Soft as a baby’s bottom? Well, not if he’s got eczema unfortunately. Image Source

For its sufferers, eczema (also known as dermatitis) can be a debilitating condition – it’s unsightly, it’s uncomfortable and in severe cases it can even be very painful as the skin cracks and bleeds.

It’s more common amongst babies, toddlers and young children – mild cases tend to clear up as the sufferer grows up – who are, unfortunately, also the people most likely to pick and scratch at their dry, flaky skin, which can lead to scarring in later life!

Whether it’s for cosmetic reasons, medical reasons or both, treatments are available but sometimes the downsides seem to outweigh the benefits.

Just take topical steroids for example, which reduce eczema but also make the skin weaker and thinner, increasing the risk of damage and therefore scarring. Plus, eczema around the eyes is already sitting on top of thin, delicate skin so the last thing you want is to use skin-thinning creams here!

Below are some wonderfully natural treatments for eczema that are safe for use on adults, children and babies alike, and some handy recommendations to prevent eczema flaring up…

Tip: Turn Down the Heat

There’s nothing better than a long soak in a hot tub or shower right? Well, wrong actually, as far as your skin is concerned. Water may hydrate your skin when you drink it, but sitting in it does just the opposite – and if you’re there for a long time, or it’s particularly hot, it’s going to dry your skin out even more.

Keep baths or showers short and sweet, and avoid scalding hot ones too! As soon as you’re out, slather on the (natural) body cream to add lost moisture back into your skin. For babies and young children, use luke-warm water only and don’t let them stay in there longer than needed – so buying bath toys is a bad idea!

Tip: Find the Cause

Sometimes, eczema is hereditary. However often it’s caused, or at least aggravated, by certain environmental components. Perhaps your love of tomatoes, that pot plant in your bedroom or even your choice of carpet is causing it to flare up!

Ask your doctor for an allergy test for you or your child – it’s a small price to pay to find out what foods, animals or plants you should be avoiding.

Treatment: Cocoa Butter

When it comes to treating eczema, keeping your skin as hydrated and ‘well fed’ is truly key. Cocoa butter is a wonderfully rich, natural moisturiser that will feed Vitamin E into your skin to keep it soft and elastic.

Of course, if the cream is full of nasty chemicals they could be counteracting all that good work by irritating your skin, so buy an all-natural one or look for pure cocoa butter.

Tip: Switch to Soy

Can’t get an allergy test? Cow’s milk is the most common dietary cause of eczema so if you drink it regularly – or eat a lot of dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese – it’s worth cutting all dairy out for a few weeks to see if the eczema improves. You might be nicely surprised!

If cow’s milk does turn out to be the root of your or your child’s condition, that doesn’t mean milk has to be totally off-limits; look for soy, hazelnut, almond, oat or rice milk. Even goat’s or sheep’s milk might be fine. For babies, breastfeed if possible as formula milk can lead to skin irritations they wouldn’t otherwise have.

Treatment: Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a truly miraculous plant! Not only is it a brilliant moisturiser, it’s also wonderfully soothing – no wonder it’s the base product in most sunburn treatment creams! So if eczema has left your skin cracked and painful, this could be the key – and results can be seen almost instantly.

As with cocoa butter, be sure you’re using a fully natural cream or buy an actual aloe plant. Cut off a leaf and pop it in your fridge to use as and when you need it. Aloe juice also makes for a delicious and skin-nourishing drink too!

Tip: Watch What You Wear

Just as putting unnatural creams on your or your child’s skin can cause eczema to flare up, so too can having unnatural fabrics rubbing against the skin all day long! Manmade fabrics such as nylon and polyester can irritate the skin, so swap them for all-natural fibres such as cotton, linen or silk.

Be sure to use a non-bio washing powder to wash your clothes too – biological powders contain little enzymes that eat the dirt and which can also irritate sensitive skin and aggravate eczema.

Do you have any other natural tips, tricks or product recommendations to treat and cure eczema? Please share them in the comments below!

Estelle Page is a mother-of-two whose kids both suffered from eczema as babies. She recommends Salcura for anyone suffering from eczema on eyelids, face or other sensitive areas where a mild, gentle treatment is needed.