EczemaFree.org » Eczema Treatment

Natural Eczema Cream: Topical Applications Proven To Work

Scott — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:04:45 +0000

Atopic dermatitis, or eczema as it is commonly known, is an inflammatory skin condition caused by a hyper immune response.

Conventionally, steroid creams are usually prescribed to treat eczema as they act to suppress your immune system which decreases the swelling, redness and itching.

Although they do often work, the downside of steroid creams is the side effects: increased risk for secondary infection, skin thinning and poor wound healing.

Additionally, steroid creams often eventually stop working as your body develops tolerance to them, as the underlying cause is not being addressed.

Naturally-based over the counter eczema lotions, gels and creams can offer relief without the same risk for adverse side effects.

Botanical Creams

1) Chapparral Eczema Salve:

Long used by Native Americans of the American southwest, chapparral is a shrub with anti-cancer, anti-microbial and cleansing properties.

It was traditionally used both internally and externally to treat skin cancers, parasitic infections and menstrual disorders.

Other names for chapparral include its Latin moniker, Larrea Tridentata and it’s common name, Creosote.

Used externally, chapparral is safe but taking it orally for extended periods of time could lead to liver or kidney damage.

Internal use should always been overseen by a trained herbalist or naturopathic physician.

For eczematous conditions, chapparral leaves are combined with an emollient base such as beeswax, oils or Vitamin E.

Reevis Mountain makes an excellent and inexpensive chaparral salve that’s paired with Apricot kernel oil, an ingredient also lauded for its ability to decrease unwanted eczema cell proliferation.

2) Calendula Eczema Lotion:

Calendula lotion is made from a soothing plant extract and is applied liberally to cuts, scrapes and burns.

It is indicated in eczema rashes that are dry, cracked and irritated as it will add moisture to the skin.

Calendula is also very calming to irritated skin and will decrease the urge to scratch. It is easy to cultivate and commercially available in most areas.

Marigold is the other name for calendula. Many people know this plant’s bright yellow flower used to decorate gardens in temperate climates, but its petals are also edible and used as garnish in salads.

The species used for medicinal uses is calendula officinalis and the one used for decorative purposes is a member of the Tagets genus.

Calendula is believed to help eczema by decreasing inflammation and trapping moisture into the epidermal (outermost) layers of the skin.

The wound healing properties are attributed to water soluble flavonoids.

Flavonoids are compounds in plants that give them their flavor and scent, they also can have health benefits to humans including anti-oxidant activity and supporting blood vessel health.

Topical or internal preparations of calendula should not be used if a person has an allergy to plants in the Asteraceae family, which include daisies, ragweed and chrysanthemums.

Calendula preparations are the best eczema lotion for people who have dry skin with dry outbreaks.

3) Chamomile Eczema Lotion:

Chamomile, known by its herbal medicine name Matricaria chamomilla, is popularized the world over as a sweet, slightly apple flavored tea.

Taken internally it can help with nervous tension, indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome.

Its soothing and tummy-taming properties made it a favorite choice of midwives and new mothers to calm colicky babies.

The flowers of the herb work just as well externally as they do internally.

The essential oils and chemical compounds called sesquiterpene lactones, act to decrease inflammation and promote healing.

A widely available over the counter chamomile lotion is called CamoCare.

Chamomile is a safe eczema cream for babies. They also make anti-aging and skin cleansing products with chamomile as an active ingredient.

You can make your own healing soak at home with just a few chamomile tea bags.

Chamomile Soak:

• You can make your own chamomile soak by adding 2-3 organic chamomile tea bags to 12 ounces of boiling water.

• When the tea bags are done steeping (the color should be pale yellow) immerse a clean towel in the liquid.

• Let the towel cool to a hot but not scalding temperature and then apply it to area affected by eczema.

• Leave the chamomile-soaked towel in place for 10-15 minutes.

4) Licorice Eczema Cream:

Licorice has been research proven to heal stomach ulcers, inhibit virus growth and influence steroid hormone metabolism.

It is used topically to heal eczema, melasma (darking of skin pigmentation) and herpes.

Glycyrrhetinic acid derived from licorice root decreases inflammation by decreasing the enzyme responsible for breaking down cortisone.

Think of it as nature’s own steroid cream but without the same risks for immune suppression and infection. In fact, licorice root has some constituents that actually inhibit bacterial and viral growth.

Several studies have shown it to reduce the redness, swelling and itching of eczema after both 2 weeks and 5 weeks of use, showing a sustained effect.

Products containing licorice are the best eczema cream for people susceptible to herpes outbreaks.

Vitamin Creams

1) B12 Eczema Cream:

Two research papers have found using a topical B12 cream twice daily reduced both the symptoms (itching, burning, irritation) and signs (redness, swelling, scaling, oozing, bleeding) of eczema.

The preparation contains a small amount of biologically active B12 (less than 1%) and is marketed under the trade name Regividerm.

The manufacturers speculated that B12 could inhibit a signaling molecule called nitric oxide that tells the blood vessels to swell, bringing immune cells to the region and creating the hyper immune response.

Results from this placebo-controlled study show that it can.

2) Vitamin D Eczema Ointment & Creams:

Your body’s Vitamin D synthesis starts in the skin and it is a well-known fact that UVB light improves symptoms of eczema in many people.

This previously was thought to work by decreasing pruritis (itchiness) and by suppressing immune activity in the skin but it now appears that there may be a secondary action of increasing Vitamin D synthesis.

The vitamin can be safely taken orally at 400IU to 1000IU daily without testing blood levels, but beyond 1000IU daily, your physician or dietician should monitor it using simple blood tests.

While Vitamin D is a fantastic nutrient that is pivotal to mood, skin and immune health, it is fat soluble and therefore can accumulate in your body to toxic levels when supplemented in high doses.

Kidney stones are the most frequently reported side affect of Vit D levels beyond the normal range.

If you don’t want to mess with taking Vit D orally, there are over the counter eczema creams containing Vit D available.

They have been prescribed to treat psoriasis but are now gaining in popularity for eczema as well.

A 2005 reports showed improvement of hand and foot eczema with use of the Vit D3 cream. This study involved only 5 patients but several more are currently underway.

Be cautious to avoid ointments and creams with any irritating preservatives or filler ingredients. Xymogen makes a Vit D3 cream of high quality.

