How to relieve itching during eczema crisis ?
Eczema affects millions of people, this skin condition can appear anywhere on the body and results in inflamed, itchy and dry patches of skin.
Although there is currently no specific cure for eczema, several treatments are used to control the symptoms. New research suggests that creating a skin barrier early in eczema may help prevent additional diagnoses such as food allergies, asthma, hay fever. (1) Don’t scratch your skin in silence, we have some good alternatives to make your day more peaceful and less itchy.
．Use Zinc Oxide skin care
Directly traced back to ancient Egyptian times, (2) zinc oxide has strong anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy and antipruritic properties. Zinc is actually a metal element well needed for the human body’s functions and a deficiency could cause several symptoms such as dull skin, loss of appetite, or even imbalanced menstrual periods in women.
Its anti-inflammatory, anti allergy and antipruritic properties make zinc oxide a go-to in eczema treatment. Indeed, Hospital clinical trials have shown that zinc oxide clothing can alleviate the discomfort caused by sensitive skin by continuously releasing trace amounts of zinc ions while wearing them. (3)
．Apply Peppermint essential oil
This is probably one of the most natural ways to stop the itch-scratch cycle. Peppermint is an essential oil with strong anti-fungal, antimicrobial and analgesic properties. Several studies mentioned that this essential oil contains a lot of anti-allergenic, anti-itch and painkilling action on skin application.
For people suffering from eczema, peppermint oil is an essential all-natural treatment. It is considered as one of the most effective treatments to soothe and calm the effects of eczema and it helps the skin to heal faster.
．Wet wrap therapy
Wet wrap therapy have been studied and used as a therapeutic solution for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. These are water-soaked fabric wraps made of gauze and surgical netting that need to be applied on the areas of itchy skin. This therapy is quite beneficial for children who have difficulties of not touching and scratching their skin.
They rehydrate and provide physical barrier that protects against scratching. They may also help to absorb creams. National Eczema Association suggests before applying the wraps, to put your cream on the area and follow with generous layer of wraps. Leave wet wraps on for several hour or even overnight, but take care not to let them dry out. (4)
．Avoid stress
People suffering from eczema should avoid possible irritants as they make itchiness even worse. Which includes: hot water, fragranced skincare products, wool and synthetics fibers and finally, stress.
Stress is probably the most common health condition in our modern society. Studies showed that stress can trigger itching. (5) Indeed, people who have increased itchiness in period of stress could benefit from trying to reduce stress and specific techniques, such as yoga or even meditation.
．Eliminate dietary factors
Diet has been studied for decades to understand whether or not diet can cause or exacerbate eczema. A research actually suggests that adhering to elimination diet could help people suffering from eczema to reduce symptoms and their overall skin-condition. (6)
Food-sensitive eczema reactions usually occur about six to 24 hours after a person ingest a specific food. (7) So it is important to avoid some of the most common foods known to cause eczema, such as diary, eggs, gluten, soy, some types of nuts, etc.．Conclusion
While many questions about eczema remain unanswered, National Eczema Association has invested over $1,4 million to date to support a deeper understanding of eczema and new treatment strategies. (8)
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