Need home remedies for exzema. My son is suffering from

[mother earth]

exzema and we've tried everything! I've been doing some research and maybe someone here can help too...I'm going to get some virgin coconut oil for him to start taking, have heard all kinds of wonderful things about that for a variety of things. Does anyone here have any home remedies or natural cures they want to share? TIA!

[hvn_nbr_2]

1. I used to get exzema on my ankles and calves a lot

Quite by accident, I discovered that about 90% of it went away when I stopped using Bounce in the clothes dryer. You might look into whether any environmental materials could be causing a reaction or making it worse.

[Flying Dream Blues]

2. another thought....my son had exzema a bit and the doctor treated

him for an overgrowth of "bad" bacteria, mostly due to having taken many rounds of antibiotics. The doctor (an osteopath) gave him remedies that killed the bad bacteria and helped reestablish the good bacteria (acidophillus and others). The skin irritations went away, the circles under his eyes went away, as well as his sleep issues and irritability.

I also agree to look into anything that may have shifted in his diet, soap, shampoo, etc. Good luck and I hope he gets some relief soon!
:hug:

[latebloomer]

3. Our pediatrician, who tends to suggest home remedies first

suggested "Bag Balm" for my daughter's eczema. I believe we found it in CVS. It was originally used for cows' sore nipples. For some reason my daughter didn't like it, but it's worth a try.

She's been plagued by eczema for years, and I don't like using the prescription creams dermatologists have recommended, because of the long lists of side effects. It seems to be getting better as she gets older. I suspect there may be some nutritional insufficiency beneath it, but it is definitely aggravated by tight clothing and zippers.

[japple]

4. Hi Mother. I've been plagued by eczema for 55 years, and treat-

ments today are only a little better than they were when I was an infant. How old is your son? My latest dermatologist has recommended CeraVe cream, lotion, and cleansing lotion which is sold in most drugstores (aisle where you find Eucerin, Cetaphil, and other "special" skin preparations). It is white, unscented, and has great hydrating qualities.

My new allergist has told me that most skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, etc.) are caused by an overgrowth of candiasis.

When there are severe flareups, I have used topical steroids, oral steriods, Protopic (doesn't usually work), and everything else under the sun, and the only thing that works consistently is a long-tapered dose of prednisone.

Please feel free to pm me and we can discuss this in depth.

Peace to you and your son.

[mother earth]

5. Thank you to all of you! I am so blessed to have all of you here

and this board as a resource! :grouphug: You are all the kindest and the best!

My son is 19, he had exzema as a toddler and wasn't bothered by it for many years, but in the past few years it has become quite a problem for him and we have tried all kinds of creams, hydrocortisone included. I once thought perhaps it was tinea versicolor, and he did respond initially to treatment for that (which I demanded, cuz the MD was hesitant), but then it continued on. He's really athletic & it flares up after work outs and sweating seems to be a trigger. How do you avoid that without becoming a couch potato? I want him to be the athlete he is and not have to change his lifestyle, so I'm on a mission.

I'm thinking it could be candida related too, so I've ordered Hulda's remedy for parasites and all that stuff...we've had enough & it's wearing on his self-esteem. He was on a lot of antibiotics growing up, he's had asthma and allergies...all that stuff that goes along with it. But, I've always made sure that acidopholous was in our repertoire...it's very important.

I've been using virgin coconut oil at home, but I'm thinking he probably needs a dose of it daily after his skin clears up & it will...I'm also practicing The Secret...;)

Thanks again to all of you!

I'll keep you posted & don't hesitate to offer suggestions.

xxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooooo

Mother Earth :)

[I Have A Dream]

12. mother earth, in reference to the acidophilus, you probably already...

know this, but I just want to be certain; there are many brands of acidophilus that are totally useless because the organisms have died. It's important to use either a refrigerated acidophilus/probiotic or something like PB8, which doesn't require refrigeration.

Many people aren't aware of this and aren't seeing results that they might otherwise see because of this.

[mother earth]

14. I'm pretty sure the ones we've tried over the years have been

live, but apparently it wasn't enough. I've got to get more and plan on making sure he has a supply of it to use. I also thought about getting supplies to make my own yogurt and sending him off to school with a supply of that as well. I appreciate the info! Thanks so much!

[I Have A Dream]

15. I personally take 6 probiotic caplets a day. When things are...

bad, I take much more. (Sometimes double that.) That's the only way that I myself can control yeast-related problems. It's expensive, but it's well worth it to me.

Another thing: I have skin problems that are helped by using the prescription drugs Elocon cream and Valisone cream. They don't get rid of the problem itself, but they at least really, really help with the symptoms. My problem is dermatitis rather than eczema, but it's possible that one of these might help. (They can't be used all the time; I only use them when symptoms appear.)

