Home Remedies to Relieve Eczema

Oatmeal is one of the most widely used eczema relief remedies. It has been shown to have several beneficial properties for the skin.

Self-care and home remedies to relieve eczema can be very useful as an adjunctive treatment. They can be easily integrated into your daily routine and aren’t usually an inconvenience for the patient. But what are these self-care and home remedies? We will tell you about them below.

Baths to relieve eczema

After a long day, a relaxing bath is a great source of relief, and can help you get some real rest. If you have eczema, then this same procedure can be useful thanks to some additives, such as bleach or oatmeal.

Oatmeal

As confirmed by various sources, colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help protect, soothe, and heal the skin. For this reason, it has been used as an ingredient for the relief of various skin conditions, such as: skin rashes, erythema, burns, itching and eczema.

These days. it’s possible to find various skin care products made with oats. However, one of the most widely used home remedies to relieve eczema is still the colloidal oatmeal bath (available in health food stores).

You just have to add a little powdered colloidal oatmeal (inside an organza bag, for example) into the bathtub (preferably filled with warm water) and soak in it for about 15 minutes. This will contribute to the relief.

• It’s important to bear in mind that when the skin has eczema or other problems, it’s necessary to avoid extreme temperatures when bathing or showering, as well as doing it in excess (more than 2-3 times a day), as this can be counterproductive.
• Oatmeal baths provide relief, but should always be combined with other healthy practices so that the skin can heal.
• After bathing, you must dry yourself gently and delicately.

Bleach

According to the National Eczema Association, bleach baths also contribute to eczema relief. To take advantage of it, you must follow the following instructions:

• Dilute half a cup of regular or “unconcentrated” household bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) in a tub of warm water.
• Soak the affected area for about 10 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.
• Don’t immerse your face or head in the bleach bath.
• Dry gently.

Before using any of these home remedies to relieve eczema, it’s best to consult with your dermatologist to make sure they’re the most suitable options, as well as to receive the appropriate recommendations.

On the other hand, avoid adding other ingredients to the bathroom (such as soaps or scented products) as well as making combinations not authorized by the dermatologist.

Topical remedies

As Mayo Clinic experts point out, in cases of eczema you need to moisturize the skin at least a couple of times a day. To do this, you can use different products, such as body oils, ointments, or sprays.

Topical remedies are intended to help relieve dryness, protect the skin, and promote healing. Some options would be the following.

Virgin coconut oil

Virgin coconut oil is considered a good topical remedy because it’s generally well-tolerated and helps hydrate and restore skin. In addition, it has antibacterial properties that would help prevent infections.

However, you must bear in mind that most of the scientific evidence regarding its efficacy comes from animal studies. For this reason, Medline Plus experts rate it as “possibly effective.”

Chamomile

Although chamomile is one of the most used natural remedies for the relief of a wide variety of health problems (such as conjunctivitis), in cases of dermatitis or other skin reactions it’s important to use it with caution. This is because, in some people, instead of bringing relief, it could cause allergic contact dermatitis.

• In a study carried out on rodents, it was observed that chamomile oil helped heal lesions. However, experts indicate that further research is necessary.

Licorice

Licorice is another one of the home remedies to relieve eczema and other types of rashes. For this reason, it has been proposed as an adjuvant. However, experts consider that it’s necessary to further investigate its properties in order to determine its effectiveness.

• In a study carried out with a sample of people with atopic dermatitis, it was observed that licorice gel extract could be useful to treat it.

Oral remedies

There are some home remedies to relieve eczema orally that, although not fully supported, can be tried if the doctor authorizes it. These are as follows:

• Probiotic foods: Regularly integrating foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi into your diet is believed to promote healthy skin. However, it hasn’t yet been possible to verify whether they’re really effective in cases of eczema.
• Vitamin supplements: Experts consider that combining a balanced diet with the consumption of some supplements (such as fish oil, zinc, selenium, vitamin D, E and others) could promote skin health and prevent eczema, or mitigate its impact. However, there’s no evidence to confirm this.

Evening primrose or borage oils have also been recommended as home remedies for eczema relief, but experts consider they pose more risks than benefits. For this reason, they don’t recommend using them.

Mind-body therapies

Emotional stress can influence both the appearance and the aggravation of eczema flare-ups. Therefore, in addition to following the self-care prescribed by the doctor and other therapeutic measures, it’s advisable to take care of your emotional health.

Practices such as yoga, mindfulness, tai chi, deep breathing exercises, and other activities that help release tension (both physical and emotional) and clear your mind are all beneficial.

By combining healthy lifestyle habits and the aforementioned advice, it’s possible to control and alleviate eczema, but you must never neglect the specialist’s recommendations.