Treating Eczema Naturally — Again

After drastically reducing the foods my son is sensitive to, we all enjoyed him having clear skin — for all of one month.

Early July, we went on a trip and his allergen-free diet was thrown out the window. How do you keep your child from enjoying what everyone else is eating when you’re on vacation? And even if you could, how do you pack enough “safe” foods for him to last four days? Tell me that!

Hello Again, Eczema!

So because of that brief lapse, his eczema flared up again. At least this time, he didn’t get rashes on his arms but only at the back of his knees. They looked like water blisters this time. And, like before, he ended up scratching himself raw while sleeping.

We’ve gone back to his allergen-free diet the past three weeks, but still he scratches. He doesn’t get new rashes anymore, but his skin doesn’t heal because he keeps scratching them at night. I’m worried the open rashes will get infected and he’ll get deep scars because they’re not healing.

This means hellish nights for DH and me, as we take turns sleeping beside DS to keep him from scratching. We apply an all-natural cream, put cold compresses and — if all else fails — we hold his hands.

The All-Natural Eczema Treatment

Fortunately, DS had a scheduled appointment with our naturopathic doctor on Monday. She said at this point, we need to do two things:

• build up DS’s immune system
• reduce the amount of histamines circulating in his body

For the first, our naturopath an herbal immune system booster. The main ingredient is astragalus. For the latter, she prescribed an herbal remedy for allergies. The ingredients include, among others, butterbur extract, quercetin and rosemary extract.

(Note: I asked the naturopath about using Buro-Sol to curb the itch and she says she’s concerned about the aluminum in it.)

Unfortunately, both these herbal remedies taste terrible. The allergy remedy is in a capsule form, for adults. I’m supposed to open it up and mix the contents with a drink or food for DS to take.

It’s been a real challenge getting him to take these remedies. I mix them with maple syrup. I’ve even added vanilla extract. To no avail. So if you happen to walk by our house one morning and hear DS screaming, “I don’t like it! I don’t like it!” Don’t think I’m subjecting him to abuse. He’s only taking his herbal remedies to control his eczema.

Light At The End of the Tunnel

We’ve been doing this regimen (on top of DS’s existing supplements) for about four days now. He’s been scratching at lot less at night. DH and I have been sleeping better, now waking up only once a night instead of five.

Except for the morning crying ritual because of the herbal remedies, DS seems to be in a better mood, too. He’s less “irritated.”

I hope DS is on the mend so he can play in his sandbox without wearing pajamas.

And maybe we can all sleep through the night again.

PS: The purpose of this post is to share my personal experience with you, not to give medical advice. If you want to explore natural ways to treat eczema, consult a naturopathic doctor or other alternative health practitioner.

Home Skin Care for Sunburns

Hopefully, you will not get a bad sunburn this summer. But if you do, there are some things you can do at home to relieve the discomfort and help prevent peeling.

Here are some skin home remedies for sunburn:

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Stop a Sunburn From Peeling and Itching… Naturally

A sunburn can be a nasty experience. A bad one can give you chills and a fever, not to mention terrible pain. A mild sunburn can still result in blistering, itching and peeling.

If you’ve accidentally stayed out in the sun too long, there are some things you can do that can help reduce itching and peeling. Most of these treatments are inexpensive and all of them are natural – you may even have some of them in your kitchen cabinets or pantry.

First, be careful with that burned skin – don’t use soap, washcloths, or do any scrubbing in the shower. Wash your hair upside-down under the bath faucet to avoid shampoo running over your sunburn. And when you get out of the shower or bath, pat your skin dry with a soft towel – don’t rub.

* Tea

Tea, green or black, has skin-soothing properties and has been known to stop relieve sunburn itch and prevent peeling. Black tea seems to work the best, or you could use a combination of green and black. Brew a quart or so of strong tea, pour it into a lukewarm bath, and soak.

* Baking Soda Bath

Baking soda can be very helpful in treating sunburn. Mix a cupful of baking soda into a lukewarm bath and let it soak your burned skin. Gently rinse the baking soda off with lukewarm water when you get out of the tub – baking soda residue can be itchy.

* Apple Cider Vinegar Bath

Smelly but effective, apple cider vinegar can work wonders for sunburned skin. You can soak in a lukewarm bath to which a cup or so of apple cider vinegar has been added. Or, you can mix vinegar and water into a spray bottle (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water) and spritz it onto your skin. Let your vinegar-treated skin air dry.

* Natural Oils: Coconut, Almond, Olive

When you get out of your bath, natural oils are a good choice for replacing your skin’s lost moisture. Pure coconut oil is solid at room temperature, but melts quickly in the hands and on the skin. Almond oil is said to be the closest to natural skin oil – sweet almond oil is considered the best. Olive oil is an ancient remedy against sun-dried skin, and is used extensively to moisten skin in the desert regions of the Middle East.

* Aloe Vera

Pure Aloe vera gel can be obtained directly from an Aloe plant. Simply slit a thick Aloe leaf lengthwise down the middle and scoop out the gel. You can use a knife to scrape the inside of the leaf in order to get all the gel out. Many stores sell Aloe vera gel, but make sure it’s pure gel – Aloe vera juice or lotions and skin products containing Aloe are not the same. Apply this ancient burn remedy liberally to sunburned skin that is clean and dry.

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