5 Remedies To Treat Eczema In Babies Naturally

Beyond giving baby a daily bath and using the right moisturizer, there are several natural remedies (home remedies) available to help soothe your baby's eczema. Some of these remedies may also help treat flare-ups, especially if flares become severe.

These remedies aren't cures for baby eczema, but they will help comfort your baby and make managing eczema symptoms easier. Always ask your dermatologist first, though, before using any of these remedies on your baby's skin. Keep in mind that every baby is different, so what works to treat one baby's eczema may not work for your own baby. And remember---regular bathing and moisturizing is always the most important part of any baby eczema treatment. Now, let's cover several natural remedies for baby eczema.

# Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is an effective natural moisturizer for treating baby eczema. Coconut oil helps baby's skin hold in moisture, because of the fatty acids it contains. It can also ease the swelling and redness that eczema causes, and can even keep certain bacteria from growing on baby's skin.

Virgin cold-pressed coconut oil works especially well because it is not heat processed, and doesn't contain any irritating chemicals. One randomized clinical trial showed that applying virgin coconut oil to children's skin for eight weeks helped improve their eczema symptoms, more so than mineral oil did.

# Wet Wrap Therapy

Wet wrap therapy involves dressing your baby in damp cotton clothing after bathing them and applying moisturizer to their skin. The wet layer of clothing helps baby's skin retain the moisture from the bath, to treat severe eczema flares and help prevent infections.

After bathing and moisturizing your baby, soak cotton pajamas in a bucket of water to make them slightly damp, and dress your baby in these pajamas. (You can also use damp cotton socks or a wet dressing to treat smaller areas of baby eczema.) Then, cover the damp layer of pajamas with a layer of dry pajamas. Keep your baby in the wet dressing for at least 2 hours, or for the entire night if possible.

# Colloidal Oatmeal

According to the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Eczema Association, colloidal oatmeal may help soothe your baby's skin when they have eczema. This is because colloidal oatmeal contains avenanthramides, which studies have shown can help reduce inflammation.

Colloidal oatmeal can be mixed into a bath or applied on the skin as a paste.

# Honey

Applying honey to your baby's eczema areas may help moisturize their skin and treat flares, although we don't yet have conclusive evidence that it's a reliable eczema treatment for babies. Honey is an ingredient in some popular baby eczema balms, but can also be used on its own as a home remedy.

Honey has antibacterial properties, and it may help fight against infections, including staph infections (which are common in eczema babies and which may be directly linked to baby eczema flares). One small study's results show that Manuka honey may be effective for treating eczema, but this study involved only adults and wasn't a randomized trial.

# Shea Butter

Like coconut oil, shea butter contains fatty acids that help moisturize the skin and keep existing moisture from escaping. Shea butter also contains vitamin A and vitamin E, and has anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe skin and calm eczema flares. Plus, the skin absorbs the moisture from shea butter relatively quickly, for possible rapid relief from flares.

Shea butter can be found in many eczema moisturizers, but you can also purchase and apply shea butter on its own, as a natural remedy.