The Underlying Facts And Figures about Eczema

Eczema symptoms are controllable to a large extent.

Eczema is not contagious, and in many cases it responds well even to natural cures for eczema.

No specific climatic conditions or geographical location has been found to work as causes of eczema. People who are prone to eczema are seen to have dry skin, which becomes itchy, red, and swollen, and their skin become very sensitive. The severity of eczema can also vary widely. About 12.5% of children in United States are affected by eczema every year and the type of eczema that is commonly found in these children is known as atopic eczema or atopic dermatitis.

Baby eczema is no rarity in United States, and more than 30% of babies are seen to be victims of atopic eczema. However, with babies it is mostly a passing phase, and the small ones outgrow the problem by the time they become toddlers. Others may carry their eczema problems longer but few are the children who do not leave behind their atopic eczema even by the time they start school.

Those few carry the eczema symptoms to their teens and might even carry the burden to adulthood as well. But even in the case of those who continue to carry it, it is a mild type of eczema that they take it to maturity. Those who develop eczema in childhood go through its severities in childhood itself so that even if they carry it to adulthood, it is only a light version of it.

Eczema is basically divided into allergenic eczema and non-allergenic eczema. Wherever hereditary factors are traced to eczema, it has been done in connection with the allergenic eczema, as it is found in the case of problems like asthma or hay fever. Dust, mold etc. can sometimes be the potential allergens that can trigger an attack of eczema in people who are prone to it, or certain type of food can also have a similar triggering effect.

Other triggering agents are sweating, overheating, low humidity, or exposure to too much of heat or cold. Allergenic eczema is further divided into atopic eczema, allergic contact eczema, as well as irritant contact eczema.

Of these, atopic eczema is the most common. The other group, non-allergenic eczema is divided into infantile seborrhoeic eczema, adult seborrhoeic eczema, varicose eczema, and discoid eczema. The first, infantile seborrhoeic eczema is also known as cradle cap, the second variety is represented by dandruff, and the third is more common in older people, especially around the ankles.

Emotional quotient in triggering an eczema attack, or in causing a flare-up, cannot be totally ignored. Stress does contribute to it at least to a limited extent. Further, people prone to eczema are often seen to have other health problems as well.

Other contributing and triggering factors for eczema are hormonal fluctuations, especially in the case of women, as sometimes seen in relation with menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or menopause.

Eczema can be controlled to a large extent by constant moisturizing of the body by emollients, by keeping off agents like atmospheric pollutants, adverse climates, chemicals, detergents, or foodstuff that could possibly trigger an eczema attack

The Importance of Eczema Skin Care

If you have eczema, this is a sure indicator that you have very sensitive skin. A person who has eczema would easily get other type of infections due to the high sensitivity of the skin. So the skin care regimen of an eczema patient gains a little more importance than the skin care of others.

The type of water to which an eczema patient exposes herself are important, how well she dries himself and how damp her skin remains are important, and it is also important what types of skin care products she should use.

Eczema is a skin condition that is marked by ‘red, flaky skin, sometimes with cracks or tiny blisters.’ Eczema can be mild or severe, and may be amenable to different eczema treatments. While it responds well to several home remedies for eczema, it can at times be a bit difficult to uproot as well. Eczema can have cycles of ebbing, surging, and ebbing again.

An important aspect of skin care, which eczema patients should take care of, is about keeping the skin clean and moisturized. Eczema or no eczema, dry and parched skin is not good for anyone.

A skin that has enough moisture will be able to retain the natural moisture whereas a dry skin will not be able to do so. That is why a well moisturized skin heals faster. While using skin care products, those who have eczema, or are prone to eczema, should not use cosmetics that would tend to dry the skin, like bubble baths or certain body washes.

Next in the list of importance is the use of soaps and cleaners that an eczema patient should and should not use. Dove soaps and cleansers are recommended for those who have a tendency for eczema. Neutrogena products are also good for use. But those who are prone to eczema should remember not to handle any of the soaps and cleansers in excess.

For those who have a very bad case of eczema, it is better to use Cetaphil, which have a minimum of soap qualities, or they might even have to mange with just soap and water till they get over that bad phase. Another option is using a sorbolene cream for washing. It is a bit difficult to lay down hard and fast rules regarding the use of cleansing agents, since different eczema patients have different skin sensitivities. At least part of the usage decision will have to be managed by individuals through trial and error method.

