Dealing With Dermatitis

Try and remove all fragranced items in the house, and replace with fragrance free (not just ‘unscented’, this is not necessarily the same thing).

Replace most if not all artificial cleaning agents and instead use natural products, including vinegar and/or baking soda.

Oatmeal baths are considered invaluable for eczema sufferers; you can put unground oatmeal in a bag made from old pantyhose and soak it in the bath (this method can also be used as a compress on affected areas while in the bath) or you can grind it finely and either put in a bag or directly into the bath.

Use Tea Tree essential oil on affected areas, especially if it may be a fungal-caused reaction (avoid it, however, if it is dry-skin based, as it can dry the skin out even more).

Lavender essential oil is often touted as indispensable for eczema sufferers for its soothing and healing properties.

Emu oil can be invaluable for most skin irritations, eczema included.

Use shea butter and/or camellia oil on affected areas regularly to help with dryness.

Use a good, gentle skin moisturizer (even olive oil will work well for this).

Take a lactobacillus supplement; this can usually be found with other vitamins and supplements... it can even be found in chewable cherry flavored tablets for children.

Take a flaxseed oil supplement, also found in most vitamin/supplement aisles.

Take evening primrose supplements, and/or break open the capsules and apply directly to affected areas, or add to an oil/salve recipe (breaking open the caplets is recommended for children).Take cod liver oil as a supplement (about 3 tbsp daily for an adult).

Consider using a humidifier in winter if it is dry-skin related.