SPECIAL REPORT: ECZEMA

When I go out, I usually have a couple of bars of soap with me to give away to people I meet. One woman I met was concerned about her daughter's eczema. She has been looking for solutions to help her child. I let her know that I would do some research and develop an eczema set for her child to help relieve discomfort caused by eczema.

There are many chemicals in body care and cleaning products. A lot of these chemicals have been shown to increase the frequency, duration and severity of eczema outbreaks. There are many ways to reduce your suffering - but first you need to know what could be making it worse.

Household chemicals such as spray cleaners, floor cleaners, candles scented with synthetic fragrances, and products that contain heavy fragrances should be avoided. While not directly in contact with the skin, the chemicals hang in the air and settle on surrounding surfaces, much like cigarette smoke. These air-borne particles come in contact with the skin, increasing the risks of more frequent and severe outbreaks of eczema.

It is easy to make and use natural cleaning solutions to reduce household environmental toxins in your home that could be increasing the frequency, duration and severity of eczema outbreaks. There are hundreds resources both online and in book stores that contain the information you need to reduce or eliminate chemical-laden conventional household cleaning products. If you are a candle-freak like me, switch to beeswax candles without synthetic fragrances. The sweet aroma of beeswax creates a warm and wonderful environment without heavy perfumes. You also have the option of using a diffuser for essential oils to give your home wonderful natural aromas without irritating eczema-prone skin.

Fragrances and solvents in laundry detergents and skin care products are also known triggers of eczema. Choose fragrance-free, dye-free and petroleum-free laundry and skin care products. Wash linens with 1 cup of baking soda. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil - such as lavender - to the rinse cycle for a gentle fragrance that has not been shown to increase the frequency, duration and severity of eczema. I wash all my clothes with baking soda and lemongrass essential oil. Baking soda changes the pH of the water so the dirt just disappears and is a natural killer of germs as well as a whitening agent that won't fade colors. In addition, it is a lot cheaper than detergents or 'all-natural' laundry soaps.

Surprisingly, synthetic clothing is also a risk factor in eczema. If it is not possible to avoid synthetic clothing (nylon, rayon, etc) be sure to wear cotton or hemp clothing to protect your eczema from the synthetic blends. Synthetic colorants in clothing have also shown to increase the frequency, duration and severity of eczema outbreaks. If it is not possible or practical to choose cotton or hemp clothing, at least be sure to keep a cotton or hemp layer between eczema and synthetic clothing and clothing with synthetic colorants.

Keep all alcohol and alcohol-containing products far away from your eczema. Conventional lotions, creams and many liquid soaps contain alcohol. Alcohol will over-dry the skin, leading to even more dryness and increased frequency, duration and severity of eczema. Be sure to choose all-natural soaps and lotions without alcohol or synthetic dyes or fragrances.

SPECIAL NOTE: Avoid Tea Tree oil. Surprisingly, this essential oil has been shown in a number of scientific studies to increase the severity of eczema.