[mother earth]

18. OMG, thank you, IHAD. I forgot about Elocon, we had used this

when he was a toddler too & it did help. I'm still going to try the Hulda Clarke remedy with him & have him use more coconut oil & acidopholous, but I'm going to also get a prescription for Elocon. He hasn't used it for years & his ankles are what's giving him a big problem right now, nothing seems to be helping those areas.

Funny thing is when he saw his doc last, he prescribed Elodel & I was thinking that was what he used when he was a toddler, til today...Thank you, Thank you!

[japple]

17. When I was in Hawaii, I found kukui oil and it was touted

as a remedy for eczema and psoriasis, so I brought home a small bottle of the unscented oil. I have been mixing it with the lotion and cream I use for hydration (Cetaphil), and I must admit that my skin is doing better. I'm going to keep on using it. There's always hope that it will do great things.

I know what your son is going through with self esteem. Fortunately, there have been times in my life when my skin was clear and almost normal, and I hope he will have those good times, too. I've had allergies, asthma, etc. since I was a child. As I mentioned earlier, the new allergist I'm seeing has advised that most skin problems are related to candiasis and said that food allergies to milk and dairy can also be contributing factors.

Getting hot and sweaty is also a huge problem for me, too, and I did better when I lived in a much cooler climate. Now that I live in Georgia, it's become a big problem again. As for exercising, I found that if I lifted weights and did moderate exercise (bands and balls) in an air-conditioned gym and drank lots of water, I didn't get so overheated. Keeping a bandana with a couple of ice cubes in it tied around my neck helps too.

Ditto about acidophilous and taking it in large doses.

Here's a link for kukui oil: http://oilsofaloha.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=20

Using unscented laundry detergent and no fabric softner, unscented personal care products, wearing 100% cotton clothes can help, too.

[Why Syzygy]

6. No personal experience .

but fwiw > http://www.egyptianmagic.com/testimonials.htm .
I've been using this for skin care and really like it.

[bliss_eternal]

7. Some suggestions from my home remedy book:

Beneficial herbs that can be used topically:

Aloe--Gel as directed on the label. Relieves the inflammation, by itself or w/hydrocorisone cream.

Avena--Oat extract. Use in baths, as directed on the label. Soothing and anti-inflammatory.

Calendula or witch hazel--Cream preferably in a choline base. Apply as directed on label. Reduces inflammation and redness.

Chamomile OR Chickweed OR licorice--Cream, preferably in a choline base. Apply as directed on the label. Prevents itching and stops hardening of the skin.

Above information referenced from Prescription for Herbal Healing by Phyllis A. Balch.
Find this or other book by Phyllis Balch--Nutritional Healing for more information on other measures in addressing this issue. :hi:

On edit--p.s. I don't have personal experience with any of the above natural remedies, so I can't speak to how well they work. When I try herbal/natural remedies, I generally get them at my local Whole Foods Market. The people working in the herbal area are generally well versed in such things and are usually very helpful (in the event you have one near you--or another store similar to it).

Hope this helps! :)

[mother earth]

19. Thanks, Bliss...I have this book, I'll have to get it out. I remember

buying him some calendula ointment for his hands that worked great, when he was a kid & liked to play basketball his fingertips would get dry and split & calendula worked wonders.

Thanks so much!

[bliss_eternal]

20. So glad you have some prior experience

with some of the remedies in the book! You know they work, and aren't going in cold... :) Sucks when you spend the money, not sure if it will work or not, know what I mean?

Don't know if you use any fabric softener in your laundry, but saw someone suggested stopping. Great advice if you haven't already. My aesthetician had me stop when I was having some mild adult acne and I believe that helped.

Hope he feels better soon!

Let us know what you decide to use and how it works out for him. You never know when someone else may come here looking for proven methods of healing eczema and/or soothing. :hi:

[u4ic]

8. It could be a food sensitivity

that's where mine erupts from. I've narrowed it down to gluten and yeast. If it's candida related, yeast could be a triggering factor (like yeasted breads, etc).

An elimination diet - eliminating the common foods that can cause sensitivities in some people - wheat (perhaps even all gluten containing foods - be aware that wheat is found in many odd places, like soy sauce, and under many different names), corn, soy, dairy, yeast - stay off of them totally for a couple of weeks, and then slowly introduce them back into the diet, one by one (starting one re-introduction food one week, then the next week the second, until you re-introduce them all).

It's good to keep a daily food journal for all of this, and list any symptoms (or lack of them) as you go through it.

Is he also taking essential fatty acids? Fish oil, or preferably, a well balanced omega3-6-9, or perhaps hemp oil, daily?

