I have a friend who is suffering from eczema on both her legs. She says the itching and pain are almost unbearable. Her Dr. gave her a cortisone cream to use but she is now also going to a naturopath. Does anyone have any advice please? She is always under a lot of stress and has recently quit smoking. Thanks for any help, Louise

There is no known cure for eczema; therefore, treatments aim to control the symptoms by reducing inflammation and relieving itching. Dermatitis is often treated with corticosteroids. They do not cure eczema, but are highly effective in controlling or suppressing symptoms in most cases. For mild-moderate eczema a weak steroid may be used (e.g. hydrocortisone or desonide)..

eczema is a terrible skin disease which can lead to uncontrollable itching while resting at night and also through the day, some types of eczema are stress related and some or nearly all cause stress as well. eumovate and betnovate are prescribed by doctors to help ease the condition due to their steroid content, seborrheic eczema can be very embarassing as the eczema occurs on the face , ears , eyebrows and other parts of the body such as the abdomen and chest. i would personally recommend using aloe vera gel on these sites to ease aggravation as continued use of steroid preparations are not good for the skin in dermatitis type diseases, these steroid creams should be used sparingly.

My aunt had eczema just like what you described. She went through all the "standard" treatments and none of them helped very much. She was turned on to a lotion that was amazing and hasn't had any problems with it since (no more dry skin at all either). Sometimes we just need to look past "traditional" treatments until we find what works for us.

ive just posted about a supplement called pcynogenol, which is good for protecting the skin, it may help eczema as it is effective against most other skin problems, used in conjunction with aloe vera this would be a benefit indeed.

I had eczema as a child. i remember the steriod creams...greasy! Anyway, my exczema cleared fully when I stopped using products with Soudium lauryl/laureth sulfate. I mean my skin did a 360! Sometimes it's what you take away more than what you add. I moisturize with jojoba oil or natural lotions when needed.

One way to help eczema and other skin problems is to work from the inside out. Boost your immune system, eat lots of fruits and veggies and do frequent cleansings to remove toxins and impurities from the system.

I would also try using only natural skin care products and reading labels to avoid harmful, irritating chemicals.

Hi I have weeping eczema and like most it gets worse as the heat rises, I live in tx so u can imagine how bad it gets. I have been an avid Mary Kay customer for years and just recently tried the new mk timewise hand and decollete cream with SPF 15, it made my eczema go down completely! It still flares up but as long as I have it on my skin it doesn't itch and stays moisturized. I wanna know if anyone else has had the same experience with this Product.

I used to have eczema, but it cleared up when I changed my diet to vegan and gluten-free. Your friend might want to explore the possibilities of food allergies. Eliminating a suspected food group for a month or two is cheap and fairly easy.

I too had eczema really bad as a kid. When I was pregnant I had it again.

You asked about natural remedies.

So, truth is, eczema and asthma are in the same family. It tends to be triggered by high stress.

My eczema disappeared in my early 20's when I began detoxing and changed my diet. In agreement with a previous posting, cutting out the gluten is major.

When I was pregnant I began eating lots of sugar and gluten again and it returned.

Just 4 weeks ago I did a major cleanse/detox and began slowly reintroducing foods back into my diet. Glutenous foods triggered skin rashes immediately.

For quick relief blend banana peels in a blender. After thoroughly cleansing the skin, apply the paste to the affected area and cover in an ace bandage overnight. Initially it stings if the skin is broken (and it will be with a thorough cleansing), but the results are wonderful. I have suggested this remedy to many parents with affected toddlers. I always receive a huge thank you after they try it.

Finally, a friend of mine has a toddler with the same condition. She cut out the gluten, which had an immediate affect. In addition, she began adding flax seed and cod liver oils to his meals. With that she has seen no return break outs.

Good luck to your friend. Please come back to tell us about the results and what her Naturopath suggested.

Eating a diet high in raw veggies and fruits will be very effective in cleansing the body daily of toxins that may aggravate eczema. I never even thought about gluten being a suspect. Good info everyone.