Eczema Treatment and Prevention of Symptoms Aggravation

It is hard to imagine life with eczema. Constant itching, inflammation and discomfort are what people suffering from this dreaded skin disease have to go through on a daily basis. This is why they try every eczema treatment they could get their hands on. Although there is no cure to it, the signs and symptoms of eczema can be managed.

Most cases of eczema begin to appear early in life. It is a chronic inflammatory response of the skin, usually having flare-ups and remissions. The appearance or features may vary from one person to another, also greatly depending on the parts of the body where they appear. The psychological impact on the person suffering from eczema is significant having to live through the feeling of embarrassment and the effects it has on daily activities.

There are many things that can be tried to relieve the symptoms of eczema, including medications prescribed by doctors and some tried and tested natural remedies. Of course the results greatly depend on the kind and severity of the eczema. If you are suffering from this skin disease, let us discuss some of the things which you can do to lessen the inflammation, itching and other forms of discomforts.

First things first: Always pay attention to what aggravates the condition. Finding out the causes that worsens the condition and avoiding being exposed to them can do a lot more for eczema than any treatment available.

Is it because of an allergic reaction to certain foods? Commonly, consuming milk, eggs, wheat and peanuts contribute to the itching of eczematous skin. Its best to avoid eating foods that only makes the itching worse. Is it because of contact with certain chemicals and household products? Many people who suffer from eczema need to stay away from certain stuff such as cosmetics, perfumes, pesticides, detergents and many others. Ingredients such as alcohol, astringent and fragrance may trigger or worsen the case; thats why you should make it a habit to read labels prior to using a particular product.

Is it because of extremes in temperature and humidity? Maintaining a stable temperature and humidity all year long may be complicated, but you need all the help you can get. For instance, if you are using air conditioner, make sure you moisturize your skin or use a humidifier to prevent excessive skin drying, causing itchiness.

It is best to take baths than showers because the spraying water can irritate the eczematous skin and make it itchy. Use lukewarm water and never hot water. Hot water kills skin cells faster and makes the skin drier. The drier the skin, the more skin scaling and itchiness you will experience. Bath and essential oils may also be added onto the water. Rosemary and chamomile essential oils are effective anti-inflammatory and anti-itching remedies when added to bath water. Also, pat dry with a towel and never rub.

Researches have shown that making your life free of stress and having a positive outlook may help keep the symptoms of eczema at bay. While it is extremely difficult to stay relaxed each time your skin condition flares up and think about other peoples perception of you, you should always try to manage stress effectively.

If you know what triggers the symptoms of your eczema, then you can do a lot to avoid it and experience less of the nasty outcome of being exposed to them. Eczema treatment is far more effective when you know how to do away with contributing factors.

What Happens After Eczema Treatment

You might think after undergoing eczema treatment that it will never happen again. Well, it does and these are called flare ups. You have to remember that eczema itself cannot be cured but there are ways to prevent it from coming back.

If you happen to suffer from facial eczema, you can prevent it by washing your face regularly with a nondrying facial cleanser or facial moisturizer. Just be sure that it reads noncomedogenic or oil-free. When you go out, make sure you are only using hypoallergenic makeup and sunscreens.

Eczema does not happen only in the face so you should know how to protect your skin. The best way to do this is to avoid substances that stress your skin and some of these include drying soaps, detergents, fragranced lotions and certain household cleaners. You may have to switch to another brand but at least you are sure that you will not experience any flare ups.

They say that keeping your skin moist is good but did you know that water is not the answer? This is because too much water can dry out your skin. If you need to take bath, make sure it is warm and not too hot. If you have to do the dishes, wear gloves to protect your hands which will be immersed in water for a long period of time. When you are done taking a bath or washing the dishes, pat your skin dry with a coarse towel.

But is water really that bad? The answer is no. Studies have shown that water does not cause flare ups. It is the water that evaporates which you have to worry about.

The clothes you wear may also cause flare-ups and a good example of this is wool. To prevent that, you have change your wardrobe with clothes made of cotton.

You will also need to moisturize your skin. The best ones to use are fragrance-free moisturizers like petroleum jelly which prevents the skin from becoming irritated and cracked.

We told you earlier that eczema cannot be cured. This means it is still there waiting to appear again so resist the urge to scratch the itch. Doing so will make it more difficult for the skin to heal and if there is a break in the skin, bacteria can get in causing an infection.

As much as possible, keep you body cool because sudden changes in the temperature, sweating or becoming overheated causes flare-ups.

If you were given medication by your dermatologist, continue taking them as directed.

The last thing to do after eczema treatment is to relax because stress is another trigger factor associated with eczema.

Seeing a doctor and then applying cream, lotion or treatment does not mean that eczema will not happen again because it does come back. It is only by practicing proper post eczema treatment that you will be able to hold it at bay given that there is no cure for this skin condition.

The good news is that if you are successful in keeping eczema at bay, whatever happened to you will usually clear up before the age of 25 so no one will know that this ever happened. So until then, think smart and get help so can make the most of post eczema treatment.

