Herbal Treatments for Eczema

Dry, itchy, red scaling skin can be signs of eczema. Traditional medicine has not been overly helpful in preventing or treating eczema, but many people have found relief through using herbal remedies.
What works for someone else might not work for you, so you may have to experiement to find the combination that works for you.

Causes

• There are as many thoughts of what causes eczema as there are varieties of it. It is thought to be an immune disorder, a toxic buildup in your system, an allergic reaction and/or a stress reaction, and the answer may be all of the above. Obviously, if you knew exactly what was causing your outbreaks you would avoid it, but that isn't always possible, so you have to consider what can help you heal once you have it. Incidentally, you're not alone, as six million people in the United Staes are affected.

Clean is King

• It's important to keep the area clean and dry and avoid scratching. Use unscented natural soaps, shampoo and laundry detergent. Although a breakout can look awful, it's not contagious.

Herbal Options

• There are many ways to use herbal treatments to aid in healing your outbreak. For instance, a poultice of chickweed (make a tea with it, dip a clean cloth in it, wring it out and place it on the outbreak two to three times per day) draws out toxins in the skin.

  You can apply aloe or calendula directly on the skin to soothe irritated skin, and neem oil works well to boost immunity.

  Try mixing extracts of chamomile (soothes itching), cat's claw and tea tree with a small amount of coconut oil to make a lotion to apply directly to the affected area.

  Emu oil has been touted as a remedy that aids with eczema, as well.

  Remember that you may have to try different combinations to find the right one for you.

Herbal Remedies for Immunity

• Maintaining a strong immunity is key is preventing future outbreaks as well as helping you heal from this one. Make sure to drink plenty of water, get adequate rest and make good nutritional choices. Herbal remedies that help build up your immunity include chamomile (keeps your stress level in check), Echinacea (best immunity booster), licorice, ginsing, evening primrose and garlic. Most of these can be found in teas available at a natural foods market.