Effective Natural Eczema Treatments for Soothing Relief

I have finally cured the big patch of eczema which covered my upper right arm, after four years of trying many of the cures recommended on this site. Products which helped included ACV, iodine and clay. This was probably due to them removing the dead skin because, in my case, all moisturisers made the eczema itchy. I think the moisturisers were feeding the dead skin and not allowing the healthy skin to breathe.

My cure is probably a combination of lemon juice, transdermal magnesuim chloride oil and possibly overnight fasting of 16 hours e.g. stop eating at 7pm and breaking my fast at 11 am with a decent breakfast.

The lemon juice was a sheer fluke. My arm was so very itchy so I grabbed 1/2 a lemon which had been sitting in the fridge for a few days. The rind was hard and so rubbing the arm with the lemon rind was sheer bliss. Hours later the redness had disappeared and the skin was still calm, not itchy. I continued to rub my arm with lemon juice only washing it off before the next application. The lemon juice exfoliated all the dead skin which may be the reason that the itch and redness disappeared but the skin was still thick (lichen simplex chronicus) but not scaly so I decided to drench it regularly with transdermal magnesium chloride oil which I massaged into the skin.

When all the rough skin disappeared except for two extra thick "spots", I removed the top layers of dead skin painlessly from these lumps with a sterilised needle. It was about this time that I changed my regime only eating during an eight hour window during the day which means that all the food in my stomach will be digested before I tuck into breakfast the following morning.

Epilogue: I broke my upper arm four weeks ago and since then it has been envelopped in a sling so my arm has not been exposed to much fresh air recently but I have continued to spray my lovely smooth skin on my arm with the magnesium chloride and to date the eczema has not returned. Hurrah!

Just to clarify are you drinking this or apply it on your eczema?

Was diagnosed with Nummular Eczema and it was quite an ordeal and am posting this in hopes of helping others. Through trial and error I developed a regiment that has got me back to normal. I take one capsule of Hemp Seed oil either every day or every other day. I also take daily one capsule of Flax seed oil which cleared up the itching and swelling around my eyes. These are the most important. I also take 1 or 2 Probiotic Acidophilus. I also take 1 Borage oil capsule every other day, I think helps but I believe the others are the most important.

I would look into vitamin D supplementation. My online searches show that when babies have eczema, it's due to vitamin D deficiency. However, please do your research, and consult your pediatrician about supplementation -- as it can be dangerous to give babies vitamin and mineral supplements. Basically, you want to be sure not to overdose, with a baby or child.

After you find out what the safe limit on vitamin D is, I would squeeze the vitamin D3 gelcap into baby's food.

Also, try to get her out in the sun, to make her own vitamin D. The best part of our body for making vitamin D is the upper arms, and the oil on our skin is necessary for the creation of vitamin D -- so let her skin accumulate oil! And no sunscreen! To prevent burning, avoid getting refined sugar into her system before going out in the sun. It is refined sugar that causes us to burn. Also, if you are worried about sun damage, get lycopene into her. Lycopene fights skin cancer, and it is the red pigment found in tomatoes, in tomato products like ketchup, and in watermelon.

There might be some B vitamin that also is deficient in babies who have eczema. I think I might have come across it in my online searching about B vitamins. You might want to look that up.

As for trying to control symptoms of any malady with diet -- aaaaghhh! I have NEVER seen diet change cure anything! Except that switching to healthy foods can stop weight gain -- that is the only one. I have not seen diet change stop gassy tummy distress in babies. I have not seen diet change relieve depression or Attention Deficit Disorder in any way whatsoever. I have not seen diet change help with ANYTHING. I say, if humans have been eating it for thousands of years, and it tastes good and makes you feel good -- then eat it!

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I thought of two more things to help after making my last comment. One is -- you are giving her formula. Are you using tap water, or fluoridated water to make her formula? Because both of those have fluoride, and tap water also has chlorine -- and fluoride and chlorine cause eczema, because the body is trying to detox these toxins through the skin. I take gallon containers to my local grocery or health food store and refill them with water that has been filtered, run through reverse osmosis, and treated with ultraviolet light. When I move to a new area, I try all the sources of this kind of refillable water -- to find which location has the best tasting water. I would use this kind of water to make baby's formula with.

