Anjali (Sydney, Australia) on 07/09/2012
For the last 10 years, the only place I had eczema was my face, out of all the places it could be! And it was very stubborn, there was nothing I could do to clear it. I have naturally dark skin ( I am of Indian origin) and so the marks on my face were quite dark ( on anglo/white skin they are red) and prominent. I suffered from low self confidence because of this, and was desperate to find a solution, and tried almost every cream the doctor had prescribed.
After many years of trial and error, and this wonderful website, I've found something that works for me and thought that I should share :)
Firstly, eliminate or drastically reduce sugar in your diet. Sugar is white poison they say... Also look out for it in processed foods - you'll be surprised at how much is hidden in there. I also have eliminated dairy from my diet, due to having a mild allergy to it.
On the days I eat lots of sugar, my eczema flares up. I have noticed this time and time again. Eat a healthy balanced diet, with lots of fruit, vegetables, grains, meat (if you aren't vegetarian) and legumes. Limit processed foods with sugar, additives, preservatives. And most importantly, stop the sugar!
I have also noted on many occasions, that drinking plenty of water every day significantly improves my eczema. So stay hydrated!
And the last and final thing, something you'll hear a lot about on this website: unfiltered oragnic apple cider vinegar (ACV). I have been using this for the last 6 weeks and the reults have been amazing, what a huge difference. My face is almost clear, after years of trying, I am so happy!
I consume ACV 3 times a day before each meal. 2 teaspoons dissolved in a glass of water each time. There are a range of benefits - look at this website for more info :)
I also started applying it topically on my face. Now some people mention immediate results from this, ie within 24 hours it has cleared. I had very stubborn eczema, the skin on parts of my face was dark, cracked, and rough, and had been so for many years.
I used a solution of 50% water and 50% ACV and applied it all over my face ( it is excellent as a general toner used daily, even if you don't have eczema). The first 3/4 times I used this solution it stung!!! The skin became irritated, darker, sore, itchier, and small white bubbles appeared under my skin, it looked terrible! My skin settled down after a few minutes, but the apperance hadnt changed. I did this routine for about 4 days, and my eczema patches became slightly worse ( or at least, they looked worse! ) but I persisted, and after a few more days my skin no longer became irritated, and the affected areas started to peel slowly, leaving healthier skin on the areas of my face where the eczema once was.
If I touch it right now, my whole face is smooth, no areas are cracked or sore. It hasn't healed 100%, but if before on a scale of 1 to 10, the eczema on my face was a 7, it is now a 2! Huge difference! I am so happy! The areas of my face that had eczema are still slightly darker than the rest of my face but this shoukd improve in time. In general the skin on my face is glowing too.
I just follow the ACV toner with a good, gentle moisturising cream/lotion. No harmful doctor's prescribed eczema creams with side effects, that have failed me over the years. Just simple, apple cider vinegar - make sure you buy unfiltered and organic!
So eat healthy, drink plenty of water, excercise, keep a positive attitude, and drink and apply topically ACV as per the instructions above.
Ezcema is also caused my stress, so keep a free mind. I'm also thinking of starting yoga soon
Good luck :) and thankyou to Earth Clinic and all its contributers!!