Home Remedies for Eczema

If you struggle with eczema, which is a common skin condition nationwide, there are several ways to manage it on your own. Keep reading to learn some of the home remedies you can practice to get the relief you need.

Eczema is a skin condition that affects roughly 10% of the United States population. While eczema encompasses several different skin conditions, the most common ones are atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis. Both of these cause rashes that are intensely itchy and can be chapped and red depending on the type you have.

If you struggle with eczema, you might be wondering what kinds of things you can do on your own to prevent a flare-up of your symptoms. Thankfully, there are many different options when it comes to natural home remedies.

In this blog, Chad W. Mayer, DO, FAAAAI, FAAP, Ronda Barak-Norris, MD, FACAAI, and the rest of our team at Allergy and Asthma Institute of SE Michigan located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, review some of the ways you can treat eczema on your own.

Natural remedies you can try for eczema

While there isn’t a single best treatment that works for everyone, here are some that have proven helpful for many people:

Topical treatments

There are many different types of things you can apply to your skin to prevent or manage your eczema. These include:

Coconut oil
Sunflower oil
Aloe vera gel
Colloidal oatmeal
Apple cider vinegar
Petroleum jelly
Cool compresses

While these all have varying results, many find relief by applying these different topical treatments. These treatments can also fight off infection should you experience broken skin from your eczema.

Baths

Taking a bath can help reduce both itching and inflammation. Some people have reported that taking a bath in a mixture of bleach and water has helped tremendously.

Be sure to use gentle soap and warm water. Water that’s too hot or too cold can irritate your skin. Soap with certain chemicals or fragrances can also cause an eczema flare-up.

Relaxation

Stress can often be a trigger for eczema since it can bring on extra inflammation in your body. Some techniques for relaxation include:

Meditation
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Deep breathing
Visualization
Yoga

And, of course, one of the best things you can do is avoid scratching the itchy areas as this can make your eczema much worse and increase your risk of infection.

Next steps

If you notice signs of infection, or if these home remedies aren’t enough to combat your eczema symptoms, contact our team so we can help you get relief right away.

To set up an appointment with us, call our friendly staff at 248-363-3232 or schedule a visit online today.