Secondly, I would give her organic coconut oil -- probably in her formula. I read Adelle Davis' book called Let's Eat Right To Keep Fit, and in it she writes of a baby that had eczema, and she fed the baby vegetable oil, because he had been on a low fat diet. The baby was ravenous for the vegetable oil, and it healed his eczema. I'd put coconut oil in baby's formula, because it is the BEST vegetable oil of all, and also kills viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi! As for how much coconut oil to give a person, I just follow my instincts, although you might want to online search on that as well. It's been a long time since my kids were babies.

I thought of two more things to help after making my last comment. One is -- you are giving her formula. Are you using tap water, or fluoridated water to make her formula? Because both of those have fluoride, and tap water also has chlorine -- and fluoride and chlorine cause eczema, because the body is trying to detox these toxins through the skin. I take gallon containers to my local grocery or health food store and refill them with water that has been filtered, run through reverse osmosis, and treated with ultraviolet light. When I move to a new area, I try all the sources of this kind of refillable water -- to find which location has the best tasting water. I would use this kind of water to make baby's formula with.

Secondly, I would give her organic coconut oil -- probably in her formula. I read Adelle Davis' book called Let's Eat Right To Keep Fit, and in it she writes of a baby that had eczema, and she fed the baby vegetable oil, because he had been on a low fat diet. The baby was ravenous for the vegetable oil, and it healed his eczema. I'd put coconut oil in baby's formula, because it is the BEST vegetable oil of all, and also kills viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi! As for how much coconut oil to give a person, I just follow my instincts, although you might want to online search on that as well. It's been a long time since my kids were babies.

Hi Jb, Regarding Eczema and the strawberries etc...whilst strawberries are supposed to have beneficial effects (and are nice to have also of course) I would be suspicious of introducing them in large amounts too early in life. It would be nice to know where they come from of course. (The strawberries that is - not the babies). I know variety is supposed to be the "spice of life" BUT I wonder if we are over-doing things these days, especially for an infant whose digestive system has not fully developed. You can't run before you can walk eh?

Cheers, Michael

Dear Hb,

I am so sorry to hear about your baby's eczema!

I would take her off strawberries for a while, especially if they are not organic.

If it would be possible for you to make goat milk kefir fresh, that is the first thing I would be trying. If not, some high quality plain yogurt (maybe with some of the fruits you give her.) I think Fage is a good one.

Topically for relief, if you could find a plantain or calendula salve at your health food store it may provide some relief. It isn't hard to make and I can walk you through how to do that if you think you would want to make your own.

I would also try some baths with baking soda or Epsom salt or raw organic apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup if a tub of warm water.

Did the eczema begin when you began the formula? Have you tried any other types? What does the pediatrician think is the cause?

I hope you find relief for her soon!

~Mama to Many~

For your daughter's eczema, try the Hay Diet - as devised a century ago by Dr William Hay, and as fully explained in 'The Hay Diet: Food Combining for Health' by Doris Grant and Jean Joice (see especially pp 61-62). And if you do, please let us know the result -

Hi, my daughter is 7 months old, has had bed eczema since 2 months old. She is breast fed and formula fed since 2 months old. Her diet consist of enfamil formula, squash, carrots, peas, brown rice, strawberry, apple, pear, banana. What is consideded an akaline diet? How do I help her skin naturally from within to outside? Thanks so much

Cod liver oil is amazing. I did like suggested 3x's a day, plus I added Evening Primrose oil recommended dosage on bottle since I'm in menopause and think that this flare up was a result of my hormone change and could help. My hands were the worse and completely raw, swollen, red, peeling constantly, and felt like bee's stinging me constantly. I could hardly bear the pain and read all the suggestions on here. This one made sense to me and gave it a try. I've been doing this regiment for a week now and hands are normal size, not red, not peeling, not itchy, and not in pain. I will continue for another week until I see it completely healed...but rejoicing...because I'm almost there! Woohoo...I'm a very happy woman for this cure!!!

