Atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, can be frustrating. It may recur many times in a year, and although certain conditions may be more likely to bring it on, sometimes it just show up with no rhyme or reason.
Prescription treatments for eczema are often effective, but they can also be quite expensive and they may have adverse effects. The most common treatments are topical corticosteroid creams that calm inflammation. However, long-term use can thin the skin.
That is why we get excited when someone suggests a simple, inexpensive remedy that helps reduce the symptoms of atopic dermatitis-red, itchy skin that is easily irritated. It may appear dry or scaly as well as red. Because it is so itchy, there is a tremendous temptation to scratch, which exposes the skin to infection. This reader has found an over-the-counter product that can be used “off-label” to ease the itch and the redness.
Treating Eczema:
Q. I have dealt with atopic dermatitis for over ten years. Several trips to dermatologists and multiple creams, lotions and sprays later, I was still getting no relief. The only thing that helped was light box therapy, but it was expensive and very inconvenient. It involved driving to the dermatologist’s office three times a week.
When my symptoms returned after six months, my sister-in-law suggested I try Selsun Blue Shampoo. She said my brother-in-law had great results for his skin condition by simply washing his body with Selsun Blue once a day. Two months later, my rashes are GONE!
Selsun Blue Shampoo for Skin Problems:
A. Readers have been telling us for years that the original formula Selsun Blue dandruff shampoo can be helpful for the redness and blemishes brought on by rosacea. The active ingredient in the shampoo, selenium sulfide, may help control the Demodex skin mite population that triggers the inflammation associated with rosacea. People use the shampoo to wash their faces gently.
You are the first one to suggest that Selsun Blue might also be helpful against atopic dermatitis (eczema). Some research suggests that low selenium levels in the body may be associated with this skin condition (Pharmazie, May, 2010). German researchers suspect Malassezia yeast on the skin as a prime driver of head and neck atopic dermatitis (Nenoff et al, Hautarzt, June 2015). The selenium sulfide in Selsun Blue shampoo works very well against this type of yeast overgrowth.
Climber’s Chalk:
Sometimes what helps one person is completely wrong for the next guy. We recently heard from a climber that applying a little climber’s chalk (magnesium carbonate) to her hands reversed her eczema. She noted, however, that many climbers complain that climber’s chalk aggravates their atopic dermatitis.
