Eczema may not be a life-threatening illness, but the itchiness that accompanies it definitely threatens the sanity, and its appearance can be highly embarrassing. If you don’t want to use the traditional route of cortisone and antihistamines, I recommend some or all of the methods I found helpful.
Take short showers. The skin needs hydration when you have eczema, but a long bath or shower using very hot water aggravates this skin issue. Use lukewarm water and pat yourself dry, rather than rubbing your skin.
Avoid sugar. You may not be able to erase it from your diet, unless you are willing to make a major change. Sugar is in many more foods than you may realize. The problem with it, among other issues, is that it can contribute to yeast buildup, which in turn creates an immune deficiency.
Avoid alcohol. One reason is that many forms of alcohol, especially wine, convert to sugar in the digestive process. The other is that alcohol heats the skin, which can aggravate eczema.
Don’t scratch. I know, you really, really want to, and it feels unbearable not to, but scratching can spread the eczema. Repeat that to yourself every time you feel the irresistible urge to scratch.
Drink a lot of water. This is always a good idea. Drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day helps to flush toxins out of your system.
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a source for sulfur, which among its role in strengthening joints, cartilage, nails, and hair, also helps to restore skin health.
Change your laundry detergent. Get a brand from a health store, the health section of your supermarket, or look on the Internet. You want a natural and fragrance-free detergent. If you use fabric softener and other laundry accessories, these need to meet the same standards. Re-wash any clothing that you’ve washed with your former detergent.
Consider Acupuncture and Chinese medicine. This helped me tremendously. Chinese medicine identifies several kinds of eczema, based on causes. For this reason be wary of any web sites purporting to sell herbal remedies for eczema. A thorough practitioner will treat each type differently and treat you as a unique individual.
I believe that the best way to find a practitioner is on a client’s recommendation.
Champori Aurvedic cream was the best skin product I found for healing eczema. This product is based on herbal treatments developed by monk/healers from Tibet. I got immediate results with it. The directions say to use it twice a day, but I used it only at night after I discovered it tended to ruin my clothes. I didn’t use the spray that is also for sale. I keep this cream around (it must be refrigerated) for even the smallest itchiness. Early warning and early treatment can prevent full-blown outbreaks.
Once you’ve recovered from eczema, keep your skin moist. In my experience this is the best way to both relieve eczema and prevent future incidents. One of the best creams I’ve found is Desert Essence Tea Tree Cream, in a beeswax base with almond oil added. Others find relief with Vitamin E-based creams.
I wish you well. If any of these methods work for you, I’d love to hear about it.