Finally eczema is disappearing fast after three years of trying most of the natural remedies recommended here. I realise that it is slightly premature to post my good news but there has been such a remarkable change for the better in the appearance of my skin that I wanted to tell other eczema suffers about my success. Even if it does not cure the eczema 100% (which I hope it does) the condition seems to be fading fast. Recently I started to eat lots of sauerkraut with my main meal of the day and have been spraying the eczema patches with transdermal magnesium twice a day. The improvement is outstanding and although the condition has not completely disappeared I have only been on the sauerkraut regime for just over two weeks now but hallelujah the itch has gone and most of the dead skin and inflammation too!

Concerning ACV in my case it calmed the itch because it sloughed off the dead skin. Moisturising the eczema helped create the itch because the dead skin was soaking up the creams and oils and they probably discouraged my skin from producing its own moisture while I plastered it with lotions and potions. I have had a modicum of success with Lugol's oil too as it obliterated the dead skin and tamed the itch.

The first and only other bout of eczema that I have experience was 17 years ago and I managed to clear that up immediately thanks to four treatments of colonics but that did not work for me this time round. There was no marked improvement after three sessions whereas the previous time, the eczema cleared up overnight after the first session but I had been recommended to have a minimum of four sessions so I completed the treatment.

Let food be thy medicine! Good luck!

I love Manuka honey for ezcema.

Pls research the dangers of Hair Dyes. Also research Henna powder for a safer. Mountain Rose Herbs carry good quality Henna.

Hello everyone, I have had success in curing my eczema using Silymarin, an extract of Milk Thistle. I was diagnosed with eczema on my left hip. For years, it would come and go and it looked a lot like ringworm. Finally, my dermatologist took a biopsy and determined it was eczema. I used apple cider vinegar topically on the rash a couple of times a day and that seemed to help a lot. Then I started taking Silymarin 150mg with Turmeric and it cleared completely. I have been clear for a couple of months now. I take 2 capsules twice a day with food. Silymarin is said to repair liver issues which I may have or had seeing that I am a regular wine drinker. Hope this helps. Bob

I have found the perfect cure for eczema. I have been suffering a nasty bout of eczema on my back for the past few months. Pretty decent sized patch, approximately the size of my palm. Extremely itchy. In fact it was so itchy that I couldn't refrain from scratching it, especially at night, which of course caused it to spread. I tried everything...calamine lotion, tea tree oil, lavender oil, coconut oil, shea nut butter, calendula and chamomile ointment, and finally cortizone cream. Nothing worked.

So, I read somewhere to mix a small travel sized spray bottle with hot water, add a big pinch of both Himalayan salt and Epsom salts, shake the bottle real good, and spray that rash down liberally. Less than 1 week later the eczema rash is completely gone. Unbelievable. It cost pennies. It's worth a try for all you eczema sufferers.

I got eczema two weeks ago on my hands and arms. Never had I had this before. I was so panicked because they where oozing, swollen and itchy and I could not do my work, cook, clean for my family. Thanks to earth clinic I got the itchiness under control with apples, acv, Quercetin supplements, and homemade moisturizers. But that did not get rid of eczema, just the itchiness. I read Lou Lou from Adelaide's post (2012) and immediately and knew that this was my problem.

3 days after eating more zinc rich foods, ie. Liver, beef, pumpkin seeds and just eating more foods. I had been trying to do more anti inflamitory diet of green smoothies and more colourful produce. I didn't expect to get healed eating meats!!! I am looking into supplementing iwth zinc although there are a variety of different forms so I have to research which one is the most absorbable. I am 80% better and no longer have to wear gloves to work. Still have dry skin with a touch of redness, but am so relieved to know what caused this. Thank you so much for your comment as this was what steered me in the healing direction.

In reply to Stephanie (Washington),

Recent studies are suggesting that there is a correlation between vitamin d status (25 OH d serum level) and eczema or atopic dermatitis. You mentioned that your eczema worsened in Washington and improved in Arizona and that it did not start until you moved from Southern California to Washington.

In Southern California you would have been getting more UVB exposure and consequently a higher 25 OH d level than you would get in Washington.

You also said that it started around the age of 18 which would have been when you finished high school. Thinking back to high school, I remember being in the sun a lot because of all of the outdoor activities associated with being in high school and I also remember that it seemed like I got a lot less sun exposure after high school. It may be that this chain of events was enough to get your serum 25 OH d level into the insufficient or deficient range and possibly make it easier for eczema to take hold.

