Eczema: Bringing Relief to the Discomfort
For those who missed it, last week I shared the first part of a series on Eczema.
We've talked about some of the causes. Now, what can be done about it?
Obviously, one of the
first concerns is to bring down the level of discomfort. As an eczema
sufferer myself, I understand this well.
For me, my eczema comes in two
forms- in extremely dry, cracked and bleeding fingertips (that barely
feel like skin anymore- electronic sensors that respond to the touch of
a finger sometimes will not register when I touch them!). The other
form is in very itchy, scaly, red patches along the sides and bases of
my fingers and the upper part of my palms, with very small fluid filled
bumps that develop. It is not fun, so believe me when I say that I
sympathize and feel your pain! 
A few basic things that have brought me (and my kids) comfort and just might help to bring some relief to you and your loved ones as well:
Constant moisturizing.
One of my current favorites is coconut oil. Yes,
the stuff I cook with- it only takes a very small amount and it has
anti-bacterial qualities. It rubs in well, isn't particularly greasy and really does feel good on the skin
I also use a wonderfully soothing
Calendula/Chickweed herbal cream that my naturopath recommended for my
son, but I found it so helpful that I started asking for my own. Most
health food stores carry some version of a Calendula cream, and here is a link
to a homeopathic one I found on Vitacost. It even helps, though, just
to use any more natural lotion (try to avoid chemicals, fragrances and
color as much as possible) to keep the skin more protected and comfortable.
Aloe Vera is another great and simple choice. You can either use it straight from the plant, or buy a high quality gel. I have used JASON's 98% Aloe Vera Gel, though I am hoping to get myself a plant, because I would prefer to just use it that way.
Another homeopathic cream that I haven't used in a while, but I
found very helpful as well, called DermaMed. It's a little bit pricier,
which is why I don't buy it often, but check out the website
and you can see what it contains and why it's effective. I really did
find this cream to be so relieving on my worst days. I used the
All-Purpose, but they have several other types for specific conditions.
Avoid hot water and too-frequent bathing.
I know there are lots of you out there who are cringing at those words- not shower everyday? Ditch my kids nightly bath?
In my experience, the more I avoid water, especially hot water, the better. Limiting my showers (I do every second day) and also my kids baths is very helpful. In fact, my daughter in particular seemed very sensitive to the chlorine in the shower, but once we cut her baths/showers down to twice a week, things really cleared up. Part of the issue is that the warm water opens up the pores in our skin, and the heat also releases chemicals such as chlorine that are in the water. This means that chlorine and it's other buddies have very easy access right through our skin barrier, and this is not a good thing!
I am also adamant about using rubber gloves for all household cleaning, dish washing, etc as well as gloves for gardening. Even though I use natural cleaning products and do my gardening organically, there are still so many things that can irritate already tender, dry or itchy skin. Since I already struggle with eczema on my hands, it only makes sense to protect them as much as possible, so that I don't exacerbate what's already going on.
(See, I still recommend bathing
There are many things you can add to a bath, that will help to soothe and nourish that dry, itchy skin:
- Evening Primrose Oil - Just pop open a few capsules into the bath, as this oil is particularly soothing for eczema and other forms of dermatitis
- Olive, Almond or Coconut oil- A few teaspoons will help to add moisture and softness to dry skin
- Oatmeal- Traditionally known for soothing itchiness and calming down inflamed skin, it's a bit more effective if you grind it up in your food processor or coffee grinder first, rather than just dumping in the flakes
- Baking Soda- Isn't it amazing just how many different uses baking soda has? Sprinkle some in to relieve irritation and itching plus add softness to skin
- Essential Oils- A few drops of any of these oils can be helpful, as they are all noted for healing and soothing skin conditions: Rosemary, Chamomile, Hyssop, Pine (note- avoid rosemary if pregnant)
Those are just a few of my suggestions for relieving some of the discomfort that goes along with eczema and other skin conditions. Next, I'll begin to talk about some ways to address more of the deeper issues with long-term solutions.
