Many cases of eczema are treated at home by patients on their own. The most common causes for the red, itchy patches of skin are caused by weather conditions such as excess humidity causing sweaty skin that becomes infected, or extremely dry conditions in the cold of winter that creates a cracked and dry area easily prone to infection.

The biggest hurdle in many cases of eczema is to keep from scratching the area. All cases of eczema itch and scratching is the leading way to both spread the disease to other areas of the skin, but also introduce bacteria to the wounded area. If the itching is extreme and cannot be controlled by either self-restraint, or over the counter medicines, your physician will likely prescribe prescription strength Benedryl to conquer the urge to itch.

The resulting infection from scratching is not part of the eczema itself, but rather a secondary condition that may require the use of medicines to cure it. Keeping areas of eczema clean with thorough warm water bathing in a shower is a good way to begin to heal the area and keep it free from these secondary infections. Avoid sitting in warm water baths as the increased moisture can actually aggravate the eczema. Patting the skin dry thoroughly after each bath, and if cracked or blistered areas are present applying a topical antibiotic ointment to help stop infections is the first step in curing this skin problem.

If eczema persists is may be necessary to examine your lifestyle to see if you are routinely coming into contact with any of the common plants that can cause an eczema outbreak such as poison ivy, oak, or sumac. If this is not the case you may need to seek the advice of a physician to determine if you have any allergies to common items surrounding you, or even to foods you may be ingesting that could cause an outbreak. Dairy foods are often a culprit in the development of childhood, and adulthood eczema.

Taking all aspects of your diet and other patterns of living into consideration can go a great way to preventing the occurrence of eczema outbreaks, and helping to rid yourself of them if they do occur. Eating properly, getting regular exercise, and plenty of sleep helps to rid the body of stress than can aggravate eczema. As important as exercise is it is a good idea to avoid strenuous activity during an outbreak of eczema as profuse sweating can worsen the symptoms and make it harder to clear up this skin condition.

While the best way to treat eczema is to prevent it in the first place, and it can be very difficult to get under control, it is important to realize it is not your fault. No matter how bad it looks, eczema is not contagious, and rarely life-threatening. Taking the appropriate steps to remedy the illness from home is fine, but if your symptoms worsen, or continue for a long period of time it is necessary to seek professional advice so that you can find relief and get on with your life.