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Category: Eczema Dermatitis Psoriasis
5 Suprising but Common Causes of Eczema
Anyone who has ever suffered from Eczema, Psoriasis or Dermatitis knows how quickly the cost of doctors, specialists, lotions and potions can add up to a small fortune. Here’re 5 triggers to eliminate from the home environment that can help you stop the rash before it starts:
- Bubbles and washes
Many body washes, hand washes, bubble baths, shampoos and dishwashing liquids contain soap and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS, a known skin irritant that is often used to make bubbles). Both soap and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) will de-grease your skin. This involves the removal of the fatty acid layer of protective oils on the skin (acid mantle), taking away the skin’s natural protection and leaving it exposed to other potentially harsh and toxic chemicals in these products, as well as the environment.
For a safe alternative to soap, click here.
For a skin friendly dishwashing liquid, click here.
For suitable alternatives for kids wash and bubble baths, click here.
- Greasy Moisturisers
I love a good moisturiser as much as the next person but I have never been a fan of feeling like an oil slick. Particularly where eczema is concerned, my experience has been that greasy moisturisers can make things worse. My skin likes to breathe and my eczema clears up when it can. Also, application of greasy moisturisers over an extended period, can lead eventually to skin deciding it doesn’t need to make its own protective oils anymore because that’s already covered (literally).  So these oils can interfere with and potentially even break the skin’s own self defense system.
To see what I use, visit here.
- Antibacterial Gel
Personally, I am a big fan of germs. We live in a society where people are very concerned about getting rid of them. I think washing hands should be enough. However, there are times when I can’t get to a tap and there are also plenty of people out there who don’t agree with me. So anti-bac gels exist. The drying agent in these (so you don’t need a towel) is alcohol which also strips the skin and leaves it dry.
- Cleaning Products
If you bath, and you clean your bath with bleach, you are essentially bathing in bleach residue. If you shower, you may be standing in bleach residue or any other number of toxic chemical products (depending on what you use to clean with). Your babies and pets are touching your floor cleaner residue. Your hands and arms are touching your bench/table cleaner residue….you get the idea. And if you think stuff can’t be absorbed through your skin, check out how morphine can deliver a whole day’s worth of pain relief in one tiny, convenient wearable patch! Granted, not everything absorbs through your skin, but plenty of stuff does. And if you have just showered with soap you may have washed away your body’s first line of defence.
To see my favourite non-toxic cleaning products, click here.
- Laundry Powder
This is a biggie and the right products can make a MASSIVE difference.  Supermarket laundry products are full of exciting things like chlorine, bleach, fillers & extenders. Fillers and extenders are included to dilute down the active ingredients, the laundry product equivalent of watering something down. They can be up to 60% of what you’re paying for and there’s no regulation around what’s used. Often it’s stuff that doesn’t dissolve.
These little undissolved particles get stuck in your fabrics and irritate. When you sweat (like in the creases of your elbows and knees) or wet any fabric you are touching, they crystallise and irritate even more. Consider that you are touching clothes, sheets, towels, pillow cases, and so on all the time. And if you have just showered with soap or SLS and washed away your skin’s first line of defence, you may particularly susceptible to irritation.
To see the only effective laundry power I have found without the nasties, click here.
If you want to learn more about external triggers of skin irritations, you may find my book helpful. You can download your copy here.
ECZEMA, PSORIASIS, DERMATITIS? Here’s how Tri Nature can help.
Here’s how Tri Nature can help minimise or eliminate Eczema, Psoriasis and Dermatitis.
The quick and dirty on which Tri Nature products I have found that work for specific skin irritations.
Psoriasis on the head, back of neck and behind ears
Tri Nature Daily Care Shampoo and Daily Care Conditioner for those who like to wash and condition. These have helped either significantly improve or completely clear up scalp psoriasis for many of my customers. This S&C contain Chamomile and Marshmallow which can be very nourishing for the scalp and soothing for irritations. They do not contain soap, SLS or anything else that may cause irritation. The Daily Care S&C are suitable for all hair types of all ages.
