Our current topical eczema regimen that helps fight staph and Candida
*wondering if you may have a staph or candida overgrowth? Scroll to the bottom to read some tell tale signs of both
One of the hardest realities to accept with eczema is that it is not just a skin problem, it is an internal problem which can be so tricky to figure out. No amount of creams, sprays or lotions will heal what is going on inside the body that is causing the eczema in the first place. I know this first hand because I feel like we have tried every single cream out there, and while some work to tame the itch, it never gets rid of it. That being said, treating the skin topically is still important. When it comes to eczema, a fungal overgrowth is common, but what is even more common is a staph overgrowth. It usually isn’t a problem of if you have staph or eczema, they often co-exist and if the staph isn’t treated, the eczema will continue to come back. It can take 60-90 days to kill off staph because it will fight back and move to different parts of the body.
My third daughter started to develop small patches of eczema on her forehead and one on the side of her cheek, and I wanted to figure out the “root cause” as soon as possible, which is always much easier said than done. Because we are also going through what we believe is TSW with my son, we immediately felt very convicted to try everything we can to heal her naturally.
After working with our chiropractor and muscle testing some common trigger foods, we decided to cut out gluten from my diet, and add in a different strain of a probiotic to my diet. Her eczema cleared — for a good amount of time. Oh how I wish it was just that easy!
We currently have her whole body clear except for her neck and behind her legs. These spots have been so so stubborn despite doing many different things. Getting a yeast rash from candida is a very common thing in babies, they are most often prescribed lotramin or nysatin and that’s it. For my daughter, the candida that I believe to be there is aggravating her eczema since she is prone to that. Then, when she scratches and if she ever breaks any skin, it easily becomes infected with staph, another very common thing for those with eczema. A TERRIBLE trifecta let me tell you. It took me many hours of research and asking other moms to figure out this is what was going on. So — now that we have that established what I share below will make more sense.
A method of treating fungus and bacteria on the skin is spraying it with something that changes the pH of the skin to make it unfavorable to the pathogens. Often we think moisture when we think of eczema ,but if there is any overgrowth happening, the moisture feeds it. So after applying the spray, instead of moisturizing you can use a sealer if its really dry or itchy. You can also coat it with zinc, which is another layer of anti-bacterial goodness and helps fight the itch. Doing this routine on the skin and in this order— spray, then seal with zinc is really effective at killing bacteria, and allowing the skin to breathe.
We use rosemary hydrosol spray from plant therapy. This has to be one of my all time favorite products and I have been dealing with eczema for years!! It has so many amazing benefits and uses. I’ve used it to help my postpartum hair loss, I’ve treated a stubborn rash behind the ears, I use it after I shave - its just a product I wont live without now. When treating bacteria or fungus, try and let it sit on the skin for a couple minutes before the next step. (Apple cider vinegar and Active Skin repair also work well in this step, it might be trial and error to see what you respond best to. My son responded best to active skin repair, and my daughters respond best to rosemary hydrosol. You can also make a diluted spray bottle of apple cider vinegar for an inexpensive remedy).
Badger Zinc cream is the best non-toxic zinc cream that I have found that also doesn’t contain any petroleum. We seriously have this on auto-ship because that’s how much we use it in this house. Both my kids with lots of food sensitivities do so well with this one. *they continue to run out of this cream so I have started to make my own and will share how I do that.
Neem oil has been really helpful in getting us from 80% clear to 95% clear in the stubborn spots. Neem oil is antibacterial and antifungal. I mix a drop or two of it into the badger zinc cream and it has done wonders for my daughters stubborn spots.
If the itch is really bad or the spot is really dry I will use the Earthley All Purpose Salve. This is another product that the whole family can use and it has so many benefits. It’s also antibacterial and contains herbs that soothe. Its great for eczema but also for any cuts, scrapes, burns or bug bites!
Finally, if the spot of eczema is really raised and in a spot I’m not treating staph I will use organic castor oil. This stuff is amazing and has so many health benefits. It is antinflammatory and one of the most efficient oils at penetrating deep into the skin, benefiting more than just the surface. That’s what makes it so effective when doing castor oil packs. We have been using those on the kids which I will do a how-to blog on that as well.
I have alternatives for all of these products as well if you’ve tried them already, or if you want a different option. It’s the process that’s important but each product can be swapped for something that does a similar thing. I would love to know what has been working for you or your kids- let me know in the comments!
*A question that often comes up is how to know whether or not you or your child has staph or candida present on the skin? There are some tell tale signs of both, but if you are dealing with eczema that wont go away, you are most likely also dealing with a bacteria or fungus because they are persistent!
A large majority of people with eczema also have a staph overgrowth (8 or 9 out of 10 people!) Staph overgrowth is often seen as red, raw, and inflamed, oozing or weeping, peeling skin, burning sensation, and warm to the touch. If a staph infection is present you may see things like -pustule like bumps that may be filled with fluid, or a classic telltale sign is yellow crusting over the skin. A skin swab can be done at a dermatologist to see if you have staph on your skin, but most kiddos with these kind of rashes do, and they will prescribe an antibiotic. Using the methods above it is possible to fight the bacteria, but a sign of an infection is definitely worth watching and can be highly dangerous. (*not medical advice and always check with your provider if you suspect a staph infection)
Candida often presents itself in the folds of skin where moisture can become trapped. The redness of the skin may look shiny and form “satellite” bumps that spread around the main affected area. The neck and diaper area are also a very common spot for yeast overgrowth.
** The Erasing Eczema Facebook Group was so helpful in finding the regimen that works well for my kids. There is a lot of valuable information on that page!