Identifying an eczema natural cure that will work well with your own body may be a less-than-speedy process. The first thing you may want to start with is finding out what triggers your eczema episodes. Perhaps certain environmental factors contribute to your eczema eruptions. Common irritants are cologne, household sprays and cleaners, pet dander, plants, mold, and dust mites, for example. Eliminate those eczema triggering products from your environment.

Natural Remedies for Eczema

Natural remedies for eczema are ideal because they generally pose a much lower health risk than traditional medicine like corticosteroids. One popular eczema remedy that works well for a large percentage of eczema sufferers is organic calendula oil. Apply this oil to the areas of your skin affected by eczema. Another eczema natural remedy is organic evening primrose oil. Take the oil in tablet form or puncture an evening primrose oil gel tab and apply the oil directly to your skin.

You may want to supplement your eczema natural cure regimen with dietary supplements added gradually over the course of 14 to 30 days. Begin by adding zinc and fish oil or fresh avocado to your daily diet. These three little additions to your daily diet are great natural cures for eczema. At the very least they may help prevent your eczema from worsening during its flareups. Remember that we have to heal eczema from the inside and outside. So while using a skin salve of calendula oil and aloe vera gel, for instance, will help provide relief from eczema itching and discourage secondary skin infections, it will not be enough if you are not monitoring your diet and controlling your exposure to environmental eczema irritants.

Discovering which eczema natural cure will work best and most efficiently for you is a trial and error process. The natural remedies for eczema mentioned in this article will help point you in the right direction, but consistency and careful experimentation are also important.

Natural cures for eczema, when used correctly, are usually harmless and effective in the management of severe eczema in infants. The problem most parents face is knowing where to start as there are so many conflicting schools of information to be found on the Internet. Natural remedies for children’s eczema are often not adequately addressed, or even encouraged by health care professionals. One thing to always keep in mind when looking for natural remedies for children’s eczema is that there is no one right way to heal eczema using alternative treatments. Often, parents might have to experiment with or combine commercially prepared natural treatments with home remedies for eczema. Sometimes it is easier to use a commercially prepared cream or lotion, such as those from Earth Mama Angel Baby.

If you do choose to treat your infant’s eczema through home remedies and creams mixed at home, be sure that you don’t only focus on external symptoms. Incorporate gradual diet changes for your baby, or begin an eczema friendly diet yourself if breastfeeding. Take special note of any allergies that seem to exacerbate baby’s eczema. You may consider seeing an internist or dietitian to help you understand the scope of your baby’s allergies.

Healing severe eczema in infants effectively requires parents to take a multifaceted approach. Natural cures for eczema, in children and adults, are very effective and gentle but you may not see the instant results that you might see with conventional medicine. Consistency and patience will pay off and you’ll see your baby’s severe eczema gradually fade away.

Why Use Sea Salt for Eczema?

One of the reasons Dead Sea salt is so beneficial for skin conditions like eczema is because it contains large amounts of minerals. These minerals help calm and soothe irritation caused by eczema and can actually help repair damaged, compromised skin. The skin is the largest organ of the body and is its first defense against infection. The constant itch-scratch-itch cycle impairs the skin’s integrity, possibly leaving you vulnerable to infection. Sea salt can help break this cycle by repairing skin and greatly reducing itching, making it an especially important element in your eczema natural cure.

Combine Sea Salt for Eczema and other Natural Cures for Eczema

Sea salt, like other individual natural cures for eczema, works best when combined with an internal eczema treatment plan. It can be tempting to only use sea salt for your eczema symptoms, especially when it works so well, but always remember to work on treating eczema through your diet, as well as with other natural cures for eczema. Mother nature has blessed us with many potent remedies for skin ailments. For examples, herbal and mineral clays, like sea salt, are wonderful ways to expel toxins and allergens from the body. These clays, when used regularly, will detoxify the skin, heal eczema flare-ups, and leave your skin soft, moisturized, and dewey. Of course, clays can only go so far if you are not supporting your treatment with a proper diet and environment.

Using sea salt for eczema is a great external remedy to add to your overall natural cure arsenal, but it will be even more effective if you combine it with the other eczema natural cures that you will find on the site.

For those living with eczema, essential oils like tea tree oil or lavender oil act as a natural barrier against irritants that might cause an eczema flare-up. While these oils can work wonders for eczema, it is important to dilute them before application because they are quite potent. A drop or two of tea tree oil can be diluted with a few tablespoons of filtered bottled water or a carrier oil like sweet almond oil. You may have to experiment a bit to find your ideal concentration level of tea tree oil, but always be sure to dilute the oil when applying to areas of the skin that has eczema.

