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Solutions to Eczema Itching – Relief From Scratching the Rash and Ways to Stop Skin Inflammation

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For many people with atopic dermatitis, it is the eczema itching that is the most frustrating aspect. Itching is a constant reminder of a problem. When you itch it disrupts your connection with whatever you are involved with. When I speak with clients with eczema rashes, psoriasis or other skin issues , itching is their constant reminder of something being wrong.

Scratching an itchy skin rash is almost impossible to resist. But when you scratch blisters, red bumps or patches you are making the skin problem worse. We don’t always remember to wash our hands and this can lead to a bacterial infection. Kids are very prone to this. Even if you do wash your hands, when you have an open sore, blister or pimple irritated by scratching, an external agent that comes in contact with the skin can result in an infection.

Reducing the sensation of itching is important for mental health as well. It is hard to concentrate on anything when you have the urge to scratch yourself frequently. This also can make sleeping tough. Without proper rest, you will slow down healing.

Oils such as coconut oil, olive oil and neem oil are all good for the dry eczema skin rash and can give the skin the moisturizer it sorely needs. Clip your nails and your children’s nails plus file them to remove any sharp edges. Using benadryl for sleep is a good way to get the rest needed. People scratch themselves during sleep so having short nails is important. During the day, there are non-drowsy formulas you can take of antihistamines. Oatmeal baths are soothing to the skin. Take a good B-complex capsule as well as multi-vitamin to build your system back to normal.

Though ultimately you need to find the root of the eczema skin problem and not just relieve the itching symptoms, it is important to not scratch the skin. A combination of stress relief, avoidance of problematical foods, awareness of how much sun your body can take and learning environmental triggers is a complete system to relieve the dermatitis problem.

Use a complete system to relieve the itchy eczema rash. Learn how to find Eczema Itching Relief by getting to the root of the rash problem at http://www.itchyskinrash.net/home-remedies-for-eczema.html

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How to Avoid Catching Or Spreading a Rash to Another Person – Ways to Protect Yourself and Others

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Not all rashes are contagious. For instance, eczema, food allergies, medication dermatitis and insect bites are generally not passed on to another person. However, there are certain rashes that can be spread including scabies mites rashes, fungal rashes, fever blisters and chicken pox. In addition, certain rashes can be spread to another part of your own body. This is why scratching a rash is discouraged. Of course scratching a rash can also lead to bacterial infections as well.

If you have a child in school, teach him or her to not ever touch someone’s sore, blister or rash. Kids enjoy showing something odd on their bodies to other kids. But this is not something that is a good idea to touch. A cold sore virus, fungal rash or pox can be caught by touching a blister in this manner. Kids are fearless often and interested in oddities. Teach them to avoid touching someone’s sore, bruise, cut, pimple or red skin patch.

Certain types of rashes, once treated are no longer contagious. For instance, after applying the perscription cream for scabies someone can return to school or work after 24 hours. Other rashes require healing from an infection or virus before returning to one’s place of employment or school. Good hygiene is important to avoid spreading or catching a rash. It is tempting to scratch one’s rash and this not only can cause certain rashes to spread to other people, but may also cause another eruption somewhere else on your body. Scabies can be spread to other parts of your body and herpes simplex virus 1 also can cause a breakout elsewhere on the body via touch or scratching.

Most school systems will send out a note when there is a problem of a communicable disease, but this is not always the case. Also people may be contagious before having their diagnosis.  Also due to assuming that one’s rash is just a simple mosquito bite, a rash may be ignored for a week before consulting a physician.

Learn about common rashes and how to treat with traditional and holistic approaches. Stop by to read articles on School Rash problems as well as Types of Eczema to get informed.

