Beating Eczema and Psoriasis Flares Naturally
Jan 27, 2024
Introduction
For those suffering from eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions characterized by red, inflamed, and irritating skin flares - winter’s cold, dry air and blustery winds can intensify symptoms. Stress, skin infections, and allergies can also trigger outbreaks resulting in itchy, painful skin feeling tight and raw. When over-the-counter cortisone creams fail to calm the flare, natural remedies can provide soothing relief and speed healing with fewer side effects than prescription options.
This article details natural, evidence-backed treatments aimed at calming inflammation pathways, increasing skin moisture, preventing infections, removing scale, and minimizing scars associated with eczema and psoriasis flares. We’ll cover specific dietary changes to balance inflammation, increase antioxidant intake, and identify possible food allergies or triggers. Lifestyle fixes to reduce stress and enhance sleep also aid skin self-repair overnight.
Topical natural remedies like aloe vera, oatmeal, turmeric, tea tree oil, and chamomile can be blended into cooling creams or bath soaks formulated for sensitive skin. We’ll recommend targeted oral supplements like fish oil, probiotics, vitamin D, and zinc which clinical studies demonstrate can extend the time between flare-ups. Botanical ingredients like Oregon grape, licorice root, and boswellia fight inflammation at the cellular level.
The content will synthesize the science, safe usage guidelines, and real-life application tips so readers understand exactly how to use evidence-based natural remedies to banish their most irritating eczema and psoriasis symptoms. Take control this winter and don’t let flaky, inflamed, uncomfortable skin ruin your season.
Healing Skin from the Inside Out
Covering anti-inflammatory dietary changes like avoiding common eczema triggers can prevent flares from appearing or minimize their severity. Track personal food triggers through elimination diets and food sensitivity testing which may uncover inflammatory culprits like dairy, eggs, wheat/gluten, soy, nightshades, excessive sugar, etc. Up probiotic, fiber, and produce intake while lowering omega-6 oils.
Aiming for a 25:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids balances inflammation pathways by increasing the production of anti-inflammatory compounds. Focus especially on getting more oily fish, walnuts, and olive oil and opting for pasture-raised eggs and meat over grain-fed. Supplement with marine-sourced omega-3s targeting 2-3 grams combined EPA/DHA daily if food sources fall short.
Lifestyle tactics reducing flares include prioritizing sufficient high-quality sleep nightly for the skin to fully repair and rejuvenate itself. Destress through yoga, meditation, and swimming in chlorine-free pools. Sensible sunlight exposure also increases vitamin D benefiting skin health - just avoid burns. Stress and sleep shortfalls create immunosuppression and deprivation impairing skin barrier function. Overall, support healthy skin from the inside out!
Soothing Skin Topically
Soothe inflamed eczema and psoriasis-prone skin topically using calming ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil, colloidal oatmeal, chamomile, and turmeric mixed into anti-inflammatory creams or bath soaks. For example, combine 1/4 cup coconut oil with 2 tablespoons colloidal oatmeal, 5 drops lavender, and chamomile essential oils then apply to damp skin still in the shower, and rinse off.
Or make a soothing salve by mixing 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil with 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup beeswax pellets, and two teaspoons turmeric powder. Gently heat until melted and combined then store in airtight salve tins. Massage into flares as needed up to 4 times daily providing relief. Add a few capsules of vitamin E oil to extend freshness.
These DIY balms provide deep hydration while decreasing inflammation and sensitivity associated with dry, cracking, weeping eczema, and psoriasis outbreaks. Their lipids help reinforce skin barrier function protecting underlying tissue. Limit use to mildly affected areas first testing for possible reactions. When in doubt, consult natural medicine providers on customized topical preparations.
Supplements Enhancing Treatment Effects
Certain supplements like omega-3-rich fish oil, probiotics, vitamin D3, and zinc demonstrate the potential to extend the time between flare-ups when taken routinely by reducing inflammatory immune response attacks in the skin and enhancing skin barrier recovery mechanisms.
For example, among eczema patients, lower blood levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 EPA/DHA positively correlate with more frequent, severe flares. Quality fish oil providing substantial EPA/DHA helps counterbalance omega-6 fats. Those with psoriasis may also need higher vitamin D for the healthiest skin-diminishing outbreaks.
Personally optimizing nutrient status prevents nutritional shortfalls from contributing to outbreaks. Work with health providers to identify specific supplement needs and optimal doses based on deficiency risks, medication interactions, and health history. While no panacea, targeted nutrition and probiotic supplementation alongside topical and lifestyle measures can nurture skin resilience curtailing symptoms.
Leveraging Botanicals to Reduce Inflammation
Certain botanical extracts like Oregon grape, licorice, boswellia, and seabuckthorn oil contain active compounds studies show directly help calm inflammatory pathways at the cellular level implicated in eczema and psoriasis.
For example, Oregon grape root contains berberine while the bark features antibacterial phenolics. Human trials show oral Oregon grape preparations improve various skin conditions by limiting immune cell infiltration and inflammation in dermal layers.
Licorice extract featuring glycyrrhizin exhibits cortisol-mimicking actions which help relieve dermatitis and psoriasis. However, it may also increase blood pressure with overuse.
Boswellia serrata resin contains AKBA and other acids selectively inhibiting 5-LOX inflammation cascade activity while suppressing cytokines IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. Reduced edema, immunosuppression, and symptoms shown in trials. May take several weeks to reach optimal effect at 300-400mg daily standardized doses.
Seabuckthorn berries and seed oil accelerate skin regeneration through antioxidant carotenoids like lycopene and zeaxanthin. Richest natural source of skin-nourishing omega-7 fatty acids. Promotes blood circulation and healing dermal layers.
