Effective Natural Eczema Treatments for Soothing Relief

Cold Wet Wrapping

Posted by LN (England) on 03/13/2021
★★★★★

I have found wet wrapping the only thing to give relief from eczema (as I thought it was anyway, self diagnosed, extremely dry, cracking, lumpy and red itchy skin) on my legs.

The procedure is to soak and wring out bandages in pure cold water. Then cover with a dry layer and clingfilm. Leave at least 2 hours up to 5 hours then be prepared for tremendous improvement as you gently unwrap.

Arrowroot, Tea Tree Oil

Posted by Dawn (Hartford Wi) on 08/26/2020
★★★★★

Try arrowroot powder, tea tree oil, and coconut oil...this is a recipe for homemade deodorant I found online, but found it to be beneficial for my husband's eczema.

Baby Eczema Cream

Posted by Mama to Many (TN ) on 08/19/2019
★★★★★

My teenage daughter has dealt with perioral dermatitis for years. We have tried many, many things over the years with varying temporary results that have been less than satisfying. A few months ago we tried Aveno baby eczema cream. Wow! This is the best thing we have used. I would say she is 90% better and has been for months. This is inexpensive and available online and in stores. 😊 ~Mama to Many~

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Michael (New Zealand) on 10/31/2018

Hello Deirdre, I am sorry to hear that you are poorly?! Not good. I wonder if you might benefit from trying Flax Seed Oil, which, (among other claimed benefits), has the possible potential of improving skin conditions. Mine is a New Zealand, organic, cold-pressed, extra virgin oil that is supposed to be traceable from "Soil to Oil" (love that bit) and has Omegas 3,6 and 9 as well as natural vitamin E in it. You cannot use it for cooking, as it has a low smoke point but we dribble / "drizzle" the smallest amount over our evening meal reasonably regularly. Think it has helped my dandruff somewhat. Check out if you can rub it in?? It is also supposed to benefit joint and heart health, brain and cardio-vascular functions but WHAT are they compared to the dreaded dandruff which causes Social Death and Gradual Disintegration??!!

P.S. and FYI.... in the Kiwi vernacular the term "gummy" refers to an article of footwear more properly known as a "gumboot" (or "wellington" if you happen to be British). Invented by the Duke of Wellington when he was presented with the problem of keeping his feet dry at the Battle of (wait for it) Water loo... and the rest is history as they say. Megan and Harry have just to-day participated in our Gumboot Throwing Competition. Being a Royal can be such fun at times. So, if you have taken to eating your gummy, I would be tempted to earnestly beseech you to immediately cease and desist this unhealthy practice as contraindications may ensue.

Cheers from Down Under and get better ASAP. Michael

Cod Liver and Evening Primrose Oils

Posted by Healed37 (San Diego, Ca) on 05/15/2017
★★★★★

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!!!

Sea Salt

Posted by Grace (Portland, Oregon) on 01/15/2015
★★★★★

I had bad case of Eczema, I went to the dermatologist and my MD twice and the ointment just made it worse than ever.

I decided to try fine mediterranean sea salt. One cup of warm water and about 3 to 4 tablespoon sea salt, let the sea salt dissolve and then at the end of my shower I turn the water then I would pour the Sea Salt water mixture on the eczema let it dry on my skin, This stopped the rash and itching, I also splashed this sea salt water on my face and noticed my dry eye problem seemed to be disappearing!

Kefir

Posted by Lizabeta (New York, NY) on 11/29/2014
★★★★★

I was nursing my daughter and still am since birth. She developed eczema around 1 month old. At first I had no idea where how this happened as my two other children had no problems. I took her to her pediatrician and she said that some babies just have it and it goes away as they get older. I asked if it could be because of something I was eating and her pediatrician (rated one of the best pediatrician in NYC) said "no, not at all."

