The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Borax
Posted by Middlebunny (Jersey City, NJ, USA) on 03/23/2008
★★★★★
I have had eczema occasionally for years. I'm not sure of the cause. My dermatologist used to prescribe elocon cream; however, this is no longer on the rx formulary for my health plan and too expensive to purchase without insurance. I began putting 1/4 teaspoon of borax (laundry soap) in 1 liter of water and drinking this while at work. I'm not a water drinker so I rarely finish the whole bottle and don't do it consistently (4 days on and 3 days off) as Ted recommended. Despite this, the eczema seems to be improving substantially. It is no longer itchy and seems to be fading away after about 6 weeks.
Vitamin B-Complex
Posted by Lisa (Lawton, OK) on 12/01/2007
★★★★★
I was diagnosed with eczema many years ago. The Dr. prescribed some medication, but I didn't want to take it because I was pregnant at the time. Tried Vitamin B-Complex after reading about the benefits. I took 1 in the morning and 1 at night and the eczema started to clear up after about 3 weeks. I then started taking just 1 pill a day and if I get lazy and don't take it for several days, I start feeling the "itch" starting. This might help Jordan with the "itchy bumps". I hope so. I'm somewhat of a petite person; I don't know if body weight would affect the amount of B-complex needed to see possible improvement.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Ryan (Chicago, Illinois) on 10/03/2007
★★★★★
I have had EXCELLENT success with ACV (2tbs) and Baking Soda (1/4 tsp or so) in a glass of water three times per day especially upon waking. I also mix a small thermos with another two doses and sip it during the afternoon. I definitely find it energizing and the psoriasis/eczema (whatever it is -- apples/oranges) I've had on my elbows ever since an extended fast is clearing up PRONTO. I'm very excited. I think I'll be a lifelong devotee. Ted -- you're awesome. I'm also taking a bit of borax occasionally and experimenting with the sodium thiowhateveritis. Best of luck to everyone.
Honey
Posted by seagull (Atlanta, GA) on 07/03/2007
★★★★★
i read the suggestion of using honey for eczema - i mixed honey with some vaseline for easier spreadability and then put on cotton gloves - altho it took several days - it worked!! the palms of my hands are almost clear now - were really bad. great idea - tx so much!!
Eliminate Citric Acid
Posted by Kate (Adelaide, SA, Australia) on 06/28/2009
★★★★★
I would say that Teri from Atlanta is on the right track regarding citrus. I had eczema all of my childhood. My family and I eventually came to the realization that acidic properties were to blame, in particular oranges. Every since that discovery I have stayed well clear of them. I also have to watch my intake of other acidic fruits such as tomatoes, lemons, limes and even grapes. Your little one is so young, but even now you can record what you feed her each day and in another column you can write her reaction to that food, if any. Eventually you will see a pattern form. There may be one or more culprits. As your daughter gets older, the key is to put a topical cream on before she feels the itch. That is if you want to use that on her skin. I used to apply it once I had already starting scratching and by that point it was useless because it would just make me want to scratch even more. When I learned to apply it religiously (about 2-3 times per day) it would be more controllable. Stay away from soap, there are plenty of soap free products today that will be gentler for your baby's sensitive skin. The worst thing one can do is scratch an eczema spot 'vigorously' as that will only spread it. Just digging a nail lightly in or even just pressing against the itchy point is usually enough to relieve the itch. Remember 'Knowledge Is Power' so explore this condition as much as you can and you will help your daughter no end.
Turmeric
Posted by SuSu (Sacramento, CA) on 02/03/2007
★★★★★
After taking turmeric, 1/4 heaping tsp, and then stopping, I realized that the eczema on my palms had disappeared and then returned when I quit taking the turmeric. I resumed and it's been gone ever since.
Table Salt
Posted by Celene (West Springfield, MA) on 11/18/2006
★★★★★
I tried using a teaspoon of table salt, mixed with a little warm water to form a paste. I applied it to the side of my nose (where the crease is) because i have a very itchy patch of skin there that I can't seem to stop scratching! Putting salt on itchy skin works! It breaks the scratch/itch cycle, but eating garlic everyday will help also!
