Nearly 31 million Americans suffer from eczema-related symptoms. Those embarrassing patches of rough, reddened, intensely itchy skin can keep eczema sufferers from enjoying their lives, and for a parent, it’s difficult to watch your child go through it. If you have eczema, your skin may not produce as much fats and oils as other people’s, and will be less able to retain water. The protective barrier is therefore not as good as it should be…allowing bacteria or irritants to pass through more easily, your skin breaks down more easily, quickly becoming irritated, cracked and inflamed.
The weakened protective barrier is behind the many life-altering problems that come with eczema. The skin is: Sensitive to Irritants: Soaps, Detergents, Shampoos, and Disinfectants; Irritated by Allergens: Dust Mites, Pets, Pollen, Mold, and Dandruff; Prone to Bacterial Infections: Staph Infections, Viruses, and certain Fungi; Dry & Damaged from Scratching: Rashes, Scars, and Changes in Pigment.
Once these irritants pass through the weakened protective barrier, they trigger our immune system to respond by swelling the affected area with blood. This inflamed state is further irritated by certain foods, temperature and humidity, stress levels, and even intense exercise. Unfortunately, these irritants and triggers are often a normal part of everyday life. So other than avoiding exercise, humidity, stress, and allergens, what are your options for treatment?
How is Eczema Treated?
The current medical treatments focus on reducing itching and swelling, but they tend to only focus on making the symptoms more bearable, and some of them come at the cost of nasty side effects:
Antihistamines:
This is a good start, but current medical research is still cautious to claim this is an effective therapy on its own because it doesn’t treat the skin, it only treats the itchiness. Furthermore, antihistamines cause drowsiness and leave you sluggish all day.
Antibiotics:
To address the irritating bacteria, doctors may prescribe antibiotics in serious cases. This is not a long term option, in fact, it can make matters worse. Antibiotics kill our GOOD and BAD bacteria, which weakens our immune system, leaving you nearly defenseless against eczema.
Topical Steroid Creams:
Topical steroid use results in diminishing effectiveness, so more and more powerful ones need to be applied to achieve the same results, and once users discontinue topical steroids, eczema are devastating. This process is known as: Topical Steroid Addiction and Withdrawal, or Consult your doctor before taking on any new regimen.
Continued use can thin the skin and cause permanent pigment changes, even hormonal changes and hair loss.* (Consult your doctor before taking on any new regimen)
With any condition, there will inevitably be a line of natural remedies created to help alleviate symptoms and build a path towards remission and health. Judging by the number of customers these companies have year after year, the volume of verified testimonials, and the support some of their ingredients have from the medical community, they must be doing something right. These natural remedies are often used in order to avoid the cost, inconvenience, and side effects of prescription drugs and invasive treatments. However, there is no cure for eczema. Treatment for the condition aims to heal the affected skin and prevent flare-ups of symptoms. Doctors will suggest a plan of treatment based on an individual’s age, symptoms, and current state of health. For some people, eczema goes away over time. For others, it remains a lifelong condition.