Other Names:
Dermatitis
Symptoms:
Dermatitis, also called eczema, is a skin problem indicated by reddened skin, thickening, itching when touched, the formation of dry, patchy scales, and flaking.
Treatment:
• Dermatitis is an inflammatory skin condition that generally keeps reoccurring. Its primary symptom is eczema. Dermatitis is actually an allergy which may be caused by contact with perfumes, cosmetics, rubber, medicated creams and ointments, poison ivy, or contact with metal alloys (including nickel, silver, and gold). Some type of food could be the problem. If the irritant continues to be in constant contact with the skin, the dermatitis will spread and get worse. Obviously, if you have this problem you want to solve it!
• The condition can be intensified by emotional stress and fatigue. Deficiency of any of the B complex vitamins can cause dermatitis. Another important item is unsaturated fatty acids. If you are not getting enough, you can begin itching wherever you rub on your skin. Adequate vitamin A and enough protein are also essential.
• Oddly enough, hair loss (alopecia) is commonly associated with dermatitis, especially if a concurrent unsaturated fatty acid deficiency in the diet exists.
• If the dermatitis is not terminated, it can so weaken the system, so that more serious infections occur. This is because, at the same time that you are having skin problems, your intestines are developing lesions which can greatly weaken your ability to digest and absorb nutrients!
• It is a fact that 13% of those with severe dermatitis later develop cataracts.
• Here are some of the allergies which the experts have found to especially cause dermatitis:
1 - Cow's milk. Either stop drinking cow's milk or try switching to goat's milk.
2 - Wheat gluten (wheat protein). There are other grains you can eat instead.
3 - Nickel. The experts call this "nickel rash." Women who have their ears pierced and the nickel post placed in them can produce various rashes on the body—especially where any other metal jewelry touches the skin. By the way, any gold jewelry less than 24-karats has some nickel in it.
• Beware of the bubble bath and similar soapy tub baths.
• Children's rashes: A skin rash in children may be caused by eating eggs, peanuts, milk, wheat, fish, chicken, pork, or beef. Eggs, peanuts, and milk account for 75 percent of the skin rashes in children.
• Regardless of what may be the cause, omit wheat, rye, oats, and barley for six weeks. Then slowly add one back at a time—and see how all this effects the dermatitis.
• If you know how to do so, you may wish to do a pulse test after each meal, in an attempt to ascertain which foods increase heart beat. Those which do are the problematic ones.
• Avoid dairy products, white flour, fried foods, other processed fats, and sugar. Avoid antiperspirants, for they have metal in them. Use cotton undergarments. Fake fingernails cause skin rashes. Always use white bathroom tissue only. The dyes irritate the skin. Be sure and rinse the soap out of your clothes which have just been washed.
• Mix goldenseal root powder with vitamin E oil and put some on the affected area. This will reduce the itching.
• Primrose oil and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) have helped infants with dermatitis.
• An oatmeal bath is another helpful measure, to reduce the itching during the time required to solve the underlying cause. Use 2 cups of colloidal (powdered) oatmeal per tubful. Colloidal oatmeal can be obtained at a pharmacy.
• Herbs that may help include comfrey, dandelion, red clover, and pau d'arco.
• Steep a tbsp. each of burdock root, yarrow, and yellow dock root in a pint of boiling water for half an hour. Strain, add a pound of cocoa fat, and keep boiling and stirring until it is a salve. Use this for eczema.
• Other useful herbs are plantain, chickweed, burdock root, yarrow, and strawberry leaves. One can either drink the tea made from any of them or apply it to the affected area.