For anyone who is a wash and condition in one sort of person, the Tri Nature 2in1 Shampoo Conditioner is perfect. It contains Rosemary which is extremely beneficial for the scalp. The 2in1 also does not contain soap, SLS or anything else that may cause irritation and is suitable for all hair types of all ages.
Eczema/dermatitis on hands:
- Tri Nature’s Handwash is full of coconut oil and is very moisturising. It doesn’t contain soap, SLS or any other chemical nasties so will not dry your hands. Use it all the time if possible (take some to work) and put it on neat at start of day to act as a barrier against dirt/oil/etc.
- Tri Nature’s Sanitising Hand Gel is full of vitamin E so won’t strip your hands. This product is very popular with nurses and childcare workers and if you have to use an Antibac gel, this is the one to use;
- Chamomile Dishwashing Liquid won’t take the natural oils out of your skin but it’s still tough on grease and dirt. It contains chamomile (which is very soothing and healing) and marshmallow extracts (works to actively bind broken skin).
- Soothing Lotion should be used as a daily (or more often) moisturiser. Containing Chamomile and Lavender to soothe and heal the skin, I have used this successfully on eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, nappy rash, heat rash and even to take the itch out of mozzie bites. This cream is light, so it still lets the skin breathe. And a little goes a long way.
Babies/Toddlers/Children
Babies, Toddlers and Children with dry skin or eczema/psoriasis/dermatitis may benefit from:
- Baby Bath and Soothing Lotion as chamomile and lavender (in both products) are very soothing and healing on the skin.
- An alternative to the Soothing Lotion is the Baby Massage Oil which also contains chamomile and lavender as well as coconut oil, jojoba oil and other natural oils.
If the child showers instead of bathing, use the Baby Bath as a body wash.
If there is a lavender allergy, use Chamomile Dishwashing Liquid instead of the Baby Bath. This is what many customers successfully used for years before baby range was released. Follow with Body Moisturiser.
Rashy skin in elbow joints and behind knees or on stomach
Use the kids body washes. If they bath, put some in when water is running to make bubbles. If they shower, a half to one pump on a soft body loofah is more than enough to wash whole body. The body washes will last a really long time as long as parents are responsible for dispensing them. Follow with Soothing Lotion to help clear up and prevent symptoms, or Body Moisturiser if there is a lavender allergy.
Teens with rash on the face or neck
It could be caused by shampoo, conditioner or skin products. For anyone prepared to commit to a skin routine, the Tri Nature Kyphi Skin Care range is excellent. Contact me for more information.
For those who will not stick to a skin routine, try Gentle Face Wash as a face cleanser and Recovery Gel to follow for soothing skin. The aloe and green tea extracts in this make it ideal for skin irritations, sunburn, burns, etc. I have also used soothing lotion on my face and my kids faces but keep away from eye area, just to be on the safe side. Replenishing balm for eye area works well (e.g. eyelids).
Eczema all over the body
I highly recommend Tri Nature Laundry Products and body washes. It is important with the laundry products, to finish or throw out whatever you are currently using, descale your machine thoroughly and then only use tri nature. The fillers and extenders from other products build up inside your machine over time. Tri Nature products loosen them and flakes may come out during the wash with Tri Nature. Descaling the machine will clean out any existing build up and ensure this does not happen. Using only Tri Nature will ensure no further build up in your machine in the future.
Tri Nature laundry powder has no fillers or extenders, it is a 100% concentrate and it dissolves completely in water and rinses away. There is nothing in it to irritate the skin, so there are no phosphates, nitrates, zeolites, chlorine, bleaches, petrochemicals, etc. It is the reason I use the products and has made a major difference in my life as well as that of hundreds of customers. Plus, it’s cheaper than most other brands!
There are several options for body washes. For people who like smells, there are luxurious shower balms in assorted scents (remembering that all smells are made from plants and essential oils, not synthetic perfumes). For those who prefer a more subtle fragrance, you can use the Tri Nature Handwash on your body.
It is loaded with coconut oil so is moisturising for the skin and totally suitable as an overall body wash. For extra sensitive skins and people who prefer no smell, Gentle Face Wash. It is also suitable as a body wash and scent free.
If you have questions about what would be best for you, please feel free to get in touch via email or phone and I would be very happy to discuss your options and see if I can help.
