The Best Essential Oils For Eczema

Being one of the most common skin conditions, eczema affects close to 30 million Americans and symptoms include red, itchy, and dry rashes that range from mild to severe.

Now, are you at a lost about why your eczema is not responding to traditional treatments or are you simply looking at healthier alternatives? One option / therapy you can consider is the use of essential oils to treat eczema. They have potent anti-inflammatory properties that can provide relief for many patients suffering from eczema.

Below are some of the best essential oils that can add moisture to your skin and ease eczema symptoms.

1. German Chamomile

Derived from the Chamomile plant, it is one of the most common types of essential oils used in eczema treatment today. German Chamomile is considered a bit stronger than its sister Roman chamomile, although their properties remain the same.

Apart from helping with eczema, German Chamomile is very effective in treatment of other ailments such as insomnia, burns and cuts, inflammations and asthma.

To use German Chamomile oil effectively, dilute a few drops in a tablespoon of carrier oil (sweet almond, olive) and apply the blend on the area affected.

It can also be added into a good moisturizer. Once you have added a couple of drops in the moisturizer base, lotion or cream mix well prior to applying on the eczema affected skin.

German Chamomile: Pros

• It has natural anti-inflammatory properties that help in relieving the symptoms of eczema such as soreness, swelling and redness
• It is an antiseptic agent and thus helps in soothing the skin and reducing itchiness preventing continued skin damage
• German chamomile is anti-bacterial and therefore lowers the number of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, reducing chances of getting infections
• Its sedative qualities ensure you will sleep well at night if eczema is causing irritation or itching during your sleep

German Chamomile: Cons

• Some people may suffer allergic reactions with the use of German Chamomile essential oil and thus important to do a skin test patch prior to application on the skin
• It should not be used by pregnant women
• It could end up counteracting with some medications, so it’s important to speak with your doctor first

2. Lavender

Lavender oil is a superlative essential oil when it comes to the treatment of eczema. It is extracted from the lavender plant's flowers via steam distillation. Lavender is a classic example of the perfect essential oil due to its ease of blending with other diverse essentials oils such as nutmeg, geranium, clay sage, pine and cedar wood.

To use lavender essential oil, apply three to four drops of the oil in a tablespoon of grapeseed or jojoba oil and apply the blend on the area affected. This will in turn moisturize the skin. It can also be used by pouring a couple of drops into your bath.

Lavender essential oil: Pros

• Great anti fungal and antiseptic properties
• Comes in handy in treating dermatitis, psoriasis, wrinkles and acne among other inflammatory conditions
• Speeds up the process of healing for those with eczema, burns, sunburns, cuts and wounds since it enhances scar tissue formation
• It is effective when used in eczema treatment once it has been blended with chamomile

Lavender essential: Cons

• Lavender oil could cause irritation on the skin
• Lavender oil should not be used by young boys before they have passed puberty – research has shown that it has hormones that might disrupt a boy's normal hormones in the body
• In case of a scheduled surgery, it is a good idea to stop the use of Lavender oil at least by about a fortnight before the surgery

Additional Tips About Using Essential Oils For Eczema

Anyone with very serious eczema can try out two drops of Frankincense and Helichrysum plus a single drop of Geranium and Thyme each and mix with one tablespoon of carrier oil.

Note that there is no single combination or blend of oils that work for each and every person out there. There are blends of essential oils you will try and find out they do not work on you while others will.

Ensure that no blend of essential oils has over 25 percent of any oil in a formula. An example is a single drop of yarrow or German chamomile, one drop of helichrysum drop and two drops of lavender. With essential oils, less is literally more.

What Are The Best Carrier Oils For Eczema?

Coconut oil

Since coconut oil has been found to be one of the fastest absorbents, it is perfect to use during the day. You can however go for other carrier oils such as sea buck thorn or sesame oil.

Sea Buck thorn oil

Also known as Hippophaerhamnoides, it is a macerated oil and extracted by infusing sea buck thorn into another carrier oil.Sea buck thorn oil has high amounts of essential fatty acids that come in handy in healing skin problems and injuries such as eczema.

Sesame oil

This oil is mostly used in cooking in most Asian homes and endowed with Vitamins E, B, and A. Being a fragrant oil it is also highly used in a number of cosmetic preparations such as soaps, sunscreens and shampoos including creams for eczema as a result of the efficient skin softening qualities it yields.