In any case, it seems like an easy enough and inexpensive enough thing for your dermatologist to get your vitamin d level into the optimum range to find out if it can have a positive effect in controlling or eliminating your eczema. Below 30 ng/ml is considered insufficient and below 20 ng/ml is deficient. The reference range is 30~100 ng/ml.

Some cancer studies have shown that being around the 75 ng/ml area may help to reduce risk of certain cancers.

Here are some recent studies suggesting that there may be a relationship between vitamin d and eczema or atopic dermatitis.

Http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/12/789
Https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28017448
Https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25282565

Art

Hi Rachael,

It looks like you are partly there in your treatment of your eczema. I have had various forms of eczema on and off SINCE I WAS 4 MONTHS OLD and have tried many things over the years to treat it (medically as a child and holistically as an adult). I agree that the hot water and the coconut oil treatments are great and have been using them for quite some time as required. I see you have also identified the current irritants and some of the nutrients to supplement your diet.

My greatest improvements came when I acknowledged the fact that the skin is part of the body's detoxification and elimination system along with the kidneys and liver. The skin is not the only thing reacting to surface toxins. The skin absorbs everything it touches and the blood quickly routs toxic material to the liver for treatment and/or elimination. Any skin issues are a reflection of the toxic build-up in the body which the liver is struggling to cope with. My first main skin improvement condition came when I realized that my food intake mix promoted an acid condition in my body and I changed my food intake mix to produce a more alkaline balance. This allowed the liver and kidneys to do their jobs more effectively. Also the severity of the itchiness ‘attacks' went down considerably.

Secondly, doing liver cleanses helped with the liver overload and reduced the frequency and severity of the eczema. I still have a way to go but hopefully you can find something useful in my story.

My heart goes out to everyone and their stories, thank you for sharing. This is my story:

My eczema started at age 18, inside elbows and knees. Doctors and their steroids? Not a realistic long term solution.

Every case and effective treatment is as different as those who suffer from it.

At age 28, I decided to address my inner demons, addressing what I thought was emotionally upsetting, long story.... insecurities related to our culture and sexuality, self worth, seeking validation from others, too much to list, but alas, my skin started getting better.

Also, I also tried eliminating gluten from diet???I lost some weight, but nothing noticeable after 6 weeks, as far as eczema.

This was all while living in western WA.(Was born and raised in southern CA until I moved to Seattle at age 15 in 1984) One doctor early on (1995), suggested the humidity in this area was largely to blame. I moved to Chico CA for 3 years. 2000 to 2003, it got better. In fact, I moved back to Seattle in 2003 and don't recall it acting up again for a few years, even in the Seattle winters. Winters in AZ? (2013 and 2014) awesome. Back to WA and in one years it came back. With a vengence this winter.

Obviously food is a factor in all health, I haven't had the patience to overhaul my diet, but I am getting better at staying very far away form fast food and over processed food. In the mean time...... what has helped with this last bout?

Learning to not focus on how bad it is and be more proactive. treating the symptoms? I read for years about oatmeal baths, but also, making a paste of fine ground oatmeal (colloidial). I was at my wits end and while getting a bath ready, I made a paste with colloidial oatmeal and water, smeared it on my arms and legs, sat for 20 minutes listening to Abraham Hicks (youtube it) about skin disorders. then I soaked in the oatmeal bath. the next day, skin started to exfoliate a lot more.

DRY BRUSHING!!!! A stiff natural bristle brush. I thought it would tear up my skin but first I started with a softer brush to get used to it. Plus, it is a nice way to relieve itch without breaking skin. A few days later, I used a brush with stiffer bristles. WOW! Some suggest to brush from feet to heart area, then hands to heart area. Supposed to stimulate lymph system. help with circulation. Visible results....mass exfoliation! The amount of dead skin I swept off the bathroom floor was astonishing. makes perfect sense, moisturizing dead skin cells is not that effective.

So, the first week, I dry brushed morning and evening. Now once a day. MOISTURIZING? Many people say coconut oil helps. Not me. Just kept my skin itchy. Shea Butter? YES!

