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homeopathic remedies for eczema

What does eczema look like – Dr. Deborah Baker

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Eczema Treatment

Eczema is a term used generally for dry, flaking, itchy, inflammed skin rashes, primarily located on the face, especially the eyes, elbows and knees. Although it can definitely appear anywhere on your body.

The word eczema actually comes for the Greek word ‘to boil over’ which is exactly what it looks like when it’swhat does eczema look like very active.

It is often associated with food allergies or more correctly, I believe, gut problems. I have found that by improving digestion through using digestive enzymes, enhancing the ‘good’ bugs throughout the intestinal tract and taking junk food and wheat products away, many people heal beautifully.

images of eczemaEczema is a case of inflammation, as part of it’s pathology and adding omega 3 fatty acids, preferably as Krill Oil is an excellent idea.

Ingestion and topical use of coconut oil is also very helpful:

To help the healing of the rashes which are present, I use a wonderful homeopathic combination called Eczema Control and it’s associated cleansing bar which has the Eczema Control in it.

Homeopaths are exploiting some of world's most vulnerable people …

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Few things are as ridiculous as homeopathic medicines, which are based on a 200-year-old totally discredited idea that if you dilute a substance that causes symptoms, you can then package that dilution in a pill or vial and use it to treat those symptoms.

No matter that the substance is diluted, as the British physician, science writer and homeopathic debunker Dr. Ben Goldacre has noted, to the point where “it equates to one molecule of the substance in a sphere of water whose diameter is roughly the distance from the earth to the sun.”

It will still work as a treatment, homeopaths claim, because — contrary to all known laws of the universe — the water retains the “memory” of the substance.

As I said: ridiculous.

Still, people are free to waste their money on anything they want. And, for the most part, homeopathic medicines are innocuous — nothing more than very expensive sugar pills, as study after study has shown.

The danger comes, of course, when people use them instead of proven medicines to treat illnesses. And, tragically, that does happen. As I’ve reported here before, an Australian baby died from septicemia a few years ago after her parents opted to treat her extreme eczema with homeopathic medicines only.

Disturbing and dubious

It was disturbing, therefore, to read in the journal BMJ this week about a group called Homeopaths Without Borders. A key part of the group’s mission, writes David Shaw, a bioethicist at the University of Basel in Switzerland, is “to propagate homeopathy in countries where it has not previously had a foothold.”

Shaw calls some of the group’s activities “shocking” and much “more dubious than that of most homeopaths.” (In the U.S. and other developed countries, most practicing homeopaths  — and the multi-million-dollar companies that market homeopathic “remedies” — know they risk being sued if they make any medical claims for their products.)

Homeopaths Without Borders seems not to care, however. In Kenya, for example, they have trained midwives to use homeopathy to save lives in difficult deliveries.

Shaw focuses much of his commentary, however, on the group’s efforts in Haiti in the aftermath of that country’s devastating 2010 earthquake.

“Much as an opportunistic infection can take hold when a person’s immune system is weakened,” he writes, “so Homeopaths Without Borders strikes when a country is weakened by a disaster.”

He explains why he believes the group’s actions are unethical:

Unfortunately, people affected by massive earthquakes cannot benefit from homeopathy any more than people living safely in London. Although Homeopaths Without Borders’ workers may have helped to distribute water and food, any benefit was purely incidental to the presence of homeopathic treatments. Indeed, providing homeopathic treatments might actually harm patients by making them think that they do not need to seek conventional treatment for their injuries or diseases.

Furthermore, the creation of homeopathic pharmacies increases the likelihood that Haitians will not obtain effective treatments for future illnesses. … Long after the earthquake, more people in Haiti will believe in a discredited system of so called medicine, making long term harm more likely than if the campaign had not been undertaken in the first place.

Unfortunately, Homeopaths Without Borders is expanding its proselytizing efforts in Haiti and other developing countries. “Its website states that it intends not only to train Haitian homeopaths,” notes Shaw, “but to have Haitians teach Haitians to become homeopaths.”

