Skin allergies – tips for natural treatments that avoid steroids

Laurie Nigro has some advice.

The skin is our largest organ, and whatever we put onto our skin ends up going through and possibly staying in our systems. Evidence has been gathered to show that steroidal creams can cause skin thinning, changes in pigmentation, easy bruising, stretch marks, redness and dilated blood vessels. If you are not particularly keen on slathering your children in steroid creams to help alleviate the pain and itchiness of their sensitive skins reacting to something or other, then here are some tips for ways to alleviate the discomfort naturally.

An oatmeal bath: keep the temperature on the cool side, and the oats act as a balm to soothe the skin. The messy oats and the bath itself can provide a good distraction to a grumpy child.

A cream called Florasone manufactured by Boericke and Tafel eases the discomfort of rashes and bites. Florasone is available online.

Ageing skin may need additional help as we tend to dry out as we get older. I make my own which is obviously time consuming, but you’ll know exactly what goes into it, and you’ll never run out as you can make more at your leisure (adapted from Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal):

Ingredients
Waters: 2/3 of a cup (c.) calendula tea (boil water and steep 1/4 cup dried calendula leaves), cooled
1/3 c. aloe vera gel
1/8 - ¼ tsp. vitamin E

Oils: 3/4 c. grapeseed oil
1/3 c. coconut oil
1/2 - 2/3 oz. beeswax (depending on desired consistency)

Combine the waters in a glass measuring cup. Set aside. In a double boiler over low heat, combine the oils. Heat them just enough to melt. Pour the oils into a blender and let them cool to room temperature. The mixture should become thick, creamy, semi-solid, and cream colored. When the mixture is cool, turn on the blender at its highest speed. In a slow, thin drizzle, pour the water mixture into the center vortex of the whirling oil mixture. When most of the water mixture has been added, listen to the blender and watch the cream. When the blender coughs and chokes and the cream looks thick and white like icing, turn off the blender. Pour into glass cream or lotion jars. Store in a cool location.

Source: Laurie Nigro’s blog

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