|
Baby
Eczema
If your baby is suffering from
eczema, you know how uncomfortable the itchy and dry skin can be, not to
mention the sore spots. Since eczema usually goes hand in hand with
sensitive skin, treating it can be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully there
are quite a few home remedies for baby eczema you can try.
Moisturize
Keeping baby's skin well moisturized should always be the first step in any
eczema treatment. Use a natural aloe Vera lotion several times a day,
especially after bathing baby. Reapply as often as need to keep baby's skin
from drying out. Avoid any harsh cleansers and make sure baby is getting
plenty to drink to moisturize from the inside out as well. Incidentally
breastfed babies experience fewer and milder episodes of eczema.
Oatmeal Bath
When baby's skin gets very itchy, an oatmeal bath can be very soothing and
help skin heal. Put two cups of oats in a food processor (or use a coffee
grinder) and grind them into a powder. Add the oatmeal powder to a running
bath of warm (not hot) water and stir well. Soak in the oatmeal bath for 15
minutes, rinse with clean water and dab the skin dry with a soft towel. When
baby's eczema breakouts are bad, it is safe to sooth them with an oatmeal
bath twice daily.
Natural Skin Wash
As mentioned above, you want to avoid any harsh skin care for baby. The
following natural skin wash is very gently and helps with the itch. Combine
1 tsp of comfrey root, 1 tsp of white oak bark, 1 tsp of slippery elm bark
and two cups of water in a bowl. Mix well, and then pour it into a pot. Heat
over medium heat until it comes to a boil, and then simmer for thirty
minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, then strain out the solids and use the
liquid like any face wash.
While this mixture may not completely clear up baby's eczema, it is a
natural, gentle and effective cleanser that will help reduce the itching and
inflammation.
Healing Lotions
When eczema really flares up, you want to get baby's skin healed back up as
soon as possible. Healing lotions can help shorten the healing time and
moisturize and protect your skin from future outbreaks at the same time.
Lotions to look for are those made with blueberry leaves. Blueberry
leaves are very good at relieving the inflammation of eczema and at
improving the irritation that accompanies itching.
Zinc is another great ingredient. Apply zinc lotion directly on the
affected area. Zinc can also be taken as a supplement in pills. Taking
regularly, it can be an effective eczema treatment.
To help heal the skin, use a lotion containing vitamin E, or apply
vitamin E oil directly on the affected area. It will quickly reduce itching
and improve healing. Continue applying the vitamin E oil until the skin is
healed.
This article is provided for information purposes only. Please consult
your baby's health care provider before trying home remedies.
|