Additional Resources

● You can find reliable information on botanical medicines from the American Botanical Council including monographs detailing information about individual herbs, a database detailing herb quality and links to recipes for making homemade salves, creams and lotions.

● The book Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicince is a wealth of information on the individual constituents of the plants and herbs, their indications and contraindications.

● The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook is a great text explaining how to make your own salves, gels, lotions and creams.

Finally, I would highly recommend any person suffering from eczema read the eBook Vanish Eczema, which details natural methods to reduce or eliminate the condition.

Natural creams and lotions have been proven by both traditional use and modern research to work for eczema.

However, it is also vitally important to address the body’s internal environment, whose condition allowed for eczema to develop in the first place.

Homeopathy For Eczema: A User Friendly Guide To Finding The Right Remedy

Scott — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:25:18 +0000

An Introduction To Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a gentle system of healing that uses very diluted naturally occurring substances to stimulate healing in the body.

Samuel Hanneman, an 18th century physician and the founder of homeopathy, noticed that he could use small amounts of natural substances, such as plants or minerals, to cure illness in patients.

Curiously he discovered that the best results came from using a substance whose anticipated side effects mimicked the same symptoms which the person was experiencing.

For example, the potentially deadly herb belladonna can cause salivation, dilated pupils, headache and sweating.

Dr. Hanneman would give minute amounts of belladonna to a feverish patient who displayed these same symptoms and the patient would begin to get better.

Using very small amounts of the herbs and minerals eliminated the risk of toxicity and adverse reaction, but Samuel Hanneman also noticed that the more dilute the remedy, the faster and better the patients responded.

When you purchase homeopathic medicines, the higher doses have a decreasing amount of actual active ingredient. Typically homeopathic medicines come in the forms of lactose pellets, liquids or creams.

The most common commercially available doses are referred to as potencies and are a number followed by an X, C or M. X is the lowest and M is the highest.

Increasingly larger numbers signify a more potent medicine but the letter signifies an even greater jump in strength. (It’s kind of a cross between the Roman numeral system and the Richter scale used to measure earthquakes)

For example, a remedy with the potency of 6C is stronger than 2X and a remedy with a potency of 10M is stronger than one of 200C strength.

Why Should I Try Homeopathy To Treat My Eczema?

Homeopathy is the most popular alternative therapy in the world and is used by more people than herbal medicine, chiropractic or even acupuncture.

Even though it has been in widespread use for several hundred years, the science to prove its efficacy is just now being revealed.

A 2010 study completed at MD Anderson showed that breast cancer cells in a petri dish stopped growing and some even were killed off when exposed to the homeopathic remedies

Carcinosinum and Phytolacca. This effect did not happen to healthy breast tissue.

An article appearing in 2009 in the journal Dermatology found homeopathic eczema treatment to be as effective as the standard conventional therapy.

Given the low cost of homeopathic medicines and their even lower risk for adverse reaction, homeopathy is a sound treatment approach for people with eczema.

Learning To Be A Homeopath: Find The Characteristic Or Unusual Symptoms

Homeopathic principles are unique in that not all people with eczema will see their symptoms improve with the same remedy. It is a system of medicine that works by individualizing the remedy to the person.

The best tool to find the correct remedy is to identify the strange, individual or peculiar symptoms of your disease.

Most eczema sufferers will describe their skin as feeling itchy or wanting to scratch.

This common symptom might help lead to the diagnosis of eczema but it will not by itself identify the proper homeopathic remedy.

Now, if the itchiness is worse after a hot bath you have a more specific, and less commonly experienced symptom to narrow down the list of possible homeopathic medicines that would be appropriate for you.

Or if you only get the urge to scratch during the night, this would also be specific enough to use in selecting the right remedy for you.

Skilled homeopaths will inquire in depth about the appearance, distribution (what areas of the body are affected), and sensations of the eczema presentation.

You do not need to be an experienced homeopath to come to the best remedy but you will need to be a careful observer.

The following are some questions to help differentiate between the more common homeopathic remedies for eczema:

1. Is my eczema better or worse in warm weather or cold weather? Likewise, is it better or worse on rainy days or in dry climates?

2. Does scratching the area make it feel better or worse?

3. What is the appearance of my eczematous lesions? Are they bright red, pink, silvery, more raised or flat, do they bleed or ooze when picked?

4. What foods or beverages aggravate my skin?

5. Have I felt more anxious, angry, sad or apathetic since the eczema started?

This last question is obviously easier to assess if the eczema is newly developed but sometimes I’ve had patients who can even recall 10 years later that their eczema started when their beloved pet died, they started a new job, or got a divorce.

These mental emotional clues also can help identify the individual characteristics of homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathy is holistic in the sense that it treats both physical symptoms as well as a person’s mental and emotional health.

Below you will find the most common homeopathic remedies used to treat eczema and their individualizing characteristics but first I want to give some tips for being a successful homeopath.

1) There Can Be More Than One Appropriate Homeopathic Remedy to Get Improvement In Your Eczema

While most classical homeopaths feel that there is usually one remedy most aligned with a person’s particular constitution, there will often be improvement of symptoms if the selected remedy is even a close match.

If you get some results, but you aren’t continuing to improve, you might want to try another remedy with similar characteristics.

Earlier this year I treated a woman in her early thirties who had acne since she was a teenager. I confidently prescribed homeopathic Sulphur as she was generally warm-blooded, craved bacon and her acne was worse from bathing—all Sulphur characteristics and a strong correlative factor. Six weeks later Diane came back and her acne was only marginally improved but she reported better energy and focus. So I got more symptoms and we tried again, this time with a remedy related to Sulphur called Pulsatilla and fortunately after the new remedy Diane’s face was the clearest it had been in years.

2) Your Symptoms May Temporarily Get Worse Before Your Eczema Improves

Sometimes an aggravation is possible before you notice improvement.

While I said earlier that homeopathic medicines are very safe and are not known to interact with other medication, they can cause a temporary aggravation of symptoms.

In the case of eczema I have seen where a remedy is given and for the next few hours up until a week, there is worsening of itching, redness or swelling followed by steady improvement.

This type of aggravation was written about in the time of Samuel Hanneman and was speculated to be a release of sorts.

I always warn patients that this can occur but see it happen only 5-10% of the time in practice. More commonly this occurs in persons with a history of being hypersensitive to other therapies.

