7 effective protocols for eczema treatment as recommended by a medical doctor to avoid the use of steroids and other medications.
Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions in the world with at least 31.6 million sufferers in the United States alone. Ironically, despite the high prevalence of this disease, there is a persistent lack of effective eczema treatment for moderate to severe cases.
Among children, the prevalence of eczema is roughly 11% and as high as 18.1% in individual states. Approximately one out of every three children with eczema suffers from moderate to severe disease.
What’s more, these children do not tend to outgrow the condition. Research suggests that the prevalence of eczema in adults is only slightly lower than cases of childhood eczema.
The standard conventional treatment for eczema is topical steroids such as hydrocortisone. While this eczema treatment magically clears up the skin within a matter of days, it can drive the disease deeper into the body with more serious negative health repercussions over the long term. In addition, steroid creams have serious side effects such as blurred vision, seeing halos around lights, uneven heartbeat, sleep problems, and weight gain or puffiness.
As a result, resolution of eczema via holistic, nontoxic therapies is of paramount importance so as not to cause additional health woes through a drug-based approach to illness. With this in mind, here are 7 nontoxic suggestions for eczema treatment that have worked effectively in my practice over the years.
In addition to the therapies below, Sally Fallon Morell, co-author of The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care, suggests the application of organic raw apple cider vinegar to help dry up and heal eczema lesions by restoring proper pH balance to the skin.
She also suggests the elimination of pasteurized dairy even if organic and switching to whole, unpasteurized grass-fed milk which oftentimes produces miraculous results as a food-based eczema treatment!
Healthy Fat and Probiotic Supplementation
For eczema and atopic dermatitis, the GAPS Diet along with a cod liver oil and probiotic supplement can prove extremely helpful.
In addition, an oil mixture containing multiple seed oils such as evening primrose oil (for gamma-linolenic acid), coconut oil and flaxseed oil can prove effective for eczema treatment. The brand I recommend is YES Essential Fatty Acid Blend. The dosage is 2 capsules, 2 times per day.
Dermrash Cream
An effective, holistic alternative to drug-based steroid cream like hydrocortisone is Dermrash by Dr. Kang. The primary ingredient of Dermrash is Sophora, an herb commonly used in Chinese medicine to counteract allergies. This is accomplished by stabilizing the mast cells, which produce histamine in the body. I have seen severe cases of eczema clear up with this sole remedy when this cream is applied to affected skin.
Consumption of Sea Vegetables
Detoxification is important for the resolution of eczema problems. Sea vegetables are helpful to this end. They easily bind with heavy metals and other toxins metabolically. This facilitates more rapid excretion through bowel movements.
A good strategy is to use a quality brand, tested for purity that is available in capsule form. A safe and effective dosage for treatment of eczema from mild to severe is 1-2 capsules, 2 times per day.
Seaweed Baths
Seaweed baths soothe and nourish the skin and provide another avenue for detoxification via the body’s largest organ.
They are particularly helpful for treating eczema by gently exfoliating the skin. This allows it to breathe and regenerate healthy skin tissue more quickly.
Thymus Extract
If the eczema flare-up seems to be related to shots, Thuja Thymus Complex from Uriel pharmacy can be used. The dosage is 3 pellets under the tongue first thing in the morning for treatment of eczema and atopic dermatitis. Thuja is the homeopathic remedy for reactions.
The thymus extract helps to stimulate the thymus gland to normalize the immune response to the shots. The thymus gland makes T cells, which are an important player in the immune system.
Note that research suggests that the use of sucralose or “Splenda” in the diet can shrink the thymus gland. So be sure to avoid this alternative sweetener.
Protomorphogen of the Skin
A protomorphogen is an extract from the same tissue type as that involved in the underlying illness. For issues with atopic dermatitis, the eczema treatment suggested is Dermatrophin from Standard Process which is a protomorphogen of the skin.
This remedy binds the antibodies produced and facilitates excretion through the bowels instead of eruptions and inflammation of the skin. The dosage for eczema treatment is 1 tablet, 3 times per day, ideally between meals.
