When I want to treat eczema

My testimony

Fortunately, I’m not prone to skin problems or eczema, but I do develop a bit of it in my hair when I’m stressed or tired. When this happens, I get red, flaky, itchy patches on my scalp. And I scratch, which doesn’t help. With the cold weather, I used to get frostbite on my fingers, which would turn into eczema once the redness and swelling had gone (I say used to, because I haven’t had any more frostbite since I started a liver detox before winter (see sheet 13), which is ideal for both blood circulation and eczema-prone areas). Whether in the hair or on the fingers, these eczema-prone areas disappear rapidly with the hydrolats.

My tip

For skin problems, and particularly eczema, I use matricaria hydrosol. I soak a (washable) cotton pad in it and apply it morning and evening to the affected areas. When I do it as soon as the patches appear, these applications are enough to solve the problem. For the fingers, when I’m slow to react or the skin is really too dry, I also prepare a mixture of calendula oil (anti-inflammatory) and lavender essential oil (2 drops of EO in a teaspoon of oil), which I apply after the matricaire hydrosol. For hair, I make a very simple shampoo with a neutral cleansing base3 (100 ml), calendula oil (10 ml) and matricaria hydrolate (20 ml), which I generally use for 2 weeks.

What does phytotherapy have to say?

A powerful anti-inflammatory, matricaria relieves all types of inflammation. It is also soothing, calming and healing. Matricaria hydrosol contains over 35% alpha-bisabolol, an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory molecule that soothes inflammation, skin irritation and peptic ulcers when taken internally.
Calendula is often used in dermatology. It contains sesquiterpenes with anti-inflammatory and healing properties. In macerate form, it also moisturizes and nourishes dry skin.
Lavender essential oil also relieves pain and improves healing, thanks to its aromatic molecules with analgesic, anti-infectious and anti-inflammatory effects.

Did you know?

Eczema is the most common skin disease Eczema is known to occur more frequently in people with allergies, in times of stress and in people with dry skin. An internal cure of matricaria and lovage hydrosols (or rosemary or wild carrot if you don’t like the taste of lovage) is very effective, at the rate of one tablespoon of each hydrosol in a glass of water, morning and evening

I use hydrosols SAFELY

Matricaria hydrolat can be used without restriction, internally or externally, and by everyone, even young children. These cures are also life-saving for animals (20 ml of hydrosol in a half-liter water bowl), in addition to local application. They represent a highly effective natural alternative to corticoids prescribed by dermatologists or veterinarians.

MATRICARIA RECUTITA Matricaria (German chamomile)

Originally from southern Eurasia, matricaria now grows throughout Europe and northern Africa. It is used orally to treat digestive disorders and abdominal pain, and externally for itching and other skin problems. Its essential oil, blue
the chamazulenes it contains, is composed mainly of sesquiterpenes (alpha-bisabolol and its oxides), which are found in large quantities in the hydrolat. Its anti-inflammatory, eczema-healing and irritation- and dermatitis-soothing effects have been demonstrated in both animal and human studies. Internally, antispasmodic and anti-ulcer effects have been demonstrated in animals, as well as in humans for digestive disorders and gastritis.