Formulating a good home remedy for eczema that will work for you requires patience. It can sometimes take quite a while before you experience any improvement. Whilst trying out a new home remedy for your eczema, it is important to remember that this type of treatment is complementary- that is the treatment is intended to be used alongside you conventional medicine or medication not to replace it totally.

The products developed by Graham’s Natural Alternatives started off as a home remedy for eczema. Frustrated by the feeling of helplessness he experienced by not being able to help his young son who had eczema, Geoff went about developing his own home remedy for eczema.

It was a process of trail and error, with Geoff and his wife spending many hours in the kitchen with his mothers mix master. Their aim was to find a cream that would control the itching and redness, as well as aid in skin repair and protect that skin from secondary infections.

The range of products that Geoff developed in his kitchen helped his son’s eczema immensely. Encouraged by his sons response, Geoff went about helping other sufferers of eczema. Eventually his initial home remedy for eczema become a credible and effective form of relief for eczema sufferers. The product is recognised by the Australian Therapeutic Association and was introduced to the market 2 years ago. It has now helped thousands of sufferers of eczema, not only here in Australia but worldwide.

Cleaning & Household

1. Use a humidifier in dry or heated rooms to keep the air moist
2. Wear cotton liners under rubber gloves to avoid reaction to the rubber
3. Remove carpets and rugs from the house where possible
4. Damp dust regularly – dry dusting only spreads the dust further
5. Keep the house well ventilated
6. Vacuums rather than sweeping to prevent stirring up the dust
7. Wash pillows, under blankets and doonas regularly
8. Avoid household cleaners and detergents as they will irritate the skin
9. Vacuum mattresses regularly
10. Keep pets off beds and other furniture
11. Avoid feather filled pillows
12. Change bed linen regularly
13. Launder cloths in a mild detergent
14. Wash curtains regularly
15. Wash new bed sheet before sleeping in them
16. Wear vinyl gloves in place of rubber gloves as the vinyl is less irritating
17. Use washable quilts in preference of blankets
18. Put fabric toys in the freezer overnight to kill dust mites

Hygiene

19. Avoid using overly hot water
20. Gently pat skin after showering don’t rub
21. Use soft towels not old scratchy ones
22. Apply moisturizers immediately after showering or washing
23. Use mild soaps or soap substitutes when washing
24. Use a bath oil to soften bath water
25. Shower or bath in luke-warm water
26. Don’t soak in water that doesn’t contain an oil because it will dry the skin
27. Keep you skin clean to help minimise infection
28. Keep finger nails short to min skin damage from scratching
29. Be careful of perfumes and after shaves as they may irritate the skin

Clothing

30. Wear 100% cotton when possible
31. Avoid tight clothing
32. Wash new clothes before wearing
33. Avoid wearing scratchy fibers
34. Avoid woolen clothing
35. Wear cotton under garment under your winter woolens to keep the wool from irritating the skin
36. Avoid tight clothing

Emollients

37. Rub moisturiser in the direction of hair growth to minimise irritation
38. Keep your skin moisturised at all times
39. Carry a small amount of moisturiser with you so you can keep your skin moisturised at all times
40. Always patch test new topical applications before using them on the affected areas
41. Be careful using creams around the eyes and mouth
42. Read instructions carefully and only use emollients as directed
43. Do not share emollients as this my cause cross infection
44. Bath oils can be applied directly to the skin as well as to the bath water
45. Be cautious of natural remedies that don’t reveal all the ingredients used
46. Water based emollients are less likely to irritate your eczema than sorbolene or glycerin based emollients

Elderly

47. The elderly need to take extra care of their skin as it heals much slower

Food

48. Keep a food diary to help determine food that cause a flare up in your eczema
49. Wash hands and face after eating as some foods will irritate sensitive skin
50. Introduce each new solid food slowly to babies to assess for negative reactions
51. To help your body heal your eczema it is important to eat a nutritious diet
52. Exclusions diets should never be undertaken without the guidance from your health care provider

