★★★★☆
I have been trying to clear up my eczema for a couple months now using Apple cider vinegar with the Mother both topically on my affected areas and internally (1/2 & 1/2 with water twice daily) for detoxing. It makes my skin very dry, though the redness goes away and sometimes the itching will be for awhile, too.
It is very painful topically, so I can really only work myself up to do it two times a day. It burns, stings, itches and although it clears my skin and body, it is very hard to figure out if my body is getting tolerant, or if I have to go back to adding baking soda to the drink to help with the acidity...
I also take baths in epsom salt, oatmeal or take a shower using just a washcloth to get off any dead skin. I've Boraxo (not Borax) so I haven't done the scalp treatment yet, as I have seen here that Boraxo is much stronger, and sometimes causes more issues with people.
When using epsom salts, I find that my skin is softer as a whole, but gets quite dry upon leaving the bath. Flaking skin is more visible. When taking an oatmeal bath, I find that I get more hydrated, but it doesn't last and soon I am all itchy again. When I take a shower with no soaps involved and just wipe myself down with a washcloth (of course), I am also very dry and agitated upon leaving the shower. I wish I could find something that could give my skin the right moisture..
I also have been using coconut oil (natural, cold pressed) the past few days. Before recently, I've tried using Olive Oil, coconut oil that wasn't cold pressed, and sometimes the occasional lotion.
When using the oils, I feel as if they are too thin, or not fully hydrating my skin- so I apply more when needed. Unfortunately, this makes me very hot and itchy, why I do not know. I would like to know if there is a way to calm the itching, hopefully so I'll have better results with all this effort. My skin will clear up to a certain point, then it stays like that (about half-healed I would assume, as most redness is gone, there's less flaking and a lot more clear patches of skin breaking through the rash) and doesn't get any better- it only seems to get worse because the itch sets in and I have yet to find anything that could help with that on the site.
I have eczema over about 80-90% of my person, it is very hard to figure out what works and what does not, as I'm trying to stick through these remedies to be sure they either do not, or do work- but gradually. I have tried tons of things over the counter as well, such as lotions soaps (even claiming to be for those effected by eczema) but to no avail. Nothing seems to keep the itching at bay- or lessen it enough that I can sleep without scratching through the night, or stop covering myself up with sweatshirts and agitating fabrics in an effort to keep myself from scratching. Sometimes, it helps; other times not so much because I find that the seams or the certain fabric can rub my skin just so... Anyways, I am having problems with more than one remedy here, and hope to know what the issue may be soon. Please, please get back to me. I was born with eczema, I've had problems with it for a couple years in a row now- the same breakout never really going away but with the help of steroids and I do not like using them or taking them.
I really hope someone will know what it is I'm doing wrong...
