Best Cream for Eczema

I know the annoying itch and burning of eczema all too well. I want to share with you the best cream for eczema. It's cheap. It's readily available in grocery stores. It's recommended by dermatologists.

Since I had eczema all my life, I've spent a significant amount of time talking to family doctors and dermatologists about treating eczema. I remember having two creams for eczema to try as a young child when the doctor was trying to determine which cream worked best. Neither of them did.

Many people buy expensive moisturizers to treat eczema. Keeping the skin moisturized is extremely important, but the moisturizer doesn't have to be expensive.

If someone with eczema is going to buy a commercial moisturizer for eczema, the moisturizer should be a thick cream rather than a thin or runny liquid. A thick cream hold moisture in the skin better.

Some people use prescription steroid creams like Elidel. These can be helpful for treating an eczema flare up when it occurs.

However, the best cream for eczema is not a prescription or an expensive moisturizer. The best eczema cream is shortening.

Shortening is a fat like cooking oil but in solid form. Usually, it is displayed with the baking supplies in grocery stores.

I learned about using shortening as an eczema home remedy from a reputable dermatologist. He told me I could buy an eczema cream, but that shortening is what he has found to work best for treating eczema and keeping the skin hydrated.

Using this home remedy for eczema has it's disadvantages. The shortening is greasy, obviously, because people often use shortening to grease pans. Though it doesn't smell bad to me, it doesn't smell good like a commercial moisturizer would.

After bathing or showering, the person should pat dry only. People with eczema should not rub the water off with a towel after bathing. Instead, moisturizer should be applied to hold the moisture in the skin after patting the skin partially dry.

If the person is using shortening as moisturizer, a thin coat of shortening can be rubbed on the skin after patting dry. Use only small amounts of shortening at a time or it can get very greasy.

After applying shortening, the person should wait a few minutes before getting dressed. Most of the greasiness goes away after waiting several minutes. This prevents the person's clothing from getting shortening on them.

Not everyone is anxious to use shortening to treat eczema. That's understandable considering it doesn't particularly feel pleasant to have the greasy substance smeared on the skin.

However, the shortening keeps skin hydrated and helps prevent eczema flare ups. I've also used in on minor eczema rashes after bathing.

Petroleum jelly can also seal moisture into the skin after bathing. If a commercial moisturizer is preferred, the key is to look for a thick cream that is hypoallergenic. Moisturizers with harsh perfumes could trigger an eczema flare up rather than help prevent them. Here is a website that has more information about over-the-counter eczema creams.