Olive Oil Eczema Treatment

Olive oil shows some promise as an eczema treatment. Its skin-healing benefits have made olive oil a natural skin treatment for centuries. Olive oil has a high content of polyphenols---antioxidants that slow down the aging process of the skin and other bodily cells. The polyphenols found in olive oil include many types of antioxidants, including catechins and flavonoids. As an eczema treatment, the maximum benefit of using olive oil may be achieved through its combination with other natural skin remedies.

Identification

• Eczema is an allergic-reaction skin inflammation. Though not contagious, eczema manifests as an itchy skin rash that may range from mild to severe. The rash may form on the face, neck, hands or legs, and it can also occur within the body creases, such as behind the knees or in the bend of the elbow.

Effects

• Eczema causes intense itching, followed by a rash outbreak. The rash may cause flaking and scaling of the skin, and the skin may become hot and red, giving off a burning and itching sensation. The texture of the skin becomes somewhat brittle, and scratching can cause breaches in the skin. As the rash progresses, the skin can develop cracks through the hardened areas. The discomfort and unsightliness of an eczema rash can disturb the lifestyle and sleeping routines of someone affected by this skin disorder.

Considerations

• To combat the effects of eczema, you should deal with it as soon as the first sign of an outbreak occurs. While conventional, allopathic medicine primarily deals with the symptomatic expression of eczema, olive oil and other natural skin remedies may attempt to attack the root causes of the existence of eczema in the body.

Hydration of the Skin

• As an alternative to steroids, olive oil, applied to the skin and taken internally, may help restore health to the body and boost its immunity. This approach may help to prevent future outbreaks. Olive oil helps by first hydrating the skin, as well as calming the inflammation caused by eczema. The effects of the olive oil can be supported by adding vitamin E oil and other herbs that have antioxidant properties and help to reduce the inflammation. Hydrating the skin also involves increasing water consumption, which may also help olive oil to work effectively against eczema.

Immune Support

• The next step in the natural approach of olive oil eczema treatment is to build up the immune system of the body. When the olive oil hydrates the skin and reduces inflammation, the immune system is given a break from concentrating on the eczema outbreak. Now, the immune system will have a chance to recover, and olive oil may play an important role in building back up the body's immune system. Olive oil, used with the olive leaf extract Olea europea, promotes healing and may be effective on the skin. Olive oil's effect on immunity can also be enhanced by other immune-building natural sources, such as buchu or Agothosma betulina, which may help to flush out toxins, and African Potato, or Hypoxis Rooperi, which enhances the function of the immune system.

Significance

• Olive oil treatment for eczema enhances the body's ability to fight the root cause of eczema by restoring hydration to the cells, thereby lessening their acidic content and making them less hospitable to eczema-causing agents. The treatment then aims to reduce the inflammation caused by irritation and restore health to the skin. Finally, it works to build up the immune system, strengthening its ability to fight the expression of eczema.