First I bought Shea butter with frankincense and myrrh. It seemed to actually help. I gave up on drugstore lotions like Euerin, and CeraVe. I then used plain shea butter, not so effective.... I read more about frankincense and myrrh. The first essential oil helps sooth the itch, the latter is said to help heal skin faster. It is the first moisturizer that has made a difference.

I ordered raw pure organic unrefined shea butter and mixed frankincense and myrrh essential oils with it, about 20 drops of each to a pound of shea butter. seems to be helping. After the first week of dry brushing 2x a day, the pile of dead skin cells on the bathroom floor reduced drastically.

The eczema on my wrists was the worst so I have been applying triamcimilone to help, and it does, several times a day. and my face was getting bad too. There is a steroid, desonide? Sort of worked for me on my face. Remembering a doc who gave me Elocon (brand name, generic is good, not recalling name now) Worked even better than desonide for my face. and cheaper!

Eczema is torture, and add the depression that comes with it, extra torture when one is too depressed to even make an effort. Again, everyone is different and what worked for one person didn't work for me (i.e. apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, drug store lotion.) Yes, the shea butter is a little "greasy", but, take the time to let it soak in before getting dressed. and wear cotton!

A big help is a psychological approach.... remember that you are worth taking care of!!!! I was too depressed to do this. But instead of getting frustrated by the time it takes to rub dabs of steroid on all the little lesions, and then to warm the shea butter in hands so it can spread, on every square inch of my skin.....I tell myself that I am worth taking care of myself and taking the time to do it. Its not a chore or a burden, but a treat I am worthy of. I believe much of eczema is physiological, but the rest is emotional.

I hope this helps someone!

Exfoliate with dry brushing and oatmeal paste. (Store bought colloidal oatmeal can get spendy. I put about a cup of oatmeal in blender for a few minutes, easing the upper outsides down with a fork, but dont put fork in too deep or it hits the blades....get it as fine as you can. I then put it all in a double layer cheese cloth, tie up end with a rubber band. Put it in bath water, squeeze the dissolved oatmeal from cheescloth repeatedly into bath water as it runs. Open cheesecloth in a mixing bowl with a little water to make a paste that is stiff enough to stick to skin, not too watery. the first time I got it just right. The second time I did not grind the oats fine enough. You cant get it too fine. It will take about 5 minutes with a blender.

Moisturize with shea butter infused with frankincense and myrrh ( I blend it all with a hand mixer in a bowl, then scoop it into glass mason jars. )

and most importantly.....

BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE WORTHY OF SELF CARE AND SELF LOVE!!!!

I found relief with multiple remedies.

1. Hot water rinse
2. ACV
3. Thyme essential oil
4. Coconut oil

I'll explain the routine. If I skip any part of this routine I will be obsessively scratching my skin until it bleeds and weeps. My type of eczema is from winter dry skin, and cleaning chemicals in my food service job -- such as the blue dye in the dish soap, and vinyl and latex in gloves, and the Sterilox that we soak vegetables and fruits in.

First, to explain the hot water rinse. This is a remedy that my midwife told me, for poison ivy or poison oak, and it works great for eczema itching, too. She said to hold the rash under hot running water -- as hot as you can stand -- and it will feel like the hot water is scratching the itches out of your skin. It's either pulling out the irritants, or the histamines, or both. Your skin will feel a huge relief after this.
The ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) is self explanatory. It's one of the top remedies on this website. I apply it after the hot water rinse -- I use the raw ACV from the health food store, that has all the brown stringy stuff in it. I pour it into the cap, and then pour the cap-fulls onto my rash and rub it in, undiluted.

After the ACV has dried and stopped stinging I apply single drops of thyme essential oil, and rub each one in, until the rash is covered. Thyme essential oil is miraculous! They found in studies that it has more anti-inflammatories than any other essential oil. It has a warm sting, at first, but it is a healing and cleansing type of sensation.

Lastly, I apply the coconut oil, to moisturize my horribly dry winter skin. Having done all four of these steps, my skin is at complete peace.
Now! All of that was for relief of the rash. But what about healing the source of the problem? Of course, I try to avoid the irritants, as much as possible -- for example, not exposing my wrists or the backs of my hands to the blue dye in commercial soap -- but it is safe to expose my palms and fingertips to this dye in the soap.

