Tag: Eczema Treatments

Are Alternative Eczema Treatments Really Effective?

Anyone suffering from eczema will attest that not only the skin disease is a painful one, but it also very depressing. On cannot help but think about how other people react upon seeing those unsightly red, swollen and scaly patches on the skin. Because of this, those afflicted by the disease will try any available eczema treatment to help lessen the symptoms at all costs.

There is really no cure for eczema; however, there are many treatments available that help lessen the symptoms. Doctors often prescribe topical and oral treatments that will help in alleviating inflammation and itchiness, but these do not come without side effects. Some of them potentially include nausea, vomiting, hypertension, glaucoma, growth retardation and many others. With all these side effects in mind, someone with eczema cannot help but look at some of the alternative ways of treating eczema.

Herbal Medicines

There are hundreds of herbal medicines out there that claim to have beneficial effects to the symptoms of eczema. Basically, what they do is try to control the hyperactivity of a persons immune system, control inflammation and relieve itchiness. There are a variety of preparations and mode of applications for such herbal medicines. Some of them may be in the form of oils, lotions, soaps, infusions, teas and even pills.

Herbal treatments for eczema may include and may be derived from the following popular plants and plant parts:

– Aloe Vera gel
– Babul tree bark
– Burdock root
– Butea seeds
– Chamomile
– Linseed oil
– Madhuca leaves
– Oat straw
– Rosemary
– Walnut leaves
– Witch Hazel

Just bear in mind that herbal medicines are still medicines. Although they may not be potentially hazardous to your health, they may still cause side effects, no matter how minor they may be. Also, before trying out any herbal treatment, it is best to consult your doctor first. This is particularly important if you are currently on certain medications, as these natural remedies for eczema may interfere with the drugs.

Aromatherapy and Massage

Aromatherapy treatment for eczema may include massaging of the affected skin with essential oils that give off strong smell, this being derived from aromatic plants. Studies conducted among children have shown that massaging the eczematous skin with ordinary oil yielded the same positive results obtained using essential oils. In both cases, the children achieved relief from the symptoms, as well as improved their sleep.

It has been found out that stress plays a major role in the flaring up of eczema. That is why many doctors recommend anyone afflicted with the skin disease to relax, get rid of stress and have a positive outlook in life. This is where aromatherapy works: the scent of the essential oils used helps the person achieve relaxation better; hence, diminished flare ups.

Biofeedback

Although stress does not directly cause eczema, it does have an effect on flare ups, as discussed earlier. Some experts might use a device attached to the body of the person suffering from eczema which evaluates different body signals. These signals include muscular tonicity, heart and respiratory rates. The information the device gives is called biofeedback an eczema treatment which is helpful to many.

The goal of this method is to let you sense the changes going on in your body when you are stressed, and learn how to control them right away. With less stress, less flare ups are likely to occur.

Eczema Treatments Available for Patients

Pimples and zits are just of the problems that affect our skin. But did you know that eczema can also happen? Eczema treatments are available. The only problem is that these arent cures which means it could come back.

The simplest way to battle eczema is by using moisturizers. By applying some in the affected area, it will help your skin heal and give you relief from the symptoms associated with this problem. Before you apply the moisturizer, it is best to have a room temperature bath as this will help remove crusted skin. Once you towel off, this is the time you apply the moisturizer.

When you are looking for a moisturizer, make sure it two or three of the following ingredients; alpha hydroxyl acids, cetyl alcohol, glycerin, butylene glycol, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, mineral oil, panthenol, petroleum, prolipids, propylene glycol, stearyl alcohol and tocopheryl acetate.

A very good example of such a moisturizer is eucerin because its main ingredients are petroleum and mineral oil. You can buy this in cream or lotion form and has been proven to relieve itching.

The general rule when you look for a moisturizer is based on the condition of your skin. If your skin is very dry, you will need a moisturizer that is very oily.

Another form of eczema treatment is with the help of corticosteroid creams and ointments. Among all the treatments available, this is the one that has been in use for years. If your condition has not improved, you will have to switch from over the counter corticosteroid creams and ointments to those that have to be prescribed by a doctor. It may even come to a point that you will have to take oral corticosteroids.

