Olive Oil for Eczema

Jacqueline Verville · Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Posts: 1

I’ve found olive oil to be an excellent alternative to prescription creams for eczema, which can be pricey in the long term if the eczema is severe. Although steroid creams work, they thin the skin and sting upon application. By contrast, olive oil has virtually no side effects, is very economical, doesn’t require a doctor’s prescription, and doesn’t sting.

You can rub a generous amount of olive oil right into open cuts or severely chapped or dry skin, which helps to soothe as well as smooth the area. At bedtime, I rub a generous amount on my hands, then put on a pair of disposable gloves and let it soak until the morning. (Many hand models do this to keep their hands soft and young looking.) When I awake, my hands are considerably softer and the open cuts less visible. I repeat the process nightly or as often as needed.

I’m not saying that olive oil will cure the eczema completely but will help soothe it and add moisture to your skin in the process, without unwanted side effects.

Many beauty creams use olive oil as their main ingredient; however many of them are expensive. What I do, instead, is dab olive oil on my face at bedtime (I place a towel over my pillow), in place of night cream. Aside from making my skin softer, it doesn’t cause breakouts - unlike so many creams I’ve tried - and only costs pennies, in comparison to what I would have spent at a cosmetics counter.

You can also use the same bottle of regular store-bought olive oil for hot oil treatments on your hair, for a fraction of what you’d pay to have it professionally done at a salon. While you’re at it, you can also add olive oil to your salad. It’s one of the most versatile foods you can buy.

guitarman · Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Posts: 1 Location: Ontario, Canada

[quote="Jacqueline Verville"]I’ve found olive oil to be an excellent alternative to prescription creams for eczema, which can be pricey in the long term if the eczema is severe. Although steroid creams work, they thin the skin and sting upon application. By contrast, olive oil has virtually no side effects, is very economical, doesn’t require a doctor’s prescription, and doesn’t sting.

You can rub a generous amount of olive oil right into open cuts or severely chapped or dry skin, which helps to soothe as well as smooth the area. At bedtime, I rub a generous amount on my hands, then put on a pair of disposable gloves and let it soak until the morning. (Many hand models do this to keep their hands soft and young looking.) When I awake, my hands are considerably softer and the open cuts less visible. I repeat the process nightly or as often as needed.

I’m not saying that olive oil will cure the eczema completely but will help soothe it and add moisture to your skin in the process, without unwanted side effects.

Many beauty creams use olive oil as their main ingredient; however many of them are expensive. What I do, instead, is dab olive oil on my face at bedtime (I place a towel over my pillow), in place of night cream. Aside from making my skin softer, it doesn’t cause breakouts - unlike so many creams I’ve tried - and only costs pennies, in comparison to what I would have spent at a cosmetics counter.

You can also use the same bottle of regular store-bought olive oil for hot oil treatments on your hair, for a fraction of what you’d pay to have it professionally done at a salon. While you’re at it, you can also add olive oil to your salad. It’s one of the most versatile foods you can buy.[/quote]

I've been using virgin coconut oil for my extremely dry skin. Although resuts are excellent I find it alot more expensive than virgin olive oil would be. I may give it a try. Althouh I need to use it on my body, one of my biggest rouble spots is my scalp. This is where it gets expensive as I have very thick hair and need to use alot of oil as my hair absorbs so much.

Softy · Guest

Thanks for the hint about the olive oil. I have been using it for several days (applying it at night and then sleeping with gloves on) and it really seems to be helping. It is very soothing for my skin.

Of course, I do want to get to the root of the problem and know why I have excema. I guess I better go to a naturopath for that.

Jackie · Guest

As a footnote to my last letter, I would like to add on a few more tips in combatting or controlling eczema.

RE: Disposable gloves: If you use them, please avoid latex gloves like the plague as they tend to exacerbate the itching. Instead, I recommend using vinyl gloves, which I purchase from my local hardware store (in the paint section). They have a loose, silky feel and don't cling to your hands tightly, the way the latex does (feeling like they're cutting off your circulation) and most importantly, doesn't exacerbate the itching.

RE: Vitamins: Since I've been taking vitamin E (400 mg--1 per day), Evening Primrose Oil (500 mg--3 per day) and vitamin A (10,ooo IU's--1 per day), I haven't had to use the 'glove method' and the open cuts have disappeared. I'm even able to use a mild hand lotion at bedtime (which I normally can't do because when it seeps into open cuts, it burns like fire) and do the dishes without wearing gloves.

My skin is still a bit dry but at least the open cuts are gone. (If you don't want to take the above vitamins, you could instead ingest about 2 or 3 Tablespoons of olive oil per day--it tastes great drizzled over toast or in salads--and it would probably yield the same result).

RE: Olive oil--It should be stored in the fridge but keep in mind that when you do, it will harden. Therefore, if you plan on using it at bedtime as an ointment, take it out of the fridge about 3-4 hours prior, in order to let it thaw out (don't forget to put it back in the fridge once you're done with it). However, if you forget, sit the bottle in a warm basin on water for 5 minutes or so (it will melt very quickly). If you're too tired to do that, then just use plain, unscented vasaline (it works as good as olive oil).

RE: Coffee and aspertame: I find that coffee and aspertame exacerabte my eczema (specifically strong brewed coffee and diet sodas in particular), so I try to avoid anything with those ingredients in them or at least cut back from my usual amount.