Thank God for mothers intuition, I did some research of my own and found that my daughter was sensitive to the foods I was eating. I cut out foods one at a time to see what she was reacting to and found she was sensitive to milk, nuts and eggs? Something I constantly consumed in my diet. So I had to remove them from my diet but occasionally would incorporate them, except for the nuts.

After she turned 2 years, I attended a birthday party and ate cake that was made with nuts, which made her react not just on her hands as she would normally but now on her inner elbow area and it itched and was so red and uncomfortable for her, I had to wrap up her arms. I tried some ointments which helped but it wasn't until I began drinking Kefir and giving my daughter Kefir did it help give her relief. It literally worked within 12 hours. I'd give my daughter Kefir first thing in the morning and before she would go to sleep. (I would try to be consistent although sometimes she was resistant). It made her eczema disappear.

Eczema is a digestive issue and Kefir treats those issues. Western medicine along with most doctors are good at taking your money, and playing with human health in exchange for extra bucks. Kefir is the cure! Don't waste time, buy organic Kefir and save your children and yourself the trouble of spending your money on anything else!

Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Oil, Epsom Salt Baths

Posted by Sonia (Birmingham) on 06/28/2016

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.

Eliminate Dairy

Posted by Anon (Anon) on 02/02/2013
★★★★★

I used to get exzema on the backs of my arms from my wrist to my elbow. The doctor said lack of sunlight was probably the cause. It was in the area that my arms would rest if I rested them on my schooldesk. The doctor gave me eucerine cream if I remember right, which helped, but did not eliminate it. What did eliminate it was eliminating dairy from my diet, especially ice cream. Now if I eat any tiny red bumps begin appearing on my wrists.

Kefir

Posted by Christy (Lawrenceville, Ga) on 12/12/2012
★★★★★

Hello, I just wanted to share of my experience with milk kefir for my son's eczema. He has suffered with eczema since he was 3 months old. It was so severe that his pediatrician had to give him antiobiotics. I read about milk kefir (live cultures)and I purchased the grains and gave it to him everday when he was old enough to drink milk and within 1 month it completely resolved. We stopped giving him steroids and ointments and epson baths. This was truly a miracle for us. We praise God.

Ayurveda

Posted by Jennifer (Sunrise, Fl, USA) on 06/10/2012
★★★★★

Eczema - oh, the agony! I've suffered with this condition almost all of my life. I discovered the wisdom of Ayurveda many years ago and it has helped me tremendously with my eczema. Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that has been around for anywhere from 6,000 to 42,000 years. To many people, Ayurveda sounds strange and hippie-ish, but the advice is rather timeless and practical. In fact, the majority of the people who have posted on the eczema board have been using Ayurvedic remedies to clear their eczema, without even realizing it.

In ayurveda, the root of eczema is believed to be in the colon. I'm sure that most of you who are reading this are not surprised by this, because like me, you probably also have a known digestive disorder, weight problems, or slow/sluggish/incomplete digestion. It's not a surprise to me, reading through the posts on this site, that a lot of peoples' eczema responds positively to "cleansing" fasts. It is believed that when the body cannot handle digestion, toxins get released into the bloodstream, and these toxins are then eliminated through the skin, causing a variety of skin problems such as acne or eczema.

However, I see that some of the trouble that people are having is that they are not always using the correct remedies for their eczema "type". For example, one woman's son who has a kind of "vata" eczema (dry, scratchy, aggravated by cold and wind) was applying coconut oil (a cooling oil used to treat "pitta"/hot eczema) to it and not surprisingly, his condition was aggravated. But those who seem to suffer from "pitta"/hot eczema seem to have much success with coconut oil. I compiled this information for you in hopes that you will be able to correctly diagnose your eczema and use the correct Ayurvedic method for your eczema "type".

I have "pitta"/hot type eczema and can only give advice from my personal experience for people who suffer from that kind of eczema.

Ayurvedic approach to healing and treating eczema -

Snehana (Oiliation) - apply correct oil/medicated oil preparation on your skin for your eczema type.

