Do you suffer from eczema? You have probably already tried all kinds of remedies. But you may not have tried these natural remedies to relieve your symptoms yet. They are worth it, believe us!
You want to prevent your skin from drying out, so it is wise not to shower too long. It is best to take a lukewarm shower/bath – not a hot one – and do not stay under the shower for more than 10 minutes. It is also wise not to use too much soap because it can also make your skin dry. After showering, it is best to gently pat your skin dry and use a moisturizing body lotion. This allows you to 'capture' the moisture from your shower/bath in your skin. If necessary, use special soap for the eczema skin, such as this .
Coconut oil is especially useful if you suffer from eczema on your hands or feet because it has antibacterial properties. Coconut oil can kill a bacteria that you can find on your skin and can cause inflammation and skin infections. Research found that applying coconut oil to your skin daily reduced eczema symptoms. Well worth a try, right? Buy coconut oil in a large bottle, which is always cheaper.
Also sunflower oil seems to counter the symptoms of eczema, especially itching. A 2019 study found that using sunflower oil on the skin of children with eczema improved their skin's moisture levels and reduced eczema symptoms. Research also showed that sunflower oil has an anti-inflammatory effect and can help your skin to recover.
There is a clear link between stress and eczema. Stress causes physical inflammatory reactions, which makes you scratch faster and your skin becomes irritated. This causes your eczema to flare up. Therefore, it may be good to try to relax to get your eczema under control. There are many different ways to relax that can help relieve your eczema, including meditation, mindfulness, and exercise. Try what works best for you!
Not only can stress make eczema worse, a bad night's sleep also contributes to it. When you sleep poorly or irregularly, your eczema can flare up. And that, in turn, can make your sleep worse, putting you in a vicious circle. Therefore, try to improve the quality of your sleep, for example by creating a regular evening routine (including applying moisturizer ), make your bedroom well dark and clear your head before getting into bed.
Do you suffer from itching due to your eczema? Then use an ice pack to relieve the itching. You can put an ice pack on your skin where it itches – just put a tea towel in between – and before you know it the itching has gone away. It won't solve your eczema problem, but at least you'll have temporary relief on this way.
A special bath could help relieve your eczema symptoms. For example, consider a bath with warm water with some bleach in it (60 ml) or a bath with baking soda (60 ml). Both ingredients are known to relieve itching. You should not take such a bath too often; three times a week is the maximum. Again, don't do it for too long. 10 minutes in the bath is more than enough! You can of course also choose to only put specific places in the bath, such as your hands or feet. What also seems to work well is a little Aleppo soap in the bath.
Do you know acupressure † Acupressure is an alternative medicine that puts pressure on specific points on your body. It is similar to acupuncture, but without the needles. Acupressure could possibly help with the itching and the changing of your skin due to the eczema. It has not yet been fully scientifically proven, but it is at least worth a try if it can help you (partly) get rid of your complaints, right? Maybe this acupressure mat something for you.