How to Treat Eczema Naturally

Have you or any of your children had eczema before? And do you have anything to recommend to help heal it? Foods to get rid of in the diet etc? Would be so grateful to hear if you have anything to tell!

Here are the things I've found to be most helpful in treating-- and, for us, completely curing-- eczema.

Rid your home of all chemical-containing products

To me, this was the biggest and most important step of all.  In fact, this step alone probably "cured" my children of their skin allergies nearly 100%.

Most of us don't think about the myriad of products that our bodies come in contact with every single day which contain irritating (and sometimes even harmful) chemicals.

Think about. What exactly is in those bottles of laundry detergent, fabric softener, shampoo, bath gel, body lotion, dish washing soaps, or household cleaners?

Unless you're purchasing products from a "green" or natural company (or making them yourself), the answer is chemicals.  Everything is made from chemicals, and our bodies simply weren't made to handle daily exposure to toxic products.

Individuals with allergies or sensitivities end up with rashes, like eczema.  Most of the time they also end up being treated with more harmful chemicals via the creams their doctors prescribe (more on that in a minute).

As a mother with young children, and a husband, with severe skin allergies, I had to learn to start reading the labels on the backs of bottles.  And finding out what those ingredients might be doing to our bodies.

Once I cleansed our home of everything that was not natural or "green", our eczema problem disappeared.  These days, even my husband's skin allergies are all but non-existent.  The reason is simply because their skin is no longer being exposed to and irritated by chemicals in our household and personal products.

The "natural" brand I switched to is Melaleuca.  Our family has been using Melaleuca products for over 2 years now and we never have skin problems using their cleaners, soaps, laundry detergents, or bath products.  Of course, Melaleuca isn't the only "green" company out there.  Find a brand that works for you and your family and then stick with it.

Just be sure you do a thorough clean-up job in your kitchen and bathroom cabinets.  Even one "culprit" left unchecked is enough to trigger a sensitive child's eczema into action.

One "ingredient" to be especially on the look-out for, particularly in bath and personal products, is formaldehyde.  Manufacturers can legally label it under over over 30 trade names, including Formalin, Quaternium-15 (a formaldehyde releasing agent), Methanal, Methyl Aldehyde, Methylene Oxide, Oxymethylene, Bfv, Fannoform, Formol, Fyde, Karsan, Methaldehyde, Formalith, Methylene Glycol, Ivalon, Oxomethane, Formalin 40, Formic Aldehyde, Hoch, Paraform, Lysoform, Morbocid, Trioxane, and Polyoxmethylene.

Stay away from prescription lotions  

When we took Amy to the doctor for a "cure" for her eczema rashes, her pediatrician prescribed the popular cream Elidel.  Amy was about 3 months old at the time and I used the cream on her, as needed, until she was about a year old.

In recent years, I've discovered information about Elidel cream that makes me absolutely cringe at the thought of ever using it on my child.

Many article I've found on the web warning that the two most popular creams prescribed to treat eczema, Protopic and Elidel, have in fact been linked to various types of cancer.

In recent years, the use of Elidel was restricted to children age two years and older.  Yes, I was smothering it on my infant before I knew all this.  Hopefully someone can read this and learn the facts before they make the same mistake I did!

You don't need a medical prescription to treat eczema

I've personally seen natural methods (mainly ridding your house of harsh chemicals) completely heal extreme cases of eczema for my friends and family.

If your little one is in need of a lotion to soothe irritating rashes on his skin, I've personally found Melaleuca's "Renew" lotion to be wonderfully helpful.  It's not a "medicine"... it's simply a natural lotion that soothes and heals without exposing skin to harmful chemicals.

Another consideration is virgin coconut oil-- very healing to the skin.

Other considerations

Obviously, chemicals are not the only culprit guilty for skin allergies like eczema.  Other things to consider are food allergies, especially wheat and dairy.

Try boosting your child's digestive health with a good probiotic and make sure he gets plenty of sunshine.

Another supplement I've seen help soothe eczema is evening primrose oil.  It's most beneficial when taken orally (mix a little with your baby or child's drink), but can also be applied topically.    

These are just a few things I've learned along the way with our family's experience with eczema and skin allergies... I'd love to hear input from you!