspected u had scabies, the brain zips into action and produces all those symptoms which we call eczema collectively, the minute u are reinfected, coz it’s by now a programmed reflex sort of. If it’s scabies, no oil-based treatment is likely to work, it’s more likely to make it worse i think. Herbal medications are a source of relief, but again not cure, tho u might be luckier. I blv my condition is, horrid tho it sounds probably–probably– due to the wretched critter. I cannot moisturize, etc. Salt works–worked really well actually but maybe i neglected to do it with care. You can try–fold a piece of clean cotton fabric eight times into a padding of sorts, immerse in some tepid not hot at all salted water (2 tsps to 4 glasses) and apply it as a compress. The water can be tap water or distilled water, up to your discretion. Keep doing this for a half hour twice a day, making sure the compress is dripping wet and only gently wrung. Pat dry. The salt absorbs the fluid, allows medication to get absorbed and you feel really good. If your condition hasn’t progressed to very severe inflammation and redness and unhealed lesions in which case you might even get septic from the salt, u’r good to get some positive results, even maybe get cured. Keep at it, and then some, until you feel it’s gone. Use Calamine lotion in between. Its a good idea to wash off the salt after some time to prevent irritation from the salt, and keep using the antihistamine, Having said all that it’s possible that maybe you ought to go the anti-scabies medication way. It comes with a whole bunch of measures you have to take around you in ur home as u probably already know.

Reply
Kurmudjun

October 30, 2014

I had eczema/psoriasis all over my scalp. over my eyelids, in the crook of my elbows. The itch drove me crazy. I tried everything, from cider to oils, T tree oil, everythin. You name it, I used it. No results. Then, someone told me to stop using soap in the wash and on my body and I did. Within a few days my skin problems went completely away.
What do I use for my clothes? I use pure baking soda and nothing else. The laundry comes out VERY clean, and smells nice. Apparently, people like me are affected by the fragrances in soaps and shampoos, and laundry detergents. On my body? NOTHING!!! I no longer wash my hair except for weddings, I just rinse it with hot water, and after about ten days, it looks shiny and healthy like you use shampoo. I also discovered that I do not even need deodorant. A week after I stopped using deodorants, I did not reek any more… and I go to the gym regularly. I have no idea why, but I suspect the oils of my skin and my beneficial bacteria have something to do with it. I am happy, comfortable, and look healthy and my skin looks great. Hope this helps!!!

Reply
Jane

October 25, 2014

Hi all – I know this thread is old but still wanted to give my two cents on this, since I actually cured my eczema about a year ago. Here’s a breakdown of what I did (and didn’t do):

WHAT I DID:
– wash all bedding with dermatologist-recommended bedding, and covered mattress and pillow with anti-dust casing
-followed a pretty strict diet (oatmeal in the morning, protein/veggies for lunch, and protein/veggies for dinner)
-stopped showering as much (I know, sounds gross but trust me!). Also started to only wash my face at night, and just splash with water in the morning
-used as few products as possible – my mantra was that if the product isn’t appropriate to use on a baby, then I wouldn’t put it on my skin. Products used were neutrogena creamy face wash, cetaphil moisturizing cream, jojoba oil, and a mineral sunscreen

WHAT I DIDNT DO:
-eat coconut oil/any other kind of supplement. I figured I could get my probiotics through foods like coconut yogurt and I really hated the idea of eating pure fat/oil
-did not test too many products from Sephora. I found at the beginning of my eczema journey that even products labeled “hypoallergenic” or “for sensitive skin” actually made things a lot worse. Remember – if you wouldn’t put it on a baby, don’t put it on yourself!
-did not take any medication recommended by a doctor or dermatologist

I know this might not work for everyone, but it certainly helped me a lot so I wanted to share! Thanks for reading 🙂

Reply
April

October 23, 2014

I came across this article while researching ways to treat eczema. And though the blog post is old, I can’t help but comment.

There is a perfect reason to not follow random advice by non health care providers, and this is a perfect example.

The GAPS diet has been making the rounds lately, but it is incredibly dangerous, filled with horrible advice and pseudo science.
It should never be recommended for a child.

Reply
Erin Pritchard

October 22, 2014

Ugg, eczema is the worst! I’ve had it all my life. My cat actually even has it! I know it’s not spreadable, but kind of weird…. I used to scratch my wrists so badly in grade school the teachers actually thought I was suicidal as I would often have bandages around my wrists to prevent the scratching on the thin skin. As an adult, it’s been hit or miss throughout my life. I’ve tried all the special lotions for eczema and the steroid creams from the doctor… nothing helped that much. A few years ago, I actually got it really bad around my eyes. It was so frustrating that even my doctor could not diagnose it, I actually had to Google it and discovered it was eye eczema! the creams the doctor gave me were too harsh for the sensitive eye skin, or had terrible side effects. I was at a total loss until I took a trip to Sephora (I had a coupon!). Someone on staff there also had eczema on her face, and she recommended First Aid Beauty (FAB) Ultra Healing Cream, with collated oatmeal and other natural ingredients. What a life saver! So that is a great suggestion, although I soon discovered good old coconut oil works almost just as well, and is much more natural if you prefer that. Because of the weather change lately I’ve had it really bad on my legs. I actually woke up scratching them raw last night, my husband was horrified! And this was after I drowned them in calamine lotion before bed. I don’t like to use the FAB on larger parts of my body as it is spendy, but I am not sure why I never thought of trying coconut oil on my legs before reading this post, so thank you!! Changing your diet seems like a good suggestion, but growing up on a farm, my love of cheese and all things dairy runs WAY too deep to cut ties with.

Reply
Belinda

October 21, 2014

I struggled with eczema from early childhood through college. Kids used to tease me saying that I had ‘alien landing sites’ on my forearms and that I was changing colors inside my elbows and behind the knees. I never scratched at it when I was awake, I did it in my sleep! I have made a few specific changes that have pretty much made my eczema disappear for the past 7-8 years, and I have received several comments on how beautiful my skin is now:

– Use dye and fragrance-free laundry detergent and natural lavender dryer sheets.
– Take an omega-3 supplement (smells like oranges, very delightful)
– Use moisturizing body wash and Aveeno in-shower body oil at the end of my showers

On top of these items, which I did specifically to remedy my eczema, I also quit drinking soda, drink plenty water and tea (no coffee), limit fried foods, use minimally toxic and organic makeup and lotions (which I don’t have to apply everyday anymore to remedy my eczema). Good luck everyone!

Reply