Your eczema really bugs you.
Not only is it ugly, but it itches.
Boy, does it itch! It's all you can do to keep from scratching yourself raw, and sometimes you catch yourself scratching without realizing you were doing it.
You want some relief and you want it now.
You hear the siren call of the dermatologist promising you relief with cortisone.
Don't go there! Don't be lulled by the sweet promise of relief with steroids and crash onto those rocks.
There are better ways.
Lots of better ways than steroids.
First of all, there is no denying that cortisone creams - and for those of you who don't know, cortisone is a steroid - will give you virtually instant relief from eczema itching.
But this relief comes with a price.
That price is adverse side effects.
Here are some of the side effects, as listed by the American Academy of Dermatologists: - cataracts - glaucoma - nausea - vomiting - growth retardation in children - hypertension - osteoporosis - weight gain - skin effects Do you want to potentially subject yourself to these side effects just to get some relief from your itching? Remember, too, that steroids do not cure eczema; they simply address the symptoms.
Conventional wisdom says that a lot of eczema symptoms are due to allergies and sensitivities to chemicals and toxins in our environment.
If you suspect you have allergies, especially food allergies, get allergy tests and then eliminate the allergens you find from your diet or your environment.
If you find you are allergic to mushrooms, for example, a not uncommon food allergy by the way, and you eliminate mushrooms from your diet, what are the adverse side effects? Um...
no mushroom soup at lunch? What is the potential upside? Your eczema is cured.
Switch to an organic diet.
Conventionally farmed produce is loaded with pesticides, fungicides, and chemical fertilizers and no matter how thoroughly you wash your fruits and vegetables, some residues will remain.
These are poisons and chances are you could be reacting to them, even in trace amounts.
Organic foods are chemical free.
Use natural personal hygiene products.
Look at the ingredients in your bar of soap, your shampoo, your lotions, or your toothpaste.
If you're using products from a major brand, chances are they have lots of chemicals in them and you may be having reactions to them.
If you use soap with natural ingredients - ingredients from nature - like coconut oil for example, you won't have an eczema flare up unless you happen to be allergic to coconut oil or one of the other natural ingredients.
If that happens, then simply find another product.
Do the same thing with the other products you use around your house.
Even examine your clothing for sensitivities.
If you make some of the changes outlined in this article, chances are you will at the very least find a great deal of relief.
Some say that you can't cure eczema, but if you can, through easily doable changes in your lifestyle, put your eczema into permanent remission, isn't that the same thing?