Want to treat eczema without resorting to strong, medicated creams?
Wendyl Nissen shares her top tips for treating the disorder at home with natural products.
Bathe in lukewarm water. It shouldn’t be too hot or too cold.
Use natural, cold-pressed oils after washing. Apricot oil is particularly good.
Have an oatmeal bath. Tip in a cup of oatmeal and soak in it, or better still, put it in a cloth handkerchief, tie it at the top and sponge yourself all over with it while you’re in the bath.
Cotton clothing is a must – avoid all synthetic materials and wool.
Fake nails – avoid acrylics. A study found that the chemicals used in them can cause dermatitis.
Use cold milk as a dressing – put milk into a glass with ice cubes, let it sit, then pour it gently on to a gauze pad or thin piece of cotton. Apply for 2-3 minutes, then continue the process for 10 minutes.
Use good old-fashioned calamine lotion.
Take a look at your diet. Traditionally eggs, orange juice and milk have been implicated, but it would pay to test them out just to see.
Avoid quick changes in air temperature. Dress in layers of cotton and avoid going from a cold room into a hot shower, for instance.
Use white toilet paper with no patterns or added fragrance – dyes and chemicals irritate the skin.
Emollients containing urea can relieve itching because it is a sloughing agent, so sheds dead skin.
Use perfume-free washing powders for your clothes.
