Essential Oils for Eczema

Essential Oils for Eczema

Essential Oils for Eczema

Why Use Essential Oils For Eczema?

Considered world-wide to be one of the most common diseases of the skin, Eczema, also referred to as Dermatitis is a dry skin condition. This term is broadly used in relation to a range of skin disorders including dryness and persistent rashes characterized by any or a combination of redness, swelling, crusting, dryness, blistering, flaking, cracking and sometimes even bleeding.

With Eczema, your skin is unable to produce the amount of oil and fats as other people’s do and will therefore be less functional in retaining water. With this protective barrier not working properly, gaps develop between skin cells, not being amply pumped up with water. Moisture then escapes from the skin’s deep layers making room for irritants and bacteria to go through more readily. Some everyday items that contribute to skin breakdown are soap, bubble bath and liquid detergents. These tend to remove oil from one’s skin but when you have Eczema, your skin is prone to breaking down more easily, becoming cracked, irritated or inflamed. Thus you’ll need  essential oils for Eczema.

What’s the Key to Treating Eczema?

The National Eczema Society of UK says the key to managing and treating this condition is to have the skin stay soft and moisturized. This is done with use of emollients that keep the skin supple and flexible. When applied, emollients relieve itching as it produces an oil layer over the affected area, trapping the water under it. So, with the skin’s barrier function properly restored, it prevents allergy triggers, bacteria and irritants from penetrating the skin and preventing or reducing the risk of Eczema from happening.

Where Eczema is concerned, the beneficial effects of oil use on skin cannot be overemphasized. Here then are 10 essential oils for Eczema :

Almond oil – Easily available and light, almond oil is one of the most commonly used oils. It’s cold-pressed but most of the brands you’ll find are extracted using solvents. Almond oil nourishes dry skin and relieves the itching from Eczema.

Jojoba oil – It’s usually referred to as oil but in reality, it is actually liquid wax. In fact its molecular make-up is the same as that of sebum, the natural oil our skin produces. Jojoba oil absorbs easily and works well for dry skin and Eczema.

Chamomile oil – This is one good, thin oil that makes use of Chamomile flowers. It’s been shown to reduce cases of Eczema in clinical studies and trials.

Kukui Nut oil – Its source is the Kukui nut tree found mostly in Polynesia and Hawaii. Hawaiians reportedly have used this for centuries to protect and cure skin exposed to various irritants. It’s absorbed easily into the skin and works to moisturize dry skin and ease Eczema inflammation.

Apricot Kernel oil – Similar to almond oil in chemical make-up, its therapeutic value lies in its skin-nourishing properties as well as its ability to reduce itching due to Eczema.

Calendula oil – Specially processed via maceration, Calendula oil is used to treat cuts, bruises and Eczema. It’s also helpful in the treatment of chapped and dry skin.

Evening Primrose oil – This oil is loaded with unsaturated fatty acids useful in the repair and maintenance of skin tissues. It’s used most often for cosmetic preparations but is known to work well for dry skin as well as Eczema and wound-healing.

Carrot Oil – Like Calendula, it’s produced by macerating carrot chops in another vegetable oil. It soothes itchy skin and is widely known to be an effective aid in treating Eczema.

Sesame oil – More known for its use in Asian cooking, Sesame oil is rich in vitamins A,B and E as well as calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Because of its skin-softening properties, it is used widely to treat dry skin caused by Eczema.

Walnut oil – Because of its deep golden brown color, it’s become a favorite cooking aid but those in the know swear by it as an excellent emollient, making it an effective way to treat Eczema.

Ten essential oils for Eczema. Any one of these should be a great help towards a more managed and controlled treatment of Eczema. Should the condition persist with no signs of the condition improving, consult a physician.

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