Eczema Treatment for Skin Infections
Sometimes eczema lesions can result in infections. This is something to watch out for and be very careful to discourage. If, despite your best efforts, skin infections are a problem, I recommend Andographis Complex to help them clear and heal quickly. The dosage for eczema treatment is 1-2 tablets per day. Continue until the infection is resolved.
Learn More About Holistic Baby and Child Care
If you found this information on holistic eczema treatment encouraging and would like to learn more about how to care for your child in a non-toxic manner, my 300+ page book The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care could be a helpful resource for you! It provides suggestions and alternatives to conventional medical advice from pre-pregnancy right through to the adolescent years.
References
The National Eczema Association, Eczema Prevalence
More Information
The Top 8 Eczema Food Triggers
Eczema Treatment: Avoiding the Drug Based Domino Effect
Tips for Eczema Relief NOW While You are Healing from Within
What is the GAPS Diet?
Speed Gut Healing and Shorten Time on the GAPS Diet
Seaweed Wrap: Nourishes and Detoxifies
The Five Most Common GAPS Diet Mistakes
Where would I get Dermrash Cream and Thymus Extract?
There’s a link for the dermrash cream in the post above. If it runs out of stock for some reason and for the thymus extract, I would contact your local doctor of Chinese Medicine. Mine here in Tampa is both an MD and a Chinese doctor which is very convenient should prescriptions need to be written.
Most of these sound like they are only appropriate for older babies and children. My son is 5.5 months and exclusively breastfed. What would you recommend for him? He is already on probiotics, and I am off dairy, eggs, and peanuts. I am starting probiotics and digestive enzymes soon. His eczema seems to be getting worse. We do a nightly lukewarm bath and rub him down with moisturizer (have tried vaseline, Honest Healing Balm, coconut oil and shea butter, and now we are on Mustela’s Stelatopia.) and run a humidifier. I have even tried putting breastmilk on his scalp, which is very itchy and he scratches at throughout the day. I stay away from the hydrocortisone unless he is absolutely miserable, since I know it is a steroid and not a long term remedy. I am desperate to find a solution!! Thanks in advance!
I should also note that I cut out gluten for about a month until I read that the culprit was most likely cow’s milk. Cutting out the gluten didn’t seem to make a difference. It might be worth doing the elimination diet to find the cause! But then what would I eat and how would I find the time to make it?!
Hi Carrie,
I am so sorry for your struggle. My 3 year old had TERRIBLE eczema. We had to bandage places to keep her from scratching herself bloody for almost a year and a half. I cannot imagine the torment she went through. It is long a battle to find the cause but once you do it does get better. For my little one it is dairy and almost every lotion out there that she is allergic to. Once I quit applying lotion of any kind there was a drastic reduction in redness and lesions healed in 36 hours. I began making our soap and using homemade butters vs. lotions on her. Fermented cod liver oil helped tremendously as well. Epsom salts in the bath water made a day and night difference as well (we were able to go from a bath every 10 days to needing a bath every other day to help control itching). We were able to go to a chiropractor who did muscle testing through my holding her that gave us a homeopathic spray to help with flora/fauna issues. That helped quite a bit as well. As I said it is a long road to figure out the cause but each step of the way you will learn something and it will be another piece of the puzzle specific to you little one. I think the number one thing that helped and helps other people when I mention it is Epsom salts in bath water. It is a relatively inexpensive thing to try. We still use it in every bath for her. I pray that you will get the insight you need.
Sarah,
Thank you for your advice. Was the cod liver oil for you or your child? My son is exclusively breastfed. Will the CLO pass through my breastmilk? Should I give it directly to my son? He is 6 months. Giving it directly to him makes me a little nervous.