Recent actions in Haiti

Those efforts have apparently already begun. I went to the website for the group’s North American chapter and came across this disturbing first-person account of homeopaths recently in action in Haiti:

There were many families to be seen. A four-year-old child was seen who had been treated recently for Typhoid but was still having fevers, malaise and poor appetite. The Homeopathes chose to give him China 200c to cover Malaria and Typhoid. Another case they took consisted of a 70-year-old woman who had headaches in the sun and hypertension. She was asked about the etiology and revealed that she lost her husband and five children many years ago, but still thinks of them. The Homeopathes chose the correct remedy! Another family of three came to be seen and the three-year-old son was in his mother’s arms, rather listless and clinging to his mama, with the complaint of dry cough for eight days and dark, smelly urine which burned his penis when urinating for the last three days. The Homeopathes consulted with each other and gave him a dose of Phosphorus 200C. By the time his sister’s and mother’s cases were taken, he was up running around and smiling. The students were amazed!

Malaria. Typhoid. Hypertension. A possible urinary infection. Those are all serious illnesses. Yet nowhere does the author of this account say that the homeopaths referred those Haitians to a medical clinic. It sounds, however, as if the four-year-old with typhoid and perhaps some of the others may have already been receiving conventional treatment. Let’s hope that’s the case.

Needless to say, the  homeopathic “miracle cure” of the listless child with the cough and the urinary problem is highly suspect.

‘A contradiction in terms’

“Despite Homeopaths Without Borders’ claims to the contrary, ‘homeopathic humanitarian help’ is a contradiction in terms,” writes Shaw. “Although providing food, water, and solace to people in areas affected by wars and natural disasters certainly constitutes valuable humanitarian work, any homeopathic treatment deceives patients into thinking they are receiving real treatment when they are not.”

“Homeopathy is neither helpful nor humanitarian,” he adds, “and to claim otherwise to the victims of disasters amounts to exploitation of those in need of genuine aid.”

You can read Shaw’s commentary on the BMJ website.

Natural Treatment for Atopic Dermatitis – Home Remedy for Eczema

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Demodex dermatitis is not actually an atopic form, but it is worth including here because it has the same symptoms, and it can be very hard to diagnose it. The condition is caused by Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis, two mites that are commonly found on the human skin. However, when Demodex burrows into the skin, it develops and form large colonies feeding on the sebum. Large colonies are more often found in men and increases with age.
The diagnostic implies skin scraping or skin surface biopsy, however the tests are not always precise, because the presence of the mites on the skin does not necessarily mean an infection. The number of the Demodex mites on the other hand could indicate a problem.

The treatment of Demodex dermatitis is very effective with Topical Crotamiton. Crotamiton is a scabicidal, with dual action, it kills mites and it calms itching. It kills scabies mites but it also kills Demodex mites. A study of its efficiency is here: Topical Crotamiton for Treatmen of Demodex Dermatitis

You can buy on Amazon Eurax cream or lotion for your dermatitis. The cream is more effective because it stays on the skin, however the lotion is better for the scalp.

A natural cure for dermatitis caused by mites implies the use of raw organic apple cider vinegar, and tea tree oil. I used apple cider vinegar made by myself. It is important that ACV is raw and organic, otherwise it won’t work. ACV is used as a folks medicine to kill mites, but very often chemical vinegar is used, and this doesn’t work.
If the ACV is strong, dilute it so it doesn’t sting too much. If it stings too much add more water, if it stings a little, it’s fine and it means it works. Your skin will turn red and it will sting, but the redness should disappear within an hour. I use my ACV neat on the face, although I don’t apply too much. You will notice improvements the next day, if it works. I apply the ACV in the evening, to avoid the strong smell of the ACV when in public. My poor wife had to deal with the stink for 2 months.
In the morning I apply a homemade cream with the following ingredients: honey wax, tea tree oil and coconut oil. However, you can make an oil from 1 part coconut oil and 4 parts coconut oil. If your skin allows it, you can go with a slightly higher tea tree oil concentration, but test it thoroughly so you don’t burn your skin. Before applying, wash with a mild soap, and rinse the affected areas with a solution of vinegar. Only this time you wash it off, by rinsing with pure water, (again pure organic, unpasteurized ACV). Apply the oil on your face, and leave the oil on the skin. If you put too much gently remove only the excess, but the oil needs to stay on the skin.
Once per week use a strong formula, mixed from 1 part tea tree oil, and one part coconut oil.
Continue with treatment 2 weeks after all symptoms disappeared, you need to make sure you killed all the hatching eggs, to eradicate them.