What are some of the best, natural ways that you have been able to bring relief to eczema?
More from Keeper of the Home
- Eczema: Solving the Underlying Causes, Part 1 | Keeper of the Home
- Eczema: What is it and what causes it? | Keeper of the Home
- A Trip to the ER | Keeper of the Home
- Herbs for the New Mama | Keeper of the Home
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I've had that exact type of eczema on my hands since I was a teenager. In the past couple years, however, its moved from the palms of my hands to the backs and around my wrists, with the still leathery, cracked finger tips. When I tried to be fingerprinted to substitute teach, they couldn't get any prints! The state trooper said I'd be a great crook!
I'm definitely going to start buying the coconut oil for my daughter and myself. My biggest need is to find something for the both of us that will clear up the redness and intense itching. Although sunny weather will soon be here, and a little time in the sun always clears me up really fast.
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Your eczema sounds just like mine. Thankfully only one finger is affected right now because it can be very painful to type and play the piano. I use gloves faithfully but sometimes when the cracks are really bad and I worry about infection I use silver band-aids. I try to leave them on for a couple of days (not too hard since I also shower only every other day). I'm going to try some of the creams/oils you suggested and perhaps buy an aloe vera plant. Thanks for this post.
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Thanks for the post. I especially love the things to add to the tub for my little guy. Maybe that will help soothe him a bit as he's starting to not enjoy his bath time so much :>(
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My niece has mild eczema and my sister's friend suggested A&D ointment. It works really well for her when she has flare ups. I use it for any little red bumps or scratches my daughter gets.
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Thanks for the eczema post. My son (almost 3) used to get really bad eczema on his face and upper legs. The doctor prescribed him some very strong antibiotic cream, but this did not help for long. After several months of trying to figure out what triggered this, we discovered that he has a sensitivity to milk which caused the eczema. Now his eczema is pretty much under control. His skin is so dry, though, that the doctor recommended him only getting a bath every other day. This also has helped tremendously. I like your ideas about adding things to the bath water. I think I'm going to look into this for both of us (I have extrememly dry skin, also!)
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Our biggest helps have been only bathing the children once a week, constantly mositurizing (although I still use conventional moisturizer w/oatmeal in it) and switching to Jason brand sunscreen.
I have the same finger issues you describe and I never thought they were eczema because the eczema on my scalp manifests completely differently, so thanks for enlightening me!! What I have done that seems to help is when the cracks get really bad, wearing a bandaid over it for several days helps the cracks heal faster and moisturizing every single time my hands touch water. I think I'll be more diligent about wearing gloves to do dishes, etc. from now on though.
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Thank you so much for this post!
I also use coconut oil to moisturize and try to use gloves when cleaning, doing dishes & even kneading dough, as that irritates my hands, too. I need to be more consistent about this though. I'll definitely take a look for a couple of the items you recommended at our local health food store. Hopefully they bring some relief!
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Oh, I also only shower every other day, and that seems to help a lot! Maybe I'll switch to bathing as soon as we get a stopper for our tub
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We also have cut down showering/bathing. For my 3 year old I bathe her every other day and it helps. We can't do it any less frequently since then she smells
She's really active. Good ideas about things to add to the water!
The cream that I have found the most useful is called Universal Ointment and its homeopathic. Its really greasy though and does stain. I have also used dermamed but without as much success, although it does help a lot.
I am printing this to pass on to my friend who has the fingertip kind. She was asking me about it a while back so I will pass this on! Thanks!
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I know it seems gross to not shower every day, but really for most of human history people bathed about once a YEAR, so showering every other day or every three days isn't so bad.
I really find that not showering every day helps my skin and hair to not be so dry, and I don't even have eczema issues to worry about; many people think that we in Canada and the US are way overbathed. Not to mention a lot of us use detergent-based soap, which can be pretty harsh at stripping all the natural protection off your skin. Ya'll might try switching to a natural oil soap and see if that helps too, since coconut oil helps? I've even seen coconut oil soaps (spendy, though). Just my two cents. 