Related Atopic Dermatitis Articles

Three ways payers can help consumers make wise healthcare decisions

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Payers can facilitate action on the part of physicians to appreciate the growing awareness and financial responsibility of their patients and to better use a shared decision-making approach. Here’s three ways how.
Managed Healthcare Executive – Health Management

Atopic Eczema – Eight Ways to Manage the Problem

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Eczema is a skin condition that causes problems on many levels – physical, psychological, and emotional. Simple self-help solutions can go a long way to relieve the stress of coping with this condition, and there follows eight tips to help you manage your eczema from day to day:

* Avoid animal fur
All animals that have fur are a potential source of allergy, and not only is the fur a problem, but animals shed vast quantities of skin (dander), which is likely to cause an allergic reaction. It is good advice for an eczema sufferer to avoid contact with animals, particularly at home, as the fur and skin remains in carpets and furnishings for a long time.

* Keep Fingernails Short
This is particularly important for babies and children, as they may scratch uncontrollably in their sleep, and it is easy for their skin to become infected. Cotton mittens can also be used for babies, to prevent damage from scratching.

* Organic Cotton Clothing And Bedding
Organic cotton clothing and bedding do not have the chemicals and pesticide residues that ordinary cotton has, and lets the skin breathe. All clothing and bedding should be washed in a non-biological washing powder, and then rinsed twice so that all soap residue is removed.

* Keep Rooms Well-Ventilated
Central heating can encourage house dust mites, and if the house is not well-ventilated, this can trigger eczema. Bedrooms, in particular, need to be airy and not too warm.

* Keep Cool
Overheating through exercise, or due to a warm house, often leads to a flare-up of eczema. Keeping cool by wearing cotton clothes, and exercising sensibly will aid management of any outbreaks.

* Drink Water
Dehydration causes the skin to become dry, but this can be relieved by drinking lots of water. Drinking about 8 glasses of water a day will also flush toxins from the body.

* Avoid Cigarette Smoke
This is a well-known trigger for eczema and should be avoided at all costs.

* Avoid Pollen
Some forms of eczema can be aggravated by contact with pollen.

Treatment of atopic eczema is not just about creams and lotions, but about prevention.

For lots of information and tips on how to cope with eczema, including many natural remedies and treatments, please visit http://copingwitheczema.blogspot.com

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4 Ways to Relieve Groin Eczema

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Another great post from itchylittleworld.com – Natural remedies for eczema to soothe your itchy little world..

There are many unpleasant areas to have eczema creep up on you, but one of the most annoying and possibly embarrassing areas has to be: the groin.

Groin eczema, also known as groin dermatitis, is actually more common than you think especially because the skin in that area is thinner and much more sensitive than other areas of the body. Not to mention that it’s almost always covered by clothing that can contain irritants or allergens that only exacerbate your eczema.

Please keep in mind that although these tips have worked for many eczema sufferers, I am in no way a medical professional. If you’re experiencing severe eczema or have a topical infection, it is always best to seek medical advice immediately.

Before discussing groin eczema relief, it’s important to understand the differences between it and fungal infections.

One of the most common fungal infections that develop in the groin area is known as Tinea cruris, aka crotch rot. Not only is this fungal infection confused with groin dermatitis often, but it is also has similar symptoms to inverse psoriasis as well.

Because all conditions are treated differently, seeking a medical practitioner to get a proper diagnosis on your skin condition is extremely important and will help ensure you find quicker relief.

If you are diagnosed with groin eczema, here are some ideas to find relief.

1. Switch to 100% Cotton Allergy Free Underwear

To keep your most sensitive area breathing and less prone to fungal infections, opting for light, cotton underwear is important. In addition, often times, eczema in the groin is caused or further irritated by contact with chemicals in fabrics or elastic bands containing latex. So, for your best chance at healing your eczema “down under,” it’s best to switch to 100% organic cotton, latex free Allergy Free Underwear like these Men’s Elastic Free Drawstring Boxers, Women’s Latex Free Panties – Bikini Briefs or Women’s Latex Free Panties – Waist Briefs. And for children these would be excellent: Boy’s or Girl’s Underwear for Sensitive Skin. Wearing Allergy Free Underwear is one critical step to relieving itchy, irritated skin.

