Healing Eczema
I've been seeing a lot of eczema in my practice lately. Maybe this is because we're coming out of winter and our skin is dryer than usual; or because Spring, and pollen, is in the air and our bodies are working on processing more environmental toxins. Whatever the case may be, consider a naturopathic approach for your or your child's eczema!
From the Inside Out
Many types of eczema are a sign of deeper issues going on. With diet, nutrient deficiencies, leaky gut, environmental exposures, efficiency of detox pathways, and liver health toping the charts of underlying causes.
Thinking of it from my naturopathic approach, it doesn’t make sense to just put on topical steroids to cover up the issue. With my patients, we work to get to the bottom of the problem to heal the eczema from the inside out. Don’t get me wrong, if you or your child has bleeding eczema, a day or two of topical steroids can be a life saver. I don’t have a never use policy in my practice. Do keep in mind that steroids can thin the skin and I don’t recommend using it in sensitive areas like the face or genitals.
Think about this: If the problem is just covered up with medications, the underlying imbalance is still happening and can keep progressing into other health issues.
Allergic Triad
Sometimes with eczema in children, they will have what’s called the allergic triad of conditions: allergies, asthma and eczema. These conditions are really a sign of an underlying imbalance. Adults with one or more of the allergic triad are more likely to have IBS. If your child has one or more of these issues, consider a naturopathic approach.
Outside In
As with all skin conditions, my approach is to work both internally and topically with natural healing topical ointments, in an individualized way.
Try these at home:
- Exfoliate that dead, dry skin away. Use a wash cloth in the bath or shower, gently rubbing over the affected areas.
- Eat more fatty foods. Essential fats are commonly low in folks with eczema.
- The outside in approach - apply an herbal moisturizer with calendula after a shower.