But what about the nutritional deficiencies? Vitamin D deficiency is linked with eczema. But, living up in the Chicago suburbs, I am already taking 8000 IUs a day (10,000 IUs is borderline overdose). Well, I found a website from a fellow eczema sufferer that talks about an enzyme deficiency. The website is softress dot com. Basically, to make the enzyme called delta-6-dehydrogenase (D6D) which makes a protective oil for our skin, we need zinc, magnesium, and selenium + vitamin B6.

Softress dot com says, "A healthy body produces natural oils that form a skin barrier that keeps skin soft and slightly acidic (pH between 4.5 and 6, depending on age, with an optimum at around 5.5), helping skin to resist infection by disease-causing bacteria. When the body is unable to produce these natural oils, the skin becomes very dry and the skin barrier is damaged, exposing the skin to infection.(4) To make matters worse, the body's immune system may overreact to common substances, causing inflammation and further damaging the skin.

Current research focuses on why the body is unable to produce these natural oils. Central to this research is an enzyme called delta-6-dehydrogenase (D6D), which converts the linoleic acid in dietary vegetable fats into gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid necessary for maintaining healthy skin. In both eczema and diabetes, the D6D enzyme may be impaired--it may not function properly. Levels of the specific vitamins and minerals required for D6D to function are often very low in people with eczema or diabetes. Nutritional supplementation to increase the levels of these nutrients may reduce or eliminate the symptoms of eczema and help stabilize insulin and glucose metabolism."

I think that the vegetable oil they are talking about is Omega 6, and that the best source of that is sunflower oil.

Also, I remember that I used to drink a tablespoon full of ACV in a glass of water, and there was no stiffness in the skin of my hands and face, but when I stopped drinking it the stiffness came back, and I could feel it in the skin of my hands, when I clenched my hands. I stopped drinking ACV because someone on this website said that ACV wipes the iodine out of our bodies -- but now I am thinking this must be nonsense -- and I am drinking it again, starting today.

So, here's the nutritional remedy for my type of eczema, caused by dry winter skin that is exposed to workplace chemicals.
1. Balanced B vitamin complex (too much of one will make you deficient in another, and physical or emotional stress will deplete you of all).
2. Vitamin D3 (the amount you need will be based on your skin color, plus how much sun you get -- website page from the Vitamin D Council will tell you how much you need.)
3. Zinc supplement
4. Sunflower oil supplement, or some form of Omega 6
4. Selenium gave me ovarian cysts, but maybe you can take it.
5. ACV
6. 500 mg of magnesium, at bedtime. It is better to take magnesium and vitamin D at different times of day.
7. Vitamin B6 supplement

TURMERIC! Please try if you have eczema.

I developed a horrible (probably stress related) breakout of eczema all over my body about 2 weeks ago, the skin on my arms literally looked purple and my face was swollen with eczema all over my forehead and under my right eye. This is the first major breakout I have had in a bout 10 years, my brother even asked me if I got punched in the eye because it looked so bad.

I got steroid pills and creams form the doctor and it cleared up my face after a few days (again I haven't used steroids in over ten years, eczema previously disappeared mostly from juicing and striving to maintain a great diet)

Sad part is as soon as I stopped using the steroid cream, my face looked nearly as bad as it did before I used it. I was determined not to keep using steroids on my face so I searched the internet for a solution. I saw turmeric on this site and a few other sites as well as Apple cider vinegar.

I started the following regimen that COMPLETELY cleared my face of eczema

Apple cider vinegar three times a day in warm water (about two teaspoons in 8 ounces)

About 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric and a sprinkle of black pepper in 8 ounces water as soon as I wake up before consuming anything else.

The most integral part of my regimen was turmeric masks which consisted of plain greek yogurt (Chobani) and organic ground turmeric (got from Whole Foods) I put just these two in a bowl and mixed it (not sure of the turmeric measurement but I put enough to make it mustard yellow color) and then I rubbed this all over my face with a double portion on trouble areas. Leave it on for 20 minutes until dried and then washed it with warm water then a light facial cleanser. I did this twice a day for 3 days and on the 3rd day I woke up with 95% of eczema gone on my face. I am going to try this on arms and legs soon but I am almost certain it will clear up anywhere that eczema is evident.

