Natural Remedies for Eczema
Eczema is a skin disorder that may be characterised by rashes, redness, itching or the skin becoming scaly or flaky. It is an inflammation of the skin and the term is commonly used for any condition that is associated with inflammation of the skin, such as dermatitis. The common types of eczema are atopic eczema and contact eczema.
Atopic eczema is thought to be passed on with heredity, generally found where members may be susceptible to hay fever or asthma. Contact eczema or dermatitis is allergic and may be caused as a reaction to particles in the environment or substances such as detergents.
Food allergies and Eczema: While a firm link between food and eczema is yet to be established scientifically, eggs and dairy products such as milk, fish, wheat, tomatoes, nuts such as ground nuts, soya products, yeast and certain food additives are thought to trigger eczema. The best way to find out if a food substance causes eczema is to eliminate the suspected food. All the listed foods need to be stopped for a period of two weeks and then have to be reintroduced gradually, with one or two foods taken back over a period of two days. As foods are discounted for allergies, more foods can be taken in and watched for allergic reactions. If any food is found to trigger allergic reactions in skin, it has to be eliminated and the other foods should be included gradually, till all suspected foods are tested. Once the cause is identified and the culprit eliminated, the allergy should subside.
Eczema Supplements: Evening Primrose oil is an effective remedy for eczema. Evening Primrose Oil is extracted from the yellow flowering plant, evening primrose. The oil contains Linoleic acid that is anti-inflammatory and provides a host of health benefits, especially towards skin care – Evening Primrose oil is found to be effective in treatment of acne, dermatitis and eczema. A supplement of zinc is also thought to be effective in eczema treatment. A traditional treatment that is not backed by scientific evidence involves cabbage poultice held on to the affected areas of skin on a regular basis.
Aloe Vera gel in its pure form could be applied to the affected area every night at bed time. The gel generally gets absorbed immediately into the skin and is known to provide relief from persistent eczema.
