3 Natural Eczema Treatments

No one likes to deal with Eczema... like no one. 

That dry, scaly, itchy, and sometimes weeping rash is so uncomfortable. Babies and toddlers seem to have it more often than adults, but I've seen many adults with it as well. 
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It seems to be like eczema is on the rise, or maybe we are just talking about it more? I remember growing up I had one friend who had severe eczema. She couldn't use any soap at the commercial grocery stores, in fact, her mother bought her soap from the Amish. Looking back, I would say that was my first interaction with handmade soap. 

So what is Eczema?

Eczema, sometimes called Atopic Dermatitis, is a term for several different types of skin swelling. Most types cause dry, itchy skin and rashes on the face, inside the elbows and behind the knees, and on the hands and feet. Scratching the skin can cause it to turn red, and to swell and itch even more.

Okay so what causes it?

There are many theories out there. It can be caused from diet, stress, allergies, and more. There have been studies that have linked premature birth to a higher risk of eczema and studies that link food allergies. There is probably a study that links just about eczema to anything. 

Simply put, there is sometimes an unknown reason. So doctors do their best to treat it topically and sometimes with steroids internally or externally. 

There is usually some type of trigger that causes it. In natural health, we do our best to look at what is going on inside rather than looking at the outside... but also as someone who understands that not everyone really is up for looking at the inside-- I agree that sometimes we need to manage the outward appearance of the flare up. 

3 Ways To Treat Eczema Naturally

1- Try an oat bath! 

Yes, you read that right. Oats have been used for hundreds (possibly even thousands) of years to treat inflamed and irritated skin. 

How to run an oat bath:

1. Run a luke warm bath. 
2. Add 1 cup of organic, gluten free oats to the water. 
3. As the water fills up, mix the oats around with your hand to help release the awesome calming properties of the oats. 
4. Once the water is to the level you would like, continue to mix the oats around with your hand. You will know the bath is ready when the water looks milky and your skin feels silky when you pull it from the water. 

2- Cut out Gluten

Or at least cut out wheat. For many people, wheat & gluten are often times a trigger for eczema. So if you are breastfeeding & your baby has eczema, consider cutting out gluten/wheat for about 4-6 weeks and see if the symptoms improve. 

If they improve but not enough, you might even want to consider cutting out dairy. Dairy & Gluten sensitivities seem to go hand in hand, especially in the little ones. 

3- Consider HBC Organics Products For Topical Management

At HBC Organics, our eczema customers hold a very special place in our hearts. In fact, we've developed a couple different products specifically for our eczema customers. Many of our customers love any and all of our handmade soaps, as we don't use chemicals that can irritate eczema.

A couple times a year, we make a batch of our honey & oat soap which has raw honey, ground up gluten free oats, homemade oat milk, organic extra virgin olive oil, unrefined organic coconut oil, and raw African Shea Butter (Fair Trade & Organic of course).

Also another powerhouse for eczema is our infinity balm. It truly cannot be matched!

We also have developed a special cream for our eczema customers, it is called our eczema specific cream. What's in the cream?  Only the finest organic, fair trade Mango and Shea butters, extra virgin organic olive oil, extra virgin organic rosehip seed oil from India, organic beeswax & essential oils (orange & chamomile) to soothe the skin. 

Try it today & let us know what you think!