Itchy, peeling, scaly red skin can be a sure sign that you have eczema.  If you have a regularly reoccurring rash that itches constantly despite treating it with lotion or ointment, and often causes your skin to bleed and peel, have it checked out by a dermatologist.  That way, you can be assured that you have a legitimate condition rather than a reaction to something you rubbed up against or had for dinner.  Now, as for eczema, this condition is incurable.  However, it is very treatable with the right compounds.  A doctor can prescribe for you a cream or ointment that contains steroids to minimize the appearance of eczema and to eliminate the itching.  Still, everyday household products, scented lotions, detergents and hand soaps, can aggravate this condition.  One of the best ways to deal with eczema is to make your own special soap for eczema that lets you stay clean without irritating your skin and causing further redness and itching.

The key concept behind making your own eczema soap is moisture retention.  While many commercially available soaps may bill themselves as being soft on skin, they usually contain dyes or scents that can be perfectly fine on normal skin.  However, on skin that is subject to eczema, these normally harmless compounds can heighten the irritation and cause further discomfort.  Therefore, crafting your own eczema soap allows you to cut out many of the ingredients that people with eczema are often allergic to.

Soaps that treat eczema are available but can often be expensive and depending on how often you wash yourself, the use of this soap may jack up your expenses and put a dent in your lifestyle.

To start, check out a craft soap store or other specialty shop that sells plain soap that is totally free from any additives.  You just want simple bar soap that has no frills or thrills. Next, take this bar soap and melt it on low heat in a large pot on your stove.  Don’t boil the soap or allow its temperature to reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  Doing so will often lead to problems with the soap and will likely mess with most household cooking pots.

Once your plain bar soap is nice and liquefied, grab the following oils and butters and add them in at the following ratios.  You’ll need avocado oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, coconut oil and palm oil.  All of these ingredients are not only gentle on skin with eczema but they lock in oil.  Combining them in such a concentration will allow your skin to be properly moisturized and to prevent your eczema from flaring up due to simply washing your hands.  Add these ingredients in a 1: 0.8: 0.5: 0.5: 3: 2 ratio respectively.

After everything is mixed in, stir up your molten soap and let it settle on low heat until everything has blended well together.  Grab a mold, preferably several since you likely made a large quantity of soap, and ladle in the contents of your concoction.  Allow the soap to cool in the freezer for several hours and then pop it out and use it like normal bar soap.

It is as easy as that to make your own soap for eczema right from the comfort of your kitchen.

Image by LilyBaySoap via Flickr