Natural Remedies for Dermatitis: Soothing & Healing Solutions

Antiseptic Handwash

Posted by M (St Louis, MO) on 09/12/2008
★★★★★

A friend in the cosmetics field said the redness in the lines some people have from the nose to the corners of the mouth can be caused by mites. She recommended alcohol. Not having any on hand at the time I used Germ-X handwash, not the intended use for it, BUT it worked to stop the irritation and get rid of the redness and bumps. I noticed that IF MY DOG LICKED MY FACE I WOULD GET THE IRRITATION AGAIN! now I NEVER let my dog lick my face, ever! I'm sure I have him to thank for the mites I think I get. So Germ-X when needed, CLEAN BED LINENS OFTEN, AND NO DOG SLEEPING ON THE BED!!

Antiseptic Handwash

Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn Usa) on 09/20/2009

Wow, Violet..... wondering where you are getting your facts. Ever read what Hulda Clark says about pets and parasites? Are you aware that Demodex Mites cause mange in animals and get into your nose hair roots and are almost impossible to cure? A dog's tongue contains E-coli and is the greatest cause of human stomach ulcers. Ever watch what spot your dogs licks when his buddy comes up? Do you know why all dogs have to be wormed every so often? Ted and many others have posted all this on this site. Read more.

Antiseptic Handwash

Posted by Kewpie (Ca) on 04/21/2014

Actually demodex mites are human mites that we give to our dogs. Your vet will not advise you correctly on this anyhow because they do not recognise that we are passing them back and forth with our dogs. I do have an old vetrenairian book from the 1950s that discusses demodex as a human ailment passed to dogs. If you are worried about mites, use D.E. powder.

It is not E coli that causes ulcers, rather it is H. pylori.

N-Acetyl D-Glucosamine

Posted by Gary (Kitchener On) on 06/29/2023

Hi Alegrias

I read that Hemp Oil will fix all skin problems, even shingles..

Check out Dr.Lenard Coldwell on youtube..

All the best

Gary

Dietary Changes

Posted by Valliegirl (United States) on 06/20/2019
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My sister had perioral dermatitis for at least 20 years. She went to a dermo and was told it was an allergy to avocado. She gave them up and still had problems. A while later an acquaintance told her if you are allergic to avocados, you are also allergic to bananas. She then gave those up and her skin has been clear since. Hope this helps!

Swimming in the Ocean

Posted by Timh (Ky) on 10/14/2015 2042 posts

If one is not-so-lucky to live near the ocean, then a bath with added minerals like Borax & Epsom Salts or simply otc Sea Salt will suffice. To be completely safe & healthy, one would need to either have a whole-house in-line filter for removing fluoride and other contaminates or add a pinch of sodium thiosulfate crystals to the bath prior to the beneficial minerals.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Jason (Seattle, Wa) on 09/17/2015

I just wanted to note that anyone looking for a cleanser for dermatitis should pick up some dead sea salts (make sure it is the real thing). I use a mortar and pestal to grind it into a flour-fine texture and then lightly massage it into my face (focusing, but gently on the derm spots) for about a minute or two. I follow this up with moisturizer with colloidal oatmeal (which is specifically designed and used for eczema, derm, etc.) as a moisturizer. This has helped tremendously, though I must say that I also maintain a plant-based, whole food diet as well and I take vitamin supplements, propolis, manuka honey, acidophilus, and some others.

For scalp, I wash my hair with a baking soda/ water mixture (at a 1:4 parts ratio) and then rinse and follow with a ACV vinegar/ water mixture (same ratio). This hair regimen has removed all scalp dermatitis (I have to keep doing it or it WILL come back) and I would like to add that my hair had begun to thin due to the derm but now my hair is very full and baby hairs at the hairline have returned. I even get compliments on my skin and hair and the look of surprise when I tell people about the cheap and simple products I use. I really hope that this helps someone, I know this thread is old but I also know the struggle of dealing with the embarassment of derm. Regardless of whether or not you get the eczema, derm, acne, whatever, under control, you should know that you should live your life and those that matter won't mind and those that mind shouldn't matter to you.