Rice Water
Posted by noel (california) on 01/05/2025
★★★★★
saw a post on Twitter about soaking white rice (or any type of rice) in water for 24 hours? then applying the water to your eczema. Not sure if it works, but some replies were positive, and saw some reddit posts talking about it too. I'm not 100% sure on how long to soak the rice; some people say 30 minutes while others say 3 days, while others mentioned bathing in rice water. I soaked about 1 Tablespoon of white rice in about 3-4 Tablespoons distilled water for 6 days and it kind of smelled kinda rancid but seems to still work okay, but you might not want to soak it more than a couple days.
Dietary Changes
Posted by noel (california) on 02/18/2025
just a followup to my own post... I have been toying with the elimination diet to figure out once and for all exactly what was giving me Skin issues - and I have seemed to narrow it down to SALT. I was a huge salt addict as long as I can remember, and they put SODIUM in everything nowadays, especially canned veggies and soda. (For a few years I have had Sebbhorreic Dermatitis and or Eczema) as well as other health issues such as NAFLD / Fatty Liver and this pesky weird issue where one of my nostrils was clogged most the time. I have been salt free for a couple weeks now and I my skin flare-ups & nostril problem have gone away. So doing a quick Google search for "Salt Leaky Gut" or "Salt Autoimmune" "Salt Fatty Liver" and you can find many studies which backup this claim. And this makes sense as they say all health begins in the gut..
"A high-salt diet can contribute to leaky gut syndrome by damaging the tight junctions in your gut lining. This can lead to inflammation and changes in the gut's microbiome"
So I theorize either salt is toxic or causing autoimmune responses in some people. Maybe As your liver gets worse from high carbs or high fructose corn syrup, it becomes less able to filter out bad things such as too much salt which compounds the problem in your gut.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Vera (Colorado) on 02/19/2025
Noel, we talked a while back, and I suggested high dose biotin, as biotin is often a cure for seb. eczema. You sounded interested at that time. Have you tried it since?
Avoid Garlic
Posted by Robyn M. (Adelaide, South Australia) on 05/11/2022
★★★★★
Suffering from Eczema - STOP eating Garlic
Try this it worked for my son (who has had eczema for 15 years) and myself (I have had eczema for 40 years) - stop eating GARLIC. We have spent thousands of dollars on cures to no avail. Check food labels for garlic, takeway foods etc. It took us about four weeks before we noticed a difference. Now if I do happen to have garlic, my hands flair a little but soon goes away. I so hope this helps.
Boric Acid for Ear Eczema
Posted by Catherine (MO) on 03/17/2021
★★★★☆
For ear eczema:
I have had luck with a liquid solution of boric acid. I add powder to a small bottle of distilled water. It provides almost immediate relief and if used regularly, keeps things clear. It does not eliminate it, it always comes back, but has worked better than the many remedies I have tried.
Vitamin D, Eliminate Dairy
Posted by Missm (New York) on 07/31/2020
I also had issue with dairy, and had scalp and eye issues. Look up demodex mites, and also malassezia yeast.
Eliminating dairy and oils on skin can clear these issues up.
Kefir + Colostrum
Posted by Jennifer (United States) on 09/13/2019
★★★★★
Milk kefir and bovine colostrum both cure eczema. They are gut healers. My husband had eczema, and we finally found a cure. It's cheaper and better to make your own milk kefir. I found a facebook group offering free milk grains to make your own kefir, you just have to pay the shipping. Since kefir grains multiply, you can share them with others who need help. It's simple to make as well, and you can flavor it any way you like. We like to add a little sugar, frozen grated lemon, and strawberries to ours. Also, for the skin, if he broke out we would use first the dmso, then colloidal silver and aloe vera gel. You can skip the colloidal silver if you don't make your own; because otherwise it's too expensive to purchase. These seem to stop the itching.