Tea tree oil is known for its strong scabicidal properties, and it has virtually no side effects. Apple cider vinegar, is popularly believed to kill the mites, but I personally believe that it actually nourish the good bacterial flora on the skin, which in turn will kill the mites.

To complement this natural treatment, I used oral probiotics. Brewer’s yeast is very commonly used for mites dermatitis treatment.

Interhomeopathy – Cheerful and lively: a case of Sabadilla

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confettiA five-year-old girl with very itchy eczema
in the cubital region was brought to me by her mother. She is a very pretty, nicely
chubby girl with blond hair and brown eyes. She sits on her mother’s lap, constantly smiling and giggling. Her
mother admonishes her to behave because she is shy and embarrassed during the
examination, which is not usual for her. Typical for her, however, is this
cheerful, lively, chuckling behavior; she is either laughing or crying, nothing
in between.

She is very affectionate and likes hugging, and she likes to show off to
attract attention. When her mother criticizes her, tears appear. She is afraid
of ghosts and storms. When she was younger, she was afraid of ladybugs, now she
is afraid of flies and wasps. She likes the water, but after swimming her
eczema is worse.

She wants her mother to read her fairy tales in the evening. Once, she dreamed
of a dragon. Her favourite activities are dancing, singing, reciting, drawing,
playing with dolls and toy cars and playing hide-and-seek. She learned to ride
a bike by herself. Her favourite colour is yellow.

She often argues with her brother,
who is three and a half years older. If he refuses to give her something,
however, she does not have tantrums, as
he did when he was younger.

She loves to eat honey (3), chocolate, tomato soup, sweet noodles, Nesquick
balls with pasta, sausages, crackers, chips, apples, but in general can be quite
picky in her eating. She does not like lentils, bean soup, vegetables, cabbage
or meat. She drinks quite a lot.

Her eczema started when she was 18
months old. She was sitting in the hallway when a neighbor began to drill into
the wall. She was so scared of this noise that she started crying very loudly, and
shaking over her whole body. For the next seven days, she had bad constipation
with very hard stools, tough as a stone, which had to be manually removed from
her rectum. Since that time, she feared sitting on the toilet. A month after
this incident, the eczema occurred. Apart from the eczema, she now has conjunctivitis
in her left eye.

Past history: chickenpox, 3 x otitis media,
ruptured eardrum in the right ear, with beige-green pus. She has had fevers
with high temperature twice, about 40° C. She uncovers herself during sleep.

The child is similar to her mother, so I also ask about her. Like her daughter, she is cheerful and enjoys
dancing. She says that her father died when she was fourteen. Four years ago, she
started to have symptoms of allergy in her eyes; she feels dry eyes when moving
them, as if the surface of her eye would be wrinkling and crinkling, but only up
to the pupil. She has swelling of the lower eyelids, and her eyes and the region
around them itch, then she has pain under her eyes. Sometimes, she sneezes. The
condition improves by putting spoons chilled in the freezer on her eyes.

She had smallpox four years ago, at
the same time as her daughter.
She loves spring and summer. When
asked to compare herself with something, she says she could be a plant.
Usually, she is chilly. She likes
meat and has an aversion to sweet dishes.
She is afraid to drive a car in order not to hurt someone. If something would happen,
she feels she would have it in front of her eyes forever. She cares about
others and is anxious for her children. She cannot bear raised voices.
Her brother had eczema until the
age of two, and four middle ear inflammations.


Analysis

I noted the obvious similarity between mother
and daughter. The most characteristic symptoms were the excessive gaiety of the
girl and her enormous desire for honey. I used the following rubrics:

Ailments, fright, from

Generals, food and drinks, honey, desire

Cheerful


shriveledHamamelis, Sabadilla and Veratrum album came up. When repertorizing, I always
take notice of connections between remedies coming up. Of these three remedies,
two belong to the same family: Sabadilla and Veratrum album.