Corticosteroid creams and ointments are divided into 4 different strengths namely mild, moderate, potent and very potent. Most doctors recommend mild at first and only use a stronger one if mild does not work. Because of the side effects, stronger types of both corticosteroid creams and ointments should only be used for a short period of time.

Aside from oral corticosteroids, there are also oral antihistamines. Since one of the side effects of this drug is drowsiness, this should only be used at night so you can sleep soundly without the urge to wake up and scratch that itch.

New drugs are always being introduced to fight eczema and one of these is the immunomodulators. Basically, this is medication designed to help control inflammation and reduce the immune system reactions when this is applied to your skin.

If applying medicine to your skin or swallowing some pills does not seem to work, your doctor may recommend light therapy. There are three different types namely UVA-1 Phototherapy, narrow band UVB and PUVA.

In each of these treatments, a certain degree of ultraviolet light is used to help the affected area. You will have to go the hospital for several weeks before you are able to see any improvements.

The specific cause of eczema is not clear. While some studies point out that this skin condition is hereditary, it has also been proven that there are trigger factors which may cause this to occur.

Examples of this include allergies, chemicals or solvents, tobacco smoke and the weather. If the doctor is able to pinpoint what caused it, part of eczema treatment during and after is to stay away from things that triggered it. Believe it or not, this may even force you to make certain changes in your diet.

There are eczema treatments available for patients. While you may not get rid of it, you can keep it at bay so flare ups will not happen.

Eczema Treatment, the Natural Way

Eczema has a nasty way of drying out your skin. That means the most upfront way of eczema treatment is to bring back all the moisture it lost, is still losing. But we all know that the moisturizers we see on flashing commercial ads will not do the job. As some people who have tried them for eczema treatments said, those products do not even work skin-deep.

Those much hyped lotions have chemical ingredients that even lead to eczema outbreaks. The reason? The ingredients that supposedly work do not get absorbed by your skin, or they do the opposite of moisturizing: they accelerate skin drying and even irritate it. So much for that. The best case scenario with these commercial lotions and moisturizers is that, when you rub them on your skin, you do get some rehydration, which just as soon leaves your skin.

So what you need is not a stop-gap treatment. Something that helps your skin heal enough so that, by itself, it could retain moisture without much or with no help at all from external applications. You need a substance like Shea Butter, which brings back skin elasticity. That means your skin gets healed not in the manner of a temporary rehydration, but at the cellular level. Elasticity returned means your skin can retain the vital moisture it needs.

Shea gets absorbed quickly deep into your skin, seeping down into the skin layers, and because it has a remarkably high level of fatty acids (a component that is crucial in bringing back skin elasticity and moisture retention), it is probably the best treatment for eczema not seen on ads and posters.

Although other kinds of butter may also have some fatty acid components, the fatty acid in Shea butter is remarkably higher than, say, cocoa butter, and other vegetable butter. This makes this butter catapult to the top of your list of butters to buy as natural treatment for your eczema.

The benefits of going all natural does not end there. Shea butter even helps your skin improve the rate at which it heals burns and wounds, and even curbs instances of ugly scars. This is because Shea has vitamins A and E plus anti-inflammatory capacities. Healing and scar prevention aside, She also provides your skin with UV protection, and a natural shield against air pollutants exposure to which, over time in smoggy cities, can damage your skin.

This natural ways of treating your eczema can also come in blends with other natural products, allowing you to enjoy more benefits from more natural ingredients. When you use Shea Butter in lotions that contain them (but without the ingredients that reduce their effects), you deliver on your skin the most natural eczema treatment there is. When you combine this with some essential oils, like calendula, chamomile, and lavender, the combination heightens the moisturizing effects and prevents skin inflammation.

So do be cautious with flashy commercials pitching moisturizers that promise heavenly moisturized skin, but brings nothing much. Yes, some products might have Shea Butter amounts, but that amount along with some other ingredients, may overall negate Shea’s effectiveness against eczema. Best to go pure and natural.

More medical professionals are getting wind of the effective eczema treatments via Shea Butter. The outcome is that word of mouth coupled with established studies about Shea’s effective and no side effect treatment spreads. This is effective eczema treatment, the natural way.