Parasite Connection
Posted by lioness (USA) on 09/05/2019
Hi, I had some kind of eczema/dermatitis off and on this summer on a different finger at different times. I've had this kind of dermatitis before but this summer it was worse and the itch was really super annoying. Nothing helped it until I remembered a remedy that I heard a naturopathic doctor talk about for poison ivy. That remedy is: - rub sea salt (dry or slightly damp) into the blisters (they will break) - rinse with water - final rinse with hydrogen peroxide poured from bottle - keep uncovered - will dry out and - will not spread. I did everything but the hydrogen peroxide rinse each time. The itch was gone immediately, it dried out and healed. It's the only thing I tried that worked You may have something similar?
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Mch (Sd) on 12/29/2018
Thank you for the suggestion. I've wondered about gluten before, but haven't yet eliminated those three. I'm more than willing to try anything at this point. Thanks for taking time to post.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Deirdre (LA) on 09/05/2018
★★☆☆☆
Last summer, 2017, I started to get eczema on the top of one foot which seems to be caused by any shoe material. It was quite minor, just a few itchy spots here and there. However, this summer has been particularly brutal with itching and the spots keep appearing in different areas on my foot, depending on which sandal I wear. Hot weather and any sugar consumption definitely make it worse.
I have tried almost all the remedies on Earth Clinic's eczema section one at a time this summer to no avail. These remedies include topical borax paste, topical magnesium, Art's indigo powder in cetaphil remedy, lugol's iodine, baking soda paste, sea salt poultice, Himalayan salt poultice, topical apple cider vinegar, and finally essential oils like lavender, tea tree oil and mint. Most of those remedies soothe the area but nothing gets rid of it. Also to note: any remedy mixed in a cream lotion or oil like coconut oil makes the rash itch fiercely and spread.
The best remedy so far has been holding a qtip dipped in lugol's iodine on each itchy spot for about a minute as it takes away the fierce itch for about 12 hours. However, it also stains my foot and takes a couple of days to disappear. I am going to switch to decolorized iodine and try that next.
I was wondering if anyone had additional suggestions of remedies I can test.
Art, I am on day 2 of Pine Bark Extract supplements. That is the first supplement I am trying internally to treat this condition.
Thanks so much for any and all advice! D
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Cathy (San Jose) on 09/06/2018
There is an outstanding product line called Forces of Nature and they carry a product for Eczema. Worth a try ...
Multiple Remedies
Posted by KT (Usa) on 10/26/2018
Cod Liver and Evening Primrose Oils
Posted by Healed37 (San Diego ) on 12/18/2017
Mine doesn't recommend with food so I don't take with food & have been fine.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 06/17/2017
Dear Hb,
I am so sorry to hear about your baby's eczema!
I would take her off strawberries for a while, especially if they are not organic.
If it would be possible for you to make goat milk kefir fresh, that is the first thing I would be trying. If not, some high quality plain yogurt (maybe with some of the fruits you give her.) I think Fage is a good one.
Topically for relief, if you could find a plantain or calendula salve at your health food store it may provide some relief. It isn't hard to make and I can walk you through how to do that if you think you would want to make your own.
I would also try some baths with baking soda or Epsom salt or raw organic apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup if a tub of warm water.
Did the eczema begin when you began the formula? Have you tried any other types? What does the pediatrician think is the cause?
I hope you find relief for her soon!
~Mama to Many~
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Rachel (Chicago) on 06/19/2017
I thought of two more things to help after making my last comment. One is -- you are giving her formula. Are you using tap water, or fluoridated water to make her formula? Because both of those have fluoride, and tap water also has chlorine -- and fluoride and chlorine cause eczema, because the body is trying to detox these toxins through the skin. I take gallon containers to my local grocery or health food store and refill them with water that has been filtered, run through reverse osmosis, and treated with ultraviolet light. When I move to a new area, I try all the sources of this kind of refillable water -- to find which location has the best tasting water. I would use this kind of water to make baby's formula with.
Secondly, I would give her organic coconut oil -- probably in her formula. I read Adelle Davis' book called Let's Eat Right To Keep Fit, and in it she writes of a baby that had eczema, and she fed the baby vegetable oil, because he had been on a low fat diet. The baby was ravenous for the vegetable oil, and it healed his eczema. I'd put coconut oil in baby's formula, because it is the BEST vegetable oil of all, and also kills viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi! As for how much coconut oil to give a person, I just follow my instincts, although you might want to online search on that as well. It's been a long time since my kids were babies.
