Neem Oil - Natural Cure for Eczema

Neem which belongs to the Meliacea family, is native to India and Indian subcontinent. Its use has been extensively mentioned in Ayurvedic medicinal scripts, since ancient times. The oil is widely used in many medicines, and has a slightly unpleasant odor, attributed to its anti-bacterial and antifungal properties.

The oil has very powerful moisturizing and regenerative properties, and is known to contain vitamin E, and fatty acids, that help to cure and heal many skin conditions.

Neem leaves and fruits have many health benefits. When consumed they help to strengthen and build the immunity. It is also known to regulate the digestive, respiratory, and blood circulatory systems. It is also the basis of many health tonics and is used as an astringent to heal wounds. All parts of the tree are used to extract oil, that are full of anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties.

Eczema is a very common skin condition, which is also known as dermatitis. It may be triggered by a number of things like pollen, dust mites, animal feathers, or even certain foods. This condition mostly develops in people with very sensitive skin.

Eczema is mostly chronic, or is recurrent in nature, and has a tendency to occur on and off throughout life, depending on the irritants. Although many medications are available to treat this condition, many people find it difficult to consume them, as some even come with steroids.

Eczema is characterized by dry flaky skin, and lots of itching and scratching. In certain severe cases bleeding and fever may also develop. As eczema-inflicted skin becomes dry, it tends to crack, leading to fissures in the skin.

Once bacteria enter these fissures, it accelerates the spread of this skin condition. This skin condition if found in infants and young children may be very difficult to deal with. The chronic nature of eczema is known to cause the whole family physical and psychological problems.

Although neem oil cannot cure all symptoms, it is known to provide relief. It is anti-inflammatory in nature, and aids to reduce the redness and irritation of skin. Neem has two anti-inflammatory active compounds called nimbin and nimbidin, that act as deterrents to recurrent infections. Being antibacterial in nature, it inhibits the growth of most secondary infections that are caused due to fluid or blood eruptions of eczema boils.

This plant has a very strong anti-allergenic properties, and is considered to be one of the strongest natural analgesics. This analgesic property, relieves discomfort caused due to chronic itching with immediate effect. Neem oil also contains a natural anti-histamine which slows down the spread of infection and aids relief.

The first and foremost rule of treating eczema is to avoid soap-based cleansers, because they may aggravate the dry skin condition. One must use soap-free and neem oil-based cleansers, creams, lotion, or emollients. The oil may also be mixed with lukewarm bath water, to maximize the hydrating effect on eczema-inflicted skin.

Eczema-caused itching may also be reduced around the fingers by keeping the nails short and constantly moisturizing with neem oil-based creams. Apart from this most of the doctors suggest the use of a patting motion rather than scratching the itchy areas.

The lotions, creams, and oils help heal and treat most eczema-related skin conditions. Its use is highly recommended by many medical practitioners as an alternative to steroid-based medicines.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.