[JoyStick]

i have eczema, it's not as bad as it used to be but i still have some small dry itchy patches and want some tips from other people who have eczema to get rid of them.

some of the things that helped me are..

using a gentle, scent free laundry detergent
using a gentle, scent free body wash
stopped using soap because it dried my skin too much
stopped using cologne

please share any tips. thanks.

[Hades]

My eczema cleared up once I started eating three to five capsules of fish oil per day.

[the chef]

I used to always have a patch of dry skin on my elbows and knees. I've noticed that while topical treatments like OTC hydrocortisone and whatnot help with the itchiness, it all starts with what you take into your body. This became more and more apparent as I started working out heavier and heavier and sweat more and more. No matter how much moisturizer or hydrocortisone I applied I still got itchy when I sweat.

Toning down on dairy and making sure I'm not eating complete shit (McDonalds, Jack In the Box, etc...) helped more than anything. Also, ever since I've started drinking apple cider vinegar in the mornings my skin looks a lot better but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it.

[JoyStick]

i need to start taking ACV again. he tastes so bad though.

[Dr. Howard]

ACV, olive or fish oil and tomato paste (eat it, don't put it on your skin) have all done wonders for me.

[Ensam]

Eczema is just a symptom, there are lots of causes, but a few things to try:
Get more sunlight/take vitamin D.
Cocoa butter.
Change detergents (I've found All is the least irritating)

For drugs be careful about overuse of steroidal creams - they tend to thin your skin after a while. And never use a steroidal cream around your eyes - it can cause glaucoma. Elidel is a good non steroidal medication that's worked pretty well in the past when I've had a severe patch.

[Spider]

Going Paleo and cutting out grains and dairy have helped my skin tremendously.

[Therapsid]

Start eating probiotic yogurt like Activia. Eat it a couple of times a week and your eczema will go away.

I always had problems with eczema until a dermatologist recommended this to me.

Basically, you can have eczema and other allergic skin conditions because you don't have the right "gut microbiota", that is the right kinds of bacteria living inside your intestinal tract. If you eat probiotic yogurt it gives you that bacteria - Activia for example contains the microorganism Bifidus regularis.

[TopPanda]

Try avoiding cheese and beer. They seemed to be the triggers for some problems I had a few years ago.

[kosko]

Skin issues are internal so you can only cure it 100% from the source inside. Many great tips in the thread thus far.

[2Wycked]

Great tips - I have problems with it, as well.

I have noticed if I don't get enough sleep or adhere to a regular schedule, it worsens. Getting enough sleep on a regular schedule calms it down.

[Albertron]

Being Asian, I had eczema for almost my whole life (affects a large majority of Asians). Steroidal creams, changing soaps and using different cleansers worked for a very short time. Predominantly affected areas on my body included the elbows, knees and hands. The only 'relief' I got from it was when I ran scorching hot water over it to help the itch. It was a borderline orgasmic relief. Needless to say, once the water was off, the area turned really red, with tiny bumps filled with fluid.

The only true solution that still works for me is vigorous exercise. I sweat like a pig at the gym, and it was only when I began to exercise regularly and with high intensity, that I realized my eczema slowly went away. Now I no longer have it in my body.

My brother's eczema was much worse than mine, covering his back and arms on top of the areas I mentioned. Now his is gone as well. He says that eczema, along with some other skin conditions, can be healed or at least regulated by simply changing your diet to a cleaner and healthier one, as well as regular exercise.

I've eliminated junk food as well, i.e. fast food, chips, soda, candy, chocolate. Showering daily is an obvious one but surprisingly, not everyone does.

[Wayout]

Bleach...half a cup of bleach in a nice bath. Steroid creams don't thin the skin anymore - the newer generation of creams is much better! No one knows the causes of eczema or how how heal it, the latest breakthrough has to do with T-cells. There is this Protopic cream (Japanese made it, but is widely available)( similar to Elidel)...not a steroid, works well. Some reports of skin cancer though..yeah.
Salt water,the sun, the beach with babes,less stress...all that helps too.

[K Galt]

There's a good reason the fish oil capsules worked for you, Hades.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in atopic eczema: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.

Quote:

BACKGROUND:

The increasing prevalence of atopic eczema has been linked to the alteration of the Western diet, namely the reduced consumption of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and an increased omega-6 (n-6) PUFA intake.

Coincidentally, I just read a book on this very topic and posted about it over at my blog yesterday.

In short, not only should you up your intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids in your diet, you should also try to limit/decrease your intake of omega-6 fatty acids.