Natural Eczema Treatments

Sunday, Nov 6, 2005
Gannett News Service

Your first inclination might be to head for the medicine chest when confronted with one of life's everyday ouches.

But check out the kitchen instead, and you'll find it's stuffed with the sorts of cure-alls that saved the day long before anyone had heard of antacid or liquid bandages.

Try one of these home remedies when life throws a minor ouch your way:

Milk: To ease skin irritated by razor burn or a minor rash, soak a cloth in cold milk and apply it to the affected area.

Honey: Natural antibacterial properties make honey even sweeter. Apply to minor cuts and scrapes to help them heal faster and reduce the risk of infection and scarring.

Potatoes: Talk about comfort food: Try a warm poultice, or compress, made of mashed potatoes to ease swelling and inflammation caused by eczema or arthritis.