Did you know that nearly 32 million Americans suffer from eczema? And the number of eczema cases has nearly tripled in the last 30 years!
Today I want to share an excerpt from Joyous Health’s eczema guide.
Are you someone who is curious about conventional methods (or have you used conventional methods) to treat your eczema? If so, read on below.
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Corticosteroids and immunosuppressants are the most common ways conventional practitioners like dermatologists and general practitioners manage eczema. They suppress the immune system and control inflammation medically, not naturally. Note that I used the word “manage” and not treat, because that’s all that Corticosteroids do — they manage the symptoms versus treating the root cause.
Antibiotics are another conventional route, but they disrupt the immune system and negatively impact the bacteria on your skin. Knowing what we now know about the skin and microbiome, it becomes vividly clear that antibiotics are a short-sighted approach.
These therapies do not get at the heart of the disorder and they do not address the root cause. They only manage the symptoms, and come with their own set of side effects.
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Here’s a full rundown of the most common conventional therapies, as recommended on Mayoclinic.org, including my take on each one:
Creams to control itch/inflammation
- Your doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid cream or ointment. Overuse of this drug may cause skin irritation or discoloration, thinning of the skin, infections, and stretch marks. Thinning the skin may actually make eczema worse as these creams can make the skin of patients up to 70% thinner, potentially causing skin barrier dysfunction.
Creams that help repair the skin
- Drugs called calcineurin inhibitors — such as tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel) — affect your immune system. When applied to the skin, they help maintain the integrity of the skin, control itching and reduce flare-ups of atopic dermatitis.
My take: Any drug that affects the immune system should be avoided because this can indirectly contribute to making eczema worse. You need a strong immune system to ward off bad bacteria and viruses.
Drugs to fight infection
- You may have been prescribed antibiotics if you have a bacterial skin infection, an open sore or cracked skin caused by scratching. Your doctor may recommend taking oral antibiotics for a short time to treat an infection. He or she may also suggest you take it for a longer time to reduce bacteria on your skin and to prevent another infection.
My take: Antibiotics slowly destroy the gut by reducing the good bacteria allowing yeast and bad bacteria to flourish. However, it may be necessary to eliminate a dangerous infection. Long term use of antibiotics is not recommended.Anti-itch drugs
- If itching is severe, oral antihistamines may be recommended.My take: Can make you sleepy, cause dry mouth, make it diffcult to pee, cause blurred vision and antihistamines are not recommended long term for the health of the liver.
Oral/injected drugs to control inflammation
- For more-severe cases, your doctor may prescribe oral corticosteroids — such as prednisone — or an injected corticosteroid.
My take: These drugs may calm the initial inflammation but they have serious side effects and do not address the root cause because they are a band-aid solution. They are damaging to the mucosal lining of the gut which can be a contributing factor in eczema and they can even thin the skin.
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None of the above conventional solutions are without side effects, and none of them address the root cause of eczema. They are band-aid solutions. You’ve likely been down the road of one or maybe all of these, which is why you’re now here 🙂
In summary:
- The most doctor prescribed form of managing the symptoms of eczema are corticosteroid creams.
- All conventional solutions have side effects, from mild to more serious.
- Conventional solutions do not address the root cause of eczema.
To effectively treat and cure eczema (and not just manage the symptoms), it’s essential to nourish the body on a deeper level. This approach may take several months, but it will have a positive effect on many areas of your well-being and is 100 million percent worth it, because YOU are worth it!
To heal, you will need to incorporate healing foods, change your lifestyle, and add in healing supplements.
The natural solutions taught by Joyous Health’s eczema guide can help you work on many aspects of your health by supporting the immune system, dampening inflammation, strengthening the health of your gut and supporting the nervous system.
All of these natural solutions have a common theme, which is to heal your skin from within. Some of these solutions are for acute care, meaning to calm your itchy and inflamed skin right now.
Learn more about my Conqueror Dry Skin Soothing Balm or visit my eBook links below to learn more about how you can heal your skin:
- The Elimination Diet: A Guide to Conquer Eczema & Food Sensitivities
- Healing Eczema: Why Dieting Is Not Enough
- The Power of Thoughts: How Mindset Shifts Can Help Eliminate Eczema
- My Detailed Eczema Healing Treatment Plan
Click here for more eczema resources or visit my list of recommended products for eczema!
Biography
Abby is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who helps clients achieve optimal health. She is passionate about seeing people use health and nutrition to transform lives. She hopes that her experiences and knowledge can help educate others on natural remedies that will help eczema. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube for more updates!
Disclaimer: All the information found on this website should be used for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace proper medical advice. Always consult a qualified health care provider before embarking on a health or supplement plan.
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