Much love, peace, and wishes for the skin you dream of :)

Peppermint and Argan Oils

Posted by Julie M (Jupiter, Fl) on 03/19/2015
★★★★★

Hi all. Long time lurker, first time posting. I've had dermatitis around my eyes for over 6 months now. Tried everything that's been suggested on EC. In going over my oils and their properties, I thought I'd try Peppermint oil mixed with Argan oil. Just a drop of Peppermint to a couple drops of Argan. It burns but that goes away quickly. Do NOT get it in your eyes! 2 days and gone. Very happy. Love EC and the posters are all so helpful. Peace!

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Melissa (Texas, US) on 10/17/2014
★★★★☆

I've been battling Perioral Dermatitis for years=( It comes/goes but never completely gone; doesn't really itch (occasional but specific spots) area around my mouth, nose, eyebrows/between eyes is affected by redness w/bunches of tiny bumps, 1-2 will be raised & contain a clear liquid. I use a makeup remover wipe prior to washing, then I use Dr.Woods "Black Soap" am/pm it's a castile type liquid from health food store (NO sls) it helps a lot, NEED moisturizer after.

I use honey ALL over my face every morning (& night if it's really bad) after I wash; pat dry gently, smear honey all over & leave it anywhere from 5 min to an hour. It's so soothing & deeply moisturizing; rinses clean w/luke warm water- CAN'T LIVE W/OUT IT. I just use raw unfiltered local honey, one day will try Manuka but regular stuff works great. May sound crazy that I wear make up but my skin feels calmer w/it on & my Derm Dr. says it protects my skin. I use Tarte Amazon Clay BB cream (for normal/oily) the clay makes it somewhat water/sweat proof (need make up remover wipes to get it off) this stuff is great for my sensitive skin (NO Parabens, dyes, fragrance etc.. & SPF 20 is mineral based) & Neutrogena Longwear foundation (I NEED coverage) I'm very sensitive & this doesn't bother my skin.I take Biotin (very low levels). I was taking Max. dosage Biotin years ago & it was giving me HUGE CYSTS on my chin (never had that prob before) & I read that could happen in sensitive skin types, quit taking it & stopped having that problem. Maybe I have deficiency now?? Thanks for tips everyone, hope my info helps=)

Rosa Rubiginosa (Rosehip)

Posted by Fairygirl (France) on 11/22/2013
★★★★★

My little girl was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis on her face at one month old (like many babies have early on). The doctor suggested a high-quality cream containing essential oil of Rosa rubiginosa (Sweet briar or Eglantine Rose). I applied it a few times a day and it cleared up within days. Many people who suffer from this condition I've talked to have not known about this cure, so I thought to share.

Contact Dermatitis

Posted by Donnalsm (Subang, Selangor, Malaysia) on 11/05/2011

I have an ongoing problem with contact dermatitis for a number of years now. When prescribed medicine doesn't work, the best remedy for relieving my eczema symptoms so far would be:

1. Use pH balanced products for washing.

i.e. shampoo, body wash, household cleaning agents and such.

- try organic soaps or castille soaps. these are made of chemical free, all natural ingredients.

2. Avoid using products with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which can cause skin irritation.

- check product contents on the label before you buy soaps, shampoos, detergents, etc.

3. Avoid washing the affected area too often.

- washing too often will cause your skin to lose its natural moisture. Dry skin will crack easily and can become sore and itchy. so, seriously reduce the frequency of washing your affected skin.

- I have tried using rubber and latex (surgical type) gloves, but it made my skin worse. It might had something to do with the layer of powder lined inside the gloves which irritates my skin.

4. Keep your skin moisturized at all times.

- I use pH5 Handcreme by Eucerin which contains enzymes that help to repair dry and damaged skin cells.

5. Higher amount of non-acidic Vitamin C.

- a daily intake of high strength 1000mg tabs of acid free vitamin C . Any brand is fine, as long as the base ingredient is CALCIUM ASCORBATE and not Ascorbic Acid.