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My name is Jodi, and I shower once a week. Yes, that's right! I used to be a daily showerer, but after my skin broke out in a horrible horrible dry scaly rash, I cut back and started washing with Dr. Bronner's Castille soap and water in the needed areas. My skin has completely healed and I now have a TON of time on my hands to do other things!
A suggestion I have is adding Cammomile Tea with Raw honey in a bath or if you have a problem area (my son's bum), just spray it with a spray bottle. Cammomile is a healing agent as well as honey!
I think I may post this on my blog.
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Thanks for the post...I've been waiting for it! I just got back from the DR yesterday and my 5 week old has very bad eczema all over her face, with a secondary infection I was told
So I will be trying some of these. My son started at 5 months with eczema so I'm heart broken for my daughter to be suffereing at 5 weeks.
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Hi! Just recently found your blog. Thought I'd share another great tip for eczema. I used to work for a skin care company, and one day a customer walked in asking about our hempseed oil products, saying that his dermatologist told him hemp was great for eczema. My little niece was dealing with eczema at the time, and being only 3, our treating options were limited (my sister and niece lived with me at the time). So, I brought home a hempseed oil based cream for her, and it has done wonders for her eczema.
The particular company I worked with is not incredibly important (especially since they tend to be more expensive), but any lotion that has a larger percentage base in hempseed oil will likely be very helpful!
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I just stumbled across your blog and love it!
We are seeing a natural doctor now who says that the top 5 things that cause eczema are grains, soy, dairy, sugar and I forget the 5th one
We have tried to eliminate as many of these things from my 2 year olds diet as possible. She doesn't drink milk (very often) and has very little cheese. I try to only offer her fruit, veggies or almonds (all alkaline foods) for snacks. Alkaline grains are amaranth, quinonia (I'm not sure that's how it's spelled), and millet. I haven't tried these yet, but we're working our way into that. I can tell a world of difference when we are eating the right things. Thanks for the bath tips. I can't wait to try some of those.
Jen
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Just a note about oatmeal baths - Aveeno sells packets of oatmeal powder for the tub and the last time I bought them at Walmart, they had an Equate version. A cheaper alternative that doesn't require grinding the oatmeal is to stick regular oatmeal in an old tube sock and knot it shut. Just throw it in the water and the good stuff leeches out, but the sticky stuff stays in the sock. We use this for poison ivy and other non-ezcema skin issues too.
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Something we have done around here since I was a little girl was to add a couple of vitamin E capsuls to the bath water. You don't need to bother with opening them as the capsuls disolve in the warm water. Or you could just open one and rub into your still damp skin as that is the time your skin is most ready to except added moisture.
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Great post. I really like your blog. Me, my hubby and my 20 months old son have been eczema sufferers. I had to use Elidel at one point and then I found out it was a nasty cream to put into your body. They wanted me to put it to my son but I refused. He got a bad staph infection and had to clear with antibiotics. We tried the oatmeal bath and it was awful bec we hadnt realized he's allergic to many foods. Hence, foods were the answer (he tested positive for egg, oats, colorants) and also wall-to-wall carpeting which we removed. He's doing much better but still has a very delicate skin, esp on his face (he had his cheeks red, oozing and with blood at times for 8 months last year). Also, California Baby Sensitive Lotion and Soap has done wonders for him. I don't live in USA so it's hard to get a hold of them but when anyone visits I ask them to bring me lotion, etc. This has made a tremendous diff on his skin and he's now no longer dry but soft and as baby-like as he always should have been.
For him, it all started straight after the 3rd dose of his DTP vaccine. *Sigh* But that's a diff story altogether.
Thank you for "listening"!
