Eczema is a common skin condition that comes with itching, redness, dryness, and inflammation of the skin. For many, eczema is just as embarrassing as it is annoying and painful. Creams, medications, and other topical treatments prescribed by a doctor can be useful, but for many people, having a home remedy is ideal for getting relief from the itching and inflammation without medication.
Since there is no way to learn how to get rid of eczema, and no cure, sufferers must learn to take matters into their own hands. Eczema treatment can be narrowed down to medicated treatments or natural remedies. If you are looking for natural remedies, this article is for you.
Here are fifteen tried and true home remedies for eczema to help provide you with relief from even the worst symptoms.
#15 - Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin is not a commonly used treatment. In fact, many people avoid it because of the properties of regular glycerin, but the two do not work the same way at all. Glycerin is commonly used in soaps as a byproduct, but vegetable glycerin comes from plants, which makes it ideal for relieving the symptoms of eczema.
To take advantage of this home remedy, you will need food-grade vegetable glycerin, filtered water, and a spray bottle of your choosing. You begin by having an equal mix of glycerin and water. Pour the mix into the spray bottle and shake up the contents to blend it even more.
You then mist it onto your skin to get relief. If you want, you can play around with the ratio until you've got it just the way you want it.
#14 - Jojoba Oil
This substance is quite beneficial, especially to those who suffer from eczema. This really isn't an oil at all, but a liquid wax that penetrates the skin to draw in moisture. It is composed of fatty acids and fatty alcohols that help keep your skin balanced, as well.
Though they sound scary, fatty alcohols are not like the artificial kind. Fatty alcohols do not dry out your skin like methanol, benzyl alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol tend to do. This wax is ideal for eczema sufferers since the skin condition affects each person differently. It is not harmful to the skin, either.
Jojoba oil is rich with moisture as well. You can start by rinsing your hands and drying them well, so they are clean before application. After applying a bit of jojoba oil to the affected area, use your hands to gently massage the wax until your skin has partially absorbed it.
If you need to, you can use it three times daily as is needed to keep your skin from being irritated and itchy.
#13 - Honey
Honey is a substance that is a staple in many people's homes. It can help reduce allergy symptoms, provide flavor to foods, and even relieve the symptoms of, you guessed it, eczema. This antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory substance can not only help reduce the itching and inflammation, but it can help speed up the healing of broken skin caused by eczema.
It even draws in water, distributing moisture where you might not have had it before. Natural honey and local honey are the best options to use here, and they even have allergy benefits as well.
There is a downside to using honey, and that is the sticky factor. Many people choose to use honey in small areas to prevent too much stickiness at once. A great way to utilize honey is by applying a thin layer to the areas affected, cover it with a bandage, let it sit for about 20 to 30 minutes, and rinse away with cool or cold water.
You can do this about three times throughout the day to help relieve yourself of eczema irritation.
#12 - Tea Bath
You've probably heard of milk baths, but tea baths have a wide variety of benefits, especially for those who suffer from eczema. This is no ordinary tea, however. Chamomile tea has especially soothing benefits. When ingested, chamomile soothes the throat and stomach.
When bathed in, chamomile tea can help reduce the itchy, inflamed, and overly-scratched at parts of the skin covered by eczema. Before you get into the bath, you should consider the temperature of the water. Hot water dries out the skin, so you can reduce drying by taking a warm bath instead of a hot bath.
A great way to take advantage of a chamomile bath is by tying up four tablespoons of dried chamomile flower in muslin or cheesecloth; any appropriate cloth for the tea to soak through. Fill up your bathtub part way, and then tie the bag to the faucet.
The water will run over the chamomile, filling the tub with the tea. Once you have filled the tub to your desired height, you can give the bag a squeeze and soak your body for ten to fifteen minutes. You can then get out, pat yourself dry, and apply your normal moisturizer.
This option is great after a severe flare-up because it provides relief in one fell swoop. Plus, the chamomile is soothing for the mind as well.
#11 - Green Clay
One of the most annoying and problematic parts of an eczema flare-up is the itching and need to scratch. This cycle can cause sores to open in the body, which causes scabs. When the skin starts itching again, the scabs can easily open, and the cycle continues from there.