Emollients are the best friends of eczema patients. It is a sister product of a moisturizer, the only difference being that it is a little oilier in texture so that it aids an eczema prone skin immensely. There are emollient bath oils available which is a must use for eczema patients. A reasonably large measure of the emollient oil should be added to the lukewarm bath water, and after the bath and toweling, before the skin completely dries up, moisturizer should be applied.

The commonly available emollients today are Emulsifying Ointment (HEB), Aqueous Cream (UEA), Epaderm, Oilatum Cream, White Soft Paraffin, and Lipobase with Cetomacrogol. Oilatum Plus, which is ideal for eczema prone skin as a bath additive. Equally good for eczema care are Balneum Plus cream or bath oil and Aveeno products.

Moisture as an Eczema Cure

Moisture is an important ingredient of eczema treatments for those who are suffering from eczema or prone to eczema.

While skin has always to be kept moisturized to keep it healthy and toned, it is also one of the natural cures for eczema. Moisture ensures that skin is not broken anywhere and this in turn ensures that the skin does not become a breeding ground for bacteria. It is one of the best ways in which a person can defend himself against eczema.

Water is the essential agent that keeps the skin moisturized, but excess of water may also dry the skin. Water should be allowed to seep into the body, but only for short periods. An ideal scenario for eczema sufferers is to have a short bath with water that may be cool, warm, or lukewarm according to personal preference. There are people who prefer to soak themselves in a warm or cool bath based on the season. They are not advised to do it if they are prone to eczema.

If your profession or obligations force you to be in contact with water quite frequently, a good eczema protection gear will be a pair of rubber or vinyl gloves. Since rubber and vinyl have problems with sweat absorbing, you should preferably wear cotton gloves beneath the rubber or vinyl ones. Busy housewives who forever remain caught in cycles of cooking, laundry, washing vessels, or baby care are forced to be forever in contact with water, and are more at risk for getting eczema if they are prone to it. Gloves are a must if you have eczema on hands or any other eczema symptoms.

The cleaning agents you use, like your soap or other cleansers, can have an effect on eczema prevention. Whatever you use should be mild, and Dove is something ideal. Neutrogena products are also good, and centaphil is strongly recommended for those with a bad case of eczema. Sorbolene is a good eczema cream for cleansing as it will retain the natural skin oils. For those with eczema, an emollient oil is best for bath, and an emollient ideal for after-bath application also. Emollients are moisturizers that come as lotions or creams and can be applied frequently to keep the skin moist and thereby prevent eczema.

For the moisture to be effective as an eczema prevention, moisturizer should be applied soon after getting out of the bath when the skin has not fully dried and is a bit damp. Some good moisturizers that guard the body against eczema are Emu Oil, Aquaphor, Moisturel, Curel, Alpha Keri, Lubriderm, and Vaseline. It may be a bit tedious to apply moisturizers a couple times a day. But it is so good for preventing eczema that it can even be considered one of the natural cures for eczema so that those who are prone to eczema cannot neglect it. If not three four times a day, moisturizers should at least be applied early in the morning and before going to bed at night.

One of the home remedies for eczema is an oatmeal bath. This too works as an eczema prevention by keeping the skin moisturized. Aveeno has a bath product that is produced out of finely powdered colloidal oatmeal. It is very good as a moisturizer and for relieving minor eczema symptoms. Anyway, using the oatmeal that we daily use can also be a good substitute. Another of the home remedies for eczema is a mixture of cocoa butter and oatmeal with a little of shea butter.

How to Resist an Eczema Itch

An itch is difficult to resist, even if it is just the itch of a small red bump of a mosquito bite. An itch to scratch eczema rash is far more difficult to resist, more so when the eczema is in a bit of flared-up condition. Are there any home remedies for eczema to do the trick?

The first eczema scratch resistant remedy is a preventive remedy that you should never let your skin come to the stage of becoming itchy. Keep the skin well tended and moisturized with emollients so that it is never dry and itchy and scaly.

Use Neutrogena products, or Dove soap and pamper the eczema skin in all possible ways that it never gets a chance to become bad enough to warrant a scratch. For choosing proper eczema skin care products and emollients, a dermatologist can be consulted.