If you’re looking for children’s eczema underwear, you can also check out these Boys 3 Brief Pack and Girls 3 Panties Pack.

2. Soothe with a Natural Cream or Balm

To keep skin moisturized and healthy, you’ll want to use a balm or cream underneath your latex free, allergy free underwear. Groin dermatitis can cause both itching and inflammation, so using a natural cream like the Organic Manuka Skin Soothing Cream can help wonders. Washing your skin with a gentle, specially formulated soap like this Emily Skin Soother’s Soap for Eczema will also go a long way, but use all soap sparingly because even the most gentle and moisturizing of soaps is still a soap at the end of the day and ALL soaps will dry out the skin at least a little bit. Never, ever sit in a bathtub with soapy water or bubble bath when you have eczema of any kind, especially in the groin.

3. Try Wet Wrapping

If you or your child’s eczema is being extremely difficult, you can always try wet wrapping, which works great on any part of the body. Start by soaking in water (no soap!) for 20 minutes, towel dry, liberally apply the cream of your choice, cover with a damp layer of clothing and then top with a dry layer of clothing. You can use the Allergy Free Underwear or another latex free 100% cotton underwear as both your wet and dry layer. For kids, these work really well if you forgo the underwear: WrapESoothe Eczema Suit or WrapESoothe Pants.

For more information, check out: What Is Wet Wrap Therapy for Eczema? If you’re looking for something a little easier to start off with, check out how to dry wrap in Our Eczema Trials: Dry Wrapping.

4. Start an Elimination Diet

Although the above suggestions might heal groin dermatitis temporarily, an elimination diet can eliminate any food allergens that may be causing flare-ups by creating higher levels of inflammation in your body and gut. To get started on an elimination diet, make sure to check out our blog post: Our Eczema Elimination Diet Success (How You Can Do It Too!).

Although eczema in the groin area can be annoying and embarrassing, there are many healing options available. However, if you are experiencing ongoing symptoms or are in a lot of pain, make sure to visit your doctor as soon as possible.

Do you have groin eczema? Let us know how you treat it in the comments below!

Bio: Laura is a contributor and content developer for It’s An Itchy Little World. She is in no way a medical professional. Her comments, suggestions, and reflections are not intended to replace any medical advice. Always seek the help of a medical professional before undertaking any diet or lifestyle changes. Please see It’s An Itchy Little World’s disclaimer for information about affiliate links and more.

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4 Ways to Relieve Groin Eczema appeared first on itchylittleworld.com. Come read more about natural remedies for eczema!

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5 “Handy” Ways to Keep Hand Eczema Under Control

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Are you ready for your “handy” tips? Did you catch my little pun? I thought it was fun – agh, now I’ve rhymed too. Ok, enough joking around, it’s time for these essential hand eczema tips that are hands down….oops. Ok, I’m done. Here we go, on to what you came for.

According to the National Eczema Association, hand eczema affects close to 10% of the U.S. population. It is most often trigged by contact allergens (especially if you work with chemicals and other irritants), but also environmental allergies and food allergies or sensitivities. Similarly to all forms of atopic dermatitis, hand dermatitis can cause both itching and redness along with cracked skin and sometimes blisters. Dyshidrotic eczema is a type of eczema that is common on the hands and produces small, itchy, tiny blisters on fingers and palms.

Regardless of which type of hand eczema you suffer from, it’s important to keep skin under control and protected as to not cause infection.

So, how can you control your hand eczema?

Avoid Irritants/Allergens

To first understand eczema flare-ups, it’s important to think about what can trigger it. You might not realize it, but grooming products that you use on hair and skin as well as household cleaning products can trigger a flare-up due to the chemicals used or if they contain an ingredient you may be allergic to. For example, shampoos, soaps, laundry detergents and surface cleaners can cause your skin to react. You may even react to metals like nickel, which is found in rings either alone or as a filler in white gold! Read Jennifer’s story about her nickel allergy and how she thought she was allergic to her wedding ring.