I wish someone had told me about diet changes when my breastfed baby had terrible eczema! He had cradle cap so bad it would get puss pockets under it! Something that did help the scalp was California Baby Tea Tree and Lavender shampoo every day and it worked! Also, Burt’s Bees carrot lotion worked great and I started giving him sulphur tablets that dissolved on his tongue (made by Hylands the maker of teething tablets). These are just the things that worked topically for my baby! We later figured out it was conventional dairy that was the main culprit! Raw milk reversed his eczema… We sure miss it! Trying to find a new source as it’s illegal in Alabama!
wet wraps work wonders on flare ups. My child’s eczema is caused by a dust mite allergy. We were told cool baths and to only use cetaphil on dirty spots and plain water on the rest of the body. after the bath, rub down with ceravae cream then put wet tight fitting pajamas on and a few layers of dry clothes over that so they don’t get chilled. in the morning reapply ceravae and dry clothes. try to apply the ceravae a few times throughout the day. the key is finding the allergen and keeping the skin moisturized.
Our main allergen ws cetaphil
You should check out the website for a fabulous homeopathy named Joette Calabrese. Her site is joettecalabrese.com
I have searched her site for the exact same issues with my daughter. Her protocols have worked so well for her. Oh, and I think she does comsults on Skype too.
Best wishes for his recovery.
Carrie, my son is 5.5 mo and has the exact same issues – it’s SO SAD. And we use the same treatments as you. I even make my own tallow balm but it doesn’t seem to help much, though I know it’s nourishing his skin. I’m off milk, wheat, eggs and nightshades – nightshades are especially bad for him. I’m also grain free already. I feel like there’s nothing more I can eat and it’s hard to keep my supply up. He’s also very low weight – though was born a healthy 8lb3oz. So I have the same question as you… what is recommended for a baby who is still EBF?
I saw a post above about getting the omega 6:3 ratios in check. I eat a few pieces of chocolate every day but will stop immediately to see if it helps with the horrible itching. Babies are not meant to suffer like this and I am feeling deprived of all the joys that are supposed to come with being the mother of a baby… he will grow quickly and before I know it, the time to coo and cuddle with him will be lost. I plan to get him on GAPS intro as soon as we start introducing foods…. hoping that helps.
I feel for you and your baby…
Where can find the Dermrash? It is out of stock everywhere. Also, would this be safe for a 3 month old baby?
I would suggest reaching out to a Doctor of Chinese Medicine in your area. Mine here is Tampa is also an MD. Here is the link to Dermrash on Amazon. http://amzn.to/1BHXHqT
Hi Sarah, I was wondering, what is your doc’s name. We may be relocating soon to (sort of) nearby. I’ve looked into the practitioners and saw a few. Trying to sort and narrow. 🙂 Thanks!!
I don’t post contact information for anyone … doctors, farmers or whatever on my blog. Sorry!
My husband has has eczema and rosaica since childhood. Once he removed wheat from his diet both cleared up with in a few days- the first time ever.
I suffered from eczema for nearly 40 years until I finally figured out the cause of my condition: food sensitivities. Yes, avoiding contact with harsh substances and using natural oils helped, but since I completely eliminated wheat and nuts from my diet, my eczema has never been a problem again.
Often Eczema is an early indicator of the presence of the cumulative progressive Allergy SnowBall Rolling ( called Allergy March ) in an individual.
As such, if Eczema .. then likelihood of Aero-Enviro Allergy is High.
More importantly .. if the Allergy SnowBall is “Rolling” … in many cases, it will roll to Allergic Asthma unless ..Stopped & Melted ..
A suggest remedy is to build Internal Immune Tolerance to your Enviro Allergy Sources .. such that External Symptoms abate ..
This article should be helpful for countless people so thanks for posting.
I found homemade kefir from raw pasture-raised milk, made with kefir grains, was miraculous at curing my eczema.
Do you have a favorite holistic alternative to antibiotic ointments for minor cuts and scrapes that are not related to eczema?
Thank you for sharing! My seven
Month has terrible eczema! Trying desperately to heal his gut and eczema!
I have this book. Thanks for the tips!
Emu oil mixed with a small amount of pre-diluted Oil of Oregano can have very healing effects and is listed on some ezema forums as something to try.
My sister struggled with eczema for years until she gave up all gluten! She tried everything the doctor gave her but it never worked. I wrote about it here ~
http://lorialexander.blogspot.com/2013/06/we-ate-berries.html
My grandbaby breaks out with it whenever he eats dairy of any kind. I do believe it can be completely healed but the key is getting a healthy gut.