Eczema Treatments- What Works?

Eczema is the most common skin irritation among young children in America today. While this is not a life threatening issue, it can be painful and even lead to infection if left untreated. There are prescription medicines available, however, not all of them are safe for children and some of the medicines that are safe, are not paid for by insurance. Thankfully, there are some eczema treatment options available that do not require a prescription.

If the lukewarm bath is not an option, try a cold compress. Applying a cold compress to the affected skin will help to alleviate the itchiness and redness that are often symptoms of eczema. This eczema treatment is especially effective for children after they have fallen asleep.

Some other tips to avoid the need for eczema treatment are also pretty simple. For example, keeping fingernails cut short, especially for children, will help to minimize some of the damage of scratching the itchy skin caused by eczema. If you or your child are allergic to dust mites or pets, exposure to them could cause the eczema to flare up. Keeping pets out of the bedroom can help keep the skin issue under control.

Another eczema treatment is to take a lukewarm bath. The bath does not need to be long, about five minutes is sufficient. After getting out of the tub, do not rub the skin dry, rather pat it. Patting leaves some of the water on the skin, leaving it ready to absorb moisutre from a lotion.

When there is a flareup of eczema, one of the most effective means of treatment is the use of antihistamines. This medication will help to ease the itchiness that often accompanies the eczema. The biggest disadvantage of using antihistamines is that it often makes the user drowsie. The advantage, is that they are readily available over the counter.