Further clarification is obtained, if we use a rubric of her mother: Cares, full of others, about


The only remaining remedy is now Sabadilla.


This medicine is also in the section “hard stool” and
“constipation”, but they are very large, so I did not use them. The important
part, however, is the genius of the remedy Sabadilla: shrinking, shriveling
sensation (For example: Mind, Delusions, diminished, shrunken, parts are). It is
a feeling that her mother felt in the eye: shriveled surface of the eye.  

Botanical names of Sabadilla remedy
are Schoenocaulon officinale, Melanthium sabadilla, Veratrum officinale. This
plant belongs in APG3 classification to the family Melanthiaceae (as well as Veratrum
album), order Liliales. According to the latest findings of Jan Scholten,
Melanthiaceae family belongs to a subphase 5 of a phase 6 (Liliales) of class
Monocots. Subphase or phase 5 brings the nitrogen quality of enjoyment of life,
vitality, vibrancy, vigour and enthusiasm. It is perhaps the reason why both
mother and daughter had such a desire for laughing, singing, and dancing. I believe
that nothing is completely random. Shrinking can mean the opposite of the expansion
that nitrogen desires.

In the case of  the Sabadilla girl, the
remedy corresponds to the Monocot class, which has a strong theme of silicium and
carbon. The mother of our patient lost her father at fourteen, a period which
corresponds to the silicium series. I do not want to say that we should automatically
take everything into the account, although it is advisable to make as
comprehensive and meaningful a totality of the case as we are able to.


Prescription:  on May 25th 1998, I
prescribed the girl Sabadilla 5CH 3 x 2 globules.

Follow-up

July 28th: her mother told
me that a week after taking the remedy, the eczema got worse, so she stopped
administering the remedy. After three more days, the eruptions and itching
subsided and since that time they have not reappeared. Mother also reported
that her daughter had much less desire for honey. Meanwhile, fifteen years have
passed, and the eczema has not returned.

Photos
Playing with confetti;Lee J Haywood; Flickr
Shriveled; Qhimm; Flickr

 

###home remedy eczema | How To Cure Eczema Guarantee 100%

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#1: Cheapest home remedy eczema Ebook

home remedy eczema It didn’t burn too much for me personally and actually made my skin worst. Oatmeal works wonders for eczema sufferers and is a great strategy to get relief. It won’t dry your skin as another shower gels will as a result of fragrances and alcohol. To avoid the toddler from scratching his skin, dodge man-made materials and wool. Ethnobotanical herbal legumes of Bundelkhand region, Madhya Pradesh. |A patient should look at the health clinic and consult a doctor to find the best recommendation because of this problem. When we look at atopic eczema, we will observe that its symptoms are resulting from allergies which can be affecting your body. Habitat loss and deforestation coupled with overharvesting due to the surge in popularity of herbal remedies and supplements in recent times has ended in dwindling populations of important medicinal plants around the world. I wish to eat anything in sight, except the antibiotics upset my stomach so I can’t eat. One of the ways you could possibly be capable of help stop the painful cycle of eczema itching is actually supplementing your eczema treatments with natural methods. |It is situated near the south border of Madhya Pradesh. Polyethylene Glycol or PEG is used to dissolve oil and grease. If you need to do away with it, then try a few of these treatments today. Eczema is a terrible and irritating condition of the skin that may attack any kind on one’s body. There are lots of skin products which also contain these nutrients. }

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Inhibitors topical calcineurin -recently may have a new class of topical medications, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, which get a new response of lymphocytes involved in the lesions of atopic dermatitis, which have proved very useful within the treatment and charge of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, being particularly well suited for patients who usually do not have power over the condition after application of topical corticosteroids. Keeping your epidermis moist is very important as a way to prevent skin dryness and skin itching. For more information on tricks for treating scalp eczema check having a dermatologist, homeopathic expert, and check out the Web sites referenced. Neem not simply increases macrophages but additionally boosts lymphocytes to answer infection, inflammation and bacteria. Hence the absorption of Corticosteroid ointment ends in huge decrease within the inflammation. |Other irritants includes rubber, nickel in jewelry, perfume and weeds for example potion ivy. Eczema is definitely an unpleasant condition that causes red, bumpy, itchy rashes to form about the skin. Most Dermatologists suggest lotions with steroids just for this form of severe eczema. These natural herbs can be found for your kitchen or within your garden. It can be triggered by food, environmental allergens or other irritants. |In fact, in rare cases eczema can actually be cured, but may be treated using effective natural preventive steps. TEN, also called toxic skin death, is due to a unique hypersensitive reaction to common drugs, like sulfa drugs, gout medications or penicillin. However, the final results of getting doctor fish to take care of itchy skin can last to get a few months. Certain nutrients are important in the treating eczema. mes may be advantageous for your short term in cutting inflammation, but long-term they may thin your skin layer tissues and increase the probability of breakage. }

