Weeping Eczema - Natural remedies?

[IndigoGlitter]

I didn't get much info from Google, not unless I wanted to go to the doctor, which I don't. It's just eczema. BUT. I do have it in my ears, nose and on my scalp near my neck. Does anyone know of any tried and true natural remedies?

 

I have a plethora of essential oils and a couple books but they don't really cover eczema well. Such as how much of each EO or how often should I use it.  IT isn't really bothersome all the time but it is bothersome enough that I want to try and control it.

 

It started about a year or so ago and it contained to the area I mentioned. Though it is spreading very slowly. It was only in my right ear but about 2-3 weeks ago it started in my left.  Any suggestions would be great!

[luuknam]

I'm not a doctor, but that combination of only those areas is kind of odd for eczema, afaik. So, I would ask a doctor, since it could be something else, potentially something contagious even. 

 

I'm not aware of natural remedies that actually work, fwiw.

[bagel270]

Stop eating or using the things that are causing the eczema.

 

[Seasider]

Stop eating or using the things that are causing the eczema.

Yes. Check your diet and your shampoo. Triggers vary but in the summer we find melon particularly aggravating.

 

FWIW, none of my eczema people have had flares in the areas you mention. Is it possibly psoriasis rather than eczema?

[Guest]

I had this so bad my head would weep through 9 layers of a towel on my pillow. I had to dramatically change my diet, do an experimental allergy treatment, heal my gut. It took about 4 years to get things back to normal but the weeping decreased dramatically very quickly. Normal for me has always included dermatitis but this was awful.

 

The naturopath did use natural products but they were in specific combinations and patterns and prescribed after blood tests. To do what she did, I would have had to study for years. I am glad I paid for her knowledge.

[Nicholas_mom]

This book has been very successful with my ds  "The Excema Diet" by Karen Fischer.  We found out that my son cannot anything MSG including natural MSG   such as tomatoes, plums, grapes, raisin, mushroom, spinach, broccoli, kale.

[maize]

I would be hesitant to use essential oils topically on compromised skin.

 

Is there a reason you don't want to go to a dr.? I'd want to see both a dermatologist and an allergist.

[IndigoGlitter]

It isn't that I don't want to go to the Doctor, I have been. I go yearly and the doctor looked at my one ear and said it was eczema she didn't mention psoriasis.. She wanted to prescribe me some ear drops but the drops were over $200. I wasn't willing to pay that. I decided to look into alternative methods.

 

Stop eating foods that cause it? Not to be snarky but that isn't helpful. If I knew what was causing it I wouldn't be asking.

 

I don't eat melon as I don't like melons in general. The MSG is interesting. I do try to avoid it but I know I don't always.

 

As for shampoo, I don't use it. I am using baking soda/ACV rinse instead.

 

It must be something in the diet then. Wheat? Dairy? I know those are two known allergen irritants. I am going to look into that book, and perhaps others. Humph, why didn't I think of a book... jeez.

[Guest]

Yes, you absolutely need to do an elimination diet and switch out your personal care products. There is no other acceptable solution that is really worth the effort, honesty.

[luuknam]

Next time you're at the doctor, you can try saying that those drops were too expensive, and that you want something cheaper. There are cheaper things (though maybe not if it's deep inside your ear, where you can't put regular cream).

[Ali in OR]

There is plenty of information out there (eg WebMD) that says that adult eczema is not diet related (it can be diet related for young children), and I believe that based on my own experience. So no guilt trip that you must be eating wrong! There was research out a couple of years ago that there's a genetic predisposition--you're missing a protein or something like that (can't quite remember). By all means if you notice a particular food causes it, avoid that food. But for many/most people, there isn't an obvious food trigger. The biggest trigger for me is sunlight/heat.

 

Some Rx meds are prohibitively expensive for me, and some you can't use on your face. But the med that stops a flare up for me, and at a low dose, is triamcinolone ointment. 0.1% works fine for me--I have some of the .5% in a cream, but I notice no difference so I use the weaker one. And it's cheap because my insurance covers it, so just a $10 co-pay for a giant tube (they won't cover the newer, fancier stuff). This has also been around for awhile, so it might be cheap even without insurance coverage. My doctor says it's fine to use on my neck or jawline. OTC stuff doesn't help with flare-ups, but I like Eucerin cream for daily use on my face--very soothing, and just keeping it moisturized helps. Vaseline petroleum jelly also helps a bit.

