Can a Cream Cure Eczema?

Type "cure eczema" into Google and you will no doubt be presented with an impressive looking list of magical potions and lotions claiming to do just that. Companies are more than happy to take the money of desperate punters in search of a cure.

The sad truth is that there is no cream that can cure eczema. But in our desperate attempts to cure ourselves, we turn to anything promising a cure with hope and enthusiasm, hoping it will be the "next big thing". Desperate parents spend a fortune on creams promising to cure their baby or young child who is suffering. The long lists of positive testimonials seem to add weight to the impressive claims that the creams make.

Of course, many of these creams contain steroids, whether they be hidden or boldly declared on the packaging. Once on the skin, the steroids do their work, constricting blood vessels under the skin and reducing redness, resulting in a pleasing appearance to the skin. Impressive? Yes. A cure? No.

In fact, as my experience shows, reliance on creams for a cure has proved very disappointing in the long term, leading to my addiction to steroid creams and a very uncomfortable rebound and withdrawal period thus far.

Well meaning friends offer advice about creams that will "cure" you. One such friend offered me a tiny pot of balm as a gift yesterday, out of pity for my suffering, promising me that it would cure me. I checked the ingredients and luckily there was nothing harmful in the cream, it mainly consisted of paraffin, olive oil and beeswax, which I knew would moisturise the skin, but not cure it. I thanked her for the cream and added it to the pile of bottles and tubes that I have already accumulated in my bathroom.

Don't get me wrong; creams have their place when managing eczema, TSW or any other skin condition. In fact, I always tell those going through withdrawals that one of the most important things is to find a good moisturiser early on. The goal of moisturising the skin is to make it comfortable, not cure it. I liken the use moisturisers to the use of sedatives like morphine is a sick patient. The morphine is not intended to be a cure, but it keeps the patient comfortable and able to tolerate the pain. Moisturisers do the same for damaged skin; they make the skin comfortable and less tight. They will not cure it.

 I hope that this message goes out to people considering spending a lot of money on creams that they think will cure their eczema or speed up their TSW. Don't bother. Many have found benefit from simple ointments such as white soft paraffin, coconut oil or palm shortening.

The natural pathology of eczema is that it runs its natural course when left alone. My daughter gets the odd patch on her neck; I leave it alone and it goes away after a few weeks or months BY ITSELF. No quick solutions, but given time, eczema will go away and in most people, by the time they reach adulthood, it is gone for good. For the few unfortunate adults that have persistent patches remaining, identifying triggers and avoiding allergens is a good way to manage the skin.

The trouble is, we live in an I WANT IT NOW, Verruca Salt kind of world. The saying is true: Buy now, pay later. By insisting on instant "cures" such as steroid creams, we pay the price long term with addicted, rashy skin that persists for years after the original disease should have gone away on its own.