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Hi- Thanks so much for all of your info. I'm going to try a few of your suggestions on my daughter's legs. The over use of coconut oil seemed to be a problem but I still use a little. Bathing less has been good too. One thing I noticed is that it gets worse when she wears pajamas that are made from polyester. So she either wears cotton or nothing on her legs. Air circulation seems better even though she itches it more when she has bare legs. Thanks Melissa
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Hi- Thanks for all the information on this site. My daughter, now 12, has been suffering with eczema since she was in the womb - we saw her scratching her head in the video of the ultrasound! The biggest help we have found was to eliminate all food dye from her diet. The improvement to her symptoms was immediate and wonderful! She has very few breakouts now, but when she does (usually due to scented laundry soap when we travel) oatmeal baths have been great! Thanks, Lexi
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Hello, I really enjoy your blog! My daughter has eczema on her legs mostly, and I have dry itchy skin on my legs, too, but not usually the red patches. The skin on my hands would just sort of fall apart, peeling, kind of. Very rough. We also cut down bathing for her from daily to once a week (or as necessary), and have stopped using soap...seriously! We keep some by the sink, but we wash our hands selectively. It might sound gross, but if I am preparing for dinner anything that is to be cooked (where germs will be killed), I don't wash my hands before preparation. After kneeding bread, I don't wash off the yeast with soap, I run my hands under water, because the chlorine content in our water is so high we can't bake bread with it (because it kills the yeast). I used to be a germaphobe and wash all the time, but now I don't. Instead of using a hand sanitizer (which I used to carry in my purse) while we are out, we put coconut oil on our hands while getting ready for an outing and depend on it's antimicrobial properties for all the protection we need. It has been a big adjustment for us (me), but it works. For my daughter, we wash her with water only and have noticed a HUGE improvement in her skin. I bathe every other day and only use soap if necessary on whichever part is necessary (arm pits usually). I realized I was using soap on my whole body every time I showered, even my legs, though my legs very seldom got dirty at all. They always itched like crazy after a shower, so I stopped using soap on them. I also stopped using conditioner, though I still use a shampoo for me (not my daughter, she doesn't get greesy hair yet). We follow up our water baths with coconut oil to the whole body (makes a good deoderant, too!). Because I use coconut oil on my legs daily (even on non-shower days), the skin on my legs has become so moist, that I am able to shave them without using any shaving cream...HUGE improvement! Other things that have helped were wearing rubber gloves for doing dishes and household cleaning, switching to green cleaning for the house (using vinegar for most stuff instead of soap), upping our intake of coconut oil, flax seeds and cod liver oil, and getting off a low-fat (weight watcher's) diet (which is when I first noticed the big improvement with my hands)! Thank you for you posts! I enjoy reading them! Blessings!
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I responded to the first post instead of this one so I thought I should post again.
I have a 5 year old who has dealt with eczema from an early age. I find that he is so much better when his skin is hydrated, hydrated, hydrated! We also use a lot of flax in our diet and thankfully he loves salmon and other fish.
I hardly ever give him baths, usually a shower and only once a week unless it is an emergency!
The best thing I have done for his eczema is make my own soap. Most commercial "soaps" are really just a bunch of synthetic detergents and very drying to skin. Homemade soap is made with any oils you would like to use and no harsh detergents. I made an oatmeal and honey super-fatted soap with coconut and almond oil that is just wonderful for skin. We have seen a great improvement! I will never go back to regular "soap" again.
If you have never made your own soap, consider it. It isn't hard, but there are safety precautions that must be followed when working with lye (you have to use lye to make soap, no getting around it)
My dry skin has improved also and I don't have to use any other lotion after washing with the homemade soap.
Thank you for your posts, I really enjoy your blog and am blessed to have found it. Blessings to you and yours.
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I am new to the eczema world..It is driving me crazy.. I have it on my face, around my eyes, now it is going down my neck onto my shoulder... I have been surfing and trying to find helpful hints...I have changed my diet, but it is starting to get me down quickly about the affects of it. Thanks for all your posts, I am glad to have found this site..Keep sharing...It is a very frustrating disease...
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