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Eczema – All your questions answered | Pure Pharamacy

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What is Eczema?

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, it is a chronic (usually allergic) skin irritation that is characterized by skin inflammation.

What are the symptoms of Eczema?

Symptoms can include redness, swelling, oozing, crusting, scaling & itchiness of the skin.

The itchy, flaking rash may appear on the inner surface of elbows and knees, the backs of the upper arm, wrists, cheeks, scalp or eyelids. Constant itching is one of the biggest complaints. Due to the scratching and rubbing of the skin, bacterial infections are also common.

How do I get Eczema?

It is often associated with a family history of allergies, such as hay fever, asthma or food allergies like Celiac disease, but environmental factors may also trigger an outbreak!

What can further irritate Eczema?

iStock_000013126180Medium

  • Emotional stress
  • Fragrances
  • Humidity
  • House dust mites
  • Upholstered furniture, carpeting
  • Chemicals, fabric softeners
  • Wool and synthetic clothing

What can you do to improve your skin problems?

  • Check for allergies (also food allergies), and avoid contact as much as possible (quite often wheat, milk, shellfish, peanuts, food preservatives) Try organic foods instead.
  • Get your digestion going (with enough water and fibre); good skin is also often a reflection of a good digestive system.
  • Improve your circulation by exercising; sluggish skin, bloating, and puffiness may improve by moving.
  • Avoid excess sugar
  • Eat good fats (Omega acids)
  • Make sure you drink enough fluids; dry, irritated skin can also be caused by dehydration
  • The use of body and laundry soap (esp. perfumed) can irritate your skin. Choose fragrance-free laundry soap and body care products instead
  • Oatmeal baths can help with the inflammation and will also soothe the itching.
  • Wear 100% cotton clothing (preferably organic) and use it for towels and bedding (remember we spend about 6-8h a day in our beds!)
  • Give yourself a dry skin exfoliation!

How to dry skin exfoliate

The best time to dry skin exfoliate is the morning before you shower; brushing off the dead skin cells before starting the day off. It also improves the lymph and blood circulation and thus decreases puffiness.

All you need is a soft, natural bristle brush. Start at your feet, brushing in small circles towards your heart. Use only light pressure and avoid broken or very thin skin (face and inner thighs) or skin rashes. After your legs, move to your arms. Start brushing from your fingertips and again toward your heart. Brush your back from the top down toward your stomach, then start showering.

Herbal Remedies that can help your skin heal from inflammation and help with dry skin

Omega-3 acids (evening primrose oil or fish oil) have excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Milk Thistle can help detoxify your body, thus stop inflammation.
Oil of Oregano has excellent antibacterial and antiviral properties. Consuming 2-4 drops daily can help from the inside out, or applying the oil topically can help with surface irritations.
Turmeric (also used as a spice) has excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidus bacteria) help deal with your digestive tract and thus decrease inflammation inside your body.
Zinc is an element that seems to be deficient in eczema patients
Aloe when applied topically is soothing for itching, irritated skin.
Sweet Almond Oil is a rich anti-inflammatory oil for use on the outside.
Witch Hazel helps sooth the itching and can help close small wounds.

