The irritating skin condition, Eczema, can cause horrible itching and occasionally pain in affected areas. If your young child is suffering from an eczema flare up, you know just how miserable they are. You’d do anything to help ease their suffering, but you can’t get them into the doctor for a few days. We’ve got you covered until then. We’ve listed several home remedies for eczema that will help get you through until a doctor’s appointment. It’s important to note that these will not cure the eczema outbreak, just dull the symptoms until the doctor can prescribe medication.
A Bleach Bath
Bleach can help decrease bacteria so that you don’t get an infection on areas of the skin that have broken due to scratching. To prepare a bleach bath, you should dilute the bleach by adding half of a cup of household bleach (do not used concentrated bleach) to your bath (estimated at 40-gallons). It’s important that you do not submerse your head in the water, but soak only from the neck down or just the infected areas for ten minutes. Do not take baths more frequently than two or three times a week.
Use Anti-Itch Cream or Calamine Lotion
Nonprescription anti-itch cream can soothe the itchy patches until you can get to the doctor, much like you would for the chicken pox.
Avoid Scratching
This may sound simple, but it’s much harder than you think. Cover the infected area with a bandage, wrap it in gauze, or cover your child’s hands with oven mitts to prevent them from scratching.
Use Mild Soaps
Strong perfumes and powerful dyes can further irritate affected areas and can lead to more scratching and infections. Mild or unscented soaps are less likely to irritate your skin.
Wear Smooth Clothing
Soft clothing, like those made of cotton, are less likely to irritate the affected area. They will also keep the area cool and the soft material might feel soothing to the irritated area.
Minimize Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety can cause a flare up or make a flare up worse. If you’re prone to stress and/or it’s a proven trigger for you, try stress coping techniques like coloring, fidget cubes or spinners, etc. By lessening your stress, you can help prevent flare-ups and lessen your suffering.
Eczema can be quite itchy and painful for the sufferer. If the patient is your child, it can be even harder to handle the symptoms of eczema and getting into the doctor can take days, maybe even a week. With this list, you can help sooth your or your little one’s suffering to make it until the doctor’s appointment.
SOURCE: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-looks/skin/natural-home-remedies-eczema/