Seasons

53. Avoid rapid changes in temperature
54. Wear a water based sun block
55. Avoid overly windy conditions
56. Avoid getting sun burnt as it will damage your skin further
57. Wear a wide brimmed hat to protect again sun burn
58. Holiday in warmer climates as warmer weather is generally more beneficial to eczema sufferers
59. Pollen and new growth in Spring is a common trigger of eczema

Teenagers

60. Eczema is easier to cope with if you talk to your friends and family about it

Children

61. Gain children’s cooperation when treating their eczema
62. Have children wear long sleeves and pants to minimise scratching
63. Avoid stuffed toys which may collect dust mites
64. Avoid sharp toys that could scratch the skin
65. Put mitts on babies especially at night to minimise scratching
66. Try to keep children occupied so they are less likely to scratch
67. Clean babies skin thoroughly at each nappy change
68. Wash soft toys regularly
69. Adults holding babies should cover their clothes with a cloth nappy if wearing wool or course fabrics
70. If your baby is still in nappies apply a thick layer of moisturiser at every change
71. Leave baby’s nappy off at every opportunity to allow the skin to breathe
72. Teach children about their eczema so they can learn to care for their skin themselves
73. Ensure emollients are well rubbed in and or covered to avoid any being swallowed by young children
74. If your child suffers from eczema do the cleaning when they are not in the house
75. Don’t leave baby in a wet nappy as it will irritate the sensitive skin
76. Keep in mind a breast fed baby’s eczema may be irritated by the mothers diet
77. Avoid using bubble bath
78. For eczema on the scalp it is important that you use a pH neutral shampoo and conditioner
79. For babies, apply the emollients just before bed time as it can be soothing and may help your baby get a better nights sleep

Lifestyle

80. Adopt relaxation methods to help control stress
81. Learn what triggers your eczema and how to control it
82. Seek medical advice as soon as skin becomes broken to prevent infection
83. Minimize daily stress when possible
84. Read and learn as much about eczema as you can so you are better able to cope with your condition
85. Avoid activity that raises a sweat
86. After physical activity be sure to shower and re moisturise
87. Shower and moisturise immediately after swimming in chlorine
88. Most emollients are safe to use during pregnancy, but should always be discussed with your health care provider before being applied
89. Not all treatments will work for every one, it is a matter of trial and error
90. Drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated
91. Respond quickly to any eczema out breaks so it isn’t given to chance to develop
92. Be cautious of treatments offering an eczema cure
93. Place a layer of oil or petroleum based emollients before swimming to protect the skin
94. Avoid Chinese medicines used for treating eczema as they may not be safe during pregnancy
95. The key to all eczema treatment it that you have to be consistent
96. Stay positive

5 More…

97. If you can’t tolerate wool against your skin you may also be hypersensitive to lanolin based soaps and lotions.
98. Choose tshirts and underwear made of undyed cotton
99. Cut tags off new clothes as they may be scratchy and irritate the skin.
100. Turn undergarments inside out if the seams irritate the skin.
101. When washing, double rinse clothes, towels and bedding to prevent chemicals from laundry products irritating the skin.

The most common symptoms of atopic baby eczema are dry, itchy and inflamed skin that causes redness, swelling, weeping and scaling. Although it can affect any area of the body atopic eczema is most commonly found on the head, face, neck, arms and behind the knees.

Moisturise the skin

One of the most important things to do when trying to control atopic baby eczema is keep the skin moist. You can simply rub a good moisturiser into the skin after bathing and before bedtime or you can add a bath oil to the bath water. Allow your baby to soak in the water for 10 – 15 minutes to enable the bath oil to penetrate into the skin and offer a protective layer over the top of the skin.

I believe the bath oil is the most effective form of moisturising a small baby’s skin all over. However a combination of both will more adequately offer 24 hour moisture.

Allergens trigger atopic baby eczema

Atopic baby eczema is triggered by allergens and whilst your baby can be allergic to any number of things the most common allergens affecting atopic eczema in babies are wool or synthetic fibres, soaps, detergents, some perfumes, dust, pollen and some foods.

