Last week I was at the beach and went swimming in the sea most days. Although it stings a bit it appears as though the sea water has helped my eczema. I have one patch on my little finger by the nail which I am fighting with Eumovate and it almost gone but not quite.
After a week in the sea it did look better, or at least different!
Anyone else found this?
I did hear about this online as I have been trying to find eczma treatments. Also I went to Puerto Rico a few years ago and my skin was considerably better after the trip. I went to the beach everyday. Also, it might be the swimming and the sweating. I’ve been going to the sauna in the gym and exercising. The sweating supposedly is helpful. It has made a difference (i think). I like your blog it’s nice to hear other people’s thoughts and challenges. Thanks.
It is a common Chinese belief that seawater/saltwater has some anti-bacterial quality to help reduce mild inflammation.
Similarly, for sore throats, Chinese people believe in gargling their throats with dense salted water to reduce the swells. (for example 3- 4 spoonfuls to a cup of water)
[...] Does the sea make your eczema better? [...]
I have had eczema on and off for years. I grew up in California in the 60s, and the home remedy for any rash (including poison oak) was a trip to the beach. Beach water, and of course the sun, dries out any moist rash. Have you tried either salt baths or Epsom Salt baths at home?
I am now a nurse, and still have problems with rare eczema flares. Anyone use Elidel Cream? How long should it stay on before you can , without washing off the medication? I am on a twice a day dosing regimine. Thanks, WON
I meant to ask “How long should the cream stay on before you can safely wash your hands without washing off the medication?” Might sound like a stupid questions, but as a nurse I have to wash my hands frequently.
Hello,
my child Ninon was far better when we were on holydays at the seaside.
But it is really food without milk and wheath that help our whole family.
We do not suffer anymore from allergy.
Hope it will help you
Sophie from France
http://sophieethugues.eklablog.com/une-alimentation-pauvre-en-laitages-d-origine-animale-et-en-aliments-r-c35895
When i was young my eczema was the worst you can imagine, i was in hospital constantly and when i went on holiday and went in the sea it did help. Apparently it’s the sea salt that helps. It soothes the sores and helps to dry them up. I also used to put sea salt in my bath and still do when i get bad flare ups.
I have been fighting a serious case of eczema on my hands for just over four months. Some days the palms of my hands are red and a swollen and others they are peeling like crazy. The eczema is now covering my entire palms and it is hard to even drive or get dressed without the skin cracking and causing more frustration. Anyways, we have a trip next summer to the beach and I am nervous that the sea salt will burn all the fissures in my skin. Anything I put on my hands burns so bad and turns them redder. Any advice??
I grew up on the beach.
Ocean’s saltwater is a natural wound healer. If I ever got a cut somewhere I would dip it everyday in the saltwater until it was healed.
It stung a bit of course but it works every time.
This fall I got a small patch of eczema on my ankle – tried the saltwater last week on it one day and it helped almost instantly.
Aveeno sells an soothing itch cream.
It has worked pretty well to ease my itching. And Sally Hansen has an 18 hour heel cream for feet – this has also helped actually. My case is pretty mild compared to other chronic sufferers. But just sharing what worked for me.
I know for a fact that salt help eczema. I was raised is Israel and had a childhood friend with eczema and she used to take trips to the dead sea and stay there for the weekend. The salt and air in that area does miracles! Lately I started having skin problems myself although doctors are not quite sure what it is I have found a place that has made a difference – The salt room!!! I did a lot of research about the place and found out that they treat eczema, asthma, allergies and much more! If any of you live in the Los Angeles Area check it out http://saltchalet.blogspot.com/ the best part about this place – It’s a 100% natural, drug free and safe for all ages!
I just started these treatments my skin is already showing signs of improvement- has anyone out there ever try this?!
with thanks and hopes of helping,
Lynn.
Yes, I definitely think the sea helps eczema. A few years back my son had a really bad case for the first time and was diagnosed by a doctor as eczema. At that time didn’t even know it existed. Got prescription cream to try to deal with the problem but it did not help at all for weeks and I was scared because it was known that the cream thins the skin. Well, so happen to go on a boating trip with family and spent the entire day in the water, in the sun and some sand. But, upon returning home gave my son a bath and was ready to apply the cream to the area (elbow) only to discover it was gone. I could not even remember what elbow it was on. I could have said it was the sun but I was careful in keeping him farely shaded. I could say it was the sand but we were mostly in deeper water. So I credit the healing to the sea. Now I’ve discovered that I have eczema got a cream that does not work so I am going to spend a day in the sea. Hope that helps someone. Glad to see someone else ask the question that has been on my mind for years.
Hello I stumbled across this blog and thought I might be able to help. I have “coin shaped” eczema and recently took a trip to the beach myself, when I returned home it appeared as though my eczema which I’ve had on and off for nearly 10 years was healing. So I thought ok it’s either the salt water or the sun lol (dont get a lot of sun. I’ve tried so many different things to get rid of creams steroids ect. I even tried head and shoulders it all helped but never really got rid of the eczema. So I bought some bars of soap that contained dead sea salt, oatmeal, tea tree oil ect. So far I’ve been bathing with it for a week and WOW let me tell you it’s amazing all most completely gone!!!!! Anywho, the soap is handmade and all natural, bought it on ebay it also contains a lot of other oils that are great for the skin. But at least for me the salt worked, it might just depend on what kind of eczema it is, with some types salt doesn’t help…hope this was helpful!! Good luck!!!
