Natural Treatments to try for Eczema!
We've discussed ways to control the itching of eczema, most of which involve using all-natural ingredients and avoiding the use of harsh chemicals, dyes, perfumes and other skin irritants.
But what about natural treatments for the disorder itself? There are a few things out there you can try.
If you've suffered with eczema long enough, you'll no doubt be willing to try anything.
Probiotics are becoming more popular these days as an aggressive treatment for various disorders.
Probiotics are "good" bacteria, which in essence are live microbial organisms that are naturally found in the digestive tract and are thought to suppress the growth of harmful bacteria.
They take a "proactive" approach to keeping you healthy, in other words.
Researchers are working on testing various probiotic strains to see if any of them can help with reducing the occurrence of eczema or even preventing outbreaks altogether.
So far it's been found that the children of women who took probiotics during pregnancy had a lower occurrence of eczema outbreaks during infancy and childhood.
Before taking any probiotics however, consult a qualified health professional, as some people with immune disorders should not take them.
Especially don't give them to your children without first discussing it with your child's doctor.
Licorice (administered in gel form) has been the subject of a recent study in the treatment of eczema.
It was found to significantly reduce redness, swelling and itching which are the primary concerns of sufferers.
It's not available just anywhere - you'll probably have to go to a health food store to get it, but if you can find it, it appears to be worth trying as a topical treatment directly onto the skin.
Aloe Vera is known world-wide for it's healing properties.
Many people keep aloe vera plants on hand to help with burns or stings from insect bites.
This miracle plant is also used for relieving the itching and inflammation of eczema.
Aloe vera can be found in your local drugstore in gel form, or you can invest in an aloe vera plant if you have frequent eczema flare-ups.
To use in plant form, simply snap off a leaf and break it into two or more pieces.
The juice that runs out is 100% aloe vera juice and usually provides instant relief.
Vitamin E is another excellent skin emollient and is cheap and easy to find.
You can take it in vitamin form (usually in gel caps), use it directly on your skin in oil form, or break open a gel cap and squirt the oil inside the gel cap directly onto the rash.
It doesn't have the instant relief capabilities of aloe vera, but it's a great moisturizer and it's properties are beneficial long-term.
Zinc is widely known to stop itching and sooth inflammation.
It's definitely worth investing in a tube of zinc oxide, as zinc is the equivalent of hydrocortizone cream when it comes to stopping itching.
It's inexpensive and you can find it in every pharmacy and super store without prescription.
The application is pretty straight forward so you shouldn't have any problems with this option.
No discussion of natural treatment options for eczema would be complete without mentioning oatmeal.
It may sound strange but its true! Oatmeal is known for it's soothing anti-itch and anti-inflamatory properties.
You can make an oatmeal poultice by applying cooked oatmeal (make sure it's cool) to a soft cloth and applying it to the affected area.
You can also buy oatmeal-based body wash and oatmeal-based lotion but nothing beats the real thing.
If you suffer from frequent eczema flare-ups, it's well worth your time to try the oatmeal poultice.
But what about natural treatments for the disorder itself? There are a few things out there you can try.
If you've suffered with eczema long enough, you'll no doubt be willing to try anything.
Probiotics are becoming more popular these days as an aggressive treatment for various disorders.
Probiotics are "good" bacteria, which in essence are live microbial organisms that are naturally found in the digestive tract and are thought to suppress the growth of harmful bacteria.
They take a "proactive" approach to keeping you healthy, in other words.
Researchers are working on testing various probiotic strains to see if any of them can help with reducing the occurrence of eczema or even preventing outbreaks altogether.
So far it's been found that the children of women who took probiotics during pregnancy had a lower occurrence of eczema outbreaks during infancy and childhood.
Before taking any probiotics however, consult a qualified health professional, as some people with immune disorders should not take them.
Especially don't give them to your children without first discussing it with your child's doctor.
Licorice (administered in gel form) has been the subject of a recent study in the treatment of eczema.
It was found to significantly reduce redness, swelling and itching which are the primary concerns of sufferers.
It's not available just anywhere - you'll probably have to go to a health food store to get it, but if you can find it, it appears to be worth trying as a topical treatment directly onto the skin.
Aloe Vera is known world-wide for it's healing properties.
Many people keep aloe vera plants on hand to help with burns or stings from insect bites.
This miracle plant is also used for relieving the itching and inflammation of eczema.
Aloe vera can be found in your local drugstore in gel form, or you can invest in an aloe vera plant if you have frequent eczema flare-ups.
To use in plant form, simply snap off a leaf and break it into two or more pieces.
The juice that runs out is 100% aloe vera juice and usually provides instant relief.
Vitamin E is another excellent skin emollient and is cheap and easy to find.
You can take it in vitamin form (usually in gel caps), use it directly on your skin in oil form, or break open a gel cap and squirt the oil inside the gel cap directly onto the rash.
It doesn't have the instant relief capabilities of aloe vera, but it's a great moisturizer and it's properties are beneficial long-term.
Zinc is widely known to stop itching and sooth inflammation.
It's definitely worth investing in a tube of zinc oxide, as zinc is the equivalent of hydrocortizone cream when it comes to stopping itching.
It's inexpensive and you can find it in every pharmacy and super store without prescription.
The application is pretty straight forward so you shouldn't have any problems with this option.
No discussion of natural treatment options for eczema would be complete without mentioning oatmeal.
It may sound strange but its true! Oatmeal is known for it's soothing anti-itch and anti-inflamatory properties.
You can make an oatmeal poultice by applying cooked oatmeal (make sure it's cool) to a soft cloth and applying it to the affected area.
You can also buy oatmeal-based body wash and oatmeal-based lotion but nothing beats the real thing.
If you suffer from frequent eczema flare-ups, it's well worth your time to try the oatmeal poultice.