In addition to this, emotional issues, temperature and climate, and skin infections may also trigger atopic baby eczema. Avoiding any known or possible allergens will help to control the eczema.

Prevention is better than cure

There are three main aims when treating atopic baby eczema:

• Healing the skin and keeping it healthy
• Preventing outbreaks
• Treating outbreaks when they occur

Prevention is better than cure when it comes to atopic baby eczema. Being careful with your skin, keeping your skin moisturised, wearing appropriate clothing and keeping your immediate environment free from allergens can lessen the outbreaks.

Who Gets Eczema?

Most people think eczema only affects children but anyone can get eczema at any age. Your Guide To Eczema is a terrific resource to help you understand eczema just that little bit better. It affects both males and females equally. You are more likely to develop eczema if there is a family history of eczema, asthma or hayfever (allergic rhinitis).

What Does Eczema Look Like?

Eczema skin is usually very dry and scaly. Due to the itchiness of eczema and the excessive scratching scratch marks and broken skin are not uncommon. Check out eczema photos at the excellent Epismooth.com site. Continuous scratching will cause the skin to thicken and broken skin may lead to a skin infection.

A baby developing eczema between the ages of 2 – 4 months usually has inflammation of the skin with oozing and crusting. For a child not developing eczema until around 2 years of age the oozing and crusting is less common as the rash is usually dryer and scaly.

Where Do You Get Eczema?

Eczema can develop on any part of the body. In children it is most common on the face and scalp and in the skin folds where the skin is more prone to being warm and moist.

Adults will commonly develop eczema on their hands and this is frequently due to a substance they are continually exposed to that they have become sensitive to.

Is Eczema Contagious?

Eczema may look unsightly, it may weep and ooze, but it is not contagious. You cannot catch eczema by touching, looking at or being near someone with eczema.

Eczema may be passed down the family line from generation to generation but it cannot be passed from person to person by contact or droplet transfer.

The most important aspect of treating eczema is to keep the skin well moisturised. Dry skin is a major problem for people with eczema so it is important to avoid anything that will dry the skin like soaps, dyes, perfumes and chemicals. Applying a moisturiser regularly is also very important.

Creams and Ointments

For some keeping the skin well moisturised is sufficient to control the rash but for most the symptoms will need to be controlled by a medicated cream (I recommend Calendulis Plus Cream). Traditionally steroid based creams have been used to control eczema and whilst these are often very effective they are not suitable for long term use as they do have some side effects.

Recently there has been a trend towards treating eczema with natural creams. These are available over the counter at chemists, health stores and the internet. There are many to choose from and it is a matter of personal preference which one is chosen to be used. The main advantage to natural creams is their reduction in side effects and the ability to use them long term when the eczema symptoms are persistent.

Increasing your omega 3 levels by increasing the amount of oily fish you eat or by taking supplements will also help to reduce the inflammation of eczema there by reducing the uncomfortable symptoms associated with eczema.

The Allergy Aspect

Flare ups of eczema are often caused by allergy. Finding what you are allergic to and removing it from your life will help to control your eczema. Unfortunately this is not always an easy task.

Common allergies causing eczema flare ups are pollens, some foods, animal dander, chemicals and dust mite. Stress and climate changes are also common triggers of eczema. It is impossible to say what causes each person’s eczema without determining their allergies and assessing their environment. However if the culprit can be determined and removed your eczema will be less severe or may even disappear totally.

• itchiness
• redness
• dryness
• scaling

However, there are also many other eczema symptoms that are not obviously related to the skin. Symptoms such as thirst caused by loss of fluid from the skins tissues, over sensitivity to cold and heat, and the prevalence of other allergic conditions such as asthma and hay fever, are all types of eczema symptoms that many people experience.

Following is a brief list of the most common eczema symptoms you may experience.

Skin inflammation: swelling of the skin surface and the underlying tissues.