If a person does not improve after a suspected aggravation then the correct remedy was not selected and a different remedy should be given.

One way to minimize risk of aggravation is to start with a low potency. In sensitive patients I start with 6c for eczema and other skin conditions.

3) Follow These Dosing Strategies for Best Outcomes

There are times when a person will react to a remedy and that improvement wears off.

If this is the case, it is time to either re-dose the remedy (if it hasn’t been taken in awhile) or increase the potency of the remedy.

Generally, I increase only to the next potency level but some homeopaths do increase more rapidly. It is appropriate to continue increasing in potency as needed and discontinue when symptoms resolve.

There are also differing opinions on how often to administer remedies. The two most popular dosing strategies are either a daily dose for a prescribed period of time or a single large dose.

The single dose is given only once and then repeated if there is relapse. In the real world I find it easier to give remedies daily so as not to miss the window of when symptoms are recurring.

OK, now that you’ve completed a mini course in homeopathy, it’s time to apply what you’ve learned and compare the list of your specific symptoms to the ones listed below for each remedy.

If you continue to have trouble or none of the remedies below seem to match your case, then consulting a formally trained homeopath is a good idea.

The North America Society of Homeopaths has a list of clinicians in your area and many are willing to do phone consultations as well.

In addition to using homeopathy for eczema, I also recommend people read Vanish Eczema, a book designed for people looking for natural, easy to follow steps in order to eradicate their eczema.

Whereas conventional therapies merely suppress eczema, Vanish Eczema has practical solutions to address the underlying cause.

The 15 Most Common Homeopathic Remedies For Eczema And Their Characteristic Symptoms

1. Agaricus Muscarius: burning, biting, extreme itching, prickling as from needles, electric like sensations in the skin; small nodules in the skin, worse in winter.

Persons needing Agaricus often have reddened ears or noses. They are prone to anxiety, especially about their health.

2. Alumina: dry eczema, patients tend to be very irritable with constipation. Eczema is worse in winter.

Ulcerated lesions secrete yellowish brown, smelly pus. This remedy is often prescribed in the elderly, pale persons or frail individuals.

I once gave homeopathic Alumina to a fussy 11-month-old baby boy who had eczema on his cheeks. The clue to use this remedy was his persistent constipation despite his mom giving him plenty of fibrous foods and fluids.

People needing Alumina can crave non-edible food as was the case of this boy who liked to munch paper and chalk.

3. Antimonium Crudum: thick, hard, honey colored scales, itching when warm. People often report burning, worse at night; stomach problems; sensitive to cold bathing.

4. Arsenicum Album: itching, burning, swelling, worse in cold and from scratching; dry, rough, scaly skin; between fingers and cracks on tips of fingers; scaly eruptions on scalp and face with acrid, fetid discharge; intense burning and ditching.

Like Agaricus, persons needing Arsenicum also tend to be highly anxious, especially regarding their own health.

5. Calcarea Carbonica: violent itching at all times, worse in the early morning while in bed; sometimes people have the sensation as if wearing cold damp socks from cold sweating of the lower extremities.

This patient also perspires easily on the head. People needing Calcarea Carbonica are often overweight.

6. Calcarea Sulphurica: dry eczema in kids; yellow smelly crusts and scales; pimples on the hair, which bleed when scratched.

7. Chrysarobinum: behind ears; violent itching; filthy-looking, scabby condition with tendency to form thick crust.

I used this remedy successfully with a patient who was in the lichen phase of eczema, where his lesions had thickened almost to a leathery texture.

8. Graphites: weeping, sticky honey-like fluid; on hands, face, lips, behind ears, worse from becoming overheated at night (such as having overly warm bed covers); moist in folds of skin with itching on bends of joints; suppurates easily and pimples form; sensitive to touch, worse in dry, cold wind, better in damp and warm weather.

9. Kali Sulphuricum: vesicles with thin, yellow pus; distribution is often the inside of hands and fingers; lips cracked, eczema worse from eating sweets.

10. Petroleum: yellowish, green thick crusts on face and neck which profuse discharge; bloody cracks with no discharge; dry, scaly or moist better in summer, worse in cold or winter; on hands or behind ears.

11. Psorinum: dry, scaly on scalp and face; crusts over the scalp; hair falls out, oozing lifts the crusts and exposes new vesicles, worse at night from warmth of bed.

The person needing Psorinum is often depressed, unhopeful; their eczema has a strong odor from oozing fluid.

12. Rhus Toxicodendron: dry with redness, swelling, intolerable itching made worse by warmth; on scalp in infants; vesicles suppurate thin watery dark colored secretion.

The personality of Rhus tox is typically quite restless.

13. Staphysagria: yellow, acrid fluid oozes from under crusts; humid itching, fetid eruptions on head and behind ears; scratching place of itching but increases oozing.

The personality of a person needing Staphysagria is often timid and they report feeling suppressed by others or their situation. Rarely will they show anger but when they do, it will be explosive.

I saw a patient recently where I prescribed Staphysagria for her mental emotional state during a divorce from a controlling and sexually perverse man.

The remedy did help her mood but it also simultaneously improved the deep, itchy cracks in her hands.

The patient jokes that she no longer needed to “purchase a case of hand cream every time I go to the grocery store.”

14. Sulphur: intense burning, itching is worse from washing or scratching; rough, course, dry scaly skin; redness around orifices (mouth, anus).

Sulphur types are deep thinkers and quite intellectual but they also have a tendency towards laziness at times. Food cravings of this remedy include bacon, beer and spicy foods.

15. Thuja: occurring after suppression of gonorrhea (this was a problematic disease in Samuel Hanneman’s time but it could be said that Thuja is indicated if eczema started after any untreated sexually transmitted infection), also indicated for eczema occurring after vaccination; appears as dirty brown skin covered with itching vesicles.

Protecting Yourself When Trying Out New Eczema Therapies

Blake — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:43:57 +0000

If you have been suffering from eczema for a long time or if you feel your life has been severely impacted by your condition, you may be desperate for a solution.

In fact, you may be so desperate that you have reached a “try anything” point. Before you take another step, here are a few tips to keep you safe while you heal.

1) Research - There is a lot of information out there about eczema. Some of it is good, but a lot of it is bad. When it comes down to it, the more you know about how your body and skin works the better you will be able to decipher which advice is the best.