Tea tree oil can also be used as a bath oil, along with mineral salts, to help relieve eczema symptoms. In fact, a nighttime tea tree oil bath may be a great option for small children who experience more severe bouts of eczema at night. It can also be paired with an emu oil and lavender oil combination. To use tea tree oil as a bath oil treatment, add five to fifteen drops of the essential oil into warm bath water. The essential oil does not need to be diluted before being added to bathwater.

For an extra boost of antibacterial action, try combining tea tree oil with raw honey. Raw honey can be found in most natural or health food stores, or even online. Add the usual five to fifteen drops of tea tree oil to warm bath water, then add up to five tablespoons of raw honey to the water. Raw honey also has moisturizing properties, which eczema sufferers especially need.

As you can see, essential oils like tea tree oil can be beneficial in the fight against eczema. Tea tree oil, in particular, will help prevent excessive itching and skin irritation, as well as soothe the skin. The skin healing properties of tea tree oil are only increased with the addition of supporting oils and raw honey. If you have not added essential oils like tea tree oil to your natural eczema remedy arsenal, you should definitely give it a try soon.

This fact sheet provides basic information about evening primrose oil—common names, uses, potential side effects, and resources for more information. Evening primrose is a plant native to North America, but it grows in Europe and parts of the Southern Hemisphere as well. It has yellow flowers that bloom in the evening. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are required by the body for growth and development, and must be obtained from the diet.

Common Names—evening primrose oil, EPO

Latin Name—Oenothera biennis

What It Is Used For

• Evening primrose oil has been used since the 1930s for eczema (a condition in which the skin becomes inflamed, itchy, or scaly because of allergies or other irritation).
• More recently it has been used for other conditions involving inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
• Evening primrose oil is used for conditions affecting women’s health, such as breast pain associated with the menstrual cycle, menopausal symptoms, and premenstrual syndrome.
• Other conditions for which evening primrose oil is used include cancer and diabetes.

How It Is Used

Evening primrose oil is extracted from the seeds of the evening primrose. The oil is usually put into capsules for use.

What the Science Says

• Evening primrose oil may have modest benefits for eczema, and it may be useful for rheumatoid arthritis and breast pain. However, study results are mixed, and most studies have been small and not well designed.
• Evening primrose oil does not appear to affect menopausal symptoms.
• Although some clinical trials have shown a benefit of evening primrose oil for premenstrual syndrome, the best-designed trials found no effect.
• There is not enough evidence to support the use of evening primrose oil for other health conditions.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Evening primrose oil is well tolerated by most people. Mild side effects include gastrointestinal upset and headache.
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

Infants who have a certain genetic mutation are more likely to develop eczema if there is a cat in the home, a new study suggests.

The idea that genetic mutations associated with a disease can be triggered by environmental exposures is not a new one, the researchers from Denmark and Great Britain noted.

“It’s more of an example of a mechanism that’s likely to happen between genes and the environment. It’s sort of proof of a concept, or an idea that’s been around for years,” said study author Dr. Hans Bisgaard, of the Danish Pediatric Asthma Center at the University of Copenhagen. “You can have a gene for many diseases but never have the disease if you aren’t exposed to triggers.”

In the study, infants with the FLG mutation were studied in two groups, a high-risk group in Denmark and a representative sample in Great Britain. Children with the mutation were twice as likely to develop eczema during their first year of life. Those with the mutation and a cat in their home from the time of their birth had a further increased risk of having eczema. The study was published in the June issue of PLoS Medicine.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, begins in the first year of life for 65 percent of the people who have the condition, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. About 20 percent of all infants and children have symptoms.

Bisgaard explained that the study did not determine how exposure to cats triggered the eczema, but it did demonstrate that the eczema was not an allergic reaction to cats.

“It’s probably too early to tell parents to go out and shoot the cat,” Bisgaard added, because the finding needs to be replicated. “What is often misleading is that people try to learn some guidance from every new scientific research study. I wouldn’t take much guidance from this. I would see it as proof of a concept, the right theory we’re working around.”

Bisgaard said there are a number of genes that predict asthma and allergies. In the foreseeable future, it is likely “we will be able to profile a child for the risk of these diseases.”

In addition to the need to confirm the results before condemning cats, other factors besides the presence of cats need to be considered as potential triggers, added Dr. Marc Riedl, section head for allergy and immunology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The cat ownership or exposure could potentially be a surrogate for something else that wasn’t measured,” he said. For example, there could be a fungal exposure associated with cats, rather than the cats, that sets off the skin reaction, Riedl explained.

