Natural Treatments for Eczema

March 25, 2008

Natural Treatments for EczemaFrom

Cathy Wong,

bout.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our

Medical Review Board

What is Eczema?Also known as: atopic

eczema, atopic dermatitis, infantile eczema

Eczema is a chronic skin disorder characterized by itching rashes, which

may be red, scaly, dry, or leathery. There may be skin blisters with

oozing and crusting.

Close-up photo

of eczema

Eczema in an

infant (photo)

Eczema on the

arms (photo)

Eczema on the

face (photo)

Eczema usually occurs for the first time in infants, with rashes

typically occurring on the cheeks, elbows or knees. Eczema, although

often less of a problem in adulthood, can persist, especially if a person

is exposed to allergens or chemical irritants or is under

stress.

In adults, eczema is commonly located on the inner elbow or behind the

knee.

People with eczema frequently have family members with asthma, hay fever,

or eczema.

Natural Remedies for Eczema

1)

Probiotics

Probiotics, or " good " bacteria, are live microbial

organisms naturally found in the digestive tract. They are thought to

suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria, influence immune

function, and strengthen the digestive tract's protective barrier.

Studies suggest that babies at high risk for allergic disorders such as

eczema have different types and numbers of bacteria in their digestive

tracts than other babies, and that probiotic supplements taken by

pregnant women and children may reduce the occurrence eczema in children.

A large, long-term study examined whether the use of a probiotic

supplement or a placebo could influence the incidence of eczema in

infants. Researchers randomized 1223 pregnant women carrying high-risk

babies to use a probiotic supplement or a placebo for 2 to 4 weeks before

deliver.

Starting from birth, infants received the same probiotics as their

mothers had plus galacto-oligosaccharides (called a " prebiotic "

because it has been shown to help multiple strains of beneficial bacteria

flourish) for 6 months. After 2 years, the probiotics were significantly

more effective than placebo at preventing eczema.

In addition to the use of probiotics to prevent eczema, probiotics have

also been explored as a treatment for infants and children who already

have eczema. Some studies have found that probiotics alleviate symptoms

of eczema only in infants and children who are sensitized to food

allergens.

Researchers are testing different strains of bacteria to see if one

particular strain is more effective for eczema. One of the most commonly

used probiotic strains used in eczema studies is Lactobacillus GG. Other

strains used include Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-033 PCC, Lactobacillus

rhamnosus, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Bifidobacteria lactis. The

prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides has also been used.

Consult a qualified health professional before using probiotics. Children

with immune deficiencies should not take probiotics unless under a

practitioner's supervision. For more information about probiotics, read

Acidophilus and Other Probiotics.

2) Topical Herbal Creams and GelsGels

and creams made from herbal extracts of

chamomile, licorice, and

witch hazel have been explored to reduce symptoms of eczema. The

following are results of some of the preliminary studies.

A double-blind study compared a 1% and 2% licorice gel compared to a

placebo gel for eczema. After two weeks, both the 1% and 2% licorice gels

were more effective than the placebo gel, and the 2% gel was more

effective at reducing redness, swelling, and itching than the 1%

gel.

A study compared chamomile cream to 0.5% hydrocortisone cream or

placebo. After two weeks, the chamomile cream was more effective than the

hydrocortisone cream, but was not significantly more effective than the

placebo cream. This study was not double-blind, so it cannot be used as

proof that chamomile cream is effective for eczema.

In a German double-blind study, 72 people with moderately severe

eczema used either a placebo cream containing witch hazel extract, 0.5%

hydrocortisone cream, or the cream alone for 14 days. The hydrocortisone

was more effective than witch hazel. Witch hazel was not significantly

more effective than the placebo cream. Consult a qualified practitioner before using any topical herbal

applications. Some herbs, such as chamomile, are known to cause allergic

contact dermatitis.

3) Gamma-linolenic

AcidGamma-linolenic acids (GLA), such as evening

primrose oil and borage oil, are a type of essential fatty acid. GLA has

been shown to correct deficiencies in skin lipids that can trigger

inflammation, which is why it is thought to help with eczema. However,

recent, well-designed clinical studies with GLA have generally found that

it does not help with eczema.

For example, one double-blind study examined the use of borage oil (500

mg a day) or placebo in 160 adults with moderate eczema. After 24 weeks,

the overall effectiveness was not significantly better with borage oil

compared with the placebo.

More:

Acidophilus and Other Probiotics

Conventional Eczema Treatments in Kids

Eczema in the Winter

Daily Bath for Eczema?

Eczema and Food Allergies

Sources

_______________________

Brouwer ML, Wolt-Plompen SA, Dubois AE, van der Heide S, Jansen DF,

Hoijer MA, Kauffman HF, Duiverman EJ. No effects of probiotics on atopic

dermatitis in infancy: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Clin Exp

Allergy. 36.7 (2006): 899-906.