Redness: caused by widening of the blood vessels in the skin and an associated increase in blood flow to the affected area.

Itching: can vary in intensity and leads to inflammation that can result in infection.

Dry, scaly skin: depends on the individuals skin type, but dry skin can often predispose a person to the development of eczema.

Pale skin and loss of pigmentation: due to reduced blood flow caused by eczema’s disruptive effect on the skin’s circulation.

Thick leathery skin: over time the skin can become thicker due to constant scratching. The skin tries to protect itself from this by producing more keratin (the tough protective protein found in skin cells).

It is now generally acknowledged that some 10 – 25 percent of people are affected by food sensitivity, and it has become much more widely accepted that food intolerance may play a big part in eczema.

For many people, a change in diet is the crucial factor in the successful control of eczema. The underlying philosophy “ you are what you eat “ can be very true for people who are suffering from eczema. By paying attention to the food we eat and through planning a careful diet, the closer you will be able to get to understanding the underlying cause of your eczema flare ups.

By placing cream and oils on your skin, and avoiding contact with irritants like chemicals, dust etc is a way of approaching your eczema form the outside of the body. However, this is simply a way of suppressing the symptoms, not finding the cause and through paying extra attention to what you eat the symptoms are being attacked from the inside out not outside in.

Although just saying a change in your diet may seem like a simple and obvious approach, in reality it is a lot more complicated. Because eczema is a multi-factorial condition (that is caused by a combination of different factors), there is no single treatment that works for everyone.

One of the simplest things you can do to stay healthy and help your body heal itself is to eat a nutritious diet. However, if you suspect food to be a factor in your eczema, what foods can you eat and what should you avoid?

The first point you need to consider before you decide what approach to take will depend upon whether you are an adult with eczema or a parent of a child with eczema. The severe exclusion diets sometimes used to treat adult eczema can be extremely unsafe for children and should never be undertaken without medical advice.

Because there is no single reliable test for food sensitivity, one of the most important factors in identifying potential triggers is your own observation. Keeping a FOOD DIARY in which you note down everything you consume is a good way to detect whether there is any significant pattern of reaction to a particular food or foods. As well as noting down what is eaten, you should note any symptoms, such as increased itching, redness etc that occurs after eating a particular food. Over a period of four to six weeks you may begin to notice a pattern emerging.

Deciding to focus of your diet and trying to identifying what foods you react to can often be a hard and sometimes long process. It will require willpower and patience, but if you do happen to identify that you have a certain food intolerance, the subsequent relief from avoiding this food will be well worth it.

The most common type of eczema is known as atopic dermatitis, or atopic eczema. Atopic refers to a group of diseases with an often inherited tendency to develop other allergic conditions, such as asthma and hay fever.

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the prevalence of atopic eczema is increasing and affects 9 to 30% of the U.S. population. It is particularly common in young children and infants. While many infants who develop the condition outgrow it by their second birthday, some people continue to experience symptoms on and off throughout life. With proper treatment, the disease can be controlled in the majority of sufferers.

What Are the Symptoms of Eczema?

No matter which part of the skin is affected, eczema is almost always itchy. Sometimes the itching will start before the rash appears, but when it does the rash most commonly occurs on the face, knees, hands, or feet. It may also affect other areas as well.

Affected areas usually appear very dry, thickened, or scaly. In fair-skinned people, these areas may initially appear reddish and then turn brown. Among darker-skinned people, eczema can affect pigmentation, making the affected area lighter or darker.

In infants, the itchy rash can produce an oozing, crusting condition that occurs mainly on the face and scalp, but patches may appear anywhere.

What Causes Eczema?

The exact cause of eczema is unknown, but it’s thought to be linked to an overactive response by the body’s immune system to unknown triggers.

In addition, eczema is commonly found in families with a history of other allergies or asthma.

Some people may suffer “flare-ups” of the itchy rash in response to certain substances or conditions. For some, coming into contact with rough or coarse materials may cause the skin to become itchy. For others, feeling too hot or too cold, exposure to certain household products like soap or detergent, or coming into contact with animal dander may cause an outbreak. Upper respiratory infections or colds may also be triggers. Stress may cause the condition to worsen.