I did a turmeric mask in the morning then I would mix half and half ACV and water and use a cotton ball to wipe my face and let it dry out on my face. I would do this about 2 or three times during the day and then I would do another turmeric mask at night.

Lastly, I totally changed my diet, meaning I stopped eating meat (I was eating all organic meat prior but I think it was causing digestive issues) most of my meal consists of vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and kale, steamed. And I eat brown rice. I eat fish most days and the occasional lentil soup. I also eat a lot of oatmeal with almond milk and the only real fruit I consume is bananas and the occasional apple or mango in green juices. I eat no sugar, dairy, eggs, etc. Taking about 2 probiotic pills a day and one fish oil tablet daily. I have been on this diet for about 2 weeks now.

I also exercise at least 4 times a week, exercise makes things itchy BUT as soon as I got off the treadmill I would go and put apple cider vinegar on my face and let it dry.

Hope this helps someone! Prayer and Turmeric and a little faith gave a great ending to a horrifying experience.

P.S. Even if you have a skin condition other than eczema I would recommend you try turmeric masks and ingesting it(less then a teaspoon a day)! It actually tastes great with a bit of warm almond milk

Thank you for posting that info, Dianne, it really makes sense for me, I haven't had eczema for 20 yrs, but had a recent flare up on my chin and under my eye. What's changed in my habits?

1) I switched from a more expensive omega 3-6-9 balanced supplement which included Eve Primrose Oil (GLA) to a cheaper Flax seed oil and have been taking a high dose for some muscoskeletal inflammation. It worked for that but maybe I overdid it and now have an imbalance.

2) I lost over a stone on the intermittent fasting diet where one only has 500-600 calsa day for 2 days a week. However I upped my coffee consumption those days and I work out. The combo of fasting, exercise and coffee would cause my body to metabolise triglycerides/ fatty acids from my own adipose tissue (fat)

I have been trying ACV, coconut oil, Citricidal and allsorts, but nothing has sufficiently worked. I have the qualifications and the knowledge but I didn't make the connection regarding my own body and EFA metabolism til I read your post, Dianne. Thank you for sharing! And thank you Earth Clinic!

PS that might be why the lady above found yeast worked - nutritional yeast contains active ingredients integral to the fatty Acid metabolism process.

How old is the child? For an infant, I'd do maybe a tablespoon. Adjust for the child's size--a 10 year old could probably do half a cup. In my experience, the child will want it once they realize it's helping and then they can drink as much of it as they want. Just start with a small amount and observe. If you are lucky, the child will like it and self-administer. I just whiz some jam into mine for sweetness, but we don't even really sweeten it at all anymore. A second ferment will make it less sour (some like the sour; I don't.) You can also watch it for thickness--some people like it thinner and stop fermenting earlier. Others like it thick, like a cream cheese, and use it as topping for crackers. I use it thick like sour cream(love it on my hot oatmeal) and thinner to take when I carry it to work. It's a valuable addition to your diet if you tolerate it well.

Can anyone let me know how much kefir I should give my child each day for eczema? Thanks.

I have developed leaky gut and along with that eczema brought on through eating dairy which I used to be ok with. By making chicken and beef stock I have been able to almost make it disappear within a week. I will continue with stock until it goes and then keep it as a regular top up for the gut. Chicken stock is very palatable, especially with lemon and garlic.

Seems like if you are improving, that is a positive sign! You might try a baking soda bath for the inflammation. 1 cup of baking soda in a tub of warm water.

~Mama to Many~

Did you remain eczema free? ive had a flare up which sounds very similar to yours- all over the body, its been nearly 3 months. Im on day 2 of apple fast, much less itchy but still red and inflamed

I am 27 and have had eczema on my legs since I was 7. I have tried countless remedies without success. Kefir was my miracle solution! Taken internally, it didn't do anything for me. BUT, applied to my legs after showering in the morning and before going to bed at night did wonders very quickly. It is now completely gone! I told my mother about it since she had very itchy eczema in her ears and it did the same for her! Try it! I don't rince the kefir after applying it (organic and plain - I sometimes make it/buy it at the store). Once it dries, it doesn't show nor smell anything. I also started applying it on my face for acne and it is helping already :-) The good bacterias in kefir help rebalance the skin and fight bad bacterias.