If you read about a technique, check around and find if other eczema sufferers recommend it and what their experiences were.

You should even research the expert offering the advice; verify they have personal or professional expertise and that others find them reputable.

Make an effort to learn about your specific type of eczema. Different forms of the illness require different therapies.

For example, while all forms of eczema are rooted in immune and skin dysfunction, treatment for atopic dermatitis is very intensive and complicated whereas preventing contact dermatitis may only require identifying your eczema trigger.

If you know more about your specific condition, you will be in a better position to evaluate different therapies.

2) Do Not Look For A Miracle - As you read earlier, the root cause of any eczema is immune system and skin malfunction. If it were simple to fix your eczema, no one would have eczema.

Miracle products and programs that offer quick and easy solutions are not the answer, they just want to make money off of you. At the very least, they are not going to work but they could be dangerous to your health.

It will take work to achieve your eczema cure. You will have to learn how to restore your immune health by eating right, exercising right, and living right.

You will have to develop a new skin care regiment that corrects the malfunction and strengthens the skin from the inside and out.

Anything that offers you a miracle shortcut to these steps will not help you achieve your goal.

3) Never Risk Your Health - As long as there is misinformation out there about curing eczema there will always be a chance that the wrong technique will risk your health.

Once again, this is why you need to know how your body works and what it needs to thrive. If you put your health in jeopardy, you could end up with a condition far more serious than your eczema.

Never follow a program that tells you to eliminate a certain type of food without teaching you to make up for those nutrients using alternative foods and supplements.

For example, many programs may recommend eliminating dairy to heal eczema. However, the program must also teach you the supplements you need to make up for the calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients in dairy along with the foods which provide alternative proteins and healthy fats. Without these substitutes, you will end up malnourished and sick.

You should also not follow a program that promotes taking unhealthy amounts of otherwise essential nutrients. Too much of any one food group can cause cardiovascular failure or diabetic-like symptoms.

Additionally, your body needs a wide variety of vitamins and minerals to thrive. However, taking too much of a supplement can quickly become dangerous.

For example, zinc is an essential nutrient that boosts the immune system but it only takes a small quantity to become toxic and give you “zinc poisoning” which causes heart palpitations and kidney failure.

4) When It Is Right, Commit - Just because there is a lot of misinformation out there does not mean you cannot find good, trustworthy information.

If you educate yourself and trust your gut, you should be able to find a quality anti-eczema program. However, once you find that program you must commit to it.

Jumping between techniques and constantly changing your routine is not going to give you the results you want. Restoring your immune system and skin’s health takes time.

You may not see results right away, but that does not mean you should try something else. Furthermore, do not pick and choose the parts of the program you follow.

Curing eczema is complex; each portion of your program relies on all of the others to help you attain optimum health. You have to follow every step if you want to achieve the results promised.

You did the work to find a program you could trust; now you have to have the patience and the commitment to let it work.

Get a Good, Eczema-Itching Free, Night’s Sleep

Blake — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:06:50 +0000

Everyone knows that sleep is essential for your body to function properly. This is also true of your body’s ability to heal itself. More than 95% of all bodily repairs are performed while you are asleep.

If you are an eczema sufferer, getting a good night’s sleep can go a long way to healing your skin. If you do not get enough sleep every night, your body will be more focused on staying alert and performing basic functions like metabolizing food.

It will consider healing your eczema wounds as a secondary task which can be ignored for more important duties. If you want to heal your eczema quickly, you must get enough sleep.

Of course, the nature of eczema does not often provide you with ideal sleeping conditions. The itching skin can be terrible, especially with no daytime tasks to distract your mind from concentrating on the desire to scratch.

The pain and open wounds make it difficult to get into a comfortable sleeping position.

Overall, the eczema can leave you up all night, tossing and turning, and not healing. If eczema is interfering with your sleep, the best defense is a good offense. In this case, the cure for eczema related sleep loss is a lot simpler than you may think.

Stop the Itching

The constant itch of eczema is the main complaint of sufferers who are losing sleep. It is all they can do to stop themselves from scratching.

It wakes them throughout the night and keeps them from falling asleep. If they do scratch, they worry about what the damage will look like in the morning.

Step One : Get a high quality pillow, comforter/quilt, and sheet set. It is amazing how few people know that having good sleeping essentials, those which are soft, breathable, and made from natural fibers, can reduce itching.

Step Two : Cool down your room, sheets, and pillow. The feeling of being warm, hot, or sweaty, is a main itch agitator because it gives the sensation of dry skin.

Lowering the temperature of your sleep environment can keep your skin feeling moist. The cold will also make your skin contract, drawing together the pores and making the nerves concentrate on the soothing chill instead of the lingering itch.

While some people choose to buy a room fan and chill their sheets beforehand, some more extreme cases of night time itching may also be treated by using icepacks, covered with a towel, in the bed.

Care for the Wounds

Your eczema wounds can be difficult. They are open and seeping, swollen, and painful. You worry that lying in bed will open the wounds further or lead to infection.

You try not to rest on your afflicted skin, but are concerned you may roll over on it in the middle of the night. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your wounds safe and still get a good night’s sleep.

Step One : Bandage severe wounds or those you are most concerned about. While it is best for eczema wounds to breathe, it is more important that you get plenty of sleep so you can heal.

Wet bandages, which are traditional bandages that are soaked in a zinc paste, are very effective. The zinc is both a healing mineral and moisturizer which will help repair your skin.

The moist bandage will keep the wounds soothed and eliminate itching. You can cover the wet bandage with a dry bandage and not have to worry about the wound for the rest of the evening. Smaller wet bandages can be used for facial and eyelid eczema.

Step Two : Apply plenty of safe moisture. If you think wet bandages are a little extreme or if your wounds are not very open and deep, a thick layer of moisture will do.

An ointment made of nourishing emollients, like coconut oil and vitamin E will be very effective. The moisturizing ointment will create a thin, but strong, layer of protection between your skin and your bedding.

It will prevent any seeping agitation from your bedding and it will keep dirt and germs out of your wounds. It will help reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Additionally, the moisture will give you great relief from your itching.

Eczema should not keep you awake at night. It is important that you not allow anything stand between you and a good night’s sleep. There is nothing more essential to keeping your skin and your whole body healthy.