[Jann in TX]

I recommend seeing a Dermatologist and not a primary care dr for skin issues.

 

Eczema is often a 'catch all' phrase... and the areas you mentioned are more common for psoriasis (genetic) than eczema (allergic/reactive).  There are good treatments for both-- most drug companies have programs that greatly reduce the cost (you have to contact them directly).  My psoriasis meds easily cost over $2000 per month but I get them at no cost thanks to programs by the manufacturer.

 

Essential oils and other OTC remedies might make it feel/look better in short term-- but they are not long-term solutions and can end up costing MUCH more than prescription meds that can provide long-term relief.

 

If it is Eczema there are different diet protocols that can help you find what is irritating your gut.  There are diets for psoriasis but since it is genetic it is hard to control with diet alone (believe me I've tried!).

[Guest]

Next time you're at the doctor, you can try saying that those drops were too expensive, and that you want something cheaper. There are cheaper things (though maybe not if it's deep inside your ear, where you can't put regular cream).

 

YES.  Ask.  

 

I got a prescription for some infection or other and went to pick up the meds at Costco.  They were $350!!!!!  I was so shocked, and I didn't buy them.  I called the doctor and asked if there were something less expensive.  Yes.  $25.  Good grief.  

 

(That was a doctor at the clinic I have gone to for 28 years.  He did some other things that were off, if you ask me, and I wrote to my primary care MD at the same clinic.  That doctor is no longer at the clinic.  Nothing immoral or threatening, by the way, just odd...like prescribing $350 meds when there was an alternative...)

[Seasider]

I echo seeing the allergist and by personal experience disagree with the WebMD articles that discount food being a trigger for adults.

 

Eczema is in the "golden triad" of allergic reactions: eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma. All can be ways your body reacts to allergens in your environment. Many foods are cross reactive - if you are allergic to ragweed, eating melon when ragweed pollen is in the air can produce an allergic reaction. There's a whole list out there of these known cross reactions. Much depends on how far you want to go into diagnosing it.

 

For you, since you're not having breathing issues, you'd probably benefit by first going with an elimination diet (JJ Virgin's is good for this). You may also give Aquaphor a try and see if a dab of that helps (or further aggravates) a test spot.

Edited July 14, 2017 by Seasider

[Guest]

One of the frustrating things about my situation is that the weeping eczema was related to petroleum products...which are included in every single topical ointment listed in preceding posts.  It was really hard to find a way to moisturize the REST of my skin when the absorption of the products was causing the weeping eczema on my head.  I had been a daily user of Aquaphor/Eucerin for about 50 years...  

 

Getting rid of petroleum-based goops and candles and so on...that was part of the equation for me.  

[Saddlemomma]

Chickweed in a lotion or carrier oil is supposed to be excellent in treating eczema.  However, I'm not sure I would apply it to open, weeping sores. My Dd's eczema (usually mild) went wacko this past winter.  She had open, weeping sores which she had been hiding from us.  I immediately took her to the dr, knowing that she needed something to heal the sores quickly. We were given a prescription of prednisone cream to use in conjunction with a topical antiobiotic like bacitracin.  The open sores ceased weeping and scabbed over within 3 days.

 

Subsequently, I found out that DD had been sitting at the dining table to do her school work with her back to our massive woodstove.  The heat had exacerbated her eczema.  I had her move to the end of the table and we didn't have any other issues.

 

I'm a huge proponent of natural remedies, and we prepare many of our own, but in the case of open, weeping sores, I would definitely get a dx to get the issue under control and then follow up with a natural remedy to help prevent re-occurrence. 

 

Here are some natural recipes for eczema creams:

• Dr. Axe Eczema Cream (recipe down towards the end of the page, but read the article also)
• DIY Eczema Cream (recipe down towards the end of the page, but read the article also)
• The Easy Homestead Eczema Cream (This is a basic cream recipe with suggested EO's to add to the recipe. The EO's listed are typically recommended for treatment of Eczema.)