Food is often a trigger for people, but the specific offending food varies from person to person. Many times the top most common food allergens are a good place to start with eggs, dairy and gluten a leading cause of eczema on hands.

To really know whether a skincare product or home cleaning product is causing your outbreaks in the form of contact dermatitis, it’s best to conduct an elimination test to really get to the source of your flare-up. The best thing to do is move to all vinegar and water cleaning products, as you can’t get much more simple than that and if you make them yourself, it’s both easy and super inexpensive. Vinegar cleans really well and has so many uses around the home. If you don’t like the idea of vinegar and water for your laundry routine, I suggest giving the Smart Klean Laundry Ball a try. There are no added ingredients, just minerals to wash away dirt and grime. Commercial stain remover are loaded with harsh chemicals that can trigger contact dermatitis. A good alternative is the Smart Klean Natural Stain Remover, which has very limited ingredients, all of which are natural, and is a much safer and a gentler version of commercial stain removers.

If you’re experiencing irritation from every day skin and body care products like soaps or shampoos, you might want to take a look at more natural alternatives. In general, products that use as few ingredients as possible are the best bet. This way, if you do react to a product, you’ll easily be able to determine the offending ingredient when it contains only 6 instead of 20+ ingredients. In terms of hand soap, you cannot get more natural than grass fed tallow soap, which contains only 3 ingredients and is free of artificial colors and fragrances. Tallow soap is famously fatty and moisturizing and will keep your hands clean without stripping skin. It can also double as a shampoo for short hair, but if you find it’s too moisturizing or you prefer a liquid soap, Emily Skin Soothers also makes a natural body wash for eczema that doubles as a shampoo for scalp eczema or seborrheic dermatitis.

If you’ve tried all of the above and you’re stilling seeing flare-ups on your hands, it’s time to look at food and determine if it may be a trigger for you. The best way to do this is to carry out an elimination diet under a physician, dietician or nutritionist’s care, so that you can start removing certain foods from your diet to determine which may be causing the most harm. Not sure how to get started on an elimination diet? Check out our post: Our Eczema Elimination Diet Success (How You Can Do It Too!)

Another type of trigger for eczema on fingers and hands can be from seasonal allergens found in pollen and environmental allergens like dust mites, mold and dander from pets. Although these are much more difficult to eliminate, there are natural remedies that can help alleviate your allergy symptoms. Check out our post: Top Natural Remedies for Allergies for some great ideas.

Change Your Hand Washing Routine

Although natural soaps have less ingredients and some are much more fatty and moisturizing than others, soap is always more drying than washing just with water. So, whenever possible, skip the soap and rinse your hands with water and then pat dry. If you absolutely need soap, something simple like the tallow soap mentioned above is best, but always immediately follow with a good moisturizer. Switching to a natural soap is actually what really helped improve the eczema on my boyfriend’s hand. So I’m a big proponent of experimenting with different soaps.

Moisturize

If you’re experiencing dry, cracked skin or tiny blisters on your fingers and hands, you’re going to want to opt for a moisturizer that will keep your skin moist, and again has very few ingredients. Although there are several over the counter products you can use, as well as prescription creams, these are often filled with chemicals and common irritants. Thankfully, there has been much success with natural skin care too.

A favorite of ours is the Organic Manuka Skin Soothing Cream because it contains only 6 ingredients! And it can moisturize even the driest of skin and is great if you have itchy bumps on your fingers. This cream is extremely gentle and nourishing and won’t burn or sting your skin.

Protect With Gloves Day and Night

Because we use our hands all day long, it’s important to protect them from irritants as much as possible and there is no easier way to do this than to wear gloves. Although a moisturizer alone might work to keep the area moist and hydrated for a little while, wearing bamboo or cotton gloves at home over a moisturizer will lock in the moisture and help skin heal faster. If you have contact eczema (because of laundry or any other irritants), gloves will help keep your hands protected and prevent fewer flare-ups.

