Eczema-Finding Hope

Understanding the causes of eczema is critical in discovering your path to healing.

Eczema affects over 30 million Americans and has dramatically increased in the past 60 years. It affects 10-20% of US children and is characterized by itchy red areas which often blister and ooze.

While eczema may not be life threatening, it can be devastating for those who have it.

It can be painful, interrupt sleep, make you feel self-conscious, embarrassed, prevent you from doing the activities you love, and wearing clothes that are fun and show skin.

I know a potter who had to stop her craft because her raw and exposed hands could not take contact with moisture.

I know someone else who loved giving cooking classes but had to stop when her eczema flared because of the look of her hands. Let’s face it, people are not going to be really happy about someone handling food with open sores or wearing gloves.

The solution offered from the dermatologist is usually advice on how to hydrate the affected areas, moisturize with barrier creams, a prescript for topical and sometimes oral steroids, and sometimes an immunosuppressant. These all treat the symptoms and help to relieve the itching, pain and redness but unfortunately, they do not address the root cause, which is why most people get stuck and never improve in the long term.

There’s also something called a rebound effect once you stop taking steroidal cream after a long period of time. This is when your eczema comes back with a vengeance and often worse than it was before. There is ususally significant thinning of the skin that’s been treated with the steroidal cream adding another layer of aggravation and sensitivity.

What causes Eczema

There are a couple of ideas about the etiology of eczema. Research is pointing towards eczema as an autoimmune disease couple with a reaction to a bacteria called, Staphylococcus Aureus on the skin. Some people are just more genetically susceptible to the skin reacting to the bacteria causing the redness and lesions.

What aggravates it? Inflammatory foods, a leaky gut, an imbalanced of gut bacteria, lotions and potions, overuse of antibacterial soaps and wipes, water, hormonal imbalances, and STRESS.

Now, let’s connect these dots so you can heal from eczema. This is where the hope and magic begins! Click here for the protocol I recommend to my clients.

With much care,

Cindy D