- this has helped my skin to recover very quickly from cracks and flare ups before they could get any worse.

That's about it. Hope you'll find this information useful.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Becca (Nashville, Tn) on 10/07/2011

my first outbreak of pd was 6 years ago, on the sides of my nose. at that time, i had no idea what it was. it took 3 months to go away, with no treatment. now, after finally being diagnosed by a dermatolist a month ago, i know that i have pd.

when my most recent outbreak occurred, i began reading your blogs on this forum. i have to say it was quite discouraging.... the remedies would work for some and not for others..... i spent all my free time reading and researching different possible causes of pd. the one that made the most sense to me, was the link between pd and overgrowth of candida in the body. (since my pd felt itchy and raw like a yeast infection). i began to cut out all sugar from my diet. all dairy.... all breads.... all sweet fruits. basically i eat chicken breast, fish, nuts and veggies. nothing fried. then i started taking a probiotic.... (get a high quality one that contains acydophilus. ) i also started taking biotin everyday.

i tried some of the recommendations on here, like acv. the only thing that did for me was irritate and burn my skin. took it a week to start looking somewhat normal color again. so personally, i wouldn't recommend doing that one.

i kept reading and researching and found a blog from a guy who suffered from pd. he said the only thing that cleared his pd up was an antifungal lotion. i was willing to try anything at this point, as i was almost three weeks into the outbreak! and miserable!!! i went to the drug store and bought some lamisil and began applying it twice a day... liberally. i've been using it now for about 5 days. my pd is almost completely gone! maybe it's the anitfungal lotion.... maybe the diet finally started working.... maybe it's the supplements.... or maybe i just landed on the miracle combination!

for those of you who suffer with pd, i'm so sorry that anyone has to go through this. it's such a stubborn unresponsive condition. but my pd definitely responded in a very positive way to this treatment:

candida free diet

probiotics

biotin

antifungal lotion

hope this helps someone! stay positive! :)

Apple Cider Vinegar, Yogurt

Posted by Anon (Anon) on 08/02/2011
★★★★★

Thank you so much for this post. I have perioral dermatitis but didn't know the name for it until I went to the dermatologist 3 weeks ago. She gave me Metrogel samples to try, and said if I didn't see any improvement in 4 weeks, I should come back and she would put me on an oral antibiotic. I saw no improvement. I think it actually got worse with the Metrogel. Three days ago I started looking on-line for some answers. I have been using the ACV, yogurt and Acidophilus for the past 2 days and have seen an amazing improvement. Needless to say, I will not be going back to the dermatologist for the antibiotic.

Acidophilus, Biotin

Posted by Kathy (Idaho ) on 08/30/2017

Hi Liz, I know that this is long after you posted asking about coconut oil, biotin and your prescription meds. My daughter was diagnosed with eczema several years ago. We found through trial and error that using coconut oil right after a bath or shower helps tremendously. Towel off gently and when your skin is still damp apply the oil and let your skin absorb it. This oil can also be taken internally and helps immensely by moisturizing from the inside out, even helps with the creaks and dry skin that comes with getting older. I hope that by this time you have found help for the dermatitis. My son is currently dealing with a pretty severe case of that and I am trying to find answers for him. Wish me luck..

Desitin

Posted by Janet.pauline (St.louis, Mo, United States) on 04/18/2011
★★★★★

Hello, just wanted to drop this off. I had Contact Dermatitis over 3 months last year, supposedly from powerwashing a house down and the remnants from using oxy clean baked on my arms and caused me great ail.

However, I saw the culprit pop up 3 days after being in a tanning bed that was not clean, I should have cleaned that bed myself. I went to the doctor's twice the first time and of course I used the steroids which only caused my sugar to rise and a yeast infection accompanied that. Then he said it was time for a dermatologist, I decided it was time for a cure, no more doctors for this nonsense.