Hair Dye
Posted by Mapu (Hawaii) on 04/10/2017
Pls research the dangers of Hair Dyes. Also research Henna powder for a safer. Mountain Rose Herbs carry good quality Henna.
Emu Oil
Posted by Lam (Florida) on 01/08/2016
★★★★★
I've been going out of my mind tonight with several large patches of what look like eczema on my face. They've been itching like crazy. When I read about Emu Oil for Eczema at Earth Clinic, I remembered that I had a bottle of emu oil. Almost instantly after applying it, the itch stopped. INCREDIBLE!!!
Sea Salt
Posted by Grace (Portland, Oregon) on 01/15/2015
★★★★★
I had bad case of Eczema, I went to the dermatologist and my MD twice and the ointment just made it worse than ever.
I decided to try fine mediterranean sea salt. One cup of warm water and about 3 to 4 tablespoon sea salt, let the sea salt dissolve and then at the end of my shower I turn the water then I would pour the Sea Salt water mixture on the eczema let it dry on my skin, This stopped the rash and itching, I also splashed this sea salt water on my face and noticed my dry eye problem seemed to be disappearing!
Calendula
Posted by Sophia (Canada) on 12/01/2014
★★★★★
Please try a homeopathic cream using calendula. It seems to have healed the ezcema on my lips, eyelids and cheeks. I was recommended to take a liver support natural supplement; the one I'm taking has milk thistle.
Best of luck.
Vitamin B3
Posted by Zark (Emerald City, The Land Of Oz) on 11/24/2014
★★★★★
To put it simply - Vitamin B3 clears eczema and can be taken by mouth or used as a cream.
Earlier in the year I had been using a homemade Vitamin B3 cream to clear my eczema. In the last two or three months I have switched to taking this internally instead. I found that if I take 500mg of B3 orally twice a day then this is sufficient to clear any eczema from my body. Taking it this way has been working very nicely for me. Much better to assist the body through nutrition than to whack the immune system into submission with an immune suppressant.
I'm finding taking it internally is a bit more reliable than using a cream. My body is still prone to various forms of inflammation (eg. rhinitis, proctitis, prostatitis) and I am gradually finding better ways of dealing with each problem. So with that in mind, I think it is sensible to treat this problem systemically, as there is a possibility that it will address some systemic issue.. and who knows, maybe it will knock out the root cause whatever that may be.
== Abstracts, Quotes, Etc ==
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotinamide Skin conditions
Nicotinamide has demonstrated anti-inflammatory actions that may be of benefit to patients with inflammatory skin conditions.[4] These conditions include acne vulgaris, and the compound can suppress antigen-induced, lymphocytic transformation and inhibit 3', 5'-cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase. Nicotinamide has demonstrated the ability to block the inflammatory actions of iodides known to precipitate or exacerbate inflammatory acne.
This research shows that B3 can the effectiveness of neutrophil immune cells by up to 1000 times
Title: C/EBPe mediates nicotinamide-enhanced clearance of Staphylococcus aureus in mice
Source: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/62070?key=a39ce7efc2f764ede04
The myeloid-specific transcription factor, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein e (C/EBPe) is a critical mediator of myelopoiesis. Mutation of this gene is responsible for neutrophil-specific granule deficiency in humans, a condition that confers susceptibility to Staphylococcus aureus infection. We found that C/EBPe-deficient mice are severely affected by infection with S. aureus, and C/EBPe deficiency in neutrophils contributes to the infectious phenotype. Conversely, exposure to the epigenetic modulator nicotinamide (vitamin B3) increased expression of C/EBPe in WT myeloid cells. Further, nicotinamide increased the activity of C/EBPe and select downstream antimicrobial targets, particularly in neutrophils. In a systemic murine infection model as well as in murine and human peripheral blood, nicotinamide enhanced killing of S. aureus by up to 1,000 fold but had no effect when administered to either C/EBPe-deficient mice or mice depleted of neutrophils. Nicotinamide was efficacious in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings. Our findings suggest that C/EBPe is an important target to boost killing of bacteria by the innate immune system.
