Skip the steroids and head to your pantry cupboard. It could be that all your eczema-ridden skin needs is a good soak, a warm wrap, and a ton of TLC. Here are some easy home remedies that you can whip up yourself to relieve your itchy eczema and to calm your body and soul along the way.
* Oatmeal Bath – Soothe dry skin with an oatmeal bath. Oatmeal is known to reduce inflammation of the skin and cut back on itchiness and redness. And it’s cheap and easy to fix up yourself! Simply add a cup or two of oats (like Quaker) to a lukewarm bath. You don’t want to make the water too hot or it could cause irritation.
* Wet Wrap Therapy – This is a multi-step treatment that will give your itchy skin severe relief, especially if you have trouble sleeping. First, soak in a bath with evening primrose oil or virgin coconut oil. Then lather a moisturizer over the affected area and then wrap the area with bandages (an ace bandage will work) that are soaked in warm water or moisturizing oils. This treatment will even work to relieve face eczema.
* Turmeric – You can buy turmeric capsules in a health food store or just use this Indian spice in powder form and add it to your tea or food. Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon of turmeric with ½ cup of olive oil and add it to your bath. The olive oil serves as a moisturizer and the turmeric is an anti-inflammatory.
* Ice cold milk – Pour some milk into a cup with ice cubes. When it’s really cold, pour some onto a gauze pad and then press onto affected skin. Repeat a few times a day.
Other remedies include mashed papaya seeds, a paste made of nutmeg and water, a mash made of almond leaves and water, spearmint leaf juice, and mustard oil mixed with leaves of neem.