I would also look at laundry detergent/fabric softener, soaps - whatever could touch the area he's affected. I recently had a bout of it on my temples, until I suspected my new hair mousse...voila, that was it! Within a week of stopping the product, my skin was back to normal.

Good luck! I hope something helps him.

[bliss_eternal]

9. Absolutely...!

Isn't it amazing the way our bodies react when they simply can't tolerate a food or substance we take in?

I was blown away by how much better I felt after eliminating dairy from my diet. I have chronic allergy and asthma issues. I read through some of my natural healing books that people with my issues could do well to eliminate dairy from their diets--my ent and allergist had suggested it, so I gave it a shot and substituted the appropriate supplements.

Doing so seems to have helped me to cut back on some of my congestion issues. ALSO--just alleviating dairy has allowed me to maintain my weight/size w/out exercise!!!

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to workout, but I had some other health issues which didn't allow me to workout for a while. I was surprised to find that I not only didn't gain while inactive, I LOST weight. :D Marilu Henner is on to something. lol.

:hi: u4ic!

[u4ic]

10. Hi bliss_eternal!

:D :hi:

I'm so glad that some of your issues were eliminated!

Dairy was, for me, sinus issues as well. A lot of sinus infections - by having a humidifier running all night, plus eliminating dairy, has done absolute wonders. I get them much more infrequently now than before.

I can eat goat's milk and cheese with no problems. (at my local grocery store, I find not only goat mozzarella and cheddar, but brie and gouda! Even a friend, who is a big cheese lover, was very impressed with the latter two).

I find I lose weight when I'm off gluten and most grains, actually. I'm not stating it's for everyone, but for me, it did a lot. :-)

[bliss_eternal]

11. Hi u4ic!

I went off gluten, too! LOL!

I started to see a naturopath and that was one of thier recommendations. The ND told me many have gluten allergies and don't even realize it--resulting in gas, bloating, allergies, etc.--a lot of the symptoms I was experiencing which exacerbated some other things too. The bread I now eat is non-wheat, non-gluten, but I don't eat it much of it. You're right, cutting that out really took some of the extra weight off. Surprise, surprise!

Unfortunately, I got a pretty nasty infection about a month ago. :( While treating it with antibiotics, I couldn't utilize some of my usual supplements. So this month I feel like I'm falling apart again (having a horrible cycle :cry: this month and last actually). I'm hopeful that now that I'm back on my supplements things will improve. Also may consult with another ND for a second opinion. Couldn't hurt. ;)

[LaurenG]

13. I had exzema when I was around the same age as your son

It came after a very stressful week and it was all over my face. I had it for about a year while trying, pine tar soap, prednisone, cetaphil, antibiotics, etc.

I finally started using dove soap and exposed my bare face to short periods in the direct sun. It just went away and never came back. I wish you all the best and hopefully it will resolve quickly.

[mother earth]

16. Thank you to all of you; hvn, TTLG, latebloomer, japple, IHAD,

votes, bliss, u4ic & OHB! I'm going to incorporate all of your suggestions, they are all very good and some of them we are doing, but all the feedback is very empowering and I know my son will appreciate all of your efforts, as I do. Thanks so much. :yourock:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

21. Eczema Queen, here!

I have had that shit since I was an infant. I've had it back of the knee/inside of the elbow, finger, inside of my shins, lower back, eye lid, nipple (!), and a dozen other spots flar-ups. For me, I have had to work hard at determining what was causing my outbreaks.

To do that, first I looked at where I was breaking out -- was it somewhere that my clothes were chaffing? I make sure to use only fragrance and color free laundry detergent and to double rinse - anything else will cause an outbreak. Also, washing machines can develop a residue build-up of old soap -- a good cleaning a few times a year can be helpful. Is it somewhere I have been using a new lotion/deoderant/make-up? I can't use any skin product that has mineral oil, vitamin E, or is vaseline based. Things like Cortaid actually make my eczema worse because of the product base.

Food allergies are a big culprit in eczema -- I know that if I eat too much tomato sauce, berries, or chocolate I am going to be itching on the inside of my elbows in no time. Has your son ever had any skin testing done?? Knowing what he was allergic to food-wise can be crucial to keeping his eczema under control.

Also, using warm water when bathing instead of hot water can help keep the inflammation down. It sounded like your son was having trouble especially when exercising -- sweating, drying, and rubbing the skin can irritate it further -- he needs to be gentle with his skin -- lots of soft dapping with a towel instead of rubbing.

I am very big on prevention when it comes to my eczema -- but one product I do use to help is olive oil soap when I bath. A good olive oil soap is pure, moisturing, and very gentle on the skin. Using it has helped keep my outbreaks down and helps especially during the winter when my skin would dry out badly and exacerbate my eczema.