Here is what I did, yes I tried the virgin coconut oil, it helps but very short lived to stop itching and hives. The derm covered my arms, portions of my back, hips stomach under breast, inner thighs and ankles I was miserable. Nothing could touch me, it made it worse and I mean nothing.

I was beside myself and decided to smother myself in Desitin maximum strength paste, the gooey stuff. I did this for two weeks straight day and night and it cured me, thats right, it dried up this crap and it disappeared. I hesitated using it because.. Well it stinks and it makes you white. I persisted even though I was miserable 4 to 5 days into using this stuff, after all I did not care I was going to keep using this stuff just because I could. Not really knowing the outcome but wow, it started to stop itching, then it slowly formed scales and then.. Yes and then, it was gone. Please be advised, smother yourself in this stuff, keep it up, it will work, screw the dermatologist, they will keep you coming forever. I made a choice I wasnt paying for a derm, I have diabetes and endo and regular doctor is enough to pay out, that alone is a killer. So no derm and the Desitin works, please be advised, it does work. Janet

Diaper Rash Ointment

Posted by Anonymous (St. Louis, Mo) on 06/15/2010
★★★★☆

Hello. I developed Contact Dermatitis from one of the two things, power washing a house down and the cleaning agent running down my arms and drying, and or from a tanning bed. My guess is the latter, it happened 24 hours later and I dont mean tanning bed bumps.

The doctor medicated me with Steroids, most of the derm left but then came back immedietly and twice as bad. Did a second treatment, again the same results. His next cure was a Professional and I have him, a endo bill and I dont need some sappy Dermatologist eating up my income for something he can only treat and not cure. That I can do at home which is why I am here.

What worked for me. Desitin, a diaper rash cream. Its not cured, I still have the derm but..its almost gone, 7 days now. I smothered myself with it on all areas of red itchy bumps that spread all over my stomach and under arms, arms and patches on legs.

I did consume the ACV for 3 days 8 ounces and 1/4 cup of vinegar, it was too hard on my stomach. I knocked it down to once a day. When I took the Steroids they knocked my diabetic immune system right out bringing on a horrible yeast infection. I read that yeast will cause the derm to spread even more in your body. In this my help was aided from the ACV. However, pleast note, it was the cream that worked.

I am still using it, you must refrain from itching at all times, this too makes a huge difference. Make sure to get a bar of soap with no ingredients in it from the Health Store, something very mild with no harsh chemicals what-so-ever and use it only. This too will aid in the cure.

Now, 7 days later, bumps under arm and under breast are completely gone, just left overs on my arms, little tiny bumps everywhere but barely noticeable, still itcy, dont touch them.

Let me tell you this has been going on for two months now. The coconut oil will stop the itching completely, at least for two hours or so or fresh out of the shower, it will not make the bumps disappear as the cream did.

You may or may not have patches left, its like after what I went through, big deal, I will use this stuff forever, no it doesnt smell good, I may not be completely healed but boy oh boy what a huge difference.

No Dermatologist will tell you this, they cant make money that way.

I still have patches, and yes its itchy, but I will continue to use the cream. Smother yourself, dont itch it, use the no ingredients soap, watch them disappear in 7 days as this is what the cream says to do, use 7 days, but I will continue to do it. I suppose you can use Balmex too. I believe both contain oxide and it smothers the derm by doing so it does not spread and the weak enviroment dies out from it. Its not the cure but one major difference that will change your life. No more tanning beds for me.

By the way, make sure not to get hair spray on it, and or windex, any cleaning product, the slightest invasion to the arm will cause it to start itching like crazy, rinse it off immedietly and re-apply the cream, I do this about twice a day. Trust me, its a miracle worker, you must be diligent and patient in these mattes and be consistent witl applying this daily or you will see no results.

Best of luck to you all.

Magnesium Chloride

Posted by Arianna (Portland, Ca) on 02/15/2010
★★★★★

During the past year, I developed dermatitis on my face. What started as a small puss-filled rash on my chin spread across most of my lower face. Then, this rash turned into eczema. I was horrified and I tried tons of remedies, including apple cider vinegar, anti-fungals like coconut oil and oregano oil, and topical prescription-strength steroids. Nothing worked.