Eliminating the Scars Left By Eczema

Blake — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:41:48 +0000

Your eczema disrupts your life. You worry about how others will perceive you during a flare up. You find yourself missing out on favorite foods and activities because you are worried a flare up might occur.

As if that were not enough, you are also faced with the lasting reminders of your suffering if your eczema leaves you with scars.

Eczema scars are a possibility with any form of eczema. This is why your treatment for contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, facial, or any other form of eczema should also address scars.

Scar treatment should be a two-phased approach which includes preventing scars and reducing the scars which already exist.

Scar Prevention

Scar prevention is an essential part of any eczema therapy program. Obviously, if you can prevent scars you will not have to learn to eliminate them later.

The good news is that most of the steps you take to heal your eczema will also help you prevent scars.

1) Keep Your Skin Clean - The number one cause of scars is secondary infections from eczema wounds. Once infection sets in, the wounds stay open longer.

The longer the wounds stay open, the faster the body rushes to close it. When in a rush, the body only produces the thick, rubbery collagen filled skin instead of the soft, normal skin that would regrow naturally.

Keeping your skin clean and moisturized with a natural cleanser is the best way to prevent scar-causing infection.

2) No Matter What, Do Not Scratch - When you scratch, you tear your skin. You deepen and widen your wounds.

Furthermore, you force the dirt and germs on your hands and fingers into your open wounds which will cause infection and scars. It is important that you use methods to prevent scratching, such as cooling clothes and extra moisturizer.

When treating eczema in children it becomes even more important to prevent scratching because children do not understand the long term implications of scars and cannot use restraint.

Reducing Existing Scars

If you did not care for your eczema appropriately before you understand how to treat the condition or if a flare up has ever become severe, chances are you have scarring.

If you suffered from eczema on your face, neck, arms, or hands it is also very likely that your scars are visible to others.

If this is true, or even if you simply want to reduce the scars in the covered areas of your body, you should know that you can reduce their appearance and in some cases eliminate your scars.

1) Massage The Scar - The body wants to heal itself and restore your skin to normal function. It even wants to replace collagen filled, non-flexible scar tissue with the softer, normal skin.

Even after a scar is formed, the body gradually dissolves the tissue and builds healthy new tissue. The way the body heals itself is by sending healing nutrients and protein building blocks to the tissue in the bloodstream.

If you massage the scar, it will increase the flow of blood and accelerate the replacement of scar tissue with healthy tissue.

2) Use A Healing Balm - It is a proven fact that certain plant and animal extracts have a phenomenal impact on healing, reducing, and even eliminating scar tissue.

Some extracts, like vitamin E, are very concentrated moisturizers which soften the skin and heal it from the outside in. Others, like aloe vera and lemon juice, are able to lighten the color of scars and remove the darkness that makes them so visible.

Making a homemade balm that is a combination of both softening and lightening products will have a dramatic affect on the appearance of your scars.

Scars are not something you have to learn to deal with. Once you learn how to cure your eczema for good, you do not have to have lasting reminders for the rest of your life.

Scar prevention and elimination is easy to do and very effective at keeping your skin clear and soft.

Seasonal Tips for Dealing with Eczema

Blake — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:16:02 +0000

When you are an eczema sufferer, sometimes it can feel like nature has turned against you. When it gets hot outside and everyone is showing off their new swimsuits, you are covering up your eczema.

As soon as it turns cold and everyone is going out to enjoy the snow, here comes the eczema again to keep you indoors.

It is not acceptable to miss out on life because of your eczema. You should not feel trapped indoors and missing out on seasonal festivities with your loved ones.

Nor should you be forced to cover up your skin for fear of an awkward public reaction to your skin. Fortunately, with a little extra planning and some quality remedies for eczema, you no longer have to.

Summer

It has turned hot outside. All year long you everyone waits for the lazy days of summer where they can get outdoors, work in the yard, lounge by a pool, and do countless other summer activities.

However, eczema sufferers look at this time with fear and worry that is no longer needed.

There are two main eczema issues in the summer: sweat and sun. While they may seem very similar, they are dealt with is differently. Therefore it is best to address them individually.

Sweat may seem like a contradiction to the dry skin of eczema. However, sweat is one of the primary triggers in most forms of eczema.

When the body overheats, the skin produces salty water to cool itself. Dirt and germs combine with the sweat and irritate your skin and inhibits its ability to moisturize and heal itself. The result is dry, itchy eczema.

While the obvious answer may seem to reduce sweat, that is not the correct one. Sweat is typically the result of being active, which is essential to keeping yourself and your skin healthy.

However, you can reduce your sweat during periods of non-activity. For example, try to keep your indoor climate (when there is no fresh air to soothe your skin) cool.

Also, try to wear light, loose, and breathable clothing. 100% cotton and other natural fibers will give you the best breathability.

This will help vent your body’s natural heat, reducing the tendency to sweat. Furthermore, the breathability will help stop sweat and stop the skin agitation.

Just like sweat, the sun can also cause difficulties. The sun provides your body with natural and nourishing vitamins like D, but too much sun can very quickly dry out your skin.

The only defense is to use a safe moisturizer to keep the skin lubricated throughout your summer play. However, oil based moisturizers can cause sunburn.

A better alternative is to use a zinc based moisturizer. Zinc itself has amazing eczema healing properties and has a natural SPF of 40.

Winter

It is amazing that a season so different from summer can have the identical, eczema-causing issues. Sun and sweat are not the problem in the winter. However, their cousins, non-breathability and elemental dryness, are.

When the temperatures drop, it is natural to bundle up in layers of warm clothes. However, the more clothes you pile on the less your skin can breathe and cool itself.

If you put on too many layers, especially of artificial fibers, those clothes are going to cause sweat-related irritation just like you suffered from in the summer.

Finding a mid-weight, natural fiber sweater and a cotton undershirt will be much more effective than piling on layers and layers.

Of course, clothing is only half the problem. The cold winter winds chap your skin and then you retreat indoors where the heater is literally zapping every ounce of moisture from the environment, including your skin. Once again, the only solution is moisturizer.

You must apply and reapply your moisturizer throughout the day. This is especially true for eczema on eyelids where the cold, dry weather will cause your eyes to tear up. Your salty tears are chilled by the winter temperatures. The constant exposure to cold saline will agitate the skin, having a drying effect and cause a flare up.