Hope your son has success in treating his eczema!

[PuraVidaDreamin]

22. Could he be sensitve to wheat and gluten?

There seems to be a connection with types
of skin rashes/ eczema with those who are.
AND some types of joint pain- fibralgia's
not just celiac disease.

Although quite difficult to eliminate these
things from the diet, it can be done and
the cooking science has come a long way.

[mother earth]

23. Thanks, HellHNF & PVD. I have always been conscious of

what I use for laundry products & he has told me he hasn't been using any new shampoos, soaps, etc. I too think olive oil products are great. The diet connection was one we explored more when he was younger and he did have allergy testing, foods included, but at the time there was nothing conclusive and if there were regarding the foods, the allergist had told us it was still controversial. I do believe food allergies matter greatly. I'm hoping we will see better results after he tries some of the things I've ordered for him, one of which was that Hulda Clarke remedy. There was a two week wait for that!

I do think it is slow going sometimes, most the areas have healed, the area by his ankles is the worst of it and it does look better. I do think it can take a few months before you see healing results sometimes. I wonder if he maybe didn't have two problems going on and maybe he did have some tinea versicolor, which really fit some of the symptoms for his upper body.

Anyway thanks for the suggestions, I am relaying all of them and bound and determined to find an answer. I will post some results when we get the remedy in, etc. Thanks for your well wishes, the humor & the suggestions!

[u4ic]

24. mother earth,

has a dermatologist done patch testing on him?

I had patch testing done - it was over the space of a couple of days that I had to be exposed to very common allergens. I came out with a boatload of things to avoid - and yes, some were even in 'natural' products. For example, propylene glycol, the green colouring in shampoos and mouthwashes, cinnamon, balsam of Peru, sometimes added fragrance does (I can't use Seventh Generation laundry for that reason)...more than I can remember off the top of my head (in addition to finding myself that eating gluten and yeast were triggers for me, too). There could be many things causing his eczema.

I have to read ingredients now, and don't assume that products in the health food store are safe for me.

[mother earth]

25. Yes, he did have the patch testing done, and mostly pollens

and dust were the problems, the foods didn't show anything positive. I'm feeling like the candida thing might be the problem at this point. I can't stand to have to ask for more prescriptions without looking into natural alternatives and getting him back into balance, but we are looking at everything and trying everything. He is seeing some results, but those ankles are the lingering problem.

I'm also wondering if anyone has tried any kind of dead sea mineral cream or products?

I agree with you on the health food store products. One always has to read labels and research.

Another thing I found online is that psoriasis and eczema may indicate a "leaky gut syndrome", researching that one...

Thanks, u4ic!

[japple]

26. Has he been tested for sensitivty to chemicals and

metals? My cousin suffered for a long time and was finally diagnosed with a sensitivity to nickel, which is used in belt buckles, shoe eyelets, zippers, eyeglasses, earrings and lots of other things. Now that she can avoid those things, her eczema is under control. It's a really weird thing.

[u4ic]

28. That's not the patch testing

I was speaking of. Perhaps there's some confusion, because here an allergist would do testing for pollens, etc, not a dermatologist.

The testing is over 2 days, the ingredients and patches have to be worn the whole time on the back - it's the one japple mentions as well - to topical irritants. Japple mentioned nickel; that's something else that's an irritant for me.

There's a hodgepodge of both natural and synthetic ingredients in creams, soaps, things we wear such as clothing, or jewellery - and it's not unusual to find that eczema can be triggered by even so-called natural ingredients. I mentioned Balsam of Peru as one triggering problem for me, yet it's a resin from a tree.

There could be many factors that is causing it. I had to explore many to ease mine - diet, nutritional supplements, avoiding certain topical ingredients - and still, under stress, it can flare.

It can be frustrating and hard to pin down, I sympathise with him. :hi:

[mother earth]

29. Our dermatologist never even suggested a patch test, I thought

for sure you meant scratch testing, he's had the blood tests and scratch tests, but never a patch test. I will ask about this. I have wondered if he isn't allergic to something in sneakers...he used to get split fingertips when playing basketball and I would buy him calendula ointment for that and some burts bees stuff. I'm going to set up an appointment with another dermatologist & see what they say about a patch test. Thanks, u4ic and japple.

[musiclawyer]

27. eczema is a problem from the inside out

have your son do a liver cleanse, then get his body pH highter by eating mostly alkaline foods. (Also be cognizant of any unusual amounts of environemental pollutants to which he may be exposed). If that helps, compare the before and after eating patterns. They will tell a tale.

[mother earth]

30. I'm not sure what a liver cleanse is, I guess I will have to do a

search. I had read about doing a colonic & then increasing the alkaline foods & probiotics, thought he could at least try that on his next break.