Yes, eliminating dairy works.

Try using rahssoul clay to wash your skin with instead of soap, use aloe vera gel to apply on your skin which you can mix with a little olive oil. Soaking in bicarb is good but not too often and I don't think it should be taken orally. I found taking charcoal capsules every day for a couple weeks every so often helped to clear up my skin. If you do choose to try charcoal be sure to drink plenty of water as that makes it more effective. But in order to clear up your skin you need to start on the inside. Take milk thistle which helps to clean the liver. Eliminate any white foods, dairy products and sugar from your diet as well as minimising your intake of process foods. Juice vegetables such as kale, celery, cucumber or carrots and beetroot which was one of my favourites ensure the carrots and celery you juice are organic. Eat plenty of vegetables especially the green leafy ones, don't boil them lightly steam. Basically you need to change your diet and the way you eat. Your skin condition on the outside is just a reflection of whats going on on the inside. These are just some of the things that helped me clear my skin, hope you find helpful. Always try things on a small area of your skin for a little while before using all over to avoid bad reactions as what works for one person may not work for another. But healing really does begin with your diet.

Teas you can drink some even boost your immune system, turmeric, moringa red clover or nettle tea.

Tea tree essential oil for eczema and/or dandruff is amazing!!! People must know this is an incredible potent absolute cure!!! It stings when applied and the day after you may experience it falling off as dry flakes. MUST TRY!

Hi Kelly,

The fish oil capsules I used were nothing fancy. I, personally, have tried the pricier fish oils that come in glass bottles, but it's been my experience that they don't work any better than the inexpensive ones.

I use Nature Made 1,000mg fish oil capsules--two capsules per day. You can find that brand at any of the large chains. The vanilla yogurt was Activia brand--also available pretty much anywhere.

(I've been around EC long enough that I think I can mention brand names without anyone thinking I'm trying to 'pimp' products. ;-)

Hope this combination works as well for you as it did for my daughter!

which fish oil capsule did u buy? There's too many choices available.

What hair dye is OK to use for eczema? It seems to flare up after use of dye.

I've had atopic dermatitis all my life; inner elbows, inner knees and neck. Little red blisters that would itch and if scratched would take a wider area each time. Regular cream helps but take long. However, in 2008 I started having nipple eczema. It started by producing some flakes in the area, followed by some reddish blisters that ooze. They sticked to my bra. I started using tissue. They'd come and go. They usually were not many.

I went to the dermatologist in 2012 and prescribed hydrocortisone (among with some oral corticosteroids). It helped at the beginning and then I would apply every one or two weeks when blisters would show and burst. It would "heal" but then flares got more often and worst each time (the skin was getting thinner; I did not know) when I started medicating. I spent up to last year (2015) doing so up until I lost my tube and everything went unstoppable!!! Oozing, sticky, bleeding nipples and tissue was not enough. I got scared and went to a new dermatologist. He would prescribe the same things and I had temporarily cured. And then I started with the same old story: applying cortisone everytime it was itchy or blisters would show.

I decided I needed to stop and started browsing for natural cures. Found your site and decided to give ACV a try 1.5 months ago. First days it did not help much but stopped the itching and reduced the blisters. I started using it orally as well, twice a day. I apply an ACV-soaked compress to both my nipples for 5 minutes once or twice a day. Then I apply some drops on each one of them and let them dry.

A month ago, I also decided to give colloidal sulfur a shot. I remembered there was a local ointment that worked for acne pimples, read its instructions and IT SAID IT WORKED FOR ECZEMA!!!

I have been using it for a month now and it has improved amazingly!!! New blisters try to show but they dry within minutes or a day. I also apply organic coconut oil every now and then to moisture the area. My nipples are starting to get back their texture, form and color!!!

Thank you Earth Clinic for this forum!!

I suffer from eczema on my hands and feet and whenever I go to the seaside, if I put my hands and feet in the water, it takes my eczema away as well. I can't wait to go back as I have had a flare up again.