Strong skin lotions or emollients keep the skin moisturized by locking in the existing moisture by forming a protective coat over the skin. Emollients that protect an eczema skin can come as oils, creams, ointments, and lotions. You can take the help of a health care provider for suggestions on the suitability of the different types of lotions and creams, but you can also decide on the suitability of any lotion on your body by assessing how effective it is in moisturizing your skin.

One eczema scratch preventive mechanism is an oatmeal bath. Prepare one with a cup or two of your Quaker oats and lukewarm water or use Aveeno’s readymade product. After the oatmeal bath, prepare a mixture of colloidal oatmeal and cocoa butter and a dash of shea butter and apply on the eczema affected parts. The combined action of all these would moisturize the skin a lot, reducing the itch to scratch.

Another helpful itch-preventer is Emu oil, which is prepared from the subcutaneous fat on the back of the famed Emu bird of Australia, and is a good emollient with anti-inflammatory properties. Application of the oil on the areas that have an eczema flare-up will reduce the itching and flakiness of skin associated with eczema. When you feel like scratching, also try applying corticosteroid creams. It will lessen the severity of itching and you will be able to control better the tendency to scratch.

And one mechanical solution to minimize the damage by scratching an eczema skin is to keep the nails fully trimmed all the time. Scratch by a blunt finger is likely to inflict less damage on the affected area. And if the eczema skin gets injured by scratching, take care to clean up the wound and apply some antibiotic cream and protect it till it heals again.

Taking omega 3 fatty acid dietary supplements will also aid in reducing the eczema itch. Whatever else you take or not, continuous moisturizing by emollients is a must for eczema. An eczema patient’s emollients should be free of alcohol and scents. Those who want can switch from moisturizing creams in winter to moisturizing lotions in summer and then back to creams in winter, even though emollients all year long would be the ideal solution for eczema patients.

How Not to Scratch the Eczema Itch

Itch is the biggest curse of eczema. There are natural cures for eczema, and there are also home remedies for eczema. Much of the ingredients that go into the making of these cures are available at home i, or at some stores of alternative medicines.

There are also over the counter medicines, and drugs are available with the doctor’s prescription, which can substantially control the itching problem related to eczema.

The first natural cure for eczema is that the skin should never be kept dry. With a skin that is regularly moisturized, one can minimize the chances of getting eczema. The best way in which it can be done is by moisturizing the skin twice a day, in the morning at the beginning of the day, and at night before retiring to bed, with an emollient.

An emollient is basically a moisturizer itself, though it is slightly oilier than an ordinary moisturizing lotion or cream. There are emollient oils for body application or for adding to the bath, as per an individual’s preference. If it is ideal as an eczema prevention, it is good even otherwise for the skin. In summer emollients can be kept in the fridge and used for added coolness.

Another natural cure for eczema is an oatmeal bath. Just one or two cups of oats can be added to the bathwater that should ideally be lukewarm. It is very good for killing the itch associated with eczema, by reducing skin inflammation. It is one of the good home remedies for eczema, and those who have more itching, should prepare a larger bath with a larger quantity of water and oats. While the ordinary oats that is used for porridge is good enough, eczema patients also have the option of buying Aveeno’s oatmeal bath packet, which is powdered oatmeal that can be readily mixed with bath water.

Another natural cure for eczema is a skin wash with a mixture of certain herbs. You can mix together one teaspoon each of comfrey root, white oak bark, and slippery elm bark in two cups water. The mixture should then be boiled for 35 minutes and left to cool. The cool mixture can be applied to eczema affected parts and it will substantially reduce the itching, even if it may not completely quell it.

Other home remedies for eczema include using lotions that contain blueberry leaves extracts. Blueberry contains a natural form of acid that can reduce the eczema inflammation. Zinc pills have also been found to be effective in treating eczema. This can be applied on the affected area, or taken orally.

Other natural cures for eczema that control eczema itch are shark cartilage tablets and vitamin E application. For eczema cure, it is important that synthetic vitamin E should not be used, since human body cannot use it. Natural vitamin E can be differentiated from synthetic vitamin E by carefully looking at the label because natural vitamin E will be labeled d-alpha tocopherol, whereas synthetic vitamin E will be labeled dl-alpha tocopherol.