Panchkarma (Detoxification) - using the correct herbs for your dosha (Ayurvedic "type") to cleanse and detoxify the blood.

Elimination - correcting any problems with digestion and elimination, to prevent toxins from entering your blood. One of the important ways to prevent a flare-up is to make sure that colon remains clean.

Remove allergens from environment and diet - this can be food/diet related, cosmetic related, or allergen-related (ex. Dust, mold).

What is my Ayurvedic "type" of eczema? (Vicharchika)
Vata (cold, dry) type: The skin tends to be rough, dry, hard, itchy and scaly. There may be associated constipation, wind and distension, anxiety and insomnia. The skin is aggravated by cold, wind, dryness and stress and relieved by the application of oils, especially sesame.

Pitta (hot, burning) type: The skin is hot and inflamed; it is aggravated by heat and heating foods, exposure to the sun (heat rash) and application of most oils, reflecting a state of heat and toxicity in the body. There tends to be burning, redness, oozing, swelling and infection which can be associated with fever, irritability and feeling of heat. Pitta type eczema responds well to cooling oils, such as coconut oil.

Kapha (cold, moist) type: Kapha skin problems are often accompanied by mucous congestion, lethargy and sluggish metabolism. The skin tends to be cold, clammy, sticky, oozing, swollen and itchy, with a pale complexion. It is aggravated by cold, damp, application of oils and eating dairy products and sugar.

Eczema is more common with a Pitta imbalance as Pitta can overheat the blood (Rakta dhatu) and predispose to toxic conditions which are expressed through the skin. Factors causing such skin problems include poor digestion (low agni), toxins in the bowel (ama), incorrect diet, over use of sour, salty, or pungent tastes, heavy, sweet or oily foods, as well as over-use of cosmetics, perfumes, synthetic creams, etc.

______________________________________________________

OK, now I know my Ayurvedic eczema type. How do I treat it?

Vata type eczema: Follow a Vata reducing diet and lifestyle with sesame oil massage and castor oil laxative or enemas. Pungent, bitter and astringent tasting foods should be reduced, while sweet, sour and salty tastes are recommended. Nourishing and cleansing herbs for internal use include Triphala, Guggul, Shatavari, Bala, and Cardamom. Chitrak (Plumbago zeylanica), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Cardamom and Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa). Triphala powder mixed in warm water, or Triphala guggul capsules, can be given before bed.

Medicated ghee (Indian clarified butter, can be found in ethnic food stores) can be used internally and externally. Useful herbs for medicating the ghee include Triphala, Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Manjishta, Gokshura, Chitrak, Neem, Guduchi, Cardamom, Punarnava, and Vacha (Acorus calamus) root.

Pitta type eczema: Follow an anti-Pitta diet, avoiding possible allergens such as dairy produce, vegetables from the nightshade family, as well as oranges, peaches and strawberries. Sour, salty and hot spicy foods are best avoided, while sweet, bitter and astringent foods are recommended. Drinking coconut juice/water (or taking up to 1 tbsp coconut oil internally per day) is helpful, along with coriander leaf juice. Exposure to sun and heat is best avoided.

Recommended herbs for internal use include bitter cleansing herbs such as burdock root (Arcium lappa), Neem, Guduchi, Manjishta, and laxative herbs such as Dandelion root (Taraxacum off. ) and Triphala can be helpful. Also recommended are Gotu kola, Sandalwood, Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa), Musta, Chirata (Swertia chiretta), Aloe Vera juice, and Amalaki.

Helpful therapies for external application include cooling and soothing rose water, coconut oil, Aloe Vera gel, coriander leaf juice, Gotu kola oil, and Bringaraj oil. Sandalwood in oils, creams, or the powder made into a paste, has a cooling anti-inflammatory effect. I use a cream that contains Sandalwood, Neem and Turmeric which is effective. Baths with herbs of Musta, Bakuchi (Psoralea corylifolia) and Triphala can be useful.

