9 Non-Prescription Tips to alleviate Eczema

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Eczema is a skin condition mostly triggered by allergic condition. Eczema can be characterized by redness, itchiness, inflamed skin with occasional lumps or blisters.

Skin allergies like eczema can be controlled by medication prescribed by your doctor.

9 Non-Prescription Tips to alleviate eczema:

1. Moisturizer: Keep skin moisturized which will prevent itchy condition preferably with creams that are fragrance free. The moisturizers with least amount of additives and fragrance are petroleum jelly which is also among the least expensive. However, be aware that petroleum jelly can be a little bit greasy and can stick to clothes. People who prefer fragrance can use petroleum jelly with baby powder to get fragrance.

2. Fluids: Drink lots of clear fluids through out the day to keep your body and skin hydrated. It is recommended to drink around 8 glasses of water per day at regular intervals esp. after meals.

3. Digestive system: Make sure you have regular bowel movement. Keeping the bowels clean helps get rid of toxins in the body. Insoluble fiber helps in getting clear bowel movement. The H in H.O.P.E. stands for High fiber. It may be that keeping our system clean and / or getting the ingredients in the fiber might have helped the body's immune system fight the causes of eczema a little better. Google for "H.O.P.E. brenda watson" for more information.

4. Ingredient label: Read ingredient label before using personal hygiene products as some creams, body soaps, and shampoos etc. may contain nuts (almond oils, macadamia nut oil) and some may contain dairy products. Eczema can get aggravated if one is not careful to weed out products which contain allergens.

5. Bathing: Use moisturizers before and after baths. Take bath daily preferably twice a day. Applying moisture before helps in creating a shield against chlorine in water which can dry the skin and applying immediately after the bath keeps the moisture locked inside the skin pores. Keep duration of bath short and avoid taking shower or Saunas in extremely hot water. Wash your hair with shampoo to keep it free of dandruff. Dandruff can be a sign of dryness of skin and steps should be taken to reduce it with use of baby shampoo.

6. Climate: Try not to expose yourself to extreme temperature. Sudden change in temperature can potentially irritate the skin and aggravate the eczema. Excessive sweating should also be avoided. Dress appropriately so as not to expose your skin to sudden change in temperature.

7. Detergent: Harsh chemicals in detergents can trigger eczema. Wear fresh clean clothes everyday. Wash your bed linen and clothes in fragrance free detergent and rinse them twice to remove all traces of the detergents.

8. Humidifiers / De-humidifiers: Invest in humidifiers with hygrometer (device to measure humidity). During winter months try to keep the humidity in the house around 45%. Dryness in the house can affect eczema.

9. Positive Attitude: My grandson had bleeding eczema since childhood. He wanted to wear long sleeve shirts since he wanted to avoid questions regarding a big eczema patch on his elbow. We have been following the above simple steps which have helped reduce eczema. Keeping a positive attitude has not only helped my son but also helped us overcome some of the challenges of dealing with eczema. Laugh often and much as being happy produces hormones in body which help fight all kinds of diseases.

Addendum:
10. Clothing: Try wearing 100% collon clothes rather than synthetic clothes. Avoid synthetic clothes that do not allow the skin to breathe. Cotton clothes allow the skin to breathe and help keep equilibrium of the body temperature.