Im intersted in this…if this works, Im going to visit the waves much more often!
Salt has certainly antibacterial properties. Swimming in the see and suntan helped me with fungal skin disease and I do have customers reporting improvment with eczema after holiday by the sea or after using skin care products containing sea salt or seaweed (rich in minerals). At present I am using cream Solnea. Salt can be also used in mouth hygiene while experiencing gum bleeding, inflammation, aphtae or whitening, and to disinfect fresh cuts as a first aid.
Skin eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. It is a skin disorder that is characterized by itching that you cannot help but scratch resulting in red and inflamed skin. In some cases, blisters, spots, and scaly skin forms on top of the skin inflammation. This kind of skin disorder is believed to develop in people who have atopic tendencies or those whose skin is overly sensitive to certain allergens. This kind of condition is also believed to be hereditary. Eczema could manifest at any stage in one’s life but the initial manifestation is often experienced from birth until about age 5. People with this skin condition experience breakouts on and off through the years. The breakouts are usually triggered by allergens. These allergens differ from one person to another and is not easy to identify. Some common allergens include soaps and detergents, wooly fabric, dust, weather conditions or temperature changes, food, and stress among others. The eczema cure that is often prescribed by dermatologists depend on the type of eczema and the allergens that caused the eczema.
I was smothered in eczema as a baby and in the 1950′s it was then treated with coal tar cream, which stains everything I have to admit. However, I do recall as a small child it working.
I have had numerous re-current episodes of bad eczema which have been treated with steroids, resulting in patches of skin loosing their colour.
I am 59 now and have recently had a bad flare up. I was admitted to hospital and treated with amongst other potions and lotions Epaderm cream and ointment. Both of these contain Laurel Sulphates which strip the skin of its serum and irritate. As luck would have I tried putting vaseline lip therapy on my hands and it worked. Vaseline have a huge very affordable range of products without Laurel Sulphates and both the body butter and cocoa butter body lotion are fantastic. I drink only soya milk and eat gluten free bread. The improvement is remarkable.
I use eczema oil for treatment. It is natural product. I personally found it effectual. It helped me to retain skin glow and beauty.
If you cannot make it to the sea you can always try a sea salt body scrub. Alba makes a great one that I use every other day. Helped my eczema a lot. It also has oils in it that moisturize the skin.
I have had severe eczema for almost 10 years. Until recently the only thing that would work to make the rashes and sores “go away” was Prednisone or Kenelog. Both of these strong steroids are not long term solutions. Then I tried liquid “Evening Primrose oil on my skin and starting taking the gel tabs 2X a day. I simultaneously started going to a tanning salon. A friend of mine said that the tanning salon helped him a lot. So I am not sure which is working but after 3 weeks of tanning and taking the Evening Primrose Oil I am eczema free.
) it is the middle of winter… My worst season. I haven’t felt so free in years. I may actually go get a message this week. Something I haven’t been able to do for almost 5 years. Any comments?? Doctors??
Absolutely! I use products from the Seaweed Bath Co. (http://www.seaweedbathco.com) and it works wonders on my skin when I have a flare up!
i fnd that the creams and bath oilments dont work they make me itch even more.but when the doctor gives me steroids my feet clear up but as soon as you stop taking the steroid tablets it flares up again.i am thinking about dipping my feet in the sea and getting some sea watwr in a big bottle to bring home and maybe try sun beds on my feet it worked for my friend she did the sunbed and hers cleared up and when shestopped it flared up again.
i finding i coming to the of my temper its the night time when im trying to sleep its a constsnt battle i am 100% smothered in ezcema on both feet and i suffer from spatic dilpilema so itsa struggle getting around and sometimes i can be stuck indoors for 6 days without seeing anyone and i cant find anything to stop me scratching except the steroid tablets can anyone give some advice on getting sunbeds and something to stop me scratching thankyou
I was prescribed salt baths by my dermatologist years ago. Whenever I go near the sea I throw myself in. It burns. I go red and often end up in tears from the pain but it clears my skin in no time. A salt bath is great for infection too. If you can’t get to the doctors for infected eczema, try a salt bath a day. I find it keeps me infection free for a day (when I’m bad) so I can last until my appointment. My asthma improves greatly too.
my daughter has been diagnosed with discoid lupus at age 3. I’ve never researched anything so indepth in my life before. Recently, she had a pretty bad bout of eczema and was prescribed a cream (another cream!) Reading all of the comments above on the healing potential of sea salt has really helped me restore my faith. Thank you all for your comments. At least (for once) her treatment involves having fun
It seems the ocean is time and time again being the healer for different conditions. Not sure how effective it is for eczema, but heared this works in other places as well. Anything that gives relief is a blessing for sure.