**My regimen for Pitta-type eczema**: If you have pitta-type (hot) eczema, the goal here is to cool down your body, improve your digestion and remove toxins from your blood. I recommend (and use) the pitta-reducing Blood Cleanse by Banyan Botanicals, which has manjista, neem, turmeric, guduchi, and burdock. I use in conjunction with Ayurcetics Triphala, 1 tablet right before bed helps elimination and cools and purifies the blood. When I have an eczema flareup, I apply Nutiva Coconut Oil (my favorite coconut oil on the market) to the inflamed areas, and I usually see a clearing up of my eczema within 30 minutes of application. I take 1 tbsp of coconut oil internally everyday, which helps prevent my eczema from recurring. I try to sleep in a cool room, and sometimes I will leave my hair wet, apply coconut oil or brahmi/amla oil to my hair and scalp (I use either the Nutiva oil or the Brami/Amla oil by Vadik herbs), wrap it in a towel, and sleep like that with my hair cold and damp. It keeps my head and body cool all through the night (no heat = no eczema flare up! ). I try to keep as little covers on me as possible as not to get overheated. I also drink aloe vera juice and coconut water, you can find both in Whole Foods or in Asian grocery stores. I prefer the sweetened kind of aloe vera juice (the big green bottles with chunks of aloe vera floating in it), because the non-sweetened kind tastes pretty nasty!! I also try to engage in cooling/calming activities such as yoga and meditation, and try to avoid aggravating "hot" emotions such as anger, resentment, or stress.

Kapha type eczema: A Kapha reducing diet and lifestyle is recommended by avoiding all heavy, greasy and oily food, particularly cheese and yogurt. Sweet, sour and salty tasting foods should be reduced, while pungent, bitter and astringent foods are recommended.

Acidophilus

Posted by Jeff (Detroit Metro, Michigan Usa) on 10/09/2011
★★★★★

I have been taking Acidophilus with Bifidum wafers for one week now and it has provided me with relief from my eczema. I now feel like myself again, and can actually sleep without Tylenol PM. Don't forget to moisturize problematic areas after showering.

Beet Juice

Posted by Marlene (Pocatello, Idaho Usa) on 08/21/2011
★★★★☆

I have had Eczema all my life been to many doctors and have used all kinds of medicine. Nothing ever really helped. I had one ultra violet treatment and it lasted for years. I had that done in AZ. That was about 26 yrs. ago and low and behold about 6 yrs. ago it came back! I was so sad... At first it was just a little on one finger. It came on this spring with a vengeance and I still have it. I get little bumps that itch. When they are rubbed they weep, then peel. When it is bad it cracks. The skin is very dry and draws making the cracking worse and a lot of pain.

I went to the garden several days ago and pulled a batch of BEETS. I cooked them yesterday and when they were done I skinned them the juice was all over my hands. IT FELT GOOD! Overnight the swelling is down and almost healed. I CAN"T BELIEVE it? I peeled potatoes for dinner just a bit ago and the potato juice got on me and started to itch and burn. So! I rubbed a plain cooked beet on my finger. Guess what! Instant relief. Have you ever heard of this before? It isn't totally gone but I sure feel better. The little sores are died a pretty red, but that's okay by me. What is in a beet that has this effect? Would love to know.

Ocean Water

Posted by Jackie (Lancashire) on 03/22/2016
★★★★★

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.

Aloe Vera Juice

Posted by Amelie (Paris, France) on 03/27/2011
★★★★★

Eczema remedy: 1/2 cup of organic pure aloe vera juice when you wake up and the same before going to bed. You should start seeing a difference within 3-4 weeks.