Homeopathic Remedies

There are many different remedies available for eczema, dry & irritated skin; a few are mentioned below:

Antimonium is great for people with thick, cracked skin. Usually, the itching gets worse from warmth and sun exposure.
Arsenicum is used for people who are anxious, restless, very neat & orderly. Skin is usually dry, itches & burns intensely, and scratching makes it worse.
Calc. Carb. is ideal for people with eczema & cracking skin that is worse in winter time.
Calendula can be used for people with irritated skin that has tendency to get infected. Topical application is soothing and can ease inflammation and prevent infections.
Graphites is great for people with tough & leathery skin with cracks and soreness. Cracked skin is found in areas behind ears, around mouth & on hands. Often, people will scratch until bleeding and usually worsen with heat
Hepar sulf. for very sensitive and chilly people. The eczema are often extremely sore and easily infected.
Rhus tox. is great for eczema with blister-like eruptions. Often red and swollen with an intense itch which can be soothed by hot applications
Petroleum for extremely dry skin that tends to crack especially on fingertips and palms. Often worse in winter with deep sore cracks that often bleed.
Sulphur for the intense burning, inflamed, and itchy eruptions. Skin usually worsen with heat and bathing.


Written By:
Renate Winkler,
Pharmacist, Pure at Tuscany Village

 

Effectively Treat Psoriasis & Eczema with Naturopathic Medicine

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Effectively Treat Psoriasis & Eczema with Naturopathic Medicine – Dr. Shannon…

http://www.thenaturalguide.com – Psoriasis and Eczema are skin conditions that can be effectively treated with Naturopathic Medicine (a type of alternative medicine or natural medicine). In this interview, Naturopathic Doctor Shannon Sinsheimer discusses:

Conventional drug-based medical treatments for Psoriasis and Eczema, and the problems associated with treating only the symptoms of deeper underlying problems.

Understanding root causes of Psoriasis and Eczema, including liver function, food sensitivities, and cholesterol levels.

Diet plays a major role in the development of Psoriasis and Eczema, and therefore Dr. Sinsheimer recommends dietary changes.

Stress plays a significant role in Psoriasis and Eczema because of the increased inflammation caused by stress. Therefore, Dr. Sinsheimer prescribes stress reduction techniques, such as exercise, yoga, meditation and deep breathing.

Dr. Sinsheimer prescribes a variety of supplements for Psoriasis and Eczema, including fish oil, Vitamin A, Milk Thistle, and Vitamin D. Topical Homeopathic ointments may also be prescribed.

Dr. Sinsheimer has had great success reducing or eliminating Psoriasis and Eczema from her patients.

For more information about Naturopathic Medicine (alternative medicine and natural medicine), please visit my web page devoted to that topic:

http://www.thenaturalguide.com/natural-medicine.htm

Video produced by Larry Cook, author of The Beginner’s Guide to Natural Living

http://www.thenaturalguide.com

Interviewee:
Dr. Shannon Sinsheimer, ND Naturopathic Doctor
72780 Country Club Dr.

Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

760-568-2598

drsinsheimer@gmail.com

http://www.drsinsheimer.com

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Infant Eczema (Part 3): What's Working & What's Next – Alison's List

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Baby with Soft Skin

It’s been a long time since my last eczema post (see Part 1 and Part 2 for more of our story). These months have been quite a journey, both literally–trying new things, traveling to see practitioners–and figuratively (getting my head and heart into a healthier place). I’m delighted to say that I’ve found more peace in the process, as well as measures to manage the eczema and–fingers crossed–what looks like real healing. Yes, Baby Bear still has eczema, but he doesn’t suffer anymore, even when we made a trip to bone-dry New Mexico. I’m more thankful than I can express.

Just check out the photo above. Doesn’t his skin look beautiful? He has small dry patches only on the tops of his feet where they rub the ground when he crawls.

After many months of guilt, feeling like it was somehow my fault that my baby had eczema (I didn’t do GAPS! I didn’t do enough Bowen work! I didn’t follow an uber-nourishing preconception diet!), and feeling like it was my job to fix it as fast as possible–not just manage symptoms, but fix it–I finally realized, hey, this problem is far bigger than I am. It’s possible my choices played a part. You know what? That’s okay. I did the best I could do at the time, and that “best I could do” involved a lot of great things. Furthermore, I have no doubt that many, many factors beyond my own choices played a part in this. Why is eczema so rampant in this generation? I’ve read a dozen theories. Everyone’s thinking about it for a reason. It’s a big problem. Way bigger than just me, my baby, my family.

