Soothe Eczema At Home With Simple, Natural Remedies

Eczema is a skin condition that manifests as dry, red, itchy patches on the skin. Symptoms include redness, swelling, flaking, and sometimes bleeding.

It's not known exactly what causes eczema, but it's thought that it has something to do with the way the body's immune system interacts with the skin. Eczema is also not preventable, but it is manageable, and there are many easy things you can do to keep your skin smooth, comfortable, and healthy.

A note: if you have eczema, don't get the smallpox vaccine, as it can lead to major complications.

Keep scrolling for lifestyle tips, dietary tips, and tips for soothing.

Extreme heat and cold can exacerbate eczema, and it can also make skin drier and more sensitive in general.

To keep skin calm, try to maintain a constant, mid-range temperature in your home, and avoid bathing in very hot or very cold water, and wear gloves to protect your hands while washing dishes.

Obviously, you'll have to deal with some temperature changes throughout the year, but try to avoid extremes and drastic switches between hot and cold, as this can aggravate skin.

Eczema leaves the skin very sensitive and subject to scrapes and rashes. If your skin is feeling sensitive or like it's flaring up, opt for soft, lightweight fabrics. Natural fibers like cotton are also a good choice, as they let skin breathe.

Moisturizing regularly is super important if you have eczema, but be careful which moisturizers you choose.

Lotions and creams with strong fragrances can actually irritate the skin more, and even cause worse itching or burning, especially if the skin is cracked or very dry.

Opt for fragrance-free lotions, soaps, and deodorants instead. If your skin is very sensitive, you may want to look into fragrance-free laundry detergents, too.

If you live in an arid area, or if your house gets dry when you turn on the heat, a humidifier might be a good investment.

This device releases water vapor into the air and makes your space more humid, which means that your skin won't dry out so quickly.

There are also changes you can make from the inside out that will bolster your skin's health, as well as the health of your whole body!

Papaya, pineapple, berries, and apples are rich with skin-nourishing nutrients, as well as enzymes that have been shown to reduce and prevent inflammation.

Inflammation is the main cause of eczema flare-ups, so reducing the potential for it in your body is the best way to keep your skin healthy.

And these foods have tons of other health benefits, too!

Like the fruits, leafy and cruciferous vegetables like celery, spinach, kale, broccoli, and cabbage are full of anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals.

Leafy green vegetables are also alkalizing, which further helps restore cells from damage and prevent further oxidation.

All of this adds up to healthy skin, and a healthy rest of the body, too!

Probiotic foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha are great for your digestive system, which in turn makes your whole body happy.

They're also full of amino acids and friendly bacteria, and help boost your immune system.

This is especially important if your eczema causes cracked or bleeding skin, as it helps your body ward off possible infections.

Bone broth, especially made with grass-fed, organic meats and poultry, is a great way to boost your collagen levels, which makes for plump, happy skin.

Like the other foods, it's also great for reducing inflammation, and is also a great source of calcium.

Of course, with eczema, flare-ups are going to be part of life. They're unpleasant, but the good news is that they're more manageable than you might think.

Oatmeal baths and soaks have been used for generations to soothe skin, mainly because they work, and they're super easy.

You can pour some oats into an old (clean) sock and let it steep like tea in the bathwater, or grind up oats in a food processor to make a fine powder that you can sprinkle right into the bathwater without worrying about clogging your drain.

Oatmeal baths soothe itchy skin, and are also softening and cleansing, but are gentle enough to use even on sensitive skin.

Salt can be drying, but used in a bath, it's a great way to soothe and cleanse the skin. Sea salt works well, and for more severe cases, Epsom salts work even better, as the magnesium sulfate works as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Salt will also keep the skin free of germs and bacteria that can cause infection.

Also known as calcium bentonite or green clay, bentonite clay has been popular as a skin care product for a long time.

You can apply the clay in two ways. You can either add it in powder form to your bath for a soak, or make a paste out of it and apply directly to the affected area like a mask.

If you're opting for the second way, leave it on until it's dry and then gently clean off.

If your skin is very sensitive, only use clay occasionally, as it can disrupt its pH.

Apple cider vinegar is pretty magical stuff, so it's no surprise that it helps with eczema, too.

The acids in apple cider vinegar have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, which are important for skin health. It's also full of vitamins and minerals that are great for skin.

Add a spoonful to your bathwater and have a soak.

If we missed an eczema remedy, let us know in the comments, and be sure to SHARE these tips with anyone looking for a little relief!