One way to reduce eczema woes is by applying something to soothe the itching. A great option is a green clay. French green clay is a substance that is packed with magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium. These minerals are all soothing agents that stop the itching and pain associated with eczema.
You can make a soothing clay mask by mixing the green clay with a little water or witch hazel extract. The witch hazel additionally helps to soothe the blisters or weeping crusts that come with eczema flare-ups.
This clay can be used on any part of the body, including the face, to help relieve the symptoms of eczema. It might even make your skin softer in the process.
#10 - Soothing Butters
Soothing butter is a great way to help put moisture back into the skin and help reduce the itching or flaking that comes with eczema. Body butter found at a store, however, is often loaded with dyes and scents that could make the eczema symptoms worse instead of better.
A great way to ensure that you are getting just the body butter you need is to make it yourself at home. Plus, a little DIY is fun. You can try mixing two tablespoons each of beeswax and shea butter, six tablespoons of coconut oil, a little lavender essential oil for calming, and four tablespoons of jojoba oil. Once fully blended, you can store it in an airtight tin or glass jar to keep the butter longer.
When you need a little relief from the dryness and the itching, you can apply a bit of your homemade body butter to soothe the skin. If you choose not to make your body butter, look for one that is free of fragrances and dyes to prevent further flare-ups.
#9 - Humidifier
There are many places around the world that have limited to no humidity in the air. These hot and dry climates are not ideal for those who suffer from eczema since the heat and dry air causes flare-ups. If you are moving to a place with a better climate, then that is great news.
However, if you can't move there is a way that you can improve the air climate in your home to reduce flare-ups. Humidifiers work in the home by putting moisture back into the air. They are often small or large machines that take water and almost steam it to create a wetter climate in the room and reduce dryness in the air. The only negative of having a humidifier is the cleaning it requires.
Since it uses water, harmful substances like mildew or mold can grow in the machine. If you purchase a humidifier you should clean it often to prevent nasty germs from growing.
#8 - Fish Oil Supplements
Fish oil has many uses in the body, which is one reason why it is ideal to take fish oil every day. In the case of eczema, taking a fish oil supplement can help reduce the severity of itching and other eczema symptoms. There is significant science behind the use of fish oil and reduction of eczema symptoms.
Those who suffer from atopic eczema often have lower amounts of essential fatty acids available to break down into metabolites. This lowers the amounts of fatty acids getting to the skin cell membranes located near the surface of the skin, causing eczema symptoms. Fish oil is rich in fatty acids, and in a daily dose, fish oil can help your body produce the essential fatty acids it needs to alleviate your skin condition. The fish oil supplement, taken every day, can help you maintain normal skin function.
You can take either capsules or liquid, but if using liquid, you might want to mix it with orange juice or other juice to help with the taste.
#7 - Diet Tracking
When you have a flare-up, and you can't get rid of it, it might be time to make some long term changes in your body. One of the best ways to do this is by tracking your diet. Many people eat and drink without thinking twice about what they are putting into their body.
Unfortunately for those with eczema, what you eat can affect flare-ups of your skin condition. A great way to keep track of what is causing flare-ups in your diet is by keeping track of what you eat at all times.
#6 - Product Tracking
Just like tracking your diet to find the source of the flare-ups, you should also keep track of your product usage. If you use products in your hair, you should write them down. If you use makeup or other skin care items, you should write them down. It is especially important to note when you get a new product, and it should be tested separately from your other products to prevent any unnecessary mixing.
Product tracking can be difficult to do on the go, but with a notes app or other form of list app, you can write down what you used, when, where, and why. You can thus keep up with the products you've used that are out of the ordinary so you can find the source of the flare-up.
Things to consider are laundry detergent, hand soap, body wash, shampoo, and even medication.
#5 - Coconut Oil
Recently, coconut oil has gotten a bad rap because it is a lipid. Some people bash it, while others praise it, but coconut oil is ideal for those who suffer from eczema whether severe or mild. Coconut oil, when applied, sinks into the skin and fills the space of the skin cells that have opened. This opening is what causes your skin to lose its moisture and become dry and itchy. And since coconut oil it is fat and oil, it replenishes the moisture you've lost.
