If you’re looking for natural ways to treat eczema, you’ve come to the right place. Eczema is an itchy inflammation of the skin and it can be quite uncomfortable. While there are prescription medications that can be used to treat it, including corticosteroid creams, oral or injected corticosteroids, antibiotics, and immunomodulators, many people prefer to try healing eczema naturally first. Note that these don’t actually cure eczema, but they can relieve symptoms and make you more comfortable without the risk of side effects that comes with prescription medications. Prescription medications aren’t a cure, either, by the way; they just treat the symptoms of eczema, as well. There is no cure for eczema.
Natural Ways to Treat Eczema
Cool Wet Compresses (with or without Tea Tree Oil)
Applying cool wet compresses to itchy, irritated areas can provide quick temporary relief. For even more relief, soak a compress in cool water with a few drops of tea tree oil added to the water. Tea tree oil is an essential oil often used to treat skin problems such as eczema. It relieves pain, inflammation, and irritation and also has antibacterial properties to help prevent infection if the skin is cracked or broken.
Add Baking Soda to Your Bath
Adding baking soda to your bath is one of the simplest natural ways to treat eczema. In fact, baking soda in a bath has long been used to treat all sorts of itchy skin conditions. You may find cool or slightly warm but not hot bathwater is more soothing to your skin than hot water; in fact, hot water may increase itching and irritation.
Add Oatmeal to Your Bath
Adding oatmeal to your bath is another easy way to relieve the itching and discomfort of eczema. To avoid clogging your bathtub drain, look for colloidal oatmeal at any drugstore. It’s very finely ground oatmeal that mixes easily in bathwater and won’t clog the drain.
Add Bran to Your Bath
Bran is yet another addition to your bath that can relieve the itching and irritation of eczema. Put about six ounces in a muslin or cheesecloth bag, tie it shut and toss it in the tub.
Use a Humidifier
Using a humidifier in your home is an easy way to relieve your symptoms. Since dry air increases dryness, itching, and irritation, increasing the humidity in your home often leads to improvement, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Apply Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera gel is frequently used to treat minor burns but it can also be applied to patches of eczema to relieve dryness, roughness and irritation. You can purchase products containing aloe vera gel or you can simply buy an aloe vera plant, break off a piece and apply the gel inside to the affected areas (see picture).
Use Calendula Lotion
Calendula lotion, made from a type of marigold flower, is recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil, an integrative medicine specialist, to soothe irritated skin. You can find calendula lotion at many natural food stores.
Add Essential Fatty Acids to Your Diet
Essential fatty acids, found in foods like coldwater fish, nuts, seeds, tofu, and olive oil, keep skin healthy. Increasing the amount of these things in your diet is not a quick fix but may lead to an improvement in your symptoms over time. It’s also good for your heart. If you find it difficult to include many of these foods in your diet, you can take fish oil or flaxseed oil capsules instead, available at most stores that sell vitamins.
Here is more information on a healthy diet for eczema.
Our Preferred Natural Treatment For Eczema
Of all the natural ways to treat eczema, our favorite is Wild Naturals Eczema and Psoriasis Moisturizing Skin Cream. With all-natural ingredients, nourishing vitamins, and trace minerals, it relieves dryness and itching while restoring skin to a healthy state. People who’ve tried it rate it 4.8 out of five stars on Amazon.com. To learn more about our favorite way of healing eczema naturally, just follow the link.
Additional Reading:
Holistic Treatment For Eczema – How to develop a treatment plan that addresses the whole person, body, mind, and spirit.
Photos Of Eczema – Pictures of eczema on different parts of the body.
Essential Oils For Eczema – Guide to essential oils that help many people with eczema.
Eczema vs. Psoriasis – Telling the difference, treatment information.
Ringworm or Eczema – How to tell the difference. Comparison pictures and information.