Riedl agreed the importance of the study is that “it once again demonstrates gene and environmental interactions in a medical condition. This is another example of how the genetics of an individual convey some susceptibility to environmental exposures.”

SOURCES: Hans Bisgaard, M.D., University of Copenhagen, Danish Pediatric Asthma Center; Mark Riedl, M.D., assistant professor and section head, allergy and immunology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; June 2008, PLoS Medicine)

Skin care for sensitive skin doesn’t have to be as difficult as many authorities would make you believe. However, even before we get into the rules for sensitive skin care, it’s important to understand what sensitive skin really is. Sensitive skin is skin that doesn’t take too kindly to harsh treatment, and it may even be irritated by the environment or other seemingly harmless conditions. You have to be extremely careful of what your put on your skin, especially eczema prone skin. For this reason, some products are especially labeled as sensitive skin care products. The degree of sensitivity can however vary from person to person (and depending on that, the sensitive skin care procedures vary too).

Most skin types, regardless of sensitivity level, respond less than enthusiastically to detergents and harsh skin abrasives that you’ll commonly find in the skin care aisle of your local drug store. Products designed especially for sensitive skin are formulated in a way that avoids common irritants. At the very least, any ingredients that could potentially cause irritation are kept at a strict minimum.

Here are a few tips for sensitive skin care:
* Use products that are labeled specifically for sensitive skin such as Dead Sea Mud Soap.

* Although there is a wide range of products that are tailored to sensitive skin, not all of them are created equal. Avoid products that contain preservatives and coloring. Try to get unscented versions, such as this, if your skin is highly sensitive and prone to eczema.

* Toners are alcohol based, and sensitive skin doesn’t respond too well to them, so try to eliminate these from your skin care routine.

* Avoid using harsh cleansers or detergents around the house. These have been known to set off eczema flareups.

* One myth regarding eczema and sensitive skin is that sun exposure is good for promoting skin health and healing. While many people have reported a decrease in eczema symptoms that is related directly to sunlight, many others have found that their eczema becomes more aggressive. Avoid direct sun exposure if you have sensitive skin. Instead, try opening your window shades and letting in some indirect light that way.

* Use soap-free and alcohol free cleansers.

*Go easy on the skin exfoliation. It’s easy to scrub too hard, and that causes more problems in the long run.

* Wear makeup sparingly. Aim for mineral based makeup. Read the ingredients carefully because a lot of the popular makeup lines that claim to only sell mineral-based makeup are only telling you half of the truth. You’ll find that only one or two select products are mineral based and the rest are not. Bare Escentuals comes to find for this misleading practice the last time I checked (which was in 2006).

So, sensitive skin care is very different from the normal skin care. Sensitive skin care is more about being careful with your skin (both in terms of sensitive skin care products and protection against environments atrocities on skin).

The simple truth is that these medicines treat the symptoms of eczema, and not the underlying causes and triggers. Think of it this way, would you use head lice shampoo on your child and not bother to treat the child’s pillowcase, covers, or clothes? Do you see what I’m getting at, albeit less than eloquently?

I’m a strong believer, and you’ll find countless examples of this throughout the site, that natural remedies for eczema are the best way to go if you want to truly manage the condition, rather than relieving symptoms for mere hours at a time.

The question we get most often at Eczema Natural Cures is: “How do I chose or create a natural eczema treatment plan?” It’s a perfectly understandable question because it can be daunting to spend hours sifting through various articles and websites trying to find information on what will be most effective. Often times, I came out more confused than I was before I started my research.

If you have access to one, a homeopathic doctor or naturopathic health care provider will be indispensable for you. I personally wasn’t able to find one in my area, so I was at a disadvantage. However, I did discover some useful natural remedies for eczema that may help give you some relief right now.

Pure virgin coconut oil is a great way to soothe the itching that accompanies eczema. Coconut oil helps repair skin is a great addition to overall skin care routines.

Witch Hazel relieves the irritation that may be caused by scratching.

For babies and small children, pour a bit of condensed milk into a bath basin, then fill an old (clean) sock with oats. Put the sock in the milk/water mixture. Why the sock? Oats can be messy, so by putting them in a sock you can contain the mess while still getting all of the skin repair benefits you would get otherwise.

Natural Dead Sea salt or Dead Sea mud are great skin conditioners. They have a high mineral/low sodium content and can quickly repair skin damage caused by irritation and scratching. You can also get soap made with natural dead sea salt or mud.