So I’ve become much more grateful just to be able to keep the baby comfortable while we explore our healing. Here’s what’s working for our particular situation.

Managing the Eczema

Tool #1: Dry Eczema Rescue Protocol

Red leather turned to near-perfect

Desperate times!

Oatmeal/Baking Soda Bath + Vaseline/Beeswax-Coconut Oil + Cotton Pajamas = Emergency Relief

THIS IS A LIFE-SAVER! The first time I used this protocol, Baby Bear’s skin went from red leather (even worse than the above photo) to 90% perfect over night. Whoa. I can’t tell you what a relief it was. I generally avoid petroleum products, but these were desperate times. He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t stop scratching, nothing natural worked. I first heard about this routine from an aesthetician my mother-in-law knows and later a modified version from a friend on Facebook. Here’s what we do:

  1. Before you begin, assemble water (we use filtered), organic oatmeal bath* or baking soda, cotton towel, unscented petroleum jelly** (Vaseline) or beeswax-coconut oil blend, diaper, cotton pajamas, and a timer.Note: Make sure the bath tub baby will use has been cleaned with something totally nontoxic and detergent-free, like vinegar, baking soda, true soap (an unscented castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild works well), or Branch Basics (we LOVE this stuff!). Residue from “normal” cleaners will dissolve in the bath water, and wet skin is more susceptible to irritation from chemicals. Even green cleaning products from companies like Ecover or Seventh Generation may cause irritation if your baby is sensitive to detergents. Take similar care with how baby’s pajamas and towel have been laundered–definitely no scents, and maybe even no detergents if you think baby could be sensitive to them. I use 1 tsp Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild and 2 Tbsp baking soda per load of laundry.
  2. Give baby a tepid bath with either oatmeal bath or 1-2 T baking soda for a baby bathtub or 1 C baking soda for a regular bathtub. Do not use any other bath products. (If you use filtered water, you can heat a small pot of it on the stove and mix it with room temperature water in the tub.)
  3. Set the timer for 3 minutes and start it as soon as you lift baby from the water.
  4. Quickly dry baby with the cotton towel and while the skin still a little damp, generously apply petroleum jelly or the beeswax-coconut oil mix all over. You must complete this step before the timer goes off! I use the petroleum jelly when his skin is very bad, but if it’s mild to moderate, I prefer the beeswax-coconut oil blend.
  5. Diaper baby and zip him up in cotton pajamas. Cover baby’s feet with cotton socks if they’re not footie pajamas.

That’s it!

*You can find organic oatmeal bath packets at the health food store, or you can make your own by processing organic rolled oats in your blender. The latter won’t hold its suspension in the water as well, but I it still works for us.

**Most Vaseline and petroleum jelly products have fragrance in them. You have to check the label. Also, I’ve been warned that using petroleum jelly daily would actually dry out the skin over time. That’s one more reason I prefer to use the beeswax-coconut blend when his skin is less severe.

Tool #2: Lotions & Potions

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For killing the itch, a homeopathic gel by Energique called Cortsym works well for us (white tube above). I know lots of other people have good success with calendula preparations too. If the baby has scratched himself up a lot, which thank God hasn’t happened in a very long time, I also add some homeopathic Healing Gel by Energique (I can’t find this gel online. I think that perhaps the company changed the name to Trauma Gel, but I’m not sure).

To moisturize the skin, plain oils never worked, and I tried them all! What works the very best for us to lock in moisture naturally is a salve I make of beeswax and coconut oil (see mason jar above). I don’t particularly enjoy making my own products, but I love the results and the purity. I follow this simple recipe. Over time, I started using Tropical Traditions Gold Label coconut oil because it is supposed to have more healing properties, but that isn’t necessary. Any quality virgin coconut oil will do the job.

When I run out or can’t find my homemade salve, I’ll apply Borage Therapy Kids (blue bottle above), which seems to soothe and moisturize well, though I don’t love the ingredient list. For lighter moisturizing, I sometimes use unscented Tropical Traditions Moisturizing Cream (white tub on right). Most recently, during a trip to New Mexico where there’s almost zero humidity, I applied some Blue Ice FCLO Beauty Balm (small tub with green label) to his feet and cheeks and was really happy with the results. I will definitely keep it on hand for future experiments.