This past summer, I had the worst eczema flare up I'd ever had in my entire life--I think as a direct result of gulping too much diet sodas AND strong brewed coffee (a lethal combination IF you have eczema).

My hands were as red as lobsters, burned like fire and literally looked like severe chemical burns. The burning was so intense that I had to place some ice cubes in a ziplock and juggle them from hand to hand, like a hot (or cold) potato, to help reduce the sting. I also found that taking 2--222's helped disolve the burning sensation (I know it sounds odd to take 222's for eczema but they reduce inflammation.)

So I immedietly cut out strong coffee (switching to instant coffee only, which isn't as potent--although it doesn't taste as good...but I digress...) and diet sodas and went back to olive oil or vasaline and gloves at bedtime and my hands cleared up within a week.

However now that I've been taking the aforementioned vitamins, I can get away with a strong brew of coffee and diet soda now and then, without a major flare up. Vitamins seem to play a key role because they help put moisture into the skin and the more moisture present, the less prone you'll be to dry, itchy, cracked skin.

Hope these tips help someone out there.

Jacqueline Verville

Miss Gulch · Guest

I recently heard that some ER's use Crisco to treat eczema, so I bought some and tried it (with gloves). It doesn't sting and helps put moisture into the skin but I still find that olive oil works better. However, if you are out of olive oil, Crisco (or vasaline) will suffice in the meantime.

Jayboston · Guest

Hey there,

yes, olive olive is excellent but I not only put it on my face but a couple of tea spoons go into my lunch. I often have raw veg and tuna with olive oil. If I miss my olive in my lunch I can always just in take a few spoons full. Eating olive oil in the past few months has transformed my skins so baby skin. It is soo soft and smooth. I had for 10 years been able to peel of my skin on various parts of my body and if I wasn't careful my skin would crack and bleed.

Now my skin is top condition.

Jayboston · Guest

[quote="Jayboston"]Hey there,

yes, olive olive is excellent but I not only put it on my face but a couple of tea spoons go into my lunch. I often have raw veg and tuna with olive oil. If I miss my olive in my lunch I can always just in take a few spoons full. Eating olive oil in the past few months has transformed my skin, I now have baby soft skin. It is soo soft and smooth. I had for 10 years been able to peel of my skin on various parts of my body and if I wasn't careful my skin would crack and bleed.

Now my skin is top condition.[/quote]

Verda · Guest

I've found that my eczema is caused by food allergies - mainly soy, chickpeas, and eggs. When I eliminate these from my diet, my hands clear up.

Olive · Guest

Hi, great to hear other people have found success with olive oil. I love it too for my skin and hair.

Rose · Guest

Being of Italian decent my grandfather used to rave about the miracle of Olive Oil. Thinking he was just a nutter... "another one of the crazy old country ways"... I ignored his plees for me to apply Olive oil to my dry and cracking hands.....
Well I finally caved...Like 10 years later...after I have tried so many store bought remedies (and spent lots of $$$) which claimed this, that and the other.
Olive Oil is a miracle cure!!!
for skin hair and nails...

Wens · Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Posts: 1

Diet drink can cause many things including Aczema. I read that most diet drinks are very unhealthy and so carbonated drinks. I am adding alink : discussfitness.com/forums/f3/carbonated-beverages-4211.html

About olive oil - I noticed people at the beach using it as sun screen. I am sure it must be very dangerous. Am I right ?

robert · Guest

If more eczema suffers would do two things, it would get them on the path to solving their problems: they are an Elisa test (comprehensive 96 panel preferably) and an extensive environmental allergy tests that involves testing varying combinations of the allergen to understand precisely the minimum amount of allergen that is needed to cause a reaction (this is also the treatment). See an integrative doctor for these tests.

Boss · Joined: 27 Mar 2008 Posts: 108 Location: The end of a wire.

Also it helps to try and avoid things like Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Shellfish, Fish, Nuts, Soy, Peanuts and Sesame Seeds, as they can all be Eczema triggers.

savana11 · Guest

If you have a rash that you can't figure out and you have leather furniture read this

Sofa Rash - a quick guide for general practitioners
Written by Prof David J Gawkrodger
Patients with sofa dermatitis present with an odd red often swollen and scaly intensely itchy severe rash at body sites where there has been contact between bare skin and the leather sofa, usually the arms, body or legs. The rash may occur when skin has been covered and can be unilateral.
The connection between sitting on a newly acquired leather sofa and the rash is often not made at first because the eruption is not a typical contact dermatitis. The rash shows more inflammation, is more widespread and more persistent than is normal for a contact allergy.
The rash often does not respond well to treatment, even with highly potent topical steroids. In some patients, the eruption has been severe enough to warrant hospital admission and systemic steroids.
Affected patients started to present in late 2006. Over 5000 have been recognized in the UK. New cases are still being diagnosed.
The causative agent appears to be a fungicide, dimethyl fumarate(1). This is placed in sachets within the sofas or chairs during manufacture to prevent mould growth on the leather. The chemical penetrates the sofa fabric in hot conditions and deposits on the leather, from where it acts as a potent sensitizer and induces dermatitis.
GPs who suspect sofa dermatitis that does not settle with standard treatments of emollients and topical steroids, are advised to contact their local Department of Dermatology for advice.