Then one day I wondered if I was fighting a bacterial infection that would be better healed by alkalizing my skin rather than acidifying it (with apple cider vinegar). So I put magnesium chloride on a cotton ball and spread it all over the rash. It stung like crazy!

The first thing I noticed was that after one day of applying it 2-3 times, the eczema started drying up and flaking off. It seemed to be working. Slowly, over the course of a week, the eczema disappeared. I still had some dermatitis rash remaining, but it was much improved.

It has been one month now. All my eczema is gone and the dermatitis in 99% gone. Occasionally, I get a single puss-filled eruption, but I immediately apply the magnesium chloride and it disappears within a few days.

EC: For those who don't know, Magnesium Chloride is also called Magnesium Oil (when water is added to the flakes) and is the type of magnesium used in Transdermal Magnesium Therapy. Read more here: https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/transdermal-magnesium-therapy.html

Magnesium Chloride

Posted by Lauren (Chicago, Il) on 12/13/2012
★★★★★

Magnesium/ Calcium supplements! I had terrible dermatitus and a dermatologist suggested I switch to a fluoride free toothpaste. (I also tried just about everything listed on this site) I started doing my research and eliminating anything with fluoride from my diet. I was horrified to learn that it is EVERYWHERE! Not to mention most cities add it to their water systems. I then read somewhere that magnesium/ calcium supplements can keep fluoride from absorbing into your cells. I started taking a Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc supplement everyday and my dermatitus cleared up completely in a few days.

If I miss a day or two of taking the supplement I notice it start to flare up again. Do your research on fluoride, it may not be the cause for everyone, but it's worth a try!

Cortisone Cream

Posted by Connie (Brush Prairie, WA) on 06/10/2009
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Hello everyone, I just wanted to say that cortisone cream should be avoided for POD. It will mske the symptoms better at first, but eventually the problem will become worse according to my dermatologist and according to everything I have read in the literature.

Ingredients to Avoid

Posted by Jumpin J (Wisconsin, US) on 11/11/2014

Your opinion is not researched. Yes, white composite does not last as long ...although my 8 white fillings that replaced silver mercury are doing fine after 10 years. Dentists have finally come out, admitting that there is substantial and dangerous amounts of mercury in those silver fillings. One part per billion of mercury is significant to decrease health. Do more research. My complete health profile got better without the silver amalgam....sinuses to eyesight to immune system...all better....even strength and energy. I am an Occupational Therapist ...always interested in higher functioning...I've seen people come out of symptoms like Parkinson's just by getting those fillings out. Use a dam to stop drilled fillings from going down the throat...Dentists like silver because it is easier to mold and work with.

Ingredients to Avoid

Posted by Kayla (Ny) on 12/18/2015

First off, metal fillings give off an electrical charge that affects your brain, and your body, simple physics. The story of the famous actor basically every time he tried to sleep he would instantly get a migraine, and doctor did not know why. He finally asked his fans and one suggested metal filling. His biological dentist said, that when he laid down to sleep it was like a "lightening bolt going through his head, " All the metal was removed and the migraines stopped.

Metals are reactive and porcelain is not, I consider the hygienist opinion invalid.

Lemon

Posted by Tara (Madison, WI) on 12/06/2008
★★★★★

I have tried both ACV and Lemon Juice and the Lemon Juice actually worked better for myself. I took a Q-tip, dipped it in the lemon juice and rubbed it on my dermatitis. It does sting and burn a little bit. It helped dry it up pretty quickly so it could heal faster. I only did this at night before I went to bed.

Zinc, Magnesium

Posted by Debra (South Charleston, Ohio) on 09/28/2008
★★★★★

As a dental hygienist, I had developed contact dermatitis from wearing gloves. Last spring I started taking Zinc 15mg & Magnesium 400mg daily. My hands are free of dermatitis!!!