Although there is no cure, most people can effectively manage their disease with medical treatment and by avoiding irritants. The condition is not contagious and can’t be spread from person to person.

How Is Eczema Diagnosed?

Eczema can be diagnosed by a pediatrician, allergist, immunologist, dermatologist or your primary care provider. Since many people with eczema also suffer from allergies, your doctor may perform allergy tests to determine possible irritants or triggers. Children with eczema are especially likely to be tested for allergies.

What Is the Treatment for Eczema?

The goal of treatment for eczema is to relieve and prevent itching, which can lead to infection. Since the disease makes skin dry and itchy, lotions and creams are recommended to keep the skin moist. These solutions are usually applied when the skin is damp, such as after bathing, to help the skin retain moisture. Cold compresses may also be used to relieve itching.

This is the most common form of eczema. Although both adults and children can develop atopic eczema it is predominantly considered a childhood condition.

The term ‘atopic’ refers to a person who is prone to allergy. Most children who develop atopic eczema inherit it from their parents. It is however not eczema itself that they inherit but rather the tendency for their body to overreact to certain triggers in their environment. These substances most commonly include house dust mite, pollens, proteins on cat and dog fur and some foods.

The most common symptom of atopic eczema is itchiness. There is also overall dryness of the skin, redness and inflammation. Constant scratching can also cause the skin to split, leaving it more likely to become infected.

Allergic contact dermatitis

This form of eczema is an allergic reaction when the body’s immune system reacts against a substance that is in direct contact with the skin. The allergic reaction often develops over a period of time through repeated contact. In order to stop reactions it is best to prevent contact with anything that you know causes a rash.

Irritant contact dermatitis

This is an eczema that is caused by frequent contact with everyday substances which are irritating to the skin. Prevention of irritant contact dermatitis is simple – avoid the irritants and keep the skin moist.

Adult seborrheic eczema

This eczema usually affects adults between the ages of 20 and 40 Seborrheic eczema tends to begin with itching and scaliness of the scalp causing severe dandruff. Sufferers of eczema of the scalp will often find that it may spread down to the face, in particular the oily zones such as the sides of the nose, eyebrows and ears.

The skin becomes red, inflamed and flakes. It is believed to be caused by a yeast growth.

Most sufferers of seborrheic eczema will be especially sensitive to chemicals in products such as soaps, bubble baths and some shampoos and cosmetics. These can dry out the scalp even more and thus create an increasingly embarrassing dandruff problem.

Infantile seborrheic eczema (Cradle Cap)

A common eczema condition affecting babies usually less than 12 months of age.
Cradle cap usually starts on the scalp or the nappy area and spreads to areas where the skin rubs together like the elbows or under the armpits. This type of eczema features red, scaly patches and looks unpleasant, but it usually is not sore or itchy. Most cradle cap clears by the time the baby is 12 months old.

Dishidrotic eczema

Dishidrotic eczema is a recurrent skin reaction affecting the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and sides of the fingers and toes. It is also known as vesicular eczema, hand and foot eczema, pompholys and housewives eczema.

The cause of dyshodrotic eczema is unknown. However it does tend to run in families. It typically affects both men and women with an onset before the age of 40.

The condition is characterised by small itchy bumps which become fluid filled and very itchy. The skin will also become red, scaly and cracked. Excessive scratching will cause the skin to thicken.

Nummular eczema

Nummular eczema consists of scaly, red, inflamed lesions, usually on the arms and legs, that are very itchy. It is most common in older people especially if they have excessivley dry skin.

The condition tends to worsen in the winter season when the humidity is low, during times of emotional stress and with frequent bathing (ie more than once a day)

As the condition clears the lesions heal from the inner skin layers to the outer. They look like red rings, not unlike ring worm. It is because of these red rings that nummular eczema developed its other name Discoid eczema.