Infection Prevention Strategies
Skin conditions like eczema frequently open the door to secondary opportunistic bacterial, viral, and fungal infections which further irritate inflamed skin. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria mostly cause added redness, oozing, crusting, scaling, and thickening skin.
Natural topical remedies inhibiting bacterial overgrowth include raw Manuka honey, thyme, goldenseal, and oregano oils. Avoid antibiotic overuse which breeds resistance prompting aggressive Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
For unwanted herpes, shingles, or Candida fungal overgrowth complicating eczema treatment internally, antiviral herbs like St. John’s wort, lemon balm, astragalus, garlic, and medicinal mushrooms can interfere with pathogen adhesion and replication to constrain outbreaks without anti-virals side effects.
Thoroughly address underlying immune issues perpetuating infections. Reducing risks of secondary opportunistic pathogens establishing themselves is key for enduring eczema and psoriasis relief. Consult health providers to incorporate natural anti-microbial and immune-boosting protocols specific to your situation.
Conclusions
For those suffering from frustrating, uncomfortable eczema and psoriasis outbreaks, natural remedies targeting root causes can provide safer, gentler relief than steroid creams alone while working to prevent future flares. Think holistically nurturing skin health inside and out.
Start from within quenching inflammation pathways with an antioxidant-rich largely plant-based diet free of personally provoking foods identifiable through elimination trialing. Up the intake of produce, omega-3s, and fiber while limiting processed fare. Lifestyle factors like sleep, UV light exposure, and stress reduction also give skin its best shot at self-repair and rebuilding protective barriers.
Frequently wash inflamed areas with cool water instead of hot showers which strip natural moisturizing oils. Pat gently with a soft towel. While skin is damp, lavish on homemade healing balms featuring natural humectants and skin-soothers like coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera, colloidal oats, turmeric, and calendula worked into creamy bases. Adding a few compatibility-tested drops of citrullus or lavender essential oil enhances soothing and cooling.
Further reinforce skin function with targeted oral supplements like fish oil, zinc, vitamin D3, and spore-based probiotics clinically demonstrated to reduce flare frequency by balancing immune response and nurturing dermal structure. Curcumin, Boswellia, and Oregon grape extracts provide additional anti-inflammatory ammunition.
For those with chronic outbreaks, work with health providers to continually identify and address subtle immune reactivity triggers unique to your situation whether food sensitivities, secondary pathogens, or hormone cycle influences. Be patient giving natural interventions 2-3 months reaching full effect. Over time multilayered protocols aim to extend remission windows longer and longer.
While no cure exists revoking eczema and psoriasis fully, through gentle daily diligence managing top triggers, and deploying natural topicals during flares alongside lifestyle and oral supplementation refinements you can minimize symptoms impeding life and shift skin health status for the better long term.
Action Steps
- Keep detailed food and symptom journals tracking potential dietary eczema triggers
- Experiment with removing inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, and eggs for 1-2 months assessing changes
- Incorporate anti-inflammatory omega-3-rich foods like salmon, walnuts, and olive oil daily
- Prioritize 7-9 hours of nightly sleep allowing skin restoration alongside light therapy if deficient
- Adopt de-stressing practices like breathwork, yoga, nature walks to regulate immunity
- Limit hot showers; gently cleanse with cool water retaining natural skin oils
- Soothe damp skin using aloe vera, turmeric, and oatmeal balms after bathing
- Apply homemade healing creams generously 2-4 times daily during active flares
- Consider oral fish oil, probiotics, and vitamin D3 supplements to prevent flare cycles
- Work with health providers to identify unique environment, food, and pathogen triggers
- Be patient allowing 2-3 months trialing lifestyle changes and supplements fully
- Continue tuning multilayered protocols preventing flares through immune resilience
With incremental daily efforts reducing inflammation internally, protecting the skin barrier externally, and targeting root causes over time - you can defuse even severe lifelong eczema and psoriasis allowing you to live symptom-free, treatment, and worry-free!
Further Reading
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Atopic dermatitis triggers and treatment. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-atopic-dermatitis-triggers-and-treatment/
- Cleveland Clinic - "Home Remedies for Eczema" https://health.clevelandclinic.org/home-remedies-for-eczema
- Mazziotta C, Tognon M, Martini F, Torreggiani E, Rotondo JC. Probiotics Mechanism of Action on Immune Cells and Beneficial Effects on Human Health. Cells. 2023 Jan 2;12(1):184
- Buhaș MC, Gavrilaș LI, Candrea R, Cătinean A, Mocan A, Miere D, Tătaru A. Gut Microbiota in Psoriasis. Nutrients. 2022 Jul 20;14(14):2970.
- Gamonal SBL, Gamonal ACC, Marques NCV, Brandão MAF, Raposo NRB. Is vitamin D status relevant to psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis? A retrospective cross-sectional study. Sao Paulo Med J. 2022 Sep 6;141(3):e2022216.
- Linus Pauling Institute. Vitamin D and Skin Health. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-D
- Reuter J et al. "Botanicals in dermatology: an evidence-based review". Am J Clin Dermatol. 2010;11(4):247-67.
- Chen H, Liu H, Tang B, Chen Y, Han L, Yu J, Yan Y, Lu C. The Protective Effects of 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid on Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis in Mice via Suppression of mTOR/STAT3 Signaling. J Immunol Res. 2020 Aug 27;2020:1980456.
- Nicol NH, Boguniewicz M. Wet Wrap Therapy in Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2017 Feb;37(1):123-139.