Using Aromatherapy During Pregnancy and Birth

The use of essential oils in aromatherapy has been used for centuries. Frankincense and Myrrh were noted in biblical times as a heavily useful meditation fragrance. It is well known that using essential oils can help alleviate a lot of the aches and pains that come with the days stress and anxiety. Although the term aromatherapy is now used, it did not become a common term until the 1920s.

The main ingredient in aromatherapy is the essential oils. Essential oils are extracted from various plants that contain therapeutic effects. The extract is removed, distilled, and bottled in pure form. They are highly potent oils, and they need to be diluted before proper use as an inhalant or cream.

There are a variety of ways to use the essential oils. Before choosing, you should research and study which essential oil is best for your condition. Test the fragrance to make sure there are no allergies. Place a small amount of diluted solution on your skin to make sure that it will not cause any skin irritations.

Place a few drops in a bath and relax your mind and body. Preparing a warm bath and diluting essential oils in the bath can relieve you from mind fatigue. It is incredibly relaxing which is important for an expectant mother. They can also help relieve the aches and pains from your muscles or the tension from the days events. If you prefer to take a shower, place some droplets behind the drain where the oil can have time to dilute. The warm shower water will dilute the oil leaving an incredibly soothing fragrance.

Although many essential oils have individual benefits, there are also good combinations. Certain combinations of key essential oils can provide a more potent way to treat mental issues and emotional imbalances. They can also help you regain memory and get rid of irritability.

Essential oils are also great for massage use. Tiny droplets diluted in massage oils can enhance a massage by relieving tension in muscles and helping soothe sore aches and pains. Use the oils on the temples, forehead, and scalp creates a relaxing effect that removes headaches and leaves your mind refreshed and clear.

Pregnant women are prone to hormonal imbalances that cause stress and anxiety. Aromatherapy can be used to help pregnant women relax and help balance their emotions. Small amounts can be placed in bath water or in a vaporizer to inhale the therapeutic scents. Below is a list of essential oils that will help you relax during your pregnancy.

Lavender

Lavender is a restoring fragrance that helps relax the mind. It can put you in a euphoric state of rejuvenation and clear your mind from the days stress. It is also said to strengthen contractions.

Chamomile

This oil is a mild fragrance that calms the mind and the body. It is best for irritability and anxiety. Used in moderation, this fragrance can help you relieve stress and deal with emotional imbalances.

Neroli

Neroli is an essential oil that helps with depression. It removes the negative thoughts from your mind and helps you relax. It can also help with insomnia and other stress related illnesses.

Bergamot

Bergamot is an effective mood enhancer that also helps you deal with depression. It will clear your mind and the citrus scent uplifts your spirit.

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How to Choose Essential Oils

When you decide to use essential oils to help your mood, stress, or physical illness it is hard to decide from the many available products which one is right for you. Essential oils come in a variety of scents and fragrances and the different extracts act on different components. Some help your mental fatigue, others relieve stress, and others can be used as topical creams that help you alleviate scars or acne.

The first thing to consider when choosing an essential oil is to inhale the fragrance. Some scents are very pungent, others are citrus, and others have a flowery smell. If any of these scents bother you, then the essential oil will not help with the relaxing effects. Make sure to be familiar with the fragrance before you make your purchase. When testing the scent, make sure to keep it a few inches away if it is not diluted. Undiluted essential oils can give you a headache.

When testing scents, make sure to take a break from the testing. Do not continually inhale too many fragrances or they will ultimately cause you to get dizzy or give you a headache. You also may not be able to distinguish between the scents after saturating your senses.

Avoid buying essential oils that do not have a variety of prices. You may ask why that is important. Some essential oils are rare and expensive. If a company is selling essential oils at a consistent price, the chances are that the more expensive oils are not authentic. They may also have been distilled with cheaper methods that leave some of the by-products in the packaging.

If you are sensitive to oily solvents, then avoid using essential oils that are diluted with vegetable oil. Although this is a recommended way to dilute the extracts, it leaves an oily residue behind. To test if an essential oil has been diluted this way, place a tiny drop on a piece of paper. If it leaves behind a residue as the drop slides off the paper then it has likely been diluted with vegetable oil.

When shopping for bottles, use manufacturers that list the Latin name on the bottle. This leaves no confusion on the actual extract that is contained in the bottle. Some extracts are closely related to the common names that we know, so they are falsely advertised as the real thing. Also take note of the country. Some essential oils come from exotic places such as Africa while others are native to France. This will give you an idea if it is authentic as well.

The best essential oils are pure. Some companies sell synthetic essential oils which can be dangerous. The synthetic oils do not contain the therapeutic effects that pure essential oils contain. Also, the synthetic oils can cause allergies or painful headaches.

Choose pure essential oils over synthetic essential oils. Aromatherapy experts prefer pure oils, saying that synthetic oils do not have the same therapeutic properties as pure essential oils. Also, synthetic oils are thought to cause more headaches and allergic reactions.

Containers used to keep essential oils should be dark or navy blue. Clear bottles allow sunlight to enter the oils and they can spoil the extracts more quickly. Make sure to keep extracts out of sunlight and in a dry, cool place.

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