Facts on Eczema Home Remedies

1. Eczema's Exit Without Prescription Meds

If you experience eczema, you'll be pleased to know that you don't always have to rely on prescription medication or other pharmaceutical products to alleviate your skin condition. Eczema home remedies can provide much-needed relief without the side effects that often accompany prescription drugs and creams.

2. Get Relief at Night With Evening Primrose Oil

Break open a few capsules of evening primrose oil, which contains the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid, and apply the oil directly to your eczema patches. This treatment works best at night because it's quite messy. Another option is to add the oil directly to your bath. Evening primrose oil also works well on eczema on the scalp. You'll just need to shampoo really well afterward.

3. Some Relief With Epsom Salt

Epsom salts, which contain magnesium, are beneficial for eczema. Add 2 cups of Epsom salts to running bath water and soak for 15 minutes. Avoid soaking in the tub for too long. You'll end up drying out your skin and making your eczema worse. When you're done, pat your skin lightly with a towel instead of rubbing.

4. Avoid Aggravating Products

Every product you put on your skin or into your hair can affect your eczema. Even your laundry detergent can affect your eczema. Stick with "natural" products that you'd find at a natural foods store. Generally, the fewer ingredients the better. You'll pay more money for eco-friendly products, but you'll experience less skin irritation, redness and itching.

5. D is for Diet and Decreased Eczema

Many individuals with eczema are deficient in vitamin D. Apply the oil from a few vitamin D capsules directly to your skin. This home remedy is just as messy as the evening primrose oil, so try this at nighttime. Eat vitamin-D enriched foods as well, such as milk. Eat foods containing zinc such as spinach and brown rice. Many individuals with eczema are zinc-deficient, so consuming foods high in zinc or supplementing is very beneficial. Eat salmon. The omega 3 fatty acids have a beneficial effect on the skin. Olive oil is also a great topical treatment and is a convenient home remedy. Since olive oil is edible, there's really no chance of side effects. Rub a banana peel directly on your eczema once a day. Try just a small area first as a test since this treatment might burn.

Last updated on: Nov 18, 2009

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