Here's info about chickweed

• Chickweed Salve (scroll down the page for the recipe)

To help my DD's eczema, we make our own soap and shampoo. I've cut out fabric softener and use Borax instead, which softens our hard ME water. I also add vinegar to the wash.  We haven't stopped using our laundry detergent yet because it doesn't seem to affect DD very much either way. (She is usually a very mild case.)

[Seasider]

One of the frustrating things about my situation is that the weeping eczema was related to petroleum products...which are included in every single topical ointment listed in preceding posts. It was really hard to find a way to moisturize the REST of my skin when the absorption of the products was causing the weeping eczema on my head. I had been a daily user of Aquaphor/Eucerin for about 50 years...

 

Getting rid of petroleum-based goops and candles and so on...that was part of the equation for me.

This describes our biggest frustration with eczema (and rosacea, too) - figuring out the individual triggers. They can be so different from person to person!

 

ETA aquaphor is not an issue here - that's why everything it a "test" at first! I love it when there are less expensive sample sizes available.

Edited July 14, 2017 by Seasider

[KeriJ]

I had an extreme eczema issue last year. Castor oil used topically was the first thing that finally gave relief. It wasn't instant, but noticeable improvement in 24 hours.

[StephanieZ]

For moisturizing with low risk of reaction, I'd try a straight oil such as coconut, sesame, or similar. Try one that is as far removed from anything you are allergic to, and try it in just one area for a few days before putting it all over.

[aaplank]

I had terrible eczema all over my eyelids, ears, neck and face this year. I tried all kinds of different products, tried to change my diet, tried researching about what essential oils to use. It just kept getting worse.

 

One day I was in Walmart, and I happened to spot a container of Vanicream way up on the top shelf all by itself. It was dusty as if it sat there a long time. When I saw it I remembered something I read on an allergy forum a while back about it being safe for those with bad allergies. On a whim I bought it, thinking that I had already tried so many differenf things, one more wouldn't hurt.

 

I was shocked that after the first time I put it on, my eczema started healing. Within a week, my eczema was gone!! I couldn't believe it. Now I use it everyday as my face cream, and I have not had any reoccurance. I hope you give it a try.

[Pippen]

What helps me most is to keep the skin out of water as much as possible. Keep showers brief, and I mean brief. If my hands are flared up I wear vinyl gloves in shower and any other times I need to immerse them in water. 

 

The product that has helped the most is Vaseline with cocoa butter. I've had huge flare-ups when I was young and nothing helped. I can't tell you how many products I've tried and how much I've spent  in hopes of finding something that works on the occasions it has flared up as an adult. Yep, the $4 tub of Vaseline with cocoa butter trumped all. 

[snickerplum]

Have you researched manuka honey? It would be messy around your hair, but if you could sleep in a shower cap or something it might help.

One of my dds has eczema and it was horrible when she was small. It wept constantly, became infected, you get the idea. I've seen what it can do and how much it can help. Make sure it is good quality from New Zealand. It's pricey, but definitely worth it.

 

 

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[Nan in Mass]

I have family with psoriasis. One member controls it and hos seasonal allergies with daily sweaty excersize. Another (really bad case) controls his by drastically reducing omega 6's and increasing omega 3's. He experienced a huge, huge improvement when he did this. Another has gone the medication route and it has been expensive and ineffective and caused other problems.

 

Just on case it is psoriasis rather than eczema...

Nan

[applethyme]

My son's eczema was cleared up by following the bleaching protocol. That little bit of bleach in his bathwater made all the difference in the world and it cleared up after two treatments.  

[milovany]

All I can share is my experience with an infant/toddler daughter.  I did no research beforehand and can't say I've done any since but I it worked. When said daughter was very young, she had a weepy eczema/skin problem in a lot of different places, behind the ears, on her scalp, in the elbow and knee creases, etc. This continued for several months as far as I recall.  I could peel the dried stuff off in chunks (didn't hurt her because more ooze was coming up from underneath). I mentioned this to a sweet, older lady in passing (or she noticed it perhaps) and all she said was "sulfur powder."  I went to the natural foods store, bought some and started applying it topically to the affected areas -- it cleared up within days/a week and never returned. This daughter (who is now 19) will get a patch of something on her skin once in awhile, the only one of my kids to experience this regularly, but nothing like when she was a baby.