There are various products that can be used to cure eczema, so you too can have a healthy, beautiful and eczema-free skin.

Herbal Remedies for Eczema

Body’s immune system is what protects us from falling sick. We become victims of any disease, including eczema, when the bacteria and virus that invade us are stronger than the immune system that safeguards us. That is the reason why some of the natural cures for eczema involve the use of herbs that will strengthen the liver and the immune system and keep them at their performance best.

Researches have established that eczema impacts a person’s immune system negatively, and thereby promotes the chances of his getting viral diseases like herpes or warts.

Natural cures for eczema involve remedying this damage by the application or ingestion of some natural herbs. Some of the herbs found to be effective in counteracting an eczema problem are the Chinese herb named bupleurum, burdock root, milk thistle, and an Indian plant named gotu kola. Both bupleurum and burdock root have been found to effectively counteract eczema and bring down its severity.

Milk thistle and gotu kola can combat both skin and liver problems. Gotu kola is used for external application on places like cracked heal or skin, which have been cracked by a severe attack of eczema.

Licorice roots are some other herbs which are natural cures for eczema. This controls eczema flare-ups and reduces skin swelling caused by eczema. It has also got a positive effect on allergy symptoms and liver functioning.

Gamma linolenic acid or GLA is an omega-6 fatty acid that is required by the body for proper functioning. It is commonly found in chamomile, licorice root, and evening primrose oil. A daily intake of 2 to 4 grams of evening primrose oil consistently for six months is bound to bring some improvement in eczema by strengthening the immune system.

Evening primrose oil should not be taken on an empty stomach and should be taken only with or after food. Though this natural eczema treatment is slow to bring results, it is considered effective.

Another agent of natural eczema treatment is zinc. This is a nutritional supplement that can be taken as a pill. A daily intake of 30 mg of zinc will be ideal for eczema control and overall skin improvement. Users should be wary of overdosing as overdose of zinc can lead to copper deficiency in the body.

Other herbs used as natural cures for eczema are burdock, nettle, cleavers, yellow dock, and red clover. These cleanse skin and lymph and thereby clean skin of rashes. Among these herbs, yellow dock has the maximum positive impact on eczema treatment.

A herbal tea made of three of these five herbs – burdock root, red clover and yellow dock – is another natural cure for eczema. All the three should be mixed in 1:1:1 proportion. Tea can be brewed by adding one teaspoon of this mixed herbal powder to one cup of water. Toast your health with that effective eczema cure.

Eczema Treatment by Proper Hydration

Skin contains natural moisture within it and retaining it there is important for quelling eczema symptoms. If you suffer from eczema, you should keep your skin hydrated.

Eczema sufferers should also avoid things like aromatic body washes, bubble baths, and certain varieties of soaps, lotions, and cleansers. This is because these products can actually make the skin drier. If you suffer from eczema, you should use moisturizers more often for the best skin care. The more dry and flaky an eczema patient’s skin is, the thicker the type of lotions and creams he or she should use.

Those who have eczema, or are prone to eczema, should not opt for long baths, or bubble baths, but must have short ones with moisturizing bath oils. Once out of the bath, after patting the skin dry, a moisturizer should be applied when the skin is still damp.

It is also important to apply moisturizers twice a day, in the morning and at bed time. It would be better if the moisturizing can be done three or four times a day, especially for those who have a drier skin or are more prone to eczema.

Ointments, or creams, or lotions can be used depending upon personal choice or season, but should be reapplied at necessary frequency based on the water content of the product and the condition of the eczema.

Maintaining the body’s fluid balance is not the requirement of eczema patients alone. Even the bodies of those who are not in need of any eczema cure need continuous replenishment of body liquids to keep all its organs functional. Human body, like the planet earth itself, is about 70% water. The water that is lost has to be fed back to the body in the form of a minimum of six up to eight glasses of liquids a day.

While this is necessary for proper digestion and body detoxification, it is necessary also for a healthy skin, and especially so in the case of those who have eczema symptoms. Body normally ensures that it gets its quota of water by using the thirst mechanism. For those with eczema, they have to drink their quota of water whether they feel thirsty or not.