What are the best gloves for eczema? 100% cotton gloves can stretch out over time and lose their shape, but bamboo gloves maintain their form and are cooling, an added bonus. For overnight use, apply a layer of moisturizer on clean skin and cover with these bamboo eczema gloves for adults. They come in children’s sizes too. Wearing gloves overnight on top of a layer of moisture is called “Dry Wrapping,” and it protects the skin from scratching and irritants AND covering the skin with moisture that’s locked in with the gloves will provide soothing and overnight healing. Want to know more about dry wrapping? Check out Our Eczema Trials: Dry Wrapping.

For daily wear and protection from contact dermatitis, these fingerless gloves are durable and provide a good shield from irritants.

Wet Wrap Therapy

If you’re experiencing a severe case of hand dermatitis, you’ll want to take a look at wet wrap therapy. This process goes a step beyond dry wrapping. To wet wrap you apply a cream or balm and layer it with a soaked damp glove followed by a dry glove on top for a minimum of 2 hours. This type of therapy will keep the skin even more moisturized and will provide quick relief for even the most stubborn cases of eczema on fingers and hands because the damp layer will lock in moisture and allow it to penetrate the skin over a longer period of time before drying out. The bamboo gloves mentioned above work well for wet wrapping as well as dry wrapping.

Wet wrapping worked wondered for Jennifer’s son’s eczema. Read more about it here: Our Eczema Trials: Wet Wrap Therapy

Although having eczema on your hands can be both frustrating and irritating (literally), there are several products and therapies out there to provide relief. However, before treating the symptoms, it’s always important to know which underlying issue is causing the flare-up. This way you’ll be better prepared for flare-ups and perhaps eventually heal your hands all together!

What keeps your hand eczema under control? Share with us in the comments below!

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Hand Eczema - Pinterest

Bio: Laura is a contributor and content developer for It’s An Itchy Little World. She is in no way a medical professional. Her comments, suggestions, and reflections are not intended to replace any medical advice. Always seek the help of a medical professional before undertaking any diet or lifestyle changes. Please see It’s An Itchy Little World’s disclaimer for information about affiliate links and more.

The post 5 “Handy” Ways to Keep Hand Eczema Under Control appeared first on itchylittleworld.com.

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4 Ways to Relieve Seborrheic Dermatitis

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With winter just around the corner, little patches of itchiness are starting to pop up everywhere.  Cooler climates and harsh temperatures make it difficult to keep skin from breaking out – especially your scalp. I, like many others, developed a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis when I was younger. For so long, I thought I was suffering […]
It’s an Itchy Little World

New Year, new natural eczema remedies: 5 ways to treat eczema from the inside

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I have probably read the entire output of the internet on natural treatments for eczema and for the sake of my sanity and my bank balance I have decided to streamline. I am narrowing them down to my favourite five natural remedies for eczema and atopic dermatitis. So make yourself a cuppa, preferably oolong tea (!) and take a look at my top five natural ways to beat eczema.
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6 Ways Acupuncture Could Benefit Your Health

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Acupuncture had been practised for thousands and thousands of years over time, perfecting and refining the techniques used. Extensively studied, acupuncture has shown significant results for those with ongoing health issues or problems. Although some still remain sceptical, there are some ways acupuncture could benefit your health that might be worth trying. I’ve personally found acupuncture to work wonders for my ongoing back problems. While it might not work for everyone here are some of the ways acupuncture could help you…

Weight loss

For a lot of people, becoming healthier and losing weight is the main priority for their health. Acupuncture is no miracle cure that can help an individual lose weight if they are still eating excess calories and not exercising. However, people easily fall into patterns and their bodies follow. This could prove to be difficult when trying to lose weight for health reasons. Some people may find that excess weight may have underlying issues such as an energetic imbalance. Consumption of sugars and highly refined foods and drink can lead to fatigue, with the reliance on these same caffeinated foods and drinks making it hard to break the cycle. Acupuncture could help break this cycle for some people and give your body an energy boost allowing you to tackle unhealthy eating and a lack of exercising. Acupuncture might also help with the bodies’ aches and pains, so if a joint or muscle pain is preventing you from exercising, acupuncture could alleviate the issue!