Probiotics

Posted by Steve (Naples, Florida) on 03/17/2011
★★★★★

The problem with Eczema is that it is usually a systemic problem caused by an overgrowth of candida. So one has to adhere to a strict diet of meats, vegetables, and salads until the rash is gone. Avoid anything that is sweet including fruits. Also avoid potatoes, pasta, bread, rice, mushrooms, cereal, dairy products, etc. Absorbine jr. works to kill the candida ( fungus ) from the outside but if your diet is poor it will keep coming back. Take probiotics in addition to absorbine jr to accelerate the dieing off of the internal candida. Apply the absorbine 4 times a day and take one packet of probiotics per day. If you are over 50 yrs old like I am , you need to take betaine HCL with each protein meal ( 2 - 600 mg tabs ) because most older people's stomachs do not produce enough HCL and undigested protein enters the blood and the body produces addition candida in the gut to counter the problem. I did all of these things and within 2 weeks my eczema was completely gone.

The medical industry is so corrupt that they think eczema is a genetic problem that each patient has to endure for life. They give you steriod products that only attack the symtoms and the same time it damages healthy tissue. Avoid doctors like the plague. Thank God we have this forum to help get thr truth out. Thank you earthclinic!

Baking Soda

Posted by Allnatural (Jeffersonville, Indiana, United States) on 08/16/2010
★★★★★

I took a lotion bottle with a pump dispenser and emptied the contents. Rinsed out the bottle and used a funnel to put in some baking soda. I added regular tap water and it looks like milk. When the eczema on my face first broke out I used this twice a day on my face. It burns at first, but it really dries it up. After 2 days my face looked so much better that I wasn't ashamed to go out anywhere. By the 4th day it was completely gone! I also used Hydrogen Peroxide after washing my face in the baking soda. Just used a cotton ball to apply the HP. It burned too, but not so much that it couldn't be handled. I am still washing my face in the baking soda but only once a day now and it doesn't burn since I have no break out of the eczema. It has also dried up all my pimples. Why I didn't do this before I'll never know. This site has been a life saver, with lots of wonderful, natural cures to life's ailments. Thanks a million!

Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda

Posted by Bajan Sands (Union Hall, St Philip, Barbados) on 10/20/2010
★★★★☆

This is Sandra from Barbados with an update. I have continued my quest for eczema relief. I changed up the routine a bit. Drinking the Apple Cider Vinegar was not working well for me as a daily option so I stick using it as "skin cleanser" after my showers each day & drinking only sometimes. I have also started to make my own body moisturizer, which is going very well.

My main ingredients being coconut oil, mango butter, shea butter & vegetable glycerin. I put other oils reputed to be beneficial to the skin as I feel like. I take some supplements too: probiotics, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil & also drink black seed oil, usually once daily. I'm keeping positive & I continue to see improvements. Some very small patches have become raised again, tiny in comparison to how they were, but when I work on these a bit more they tend to subside. I recently started treating the more stubborn patches with neem oil. I will watch & update my reactions in due course. My daughter who was visiting from London, told me within minutes of meeting her at the airport she could see a big difference in the look & feel of my my skin & wants a tub of the body cream for herself. I no longer scratch myself constantly all day long or in my sleep at nights. I do still itch but only sometimes. I no longer feel my skin is my enemy.

In a nutshell, I have to say big thanks, once again, to Earth Clinic who started me off on this discovery, given me hope when I really thought there was none. I will continue to tweak my routine according to how my skin performs, but for now acv, organic coconut oil based moisturizer plus a few supplements are doing a good job.

Diaper Rash Cream

Posted by Rich (Boca Raton, Fl) on 10/10/2009
★★★★☆

I've had some success with this one. Desitin Diaper Rash cream. Ingredients are Cod Liver Oil plus Zinc (2 remedies already mentioned in here). The stuff doesn't work overnight, but it seems to work.

Note: it is known that Zinc supplementation cures facial eczema in cows, I looked for a zinc product.

Had some bumps dissapear and wrinkles/stretch marks go away and hair grow back in the affected area. I'd say 80% cured in 2 weeks. Kind of smelly stuff. Got a bit lazy on application.
*****
Eczema is often a misdiagnosed yeast/fungal infection. Diaper rash is usually a yeast problem. So I'm thinking this eczema stuff is like "adult diaper rash". :)