I’ve been getting a few emails (admin at eczemanaturalcure.net) asking for more information on a natural eczema remedy, sea salt for eczema, that I briskly glossed over in a previous article. I had intended to write an article solely focused on this topic, but didn’t get the chance. Anyhow, the topic, and subsequent emails, were about natural Dead Sea salt. People were wondering whether this could actually be an effective way to manage eczema during times of flare-up.

Natural Dead Sea salt is produced (ta da!:) from the Dead Sea. You may remember hearing stories of people traveling thousands of miles in order to bathe in the Dead Sea. In fact, during biblical times, the Dead Sea was known for being something of an informal health resort because of the healing properties it was reported to have.

You would not believe the mineral content in natural Dead Sea salt. When applied to the skin in the form of a scrub (some people prefer to use a Dead Sea mud mask) , it almost instantly soothes and conditions. I think what I like the most about natural dead sea salt is that it perfectly complements an eczema management plan, even if you’re not treating eczema from the inside out. Which brings me to another point.

One reader wrote in that she didn’t know how to treat her child’s eczema using some of the dietary changes I had suggested. She said that certain dietary changes just weren’t practical for her young child, who had just turned three. She wasn’t comfortable with some of the treatment ideas her doctor had suggested for the baby (most parents aren’t comfortable with these treatment options), but she couldn’t stand to watch her child be miserable with constant itching. I gave her a detailed list of common household triggers, told her to use an organic mattress pad as a way to deter dust mites (a leading eczema trigger for small children), suggested she through out any blanket the child was using that wasn’t organic cotton or bamboo, and use natural Dead Sea salt or Dead Sea mud on the areas where eczema was a problem.

I received a note from her a few days ago. She was writing to let me know that she had begun to incorporate some of my suggestions and her child’s eczema had been clearing steadily every day. Apparently, her child is responding exceptionally to natural Dead Sea salt and a new organic lifestyle. So you see, using Dead Sea salt for eczema can make a great addition to a  natural eczema treatment plan because it’s something everyone, regardless of age, can use and it doesn’t impede on your everyday lifestyle too much.

Since K.S. (the reader mentioned above) and her child had really great results from using the plan I wrote out for her, I’ll be writing an even more in-depth guide for all of my readers to follow. It’s not quite done yet, but it should be ready for you guys in another few weeks. Drop me a line and we’ll keep you posted:)

Also, if you’ve used natural Dead Sea salt or if you’ve tried out some of the suggestions we list on the site, please comment with your experiences and thoughts. You can also write us at: admin @ eczemanaturalcure.net . We’d love to hear from you!

The other name for eczema in medical parlance is atopic dermatitis. Medical science has advanced by leaps and bounds, but unfortunately no definite cause for eczema has been discovered yet. Medical professionals are not sure what the causes behind eczema are, but they have certainly zeroed in on a few key factors that can trigger or aggravate eczema or make it flare up.

There is an immune system present even in human skin that can over react to emotional triggers or environmental factors, thus leading to flare up or aggravation. This results in rashes, redness, and swelling – all accompanied by an uncontrollable urge to itch. This is a dermatological condition with specific or unique causes behind it.

Eczema Causes

• Fluctuation in humidity or temperature

• Extreme temperatures and humidity levels

• Changes in weather condition take a toll on eczema by promptly activating allergens.

• Hot and humid weathers often find eczema victims scratching their affected portion vigorously until it is red and swollen.

• Cold and dry climates also cause eczema. That is why doctors advise eczema patients to reside in moderate climates.

Irritants

They may be classified into physical irritants like rough abrasive tight clothing fabric that can’t let the moisture escape and increases sweat and perspiration – wool, synthetic fabrics, Lycra, elastics.

The other variety that is chemical irritants are perfumes, fragrances of flowers, astringents, alcohol, toilet paper, air freshener, cleaner, emollients, cosmetics, paint, pesticides, harsh soaps, detergents and other such things.

Allergens

• Animal dander

• Allergy causing food items like peanuts

• Wheat

• Eggs

• Milk

• Airborne allergens like pet hairs, molds, dust mites, flower pollens, dust etc can also aggravate eczema.

Intense stress or emotion are causes of eczema

• Emotional distress

• Trauma

• Lack of mental peace

• Stress

• Worry

• Anxiety

• Tension and other such heightened emotional upheavals and mental turmoil often cause eczema.

Infections, varicose veins, acids, alkalies, metals like nickel, rubber products, poison ivy are other factors which trigger eczema.