All health care specialists recommend keeping skin moist with a moisturizer and removing any sources of allergens or “triggers” of a flare up.
Antihistamines.
Effectiveness: Prescribed to relive itching and promote sleep.
Side Effects: Drowsiness. Overuse can cause extreme sedation. Histamine does not appear to play a major role in eczema symptoms.
Consult a physician before giving any histamine to a child.
Topical Immunomodulators (TIMs)
Effectiveness: Can help reduce itching and redness and inflammation.
They are designed to impede the inflammatory process by blocking mast-cell degranulation and leukotriene gene expression.
Side Effects: TIMs are a new class of drug, having only recently been approved by the FDA. So the studies and testing have been limited to those submitted for FDA approval. Based on data to hand there is no interference with the body's immune system or known side effects.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Effectiveness: Prescribed to reduce inflammation and itching.
Side Effects:
Patients treated with these medications reported a number of side effects including thinning of the skin, formation of dilated blood vessels, stretch marks and infection.
Cold Compresses
Effectiveness: A cold wet compress can help to reduce inflammation and thus itching.
Side Effects: None.
Antibiotics
Effectiveness: Antibiotics are used to treat the secondary skin infections that often accompany eczema. Bacterial infections, like staphylococcus and streptococcus, are not uncommon in the skin of people suffering from eczema.
Side Effects: Nausea, diarrhea and allergic skin rashes are common side effects. Excessive use of antibiotics have also been linked to Candida Albicans (yeast infection) and breast cancer.
Homeopathic Remedies for Eczema
Homeopathy is a non-toxic system of medicine used to treat illness and relieve discomfort of a wide variety of health conditions. It treats a disease especially by the administration of minute doses of a remedy that would in healthy persons produce symptoms similar to those of the disease.
Homeopathic remedies are tailored for the type of eczema and can be soothing during flare-ups. A deeper treatment is recommended by an experienced practitioner to fit a person on many levels and bring the body into balance.
Effectiveness: Homeopathy practiced by licensed physicians practice it as well as others qualified to prescribe.
Side effects: None.
Herbal Remedies
Effectiveness: There are a number of herbs recommended as home remedies for eczema. They all treat skin disease though detoxification and blood purification including Neem leaf or oil (that boosts immune response, as well as purifying and detoxifying the blood) Yellow Dock, Burdock, Sassafras, Pansy, Marigold and Red Clover.
Side effects: None.
While your health care specialist can diagnose and prescribe the correct treatment for you, in every case, he or she will recommend
moisturizers, such as Infinite Aloe.
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Talk to your health care provider before taking any prescription or over the counter drugs (including any herbal medicines or supplements) or following any treatment or regimen.