Natural remedies for eczema?

[Fiona]

My 3 year old daughter has some persistent eczema on the back of her legs. I'd like to avoid using prescribed creams (I don't feel comfortable using them, and in the past have not found them to be completely effective anyway). Are there any natural oils etc that might help? Any suggestions gratefully received.

Fiona

[lunamama3]

hi there!

my little boy has eczema too and it can be a real pain to treat it. the biggest problem being that eczema is your body's way of crying out that it's sensitive to something. this means, of course, that simply treating the rash will never help it go away. now the hard part comes in...trying to figure out what's causing the problem! it could be internal or external (ie. food or perfumes in your soap) and it can be anything! we found in the end that my son reacts strongly to dairy (which isn't a problem now that we're vegan), citrus, artificial colors & flavors and sesame and he reacts mildly to wheat. so we try to avoid them at all costs at first and then sparingly once his rashes are gone. also, he flares up a lot more during the winter months when the air's cold and dry anyhow, so we make sure to keep the air moist and keep him in cotton/hemp clothing only so his skin can breath. also, his skin is sensitive in general, so i barely give him baths and even more rarely do i wash him with soap (i tend to give him short tepid baths every other day or so and just wash him up with washcloths in between) and oatmeal baths are wonderful too when he's got a bad rash -just whirl some rolled oats in the processer for a few minutes and put 'em in an old sock- it feels so nice. if you want some other people's experiences & suggestions, a great resource for me in the beginning were the discussion boards on www.mothering.com (mothering magazine) as far as any creams or anything topical you can put on it, i have a vitamin e oitment i put on him occasionally, but his lesions tend not to be so bad anymore now that we've got the food/chemical issues under control. :) hope this helps!

lisa
stay-at-home mama to three vegan wee ones

[Fiona]

Thank you Lisa for all your advice and tips - very helpful and much appreciated.

Best wishes

Fiona

[CarlaJ]

I get excema on my back and stomach, mostly from sun exposure or being dry in the winter. I used Palmer's Cocoa Butter before and bought pure cocoa butter for next time. It works for me, but excema is different for everyone. I used to work at a dermatologist, and excema is a basic word that can cover many skin irritations.

[capersmama]

A dear friend of mine has suffered with sever excema most of her life. She has found that sunning either in a tanning bed 1-2 X a month helps keep her excema at bay.

I have also read that GSE (grapefruit seed extract) when diluted with distilled water will help regulate the body's inner and outer flora. You can take GSE internally as well as treat outside rashes. I have heard that excema is related to a yeast infestation that is why I bring this up.

Just a note..GSE is anti-bacterial as well as anti-microbial..so can be used for all yeast infestations, colds, insect bites, viruses, heck..the stuff even sterilizes toothbrushes and dish washing sponges. ITS A WONDER DISINFECTANT! :D Just thought maybe some of you would be interested.

[capersmama]

here is an eye opening "test" to take to see if yeast is at the root of many of our problems..I was AMAZED!!! http://www.parentsofallergicchildren.org/yeast.htm please note..that excema was a question....

[Idahoveggiemom]

Hi, my son is 15 months and I have tried alot of things and most did not seem to help.
What has helped so much is I give my son Flax Seed Oil daily and I lather him with lotion. I also did not want to use the creams and I know that Flax Seed Oil is good for him anyways. If I don't keep after it though, it does flare up again and then I have to start over again at treating it. But, I have been faithful now for 2 months giving him the Flax Seed Oil and keeping his skin moisturized. Also what has helped alot is I apply Lavender Essential Oil to his rashes. That helps alot.
Hope this helps some!

[Fiona]

Thank you for all your responses. I found a vitamin E cream, which also has calendula in it, which is vegan, and that has helped. I've also cut down on baths because water seemed to make the rash worse. I think that my daughter's eczema is probably due to environmental rather than dietary factors. Unfortunately my 4 month old son has developed eczema on his face and I suspect he might be allergic to something in my diet (he tends to scratch when he's feeding). I guess I'll find out more when he starts eating solids.

Thank you for your helpful suggestions.


Fiona