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Eczema comes with dry skin along with unbearable red, itchy and irritated skin. Anyone can get the eczema problem at any stages of life. Eczema is considered an immune deficiency and requires a cure to work both inside and out. There are few natural wonders that have been shown to reduce eczema symptoms both on the skin and in the immune system. One of the natural effective ingredient to cure eczema and its symptoms is coconut oil. Coconut oil, when mixed with other powerful ingredients like shea butter and essential oil would be a perfect remedy in the form of whipped body butter for eczema prone skin. This anti-itch whipped body butter for eczema prone skin has the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory property to calm the irritated skin and make it moisturized. Let’s see what are the benefits of the ingredients used in making body butter for eczema.
The Benefits of Ingredients Used In Whipped Body Butter For Eczema Prone Skin
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains a high amount of fatty acids, one of which is lauric acid. Lauric acid has antibacterial, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. It means that coconut oil can be used for eczema, as it has all the properties which can help treat and relieve the discomfort brought on by eczema. Coconut oil is also packed with caprylic acid, vitamins E and K, and capric acid. All these help to repair broken skin and nourish it at the same time with the natural oil.
Coconut oil has an excellent skin moisturizing property which gets easily absorbed into the skin tissue, where it works as an emollient. It softens the dry, brittle skin characteristic of eczema, preventing skin breakups that invite microbes. It improves the feel of rough, scaly skin and reduces irritation and calms the itchiness.
Coconut oil for eczema is also supported by scientific evidence. In a randomized, double-blind study published in the International Journal of Dermatology in 2014, researchers found that virgin coconut oil had a greater effect than mineral oil in 117 patients with mild to moderate eczema.
The researchers compared virgin coconut oil and virgin olive oil in terms of how they moisturized dry skin and removed the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in 126 eczema patients. Only one patient who used virgin coconut oil tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus, compared to six taking virgin olive oil. The researchers concluded that coconut oil is an effective treatment for eczema, given its protective effect against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. (Source)
Shea Butter
Shea butter has been known as a miracle cream to help people heal eczema. It contains lots of fatty acids, which can help heal scars formed by eczema through moisturizing the skin, accelerating cell renewal, and supporting circulation. It has shown to be a superb moisturizer, with exceptional healing properties for the skin. It is an all natural healing Vitamin A cream and Vitamin A is very important for many skin conditions including wrinkles, acne, blemishes, and eczema.
Shea butter has several derivatives of cinnamic acid that exhibit anti-inflammatory properties too. Vitamin E found in shea butter is a powerfully regenerative, fat-soluble antioxidant. When applied to the skin, vitamin E helps in a number of ways, not the least of which being the prevention and softening of skin, as well as providing relief from dryness. Vitamin E helps to bring the softness back into a rough and leathery complexion.
During research, it was found that among the patients with eczema dermatitis, 74% reported significant relief from the symptoms after using a cream containing Shea butter. It is believed to work by keeping the skin well-moisturized and preventing the trans-epidermal water loss. It was also found that the pruritus caused by eczema can also be controlled effectively by the regular application of Shea butter. (Source)
Calendula Oil
Calendula oil is a wonderful ingredient to include in eczema and dermatitis skin care formulas because it has amazing anti-inflammatory properties which help to reduce the swelling and the desire to scratch these areas. It is also renowned for its antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties making it useful for disinfecting and treating minor wounds, cuts, chapped or chafed skin, bruises, burns, acne, yeast infections, diaper rashes, and other minor irritations and infections of the skin. It stimulates the production of collagen which assists in the healing process. (Source)
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, topical applications containing calendula show some evidence of helping soothe the irritation and itching of eczema, as well as to boost healing. MedlinePlus.com notes that more research on human subjects needs to be undertaken but agrees that evidence for using calendula to treat skin inflammation looks promising. It points to a human trial on women suffering from severe dermatitis relating to chemotherapy treatment. The patients who applied calendula ointment experienced measurable relief. (Source)
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil has many benefits on skin because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics. It soothes and nourishes the skin—treating acne, healing dry and rough skin, soothes itchy skin and reducing the appearance of dark spots and scars. It works as an excellent natural remedy for eczema and helps to promote wound healing and preventing scarring from occurring the first place. It encourages the formation of healthy skin cells and is effective against acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, eczema and a host of other inflammatory conditions.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree oil has healing components that can help ease the symptoms and severity of eczema flares. It has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties that help to reduce itching or irritation, fight infection-causing germs and stop it from spreading.
It has a number of exceptional healing qualities that have been proven throughout the years. A research performed in 2004, an animal study, observed the effects of a 10 percent tea tree oil cream on canines with eczema. Dogs treated with the tea tree oil cream for 10 days experienced significantly less itching than dogs treated with a commercial skin care cream. They also experienced relief faster. (Source)
The results of one 2011 study showed that topically-applied tea tree oil was significantly more effective than zinc oxide and clobetasone butyrate creams at reducing eczema symptoms. (Source)
Castor Oil
The ricinoleic acid in castor oil draws out dirt, dead cells, harmful microbes from the skin and stimulates the lymphatic system, and promotes the growth of healthy tissue. By improving circulation and blood flow, castor oil helps remove cellular toxins, thereby reducing swelling and inflammation and helping fight infection. Castor oil reduces inflammation, hydrates and moisturizes the skin, relieves pain, and can even treat skin infection. It is such an ideal treatment for the symptoms of eczema due to its unique chemical composition. It’s antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects are well documented.
Vitamin E Oil
Vitamin E oil treats eczema by supporting new skin cell growth and speeding up cell regeneration. It can also work to hydrate and moisturize dry skin. It also prevents and repairs free radical damage. When applied topically to the skin, it helps to lighten scars and smooth the rough skin by lubricating cell membranes and encouraging cell regeneration.
Procedure for making Whipped Body Butter for Eczema Prone Skin
- 3 tablespoon raw, unrefined shea butter (Buy From Here)
- 5 tablespoon virgin (unrefined) coconut oil (Buy From Here)
- 1 tablespoon calendula oil (Buy From Here)
- ½ tablespoon castor oil (Buy From Here)
- 4 vitamin e capsule (Buy From Here)
- 15 drops lavender, therapeutic grade essential oil (Buy From Here)
- 7 drops Melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil, therapeutic grade (Buy From Here)
- Put shea butter, castor oil and coconut oil in a double boiler and melt them. Stir occasionally until everything is melted and combined.
- Put the melted oil into the glass bowl and let it keep to cool down for an hour or you can put the bowl in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes until it starts to solidify again.
- Take a hand blender or a stand mixer and start whipping it. Whip it for about 2-3 minutes and then add calendula oil, tea tree essential oil, vitamin e oil and, lavender essential oil. Again whip it for about 3-4 minutes to mix all the ingredients properly.
- Store it in an airtight glass jar at room temperature. You can keep this whipped body butter for about 1-2 months or more if it is kept in the refrigerator. Do not let the water to get inside as well as keep it away from direct sunlight. Water can introduce bacteria that can spoil the body butter.
- Use as needed to relieve symptoms associated with eczema. You can refrigerate the body butter to soothe and relieve the skin irritation with cool body butter.
2. While shea butter is quite safe and can be beneficial for the skin, you should avoid shea butter or shea butter products if you have tree nut allergies.
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