Irritable bowel syndrome

Individuals with irregular systems may be looking for treatments which can increase their well-being and reduce symptoms. Irritable bowel syndrome is an intestinal disorder with symptoms ranging from cramping to flatulence, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and nausea. Many people suffer from IBS whether it be mild or severe, with most cases causing discomfort and embarrassment for the individual suffering. As of yet, there is no cure for IBS, however, Chinese Medicine believes that IBS represents an imbalance between the liver and the spleen. Practitioners believe that if the liver is not working effectively, the digestive system is disrupted, causing IBS symptoms. Practitioners also believe acupuncture can restore the liver and spleen harmony and reduce uncomfortable symptoms. This is not to say that only sufferers from IBS will benefit from acupuncture, anyone wanting to feel more regular and lighter may find it helpful!

Low mood

Low mood is something that affects many people and can often be overlooked and ignored but can lead to a range of unhealthy habits such as binge-eating, excess drinking and smoking. However, instead of suffering in silence it may be worth looking to get an acupuncture treatment. By inserting the needles into a specific point of the body, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules, altering the brain’s mood chemistry and increasing the production of serotonin and endorphins and stimulating neurochemicals dopamine, noradrenaline and cortisol. Acupuncture can, for some, help the release of the hormones that keep our mood high and give us bursts of pleasure. This may be the pick-me-up you need if you are suffering from low mood!

Sleep

Many people do not get the recommended amount of sleep per day. With the increased use of technology, it is getting harder for people to switch off (mind the pun) and relax before going to sleep. Sleep provides vital health benefits such as kerbing inflammation that can be linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and arthritis, it can also help maintain a healthy weight as sleep and metabolism are controlled by the same sectors of the brain. In those who suffer for problematic sleep patterns, often the brain refuses to shut down at night. This causes sleeping problems and decreased energy, leaving the person to feel physically exhausted. Along with help from the patient (such as making an effort to sleep earlier) acupuncture has been shown to relax some individuals and break their sleeping pattern so that they can sleep earlier and for longer.

Headache

Tension-type headaches are very common nowadays with a lot of people sitting at a desk staring at a screen all day. This kind of a headache can be mild but can last hours or come in bursts. Although many people treat headaches with over the counter medication such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, these kinds of medications can become ineffective over a long period of time. If you are someone that suffers from headaches, acupuncture could provide a much-needed health benefit, increasing your overall sense of well-being.

Stress

Up to half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress every year which often results in illness with many people suffering from increased levels of anxiety as a result of stress. Stress can also be responsible for other conditions such as IBS, headache, menopausal symptoms so may be the underlying cause of your health problem. By deactivating the ‘analytic brain’ and stimulating a production of endogenous opioids that effect the autonomic nervous system, acupuncture can activate the parasympathetic nervous system that brings down the body from the sympathetic nervous system or ‘flight or fight’ mode that keeps your body on edge. The increased levels of endorphins and serotonin can increase your mood helping to combat the feeling of stress.

As I mentioned at the start of this article, I’ve personally found acupuncture to be a very successful alternative treatment for back pain which I’ve suffered from for years due to an old dance injury. Although the outcome differs from person to person it’s definitely worth considering if you feel you’re running out of options and don’t want to keep popping the pills. This was my personal area of concern, I knew it wasn’t healthy to be living off Ibuprofen so I knew I had to investigate alternative treatments.

I would also like to note that my acupuncturist is also a fully qualified medical doctor, and is, therefore, able to offer a more informed approach drawing on experience as both a doctor and acupuncturist. I would highly recommend finding a practitioner with similar qualifications to anyone who is struggling with back/joint pain and is considering acupuncture.

As always, please consult your GP or healthcare professional before starting any new alternative medicine or treatment.

What are your thoughts on acupuncture? Have you tried it before, did you have success?

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