Natural Habits That Heal Dry Skin

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Jessica Iclisoy, California Baby

Monday, January 25, 2010

Daily cleansing and moisturizing is an essential part of caring for your skin and your child’s. But for those who suffer from extremely dry skin or eczema, a relaxing bath or a soothing warm shower can turn into a dry and itchy affair.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a common skin condition marked by itching, redness and scaly patches. It is very common in babies, usually appearing on the face, chest, back, arms or legs during the first 6 months and can last throughout childhood. Unfortunately, many children will outgrow eczema only to have it reappear in adulthood. The condition can be difficult to deal with, but you may be surprised at how many treatment options you have. And by making just a few simple lifestyle changes, you can get back on the path to baby soft skin.

Check your water: Bathing in chlorinated tap water strips the skin of its natural oils and can cause itching and scaling—not what you want when you’re already battling dry skin. Using a shower filter to remove chlorine can be helpful in preventing further irritation.

Beat the heat: Keep your thermostat on the cool side, which will save energy as well as your skin; high indoor heat saps moisture from the air. And lower the temperature of your bath water as eczema has a tendency to flare up as the temperature rises.

Choose gentle cleansers: Harsh cleansers strip skin of its natural oils, leaving it unprotected from the elements and more susceptible to irritants and dryness. Instead suds up with a non-sulfate cleanser, preferably one made with without allergy triggering synthetic fragrances.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize: When your child steps out of the shower or tub, don’t towel off those magical moisturizing water droplets! Trap them next to the skin with lotion, a super rich cream, or hi-oleic vegetable oil.

Watch what you eat: Since eczema is caused by a reaction in the immune system, certain foods—especially tropical fruits such as mangos and pineapples—can cause flair-ups. Check with your doctor or dermatologist first and then try an elimination diet to pinpoint the culprit.

Know the secret ingredient: Calendula! This wonder flower is helpful in treating a whole host of skin issues, including eczema, rosacea, sunburn and just plain old dry skin. Try growing the easy annual flower in your garden and using the flowers to make a homemade tea for the bath. Here’s how: Put 5 or 6 flower tops in a muslin tea bag and drop into a tea cup; fill the cup with hot water and let steep for 20 minutes. Then simply pour the tea into a temperate bath.

Mother Nature: 1, Hydrocortisone: 0!

Jessica Iclisoy is the Founder and President of California Baby, an extensive collection of completely natural personal care products for babies, kids and adults with sensitive skin.

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.

Posted by Angie on 02/05/2010 at 01:02 PM

Often children and adults who have eczema and other skin issues (acne) are not getting enough EFAs (essential fatty acids). Supplementing with cod liver oil or fish oil can help tremendously. I’ve found Nordic Naturals to be the best. (It’s third part tested to be mercury free) One teaspoon twice a day freed my daughter of eczema that caused her to itch until she bled. At first I mixed it in applesauce, but now she asks for it and takes right off the spoon. Also the fish oil provides vitamin D which we are all lacking this time of year. (at least in my locale) Evening primrose oil can also help, but do read up on it before using. It’s good for initial help but not long term use in children. I discovered all this after much research because Doctors were just prescribing steroid creams; which we all no extended use of those is really bad for young children.

Posted by Emily on 02/05/2010 at 10:35 AM

I’ve been able to avoid using steroid creams by using California Baby’s Calendula cream instead. It’s working miracles for my son’s eczema. Thanks so much for the other great tips!

Posted by MRochell on 01/27/2010 at 09:54 PM

Thank you, these are excellent tips for helping eczema. I’m so glad to know that Calendula can also be helpful. Sometimes a gentle oatmeal bath can be soothing too. Yes, I’ve heard many people say that their eczema is affected by what they eat, and that using gentle, non-toxic products makes a big difference.

Posted by Patricia Butter on 01/25/2010 at 08:11 PM

Great article. I was growing Calendula in my garden to attract pollinators, and noticed that when I picked the flowers for our salads, the resin was helping to heal the eczema on my hands. When my youngest daughter started getting allergic rashes on her tummy, I studied how to use our Calendula to make a cream to help. It took a couple of years, but we now have not only a beautiful all-natural and non-toxic soothing skin cream made especially for children, but a growing business making and selling our Buttercup & Jake products. It is very rewarding to see big rows of golden Calendula organically grown for us by local farmers who are happy to attract bees and butterflies to their fields.

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