At-Home Remedies for Reducing Eczema Triggers

Eczema is a chronic skin condition that affects about 10% of the American population. Although eczema consists of many different subtypes, the most common kinds of eczema are atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis. Both of these cause rashes and itchy, dry skin that can become red and flaky.

While a professional dermatologist can provide you with some remedies for eczema, there are plenty of things you can do on your own at home to both relieve current eczema symptoms and prevent future flare-ups of the skin condition.

Our dermatology team at Integrated Dermatology of 19th Street in Washington, DC, understands how frustrating eczema flare-ups can be. Here are some natural remedies so you can find one that works best for you.

Home remedies for eczema

There isn’t necessarily a single method that has proven to work best, but these are some home treatments that have been reported to provide relief for different people at different times:

Topical treatments

Applying these topical treatments to your skin can provide relief from itching and prevent eczema symptoms from getting worse:

• Coconut oil
• Aloe vera gel
• Petroleum jelly
• Sunflower oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Colloidal oatmeal 
• Tea tree oil
• Cool compresses

While these may not work for everyone, many report getting relief from these topical treatments. Not only can they reduce your symptoms, but they can also improve the barrier of your skin and prevent the development of infections if you do get patches of broken skin.

Baths

Taking a bath is a great way to reduce both itching and inflammation. While it may seem counterintuitive, adding about a half-cup of bleach to a full bathtub or 1 teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water can kill dangerous bacteria that lead to staph infections. 

Try taking a warm bath about 2-3 times a week with warm water and gentle soaps. Too hot water can dry out your skin and soaps with harsh fragrances or chemicals can further irritate your eczema.

Relaxation

Stress is often a trigger for eczema, so finding ways to reduce stress levels can diminish body-wide inflammation and your eczema symptoms as a result. We recommend trying out these relaxation techniques:

• Meditation
• Deep breathing
• Visualization
• Yoga

In addition, avoiding consuming large amounts of alcohol and exercising regularly has also been shown to help manage stress levels.

Come and see us for expert eczema care

If you find that these aren’t enough to manage your eczema symptoms, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with our team so we can determine your eczema triggers and provide next-level treatments. You can schedule an appointment by calling 202-955-6995 or using our online scheduler today.