Eczema

Eczema is an inflammation of the skin, which forms pustules that can discharge clear fluid. It is the most chronic of the skin disorders, most commonly appearing on the hands, wrists, arms, neck, face, upper chest and back of the knees. It is not contagious but causes itching, redness, dryness and flakiness of the skin.

Climatic conditions such as pollution or smog will often cause eczema to flare. Eczema is more common in industrialized countries and in urban areas. Hot, humid weather as well as cold weather will also have adverse effects on eczema. Very low humidity can aggravate dry skin. Humidifiers are useful if there is central heating in your home. Cool bedrooms are helpful. Ideally both school and the workplace should be cool and as dust free as possible. Skin contact with chemicals and dirt should be minimized.

House dust, house dust mites, moulds, pollen, and animal dander from pets are all known to aggravate eczema. Vacuuming of carpets, curtains, and bedding should be done at least weekly. Washing the bedding weekly at high temperature and higher indoor humidity inhibits mites and benefits atopic skin. Fluffy toys need to be washed and shaken outdoors regularly to minimize the accumulation of dust mites. A reduction in house dust mites has been shown to reduce the severity of eczema. (Lancet 1996 347(8993) :15-8)

Recent research has shown that there are many irritants from just daily living that can aggrevate eczema - these are things that are not so obvious but make a whole lot of sense when you think about it. Topical exposure to chlorinated water may well be a factor - but this is really hard to avoid in most western cities. Vitamin C is great at counteracting the effects of chlorine. One clinical study recently in New Zealand by bathroom-ware producer Methven has shown that the introduction of a Vitamin C cartridge into their unique showerhead dramatically reduced the effects of childhood eczema in their study group. This is indeed interesting and something we could all think about. Is chlorinated water actually harming us? Click here to read more about the research / press release from Methven regarding this interesting topic.

There are several home remedies you can try to relieve the effects of eczema...

• avoid soaps, chemicals and other drying agents
• Keep your skin well hydrated
• Papaya seeds mashed and applied on areas of the skin can prevent itching
• Soak yourself in an oatmeal bath, oatmeal is excellent for calming inflamed skin
• Take natural (not synthetic) sources of vitamin E such as vitamin rich plant leaves, vegetable oils (wheat germ, sunflower, cottonseed, safflower, canola, soybean, and corn oil), unprocessed grains and nuts
• Take a zinc supplement
• Try to figure out any factors that may be triggering the eczema, something in or lacking from your diet, temperature and humidity changes, external skin irritants (like clothing fibers or solvents). Does it flare up under any regular or noticeable condition?
• Apply coconut oil so the skin can remain soft