Putting on a thick layer of a natural lotion will keep a barrier between your skin and the harsh, drying elements around you in the winter.

These are really simple tips. Yet, they can be a really big help. As you can see, it will not be hard for you to care for your skin no matter how extreme the seasons may get.

Being an eczema sufferer should never prevent you from enjoying all the winter or summer has to offer.

Natural Remedies For Eczema

Blake — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:37:59 +0000

If you are suffering from eczema then you know how important an effective remedy is. The most effective therapies are those that are soothing, healing, and safe. This is why natural alternatives are a preferred method over the harsh chemicals and health risks of standard medical remedies.

This article will address three specific natural remedies for eczema, including explaining why they work and how to prepare them. These three therapies will help you find much deserved relief from eczema.

Oatmeal Treatment

Oatmeal has been one of the most commonly used home remedies for eczema and many other skin problems since ancient Egyptian times.

Oatmeal is a fiber-rich, nourishing food that keeps you healthy on the inside.

Although it may seem unbelievable, this fantastic food is also an excellent way to keep you healthy on the outside as well.

Oatmeal has unique properties that soothe and relieve the symptoms of eczema as well as keeping skin healthy to prevent eczema. On a basic level, oatmeal hydrates your skin and prevents it from drying out.

Oatmeal mainly consists of four skin promoting components, polysaccharides, proteins, saponins, and fats. Polysaccharides are a complex sugar that breaks down into a gel-like consistency when mixed with water. It helps to prevent drying by creating a protective barrier on top of the skin.

The proteins in oatmeal further that protection by promoting your skin’s natural ability to create a barrier against foreign irritants and allergens. Saponins are natural cleaners that work to keep the skin functioning by cleaning out the dirt from your pores.

Finally, the fats in oatmeal are a fantastic natural way to lubricate your skin and keep it hydrated.

You can often find oatmeal in many forms, such as lotions or compresses. However, one of the most effective oatmeal remedies for eczema is the oatmeal bath.

Start by taking four cups, or two for a young child, of raw, unprepared oats and processing it in a blender or grinder until it is a find powder. Pour the powder into your bath as you run the warm water; make sure the water is not too hot as this will aggravate your eczema.

Soak in this bath for at least 15 minutes and then rinse yourself clean with warm water. When you dry off, try to dab at your skin instead of rubbing it in order to preserve the oatmeal on your skin.

Natural Cleanser

You probably already know that good hygiene is an important part of any remedy for eczema. However, many of the cleaners can be too abrasive to your skin. They may dry out your skin and make the itching and inflammation of eczema worse.

However, there is a very good natural alternative that will keep your skin healthy and help it heal.

A combination of comfrey root, white oak bark, and slippery elm bark will make a very good cleaner to use both during an eczema flare up and as your normal cleanser.

It will also help relieve the itching and inflammation of eczema. It is even gentle enough for use on babies and young children.

Comfrey root has been used for centuries to heal wounds and reduce inflammation. It also accelerates cell growth and renewal and helps to reduce scarring.

White oak bark is rich in vitamin B12 and skin soothing minerals like zinc. It is also an excellent astringent to tone your skin and reduce inflammation.

Slippery elm is packed full of tannins, like the cleansers found in oatmeal discussed earlier in this article. These cleaners are very powerful at removing and killing germs. Slippery elm is also great for reducing inflammation resulting from infection.

As one of the better cleaners and eczema home remedies, this natural skin wash is easy to make. Take 1 teaspoon of comfrey root, 1 teaspoon of white oak bark, and 1 teaspoon of slippery elm bark and combine it with 2 cups of water.

Make sure all of the ingredients have been mixed together and then heat the mixture over medium heat until it boils. Reduce the heat and let simmer for about a half an hour.

Then, remove the mixture for heat and let it cool completely. Strain out the solids. The remaining liquid can be used as you would any other liquid face wash.

A Healing Moisturizer

After you have cleansed your skin, it is important to keep it hydrated.

A lotion will help keep your skin moist, but you must make sure it is one that will help your skin heal more quickly and protect you from future outbreaks.

Many commercial lotions are full of manmade chemical, allergens, and other items that are known to actually trigger eczema.

Those that do not cause eczema can aggravate the itching, redness, and pain.

A very good eczema remedy and alternative to commercial lotions is to use a natural moisturizer that is enhanced with blueberry leaf and licorice extracts.

Blueberry leaves are known to contain a very powerful compound that prevents the spread of germs.

This will prevent a secondary infection from forming and will help your skin cells better repair themselves. This will reduce the redness and inflammation from eczema, which will also help to alleviate the itching.

Licorice extract has been proven to quickly reduce swelling and redness. It is known to relieve pain related to skin wounds and open lesions, like those from eczema.

It also helps relieve itching and children were shown to scratch less when using licorice, which helps the skin heal more quickly.

You can buy lotions and moisturizers from natural stores that contain both blueberry leaf and licorice extract.

However, it is not necessary for you to give up your favorite natural lotion. You can also add these extracts to your lotion and get the same fantastic results.

Make sure you always start with a natural lotion that is free of dyes, oils, and fragrances. An aloe vera and/or zinc based lotion is the best choice among lotions that are eczema remedies.

To add the extracts to your lotion, start by applying your normal quantity of lotion to the palm of your hand. Then add 2 drops of blueberry extract and 1 to 2 drops of licorice, depending on how bad your eczema is, to the lotion in your hand. Use your finger to mix the extracts into the lotions. Then, apply the lotion as you normally would.

If you are having a severe outbreak you might try a more concentrated solution of licorice extract to relieve acute symptoms.

Other Remedies For Eczema

There are many other remedies for eczema, but these three will greatly help alleviate your suffering, soothe your skin, and help you heal.

If you would like to know more home remedies, read the ebook Vanish Eczema. It will further explain these remedies along with other natural therapies.

Also, it has very helpful information on eczema in general so that you can better understand your eczema and the best treatment options. If you are suffering from eczema, this book can guide you to safe, natural relief.

Facial Eczema Treatment

Blake — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:26:42 +0000

photo by kthrn

If you or a loved one is one of the millions of people suffering from eczema on your face, you probably feel very frustrated at each recurrence of the redness, pimple-like bumps, discoloration, inflammation, and sometimes oozing lesions.

When eczema occurs in the face and neck it can have a profound impact on every aspect of your life and you may become desperate for relief.

