You just know that anything with the medical term “dermatitis” in the first sentence of a blog post is going to suck. Atopic dermatitis is absolutely no exception.

More commonly known as eczema, this skin condition results in the inflammation of your epidermis. In fact, the term eczema comes from a Greek word which means “to boil over.” Gross!

The inflammation caused by atopic dermatitis can include anything from dry patches and flaking to itching, cracking, oozing, blistering and bleeding. Best part; it’s persistent and consistent. *thumbs down*

While these may be two attributes you look for in a good employee (the persistent and consistent part, I mean), it’s not what you want from a skin condition.

What Causes Eczema?

The frustrating part about living with eczema is that it doesn’t appear to have one particular cause. A combination of genetics and environmental factors seem to influence whether or not you live with it.

Some researchers have claimed that it is a result of growing up in an abnormally clean environment. V can attest to the fact that I am a total neurotic when it comes to cleanliness, but even I believe in healthy bacteria.

Five second rule? Nahh man, mine’s 10 seconds; 30 if it’s popcorn that I’ve dropped!

While there is no substantial evidence one way or another, try and let your little offspring build a healthy immunity against common bacteria.

Are There Cures for Eczema?

This may be the shortest, most depressing subsection I’ve written to date.

Cure? There is none. Damn!

How To Control Eczema

So you can’t cure eczema, that doesn’t mean you have to live unbearably with it.

Here are 3 helpful eczema home remedies to help you take control of your dermatitis and live a little less inflammed!

The 3 Best Eczema Home Remedies

The Process of Elimination 

It’s no secret that certain foods can exacerbate this skin condition. Like dairy and acne go hand in hand, there are a few foods that you should eliminate from your diet when living with eczema.

Try cutting out dairy, eggs, peanuts, soy and gluten from your diet. Many people have issues digesting these foods and since we are treating an autoimmune disease, we shouldn’t overwork our bodies.

By eliminating these foods from your diet for 30 days you will be able to determine whether or not your body is focusing too much of its attention on digesting these proteins, or actively working to soothe your skin.

Supplement Your Diet

I like a good vitamin kick every now and again, but for those with this skin disease you should be adding a few particular supplements to your daily diet.

While you’re doing your 30 day food cleanse, try some vitamin D, cod liver oil, L-glutamine, probiotics and slam some aloe vera juice.

Together these supplements will restore your gut lining, help break down foods and of course, improve immune and general skin health.

Beat the Burn

One tiny mosquito bite can drive me wild, so I can only imagine how painful it would be to constantly live with eczema. To help beat the burn and soothe your skin try slathering on some Coconut Oil or Olive Oil.

Both oils contain healthy fats that can restore a little TLC to your skin and diminish the flaking, itchy feeling associated with it.

Do you have eczema or a similar skin issue? How long have you had it and will you use any of these eczema home remedies to ease your suffering? Share your story in the comment section below.