Before applying the coconut oil, rinse your hands thoroughly to clean them. After drying them on a clean towel, begin rubbing the coconut oil onto the affected areas of the skin. You should allow the coconut oil to dry to get the optimum moisture. You can apply this oil daily if you need it to help relieve dry skin patches and the itchy spots that plague eczema sufferers.
Organic coconut oil works best because it is free of any additives, and it can be found at your local grocery store.
#4 - Cornstarch
Cornstarch is not something that you would expect to be a useful treatment but guess what. It is! Cornstarch is an interesting substance that stays cool to the touch. When you combine cornstarch with oil, like grapeseed or olive, you can create a paste that can be spread across multiple areas of the skin. The coolness of the cornstarch reduces flare-ups, and the moisture in the oil provides moisture for dry skin.
If you intend to use this remedy, you will need to mix up enough cornstarch and oil to make a paste, not too thin and not too thick. You should apply your self-made paste to any affected areas of the skin, let it sit and cool for about 20 minutes, and then rinse the paste away. After you've dried your skin with a towel, apply your regular moisturizer to lock in everything you've just accomplished with your paste. Cornstarch can be found at your local grocery store along with olive oil.
Neither are very expensive, making this a cheap and easy home remedy.
#3 - Stay Cool
Unfortunately for summertime lovers, heat can cause eczema flare-ups. One way to reduce any flare-ups of eczema is by staying cool when the heat gets too high. Many people use air conditioners and fans to keep themselves cool during the summer months, but you might need to take other measures as well. Cold compresses are ideal for sensitive areas like the neck and face.
A cold compress can be especially helpful for the areas of the skin that are more prone to eczema flare-ups. Another way to reduce flare-ups during the summer months is by the clothes you wear. When it comes to staying cool, you don't have to parade around half naked, but you can minimize flare-ups by wearing loose, lightweight, and cool clothing during the hot months to reduce sweating which can cause a flare-up.
You can also stay inside an air conditioned building as much as possible when the temperature rises. Another great way to stay cool is by taking a cool shower. This will be discussed in the next part of the article.
#2 - Warm Showers
Everyone has to take showers, but taking a long, hot shower can cause an eczema flare-up. Why? Well, the hot water causes the skin to dry out quickly, which causes itching, redness, and more. Instead of taking a hot shower, you can try to minimize the flare-up by taking a warm or cool shower. Instead of taking long showers, you can try to reduce the itching by taking a shorter shower.
Fifteen minutes is that magic number when it comes to warm shower time. Another way to reduce flare-ups after a shower is to dry your skin off thoroughly when you get out. Then you can use a gentle lotion that is scent-free and dye-free all over your body to lock in moisture while your pores are still open from the warmth of the water. There are lotions specific for eczema after-shower treatment, which might be better options for a sufferer.
Just by limiting your shower time and water temperature, you can reduce the flare-ups that come from dry skin.
#1 - Oatmeal Bath
Oatmeal baths are common and helpful for many different reasons. One of the best benefits of an oatmeal bath is the way it draws moisture into the skin. Oatmeal baths might seem like a basic remedy, but it can help reduce the inflammation associated with eczema and relieve any discomfort brought on by the itchiness. Oatmeal baths are also great for any age since they help with the dry skin of all kinds.
The same way you prepare a chamomile bath with the leaves and cloth is the same way you can prepare your oatmeal bath. You can also find many store brands of oatmeal body washes or bath enhancers that can help soothe your skin without having to pour an entire bathtub full. You should always look for added fragrances or dyes in these body washes to prevent making your eczema symptoms worse.
Remember to keep your bath at a warm temperature and not hot, to prevent any unnecessary drying out of the skin.
Conclusion
While there is no cure for eczema, there are ways to get an eczema treatment without having to visit your doctor every few months. Home remedies are a great way to get relief from the redness, dryness, itching, and inflammation that come with the skin condition.
Luckily, you don't need a prescription to enjoy these simple and easy home remedies for eczema. This common skin condition causes embarrassment just as much as it causes discomfort, and for many sufferers, having eczema prevents them from being active because of drying out of the skin or simple embarrassment.
Since there is no cure for eczema, you can learn to find natural remedies for eczema relief to help you feel better both on the inside and the outside.