This is easy to understand, you greet the world with your face and you may feel the world looks on you differently when you have a recurrence.

Facial eczema, sometimes called excema, is very common in infants and young children. In fact, it is normally the first area affected in this type of atopic eczema.

These cases typically clear up by adolescence, but they can recur later in life.

However, it is the adult onset of eczema in the facial area that can be more severe, cause greater discomfort, and very negatively impact your quality of life. Fortunately, this type of facial eczema can be the most responsive to safe and natural treatments.

Some of the traditional medical treatments, like topical steroid creams, are not as effective on facial eczema as more natural methods. This is because eczema is a recurring condition that sometimes requires topical treatments to be applied for extended periods of time.

Facial skin is thinner and much more sensitive than most areas on your body. Extended use of topical treatments such as steroids can cause secondary reactions like acne and infections that will lengthen the healing process and probably leave embarrassing scars.

On the other hand, there are very good natural alternatives to treat eczema on face and neck areas. All natural treatments focus on the relief and prevention of physical discomfort and visible symptoms.

However, the most effective treatments also address the psychological and quality of life aspects of this condition. This is because a mind that is free of anxiety is a vital component to treatment.

Stress And Relaxation

Stress is often a major trigger for facial eczema on several levels. On a very basic level stress can caused increased oil production, acne, sweating, and other conditions that irritate existing eczema occurrences and can trigger new ones.

Also, stress is also associated with bad habits that trigger face eczema like “lip licking”. However, stress can have more serious effects.

Many times a single allergen does not create a flare up until it combines with another chemical in your system and you have an internal reaction. Stress releases toxins into your system which can easily react with an otherwise benign allergen.

This is why relaxation techniques are an important aspect of any facial eczema treatment. This can be as simple as reading your favorite book to distract you from stress related picking, scratching, and licking. It can also include massages and warm bathes to prevent the release of toxins in your system.

Also, relaxation exercises like yoga and stretching will help your body better withstand the negative effects of stress that can cause eczema.

Makeup, Cleansers And Lotions

Makeup is an important part of everyday life and many people do not feel comfortable without it.

Some people believe that having eczema on the face means you cannot wear makeup and this lowers their quality of life.

However, for healing to take place it is important that the psychological discomfort of eczema be treated.

If wearing makeup makes you feel more normal, then makeup should be a part of your treatment.

Seek out makeup that is hypoallergenic, meaning they are less likely to cause an allergic reaction, even though they sometimes cost more. Also look for non-comedogenic makeup. This is makeup that does not clog the pores and helps your skin breathe.

When it comes time to take off the makeup and the rest of the day’s grime, there are good natural alternatives to harsh soaps that will help you treat eczema on face and neck areas.

For example, a boiled mixture of white oak, elm bark, and comfrey root will cleanse the skin but also greatly soothe the inflammation. There are other natural cleansers out there, but if you do not use this cleanser you should find one recommended by an eczema expert.

Also, follow the cleanser with a lotion that is zinc based to further soothe the irritation and even out your skin.

Food

Diet and food preparation are also a key to treating eczema, especially in sensitive areas like your face. These treatments are based on balancing nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Also, they focus on foods and preparation techniques that keep your Ph and acid levels balanced. Many studies have shown that Ph levels can have a tremendous affect on the treatment of facial eczema.

There are many other techniques to naturally and effectively treat eczema on the face. If you want to understand the techniques mentioned here in more detail, and many other fantastic methods, turn to the ebook Vanish Eczema.

You will learn the techniques they used to control and even prevent facial and other forms of eczema, including diet, ointments, relaxation, and more.

You can use these techniques to keep your condition in check and take back your own quality of life.

Eyelid Eczema Treatment

Blake — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:11:33 +0000

photo by louisa_catlover

Whether yours is a discoloring rash spreading out towards your cheeks or small bumps that can make it difficult to even blink, eczema of the eyelid can be a very exasperating condition.

Your eyes are often the first thing people notice about you and you should not have to hide them behind dark glasses or be continuously rubbing at an unsightly rash. More importantly, you should not have to feel the physical or emotional pain associated with eyelid eczema.

The best way for you to overcome your condition is to understand what causes eczema and how you can safely treat it.

Common Allergens And Irritants

Eyelid eczema is most often the result of direct contact with an allergen. This means that the most effective way to treat your condition is to remove the allergen.

The allergen is most often a makeup, face cream, or cleanser you use regularly.

Nail varnish and touching your eyes with artificial nails on is often a trigger.

Problems with makeup and nail products can be especially present if your tried-and-true brand has recently changed their ingredients.

There are other allergens that can cause this condition as well. A common form of eczema on eyelids is called rosacea and can be caused by alcohol, spicy foods, or sudden temperature changes.

If there is something that regularly irritates the eyelid, like smoke or rubbing, this can result in eczema. It might also be a contaminant you are around regularly in your job, such as latex if you are a nurse, cleaning products if you are a maid, or flowers if you are a florist. Removing the allergen will normally take care of the eczema.

Unfortunately, eliminating an allergen is usually not as easy as it sounds. If the allergen is job or environment related, it can be almost impossible to avoid it.

However, you should not have to give up ordinary things you love, like spicy food or your favorite color eye shadow, just because you have eczema eyes. When you do this, it lowers your quality of life dramatically. It can depress you and make you feel insecure which further slows the healing process.

Instead of giving up on the things you love, it is better to find safe and effective treatments for your eczema.

Traditional Treatments

Other forms of eczema, such as on your arms or legs, respond very well to the traditional medical treatments out there. Steroid creams, ultra-violet (UV) light therapy, and other medical treatments can typically control the symptoms of these outbreaks. Unfortunately, these are not options for your eczema eyes.

Your face is a very sensitive area and your eyelids are some of the most delicate skin you have. Even the mildest steroids can cause secondary reactions in the eyelid area, sometimes leading to increased rosacea spreading to the cheeks.

Also, the steroids can harm your eyes which could happen accidentally. UV light can quickly burn your eyelid skin and is dangerous to your vision. You will have similar luck with other medical treatments.

This is why it is important to look to natural methods to safely treat your case of eczema eyelids.

Finding Natural Methods

The problem with finding natural treatments that are actually safe is that there are endless sources of bad information out there. Considering how delicate your eczema eye and lid area is, bad advice can quickly turn into dangerous advice.