Henz BM, Jablonska S, van de Kerkhof PC, Stingl G, Blaszczyk M,

Vandervalk PG, Veenhuizen R, Muggli R, Raederstorff D. Double-blind,

multicentre analysis of the efficacy of borage oil in patients with

atopic eczema. Br J Dermatol. 140.4 (1999): 685-688.

Kalliomaki M, Salminen S, Poussa T, Arvilommi H, Isolauri E. Probiotics

and prevention of atopic disease: 4-year follow-up of a randomised

placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 361.9372 (2003): 1869-1871.

Korting HC, Schafer-Korting M, Klovekorn W, Klovekorn G, Martin C, Laux

P. Comparative efficacy of hamamelis distillate and hydrocortisone cream

in atopic eczema. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 48.6 (1995): 461-465.

Kukkonen K, Savilahti E, Haahtela T, Juntunen-Backman K, Korpela R,

Poussa T, Tuure T, Kuitunen M. Probiotics and prebiotic

galacto-oligosaccharides in the prevention of allergic diseases: A

randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Allergy Clin

Immunol. 119.1 (2007): 192-198.

Moro G, Arslanoglu S, Stahl B, Jelinek J, Wahn U, Boehm G. A mixture of

prebiotic oligosaccharides reduces the incidence of atopic dermatitis

during the first six months of age. Arch Dis Child. 91.10 (2006):

814-819.

Patzelt-Wenczler R, Ponce-Poschl E. Proof of efficacy of Kamillosan®

cream in atopic eczema. Eur J Med Res. 5.4 (2000): 171-175.

Saeedi M, Morteza-Semnani K, Ghoreishi MR. The treatment of atopic

dermatitis with licorice gel. J Dermatolog Treat. 14.3 (2003): 153-157.

Sistek D, Kelly R, Wickens K, Stanley T, Fitzharris P, Crane J. Is the

effect of probiotics on atopic dermatitis confined to food sensitized

children? Clin Exp Allergy. 36.5 (2006): 629-633.

Taylor AL, Dunstan JA, Prescott SL. Probiotic supplementation for the

first 6 months of life fails to reduce the risk of atopic dermatitis and

increases the risk of allergen sensitization in high-risk children: A

randomized controlled trial. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 119.1 (2007):

184-191.

Viljanen M, Savilahti E, Haahtela T, Juntunen-Backman K, Korpela R,

Poussa T, Tuure T, Kuitunen M. Probiotics in the treatment of atopic

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trial. Allergy. 60.4 (2005): 494-500.

March 26, 2008

Hey Lynn,

You are really writing about things that I find so interesting. Keep

up the good work! I have some additional information that the group

might be interested in. My grandson is 7 and has had eczema all of

his life. My daughter took him to several Dr.'s, they used many

creams, different bath products and lotions. They did help some, but

the eczema still was there. My daughter discussed laundry detergent

with the Dr., and he said that she should use Dreft. So she always

separated his cloths from the rest of the family, and washed his

cloths in Dreft. A little over a year ago she changed all of their

home and personal care products to safer ones. She washed his cloths

with safer laundry detergent and fabric softener without harmful

chemicals, and used their bath wash and lotion on him. Within two

weeks the eczema was gone, yes I mean totally gone. No more itching,

no more red dry patches. She had order all of this from a wellness

co. on the net, she ran out of the laundry products before her next

order came in. She separated his cloths again and done his laundry in

Dreft, and the eczema came back. She was very glad that her new order

came in right away. The products are made in America, are very

concentrated, and 100% guaranteed. How can you go wrong with that.

Seems all the harmful chemicals in the store bought home cleaners,

laundry products, and personal care products were irritating his skin

producing the eczema. I hope it is ok to give others this information

in this group. You can check it out at www.melaleuca.com and

www.smartlivingsense.com I would sure highly recommend their

products, and I love shopping American Made again. Hope this helps

others with skin disorders like eczema.

Annie

, Lynn Ward <lynnward

wrote:

>

> Natural Treatments for Eczema

>

> From <http://altmedicine.about.com/mbiopage.htm>Cathy Wong,

> bout.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our

> <http://www.about.com/health/review.htm>Medical Review Board

>

> What is Eczema?

>

> Also known as: atopic eczema, atopic dermatitis, infantile eczema

>

> Eczema is a chronic skin disorder characterized by itching rashes,

> which may be red, scaly, dry, or leathery. There may be skin

blisters

> with oozing and crusting.

March 26, 2008

At 09:18 PM 3/25/2008, you wrote:

Annie,

I think your story really points out how some things people get is from

what they use around the house. Of course, from eating stuff with various

things added too. But, I think people don't often look at things like

washing soap, or dryer sheets, or the stuff they wash the floor with or

clean their furniture with as the genesis of a problem. I've found,

people often forget to clean the air filter (the one used for heating,

where the air gets sucked in, then through the heater, then out the

various vents in the house). So often people get stuffed up or can't

breath well and can't figure out what's causing the problem. It's amazing

how quickly that can change just by either putting in a new filter or

cleaning the one in there. Am really glad your family has found products

which don't affect them in a negative way.

Lynn