Tool #3: Homeopathy

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While I think we’ve found something better than homeopathy for healing the eczema (see more below), homeopathy really did seem to help control Baby Bear’s symptoms. I don’t mean the kind of homeopathic remedies that you can find at a health food store; I’ve never had success with those. These are only available from practitioners, and it was our beloved Dr. Massie in Houston who prescribed them to us. Only a qualified practitioner could determine which remedies best suit your child’s body, but for reference, here are the ones that worked for Baby Bear: R245 Selenium and R233 Mercurius by Professional Complementary Health Formulas and the Dry Eczematosis Formula by PHP Professional Health Products. You might be able to contact the manufacturers to see if there are any providers in your area who stock them.

Tool #4: Goodbye, Cloth!

Sigh. I put a lot of time, energy, and money into my cloth stash, and I believe in cloth diapers as a responsible, Creation-stewarding choice, but no matter what I do, I can’t get cloth to work for the little guy. I’ve also seen lots of information about how cloth diapers are a cure for eczema because you can eliminate all chemical irritants. Not for this baby. After experiments with all-natural fibers like cotton and wool (which made up my original stash), as well as recent experiments in modern polyester stay-dry fabrics, plus many, many laundering and insert experiments, I’m confident that the problem for Baby Bear is the wetness. Even “stay-dry” cloth isn’t dry enough. Cloth is out, period. (I’m keeping my cloth for the next baby, though, as this problem is very unusual.) Instead, we’re using Nurtured by Nature Environmentally Sensitive Diapers, Earth’s Best, and Seventh Generation diapers. All work great for his skin. We use Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program to cut 20% off our diaper bill.

Tool #5: Avoiding Irritants

These include wetness (as mentioned above), scratchy fabrics like wool, chlorine in un-filtered bath water or pools, conventional and most “green” cleaning products, and fragrances. For laundry, we use 1 tsp Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild liquid castile soap + 2 Tbsp baking soda (or 1 Tbsp washing soda) per load. For dishes and the dishwasher, we use Branch Basics, and for the rest of the house we mostly use vinegar and water or Branch Basics. I’m trying to use detergent-free personal care products as well, which means real soap on my body and soap-less methods for my face (check out my list of personal care products here.) Just to be clear, avoiding irritants did not eliminate the eczema (you can read all about that here). Lots of people have that experience. They remove fragrances and–poof!–eczema gone. That’s not our story. That said, we continue to keep our home clear of these irritants because I do think it helps and it’s easy to maintain now that we’ve made the switch.

 

What’s Working to HEAL the Eczema

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Here’s where it gets exciting! Have you heard of NAET? It stands for Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique, which is an energy medicine protocol related to acupuncture for healing the body of negative reactions to food and other substances. My practitioner, Rachel Guinn, whom I LOVE, told me from the beginning that I likely wouldn’t see results until at least 10 to 15 treatments. She was right. Even then, while Baby Bear’s skin looked fabulous, I wasn’t sure how much was the NAET and how much was the high humidity levels in our lovely Houston summer. Then we went to bone dry New Mexico, where the baby’s eczema was uncontrollable a few months ago. This time, he had a few little patches that were completely manageable, and most of his body looked gorgeous. He didn’t scratch. Wow, wow, WOW.

Here in Houston, we aren’t doing a darn thing for his skin, and it still looks amazing. In fact, all those things I just listed above for managing eczema? Other than staying off cloth diapers and away from irritants, we’re not doing any of that right now.

Those results, along with the improvements I’ve seen in my energy levels(I’m getting NAET treatments too), make me think that NAET truly works for us. It’s neither quick nor cheap, unfortunately. Baby Bear and I are approaching our 40th treatments, and at $55-65 a pop, well, you get the idea. We think of it as a long-term investment. Is NAET going to be the end all, be all for us? I doubt it. But I do believe it’s the next step in our healing.

You can learn more about NAET at their website here. I also found this article about an MD who practices NAET interesting. And here’s a fascinating summary of a controlled study of NAET’s effects on autism.

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