Cold Sores – Remedies and Cures

What are cold sores? At first you notice this light, itchy sensation along the lip area. But as the days pass, you then notice some reddish, tiny circles by the mouth or lip area. These reddish circles begin to swell, and blisters begin to form and hurt, and then it replicates.

These blisters are what they call cold sores. So, what causes these cold sores? The causes of cold sores narrow down to one, the herpes simplex virus. This herpes virus is contagious and usually penetrates the body through a break in the skin, most commonly around the mouth or lips. The virus then enters the nerve cells and out to skin forming the herpes cold sores.

The common symptoms of cold sores include itching and slight pain around the mouth, fever and swollen blisters in the same area. Usually, these sores contain a clear liquid which leaks out from blisters. And in some cases, very high fever and bleeding occurs, which requires medical care. Since it is contagious, one should know how to prevent cold sores and how to get rid of cold sores fast.

Since cold sores are viral infections and they spread out fast, it is best to avoid direct skin contact with people who have the blisters. There should be no direct contact like kissing, and sharing of used of items like towels, utensils, or lip balm. You should always keep your hands clean at all times before and touching anything or anyone. But what it you’re already infected, how to get rid of cold sores?

Although cold sores generally clear up in time, there are a lot of recommended home remedies for cold sores. One of the most effective remedies for cold sores is pressing and rubbing ice on the affected area. This procedure slows down the metabolism of the area, greatly slowing growth and replication of the cold sores. The ice can also keep the sore smaller and keeps the virus from spreading. This process is an excellent treatment for cold sores.

Rubbing and applying aloe or lemon balm extract on the sores is also a great cold sores treatment. Not only would it lessen the size of the sore, but would also alleviate the itch and he pain. Another proven home remedy for cold sores is by applying cornstarch paste to the affected area. Application of vitamin E topically over the sores is also an effective cure for cold cores.

Cold sores remedies are mostly over-the-counter creams and ointments. Some of these creams are will only give momentary comforting and pain relieving effect, while the others are known to be effective cures in getting rid of cold sores. Other medications are also in the form of pills to be taken orally for cold sores relief. One example of this is the L-lysine, which is an important amino acid needed by the body to fight certain kinds of viral infections.

Although these remedies are recommended and proven to be very effective, the patient still needs consult medical professionals before taking or applying any medication.

Anti-Aging – Products to Preserve Youth

Anti aging products have become very popular in the 21st century especially since no one wants to grow old physically. The thought of becoming an old person with wrinkled skin and carrying around a can and not being able to remember people’s names is very scary for some people but since it is an eventuality, people would just opt to slow down their aging process physically.

Anti-aging products vary in composition and price. Usually, the more potent the formula, the more expensive they are in the market. Anti-aging products do not only come in the form of creams, although they are the most popular and also the most affordable. Some products come in the form of anti aging serums and others can be taken orally such as anti aging supplements for the skin. Since there are so many products to choose from, one is often confused with which products they should purchase that would give them the best results.

Creams and serums are formulations applied on the skin making it supple and smooth. Since the effect is only on the outer layer of the skin, seeing the results from these products often take time and patience. Supplements are usually taken in orally such as tablets or capsules which promise to make skin tighter, smoother and more supple. Since these product work from the inside out, the effect is faster compared to creams.

Other anti-aging treatments which offer almost immediate results are either through surgery or skin injections such as botox injections. Botox injections show immediate results but the result is only temporary. After a few weeks, the person has to go back to their doctors for another set of injections and the skin tightens again erasing the signs or lines and wrinkles on the face. Anti-aging surgeries and injections cost a lot more than tablets and creams combined. They are also more painful since they require needle injections.

Of all the products mentioned, one has to understand that they are only slowing down the process of aging, not stopping it altogether. A person’s skin will eventually start to sag and wrinkles will eventually start forming no matter how many injections and cosmetic surgeries a person goes through.

Aging is a fact of life and it would be best to embrace it and make the most of it. However, the people who use these anti-aging products only want to preserve their youth as far as these products can take them and just rightly so if they can afford to maintain it.

Anti aging products are not bad and its okay to use them but it is not a magic formula and it will not make a person look as if she was in her twenties when in reality she is already middle aged. Everyone will age and the sooner the person accepts that he is growing old, the easier it is for him to start living his life to the fullest and learn to be happy and contented with what he has.