However, that does not mean that all of the information out there will lead you astray. The trick is to find skin care experts you can trust, who have had the same experiences and used these treatments themselves with success.

The author of the ebook Vanish Eczema is the type of expert whose advice on safe and natural eczema treatments can be trusted.

More importantly, he used the treatments he recommends to effectively relieve his own condition. Vanish Eczema Program teaches you about many helpful techniques to soothe and treat your own condition, from skin care to food preparation.

If you are suffering from eyelid eczema and your doctors have failed to help you, do not give up hope. There are still very effective and safe ways to treat your condition.

You do not need to choose between your condition and your job, makeup, or favorite foods. Instead, try natural methods to treat your skin and look out at the world with bright, eczema-free eyes once more.

How To Treat Eczema In Children

Blake — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:58:56 +0000

If your child suffers from eczema, you are probably desperate to find a way to provide him or her with relief. 90% of all cases of eczema, sometimes called excema, start before age 5, most occurring while the child is an infant and is more difficult to comfort. It can be very frustrating.

However, this does not mean that you cannot treat the condition and give your child the relief they deserve.

Myths Versus Facts

One of the most important steps to treating your child’s condition is to dispel the many myths out there about the condition. Everyone in your life is probably offering their opinion, based on hear-say knowledge, of how to treat the condition.

Unfortunately, many of these myths can make the condition worse.

One of the biggest myths that you may have heard is that you should only bathe your child once a week. This could not be further from the truth because good hygiene is an important factor to controlling and limiting flare ups.

However, you should cut back on harsh soaps and use other emulsifying agents that will clean and soothe the skin. Ph-neutral and low-Ph soaps are recommended.

Medicated bath oils are also recommended. If your child is still in diapers, it is important that you clean the diaper area often because infants are often prone to eczema in this area as a result of the warm, damp skin combined with the germs from their soiled diaper.

Along those lines, there is also a myth out there that you should avoid light to treat eczema. This is absolutely the wrong thing to do. In fact, many doctors and natural healers use Ultra-Violet (UV) light to treat eczema in children with substantially positive results.

You should seek advice from someone you trust on how to best use UV light to treat your child.

Diet control is also often mistakenly thought to cause eczema outbreaks. In fact, there have been several studies, including those studying eczema in children, which addressed the issue of diet. None have found any conclusive evidence that the diet caused an outbreak of eczema.

Children need good nutrition for growth and healing, so do not eliminate nutritious food from their diet because it will not affect their condition.

Topical Treatments

Another major myth out there that needs to be addressed is that the steroids in topical treatments will harm your child. Topical treatments, such as lotions with steroids, are the most common and most popular form of treatment.

It is an antiquated belief that they harm the skin. Hydrocortisone is a very mild steroid that is gentle to the skin but very effective against childhood eczema.

As with any prescription, always make sure you follow the directions and dosing correctly. However, if your doctor has prescribed your son or daughter a topical treatment with hydrocortisone, you should not hesitate to use it.

It is very likely your child will find relief from this type of ointment.

When using a topical treatment for eczema children, it is important that you remember this is a recurring condition. Do not expect to apply a treatment and have your child’s condition go away forever.

Instead, the treatment will ease your child’s symptoms, including discomfort and appearance. Over 75% of all eczema patients state that the ability to manage their symptoms in this way has improved their quality of life.

In the case of eczema treatment children are no different. Do not lose motivation when another outbreak occurs because your child is still better off managing the symptoms with a topical treatment than with none at all.

As an alternative to topical creams and ointments, paste bandages have been very effective. These are wet bandages that are often zinc based. Zinc has amazing skin healing properties.

When applied wet it both immediately relieves discomfort and helps the skin inflammation to heal. This type of bandage is prescribed by your doctor and you should be hesitant to buy any over the counter variations.

Also, your doctor or nurse should show you how to apply the bandages because they can cause further discomfort if they are applied too tightly or incorrectly.

Allergens

Another common misunderstanding about eczema, especially the atopic eczema that occurs in children, is the relation to allergens. This is because most people use the word allergen in reference to any substance that makes their body have a reaction, especially reactions like sniffles, mild rashes, and itching.

However, a true allergen is one that causes your immune system to overreact. This overreaction typically causes the type of inflammation seen in atopic eczema.

This type of overreaction is normally the result of a combination of allergens which is why removing a single allergen, such as fabric softener or a wool sweater, does not typically treat the problem.

In fact, you may not have a reaction to two separate allergens but when they are combined they can cause the problem. This is also why traditional allergy testing often fails to identify the cause of eczema in children.

Here is a good example of allergens working together to trigger a flare up in your child. Dust mites are a common allergen that cause hives, asthma, and other types of reactions.

They are also considered a trigger for eczema, when combined with other factors. However, a child can be around dust mites all day long and not get a reaction, but their condition may change as soon as they go to bed.

At bedtime, your child is typically bundled up under covers and the raised heat makes their body more susceptible to a flare up. The increased heat is combined with the lack of distraction, giving your child more opportunity to scratch at dust-mite related irritations.

The result is that your child will wake up with an eczema reaction.

Even though it is a single allergen, eliminating dust mites is an important step to treating child eczema. There are several things you must do to get rid of dust mites.

A quality vacuum is needed to achieve the suction needed to remove dust mites, along with pet dander and other allergens. Also, you should get bedding, in all of your bedrooms that is hypoallergenic and repels dust mites.

Use a mattress cover and avoid feather pillows. Make sure you clean all bedding regularly. If you have received a lot of hand me downs for your child, like bedding, mattresses, and other furniture you may either want to replace it with new, hypoallergenic materials or treat them with dust mite treatment sprays.

Remember, dust mite treatment sprays are chemical in nature and can cause a skin irritation or eczema reaction themselves.

Finding Quality Advice

There are other quality treatments out there that are safe and natural, but there are also a lot of people offering bad advice. If you want to better understand treatment options for your child’s eczema, it is important that you find quality information that you can trust.

This information should come from a dermatological expert offering information on both physical and psychological treatments for eczema. Ideally, this advice will address both medical and alternative treatments with an equally open mind.

The ebook Vanish Eczema offers you this kind of advice. It is written by a person who himself suffered from Eczema for several years.

He will give you the advice you need to safely and effectively treat and soothe your child’s eczema.