15 Home Remedies for Baby Eczema

For those of you who have ever experienced the burning and discomfort of eczema, you will certainly have instant sympathy with your baby when you see it appear on their tender skin. You won’t want to waste any time finding relief for baby’s condition and that’s where we can help. Our 15 home remedies for baby eczema are readily available, easy to use and they work fast.

Be aware that eczema can be a symptom of a wider variety of other health conditions. Though our home remedies can help with the symptoms, they should not be considered all-inclusive cures and you will need the advice and treatment of a health care professional for the more serious issues related to the condition.

1. Coconut Oil

Best organic coconut oil: Photo of solid coconut oil in a jar with flowers.

One of the top home remedies for baby eczema is coconut oil. Because it contains medium chain fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial in nature, coconut oil can provide both healing of the condition and moisturizing.

What to Do

  •  Dip your fingertips into a organic, extra-virgin coconut oil.
  • Gently massage the coconut oil into your baby’s skin and allow it to absorb.
  • Repeat this 3 to 4 times daily until the condition improves.

When you use the coconut oil, make sure that you have washed your hands thoroughly so that you are not transferring any bacteria. Along with this, you will want to make sure that your baby’s skin is pretty clean as well. 

One of the best times to do this is right before your baby’s bedtime as your baby’s skin will be able to soak in coconut oil, and you will be able to gently massage your little one to bed.

2. Vitamin E Oil

Vitamin E dry brittle nails

Another simple solution among the home remedies for baby eczema includes the use of vitamin E oil. Vitamin E oil is another great way to both nourish and moisturize your baby’s skin while bringing healing to the condition.

What to Do

  • Clip off the end of a vitamin E capsule with a pair of scissors.
  • Squeeze the capsule contents over the affected area.
  • Gently massage the oil over the affected area and allow it to absorb.
  • Repeat this 3 to 4 times daily until the condition improves.

You can also purchase bottles of vitamin E essential oil from any drug store as well. Using this oil, you can gently massage it into your baby’s skin. Vitamin E will leave your little one’s skin feeling soft, silky, and smooth. Much like the coconut oil, doing this right before bed can be a soothing and relaxing part of your little one’s bedtime routine. 

Over time, you should be able to see a significant change in your baby’s skin.

3. Phototherapy

Phototherapy

Among the best home remedies for baby eczema is phototherapy. Phototherapy helps to calm inflammation and reduces itching. In addition, phototherapy encourages vitamin D function which helps to fight infections in the skin.

What to Do

  • Expose your baby for ten minutes under a phototherapy light.
  • Alternatively, expose your baby to natural sunlight for 10 minutes during morning or afternoon times when the sun is a little less intense.
  • Repeat this daily until the condition improves.

To naturally allow your child to experience the calmness of phototherapy, you can take your little one outside when the sun is out. Let the sun’s rays shine on your little one as the heat can help to eliminate some of the discomforts that your child is feeling. 

Just be sure that if you are going to take them outside, you do not let them be under direct sunlight for more than 10 minutes. Doing so can cause more damage than good.

4. Chamomile Tea

chamomile tea

Chamomile tea is another simple solution and readily available in most homes. Its calming and soothing properties are well-known when it comes helping you to relax, but it also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, making it one of the most effective home remedies for baby eczema as well.

What to Do

  • Pour boiling water over 1 tsp of dried chamomile flowers or over a prepared tea bag in a mug or bowl.
  • Cover and allow the tea to steep and cool for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Saturate cotton balls or cosmetic pads in the tea and use them to bathe the affected areas.
  • You can repeat this remedy several times daily.

5. Epsom Salt Bath

epsom salt bath in a container

An Epsom salt bath is also one of the top home remedies for baby eczema that is easy to use and easy to get your hands on. The magnesium contained in Epsom salt will help reduce inflammation as well as help soothe and detox your baby’s skin.

What to Do

  • Dissolve ½ to 1 cup of Epsom salt in warm water in a baby tub (more in a larger tub).
  • Allow your baby to soak in this solution for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove your baby from the tub, pat dry and apply coconut or other moisturizer.
  • Repeat this a couple times daily.

You can let your little one play in the epsome salt bath, but be sure that you do not leave them in it for too long. Lastly, never leave your little one unattended in the bath as this can be dangerous as well. 

6. Gelatin

Gelatin

When it comes to the simplest home remedies for baby eczema, few top gelatin. Besides having a soothing effect on your baby’s stomach, gelatin provides tons of nutrition for your baby’s skin.

What to Do

  • You can give your baby unflavored and unsweetened gelatin purchased from a store.
  • The better option is to boil down bone broth to a thick consistency and feed the thicker broth to your baby.
  • You can add this to your baby’s diet daily.

7. Probiotics

Naturelle Health for probiotic supplement

Believe it or not, the presence of beneficial gut bacteria can have an effect on the condition or your skin as well as how your body reacts to various allergens and pathogens. Though a nursing baby will have all of the beneficial bacteria he or she requires, a baby who is eating solid food may be lacking. Feeding probiotics foods is also among the best home remedies for baby eczema.

What to Do

  • Breastfeeding is the best option.
  • If you are feeding formula, look for formulas that contain probiotics.
  • Here is some additional advice concerning probiotics for babies.

You will find that there are some solid foods that will offer you natual probiotics as well. This can be a great option to go with if you have little ones who have started on solids. 

8. Cod Liver Oil

cod liver oil

Though you might have an enormous challenge getting your baby to like it, cod liver oil is among the best home remedies for baby eczema. Cod liver oil helps to reduce inflammation as well as promotes the growth of healthy skin cell tissue. The fermented variety can even be used as a probiotic.

What to Do

  • Slip ½ tsp of cod liver oil into your child’s diet on a daily basis.
  • There are some flavored gel varieties that you might have a little better luck getting past him or her.

9. Licorice Root Extract

Licorice Root Extract

Among the promising home remedies for baby eczema, which might not be as common in your home is licorice root extract. This extract has anti-inflammatory as well as anti-microbial properties that can fight both the symptoms of eczema as well as the cause.

What to Do

  • Mix 2 to 3 drops of licorice root extract into 1 Tbsp of coconut or olive oil.
  • Gently massage the mixture into the affected areas of your baby’s skin and allow it to be absorbed.
  • Repeat this a couple of times per day.

10. Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil, flower, and seeds

Another natural oil for providing gentle moisturizing to your baby’s skin is sunflower oil. The medium chain fatty acids in this oil absorb easily, nourish the skin tissue cells and have an anti-inflammatory effect, which places it among the perfect home remedies for baby eczema.

  • What to Do
  • Place a small amount of sunflower oil in the cup of your palm and rub your palms together.
  • Gently apply the oil to the affected areas and allow it to be absorbed.
  • Repeat this process 2 to 3 times daily.

11. Oatmeal Baths

Oatmeal

Ground oats are an excellent ingredient in home remedies for baby eczema. An oatmeal bath normalizes the skins pH creating an inhospitable environment for bacteria and fungus. In addition to this, the nutrients from oatmeal have an anti-inflammatory effect.

What to Do

  • Place ground oats or porridge oats in a sock and hold it under the tap while you fill the tub with warm water.
  • The water will become cloudy or milky.
  • Allow your baby to soak in this solution for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • After the bath, pat you baby dry and apply moisturizer.
  • Repeat this a couple times per day until the condition improves.

12. Banana Peel

banana peel

Among the most unusual, but highly available home remedies for baby eczema involves the use of a banana peel. Banana peels not only moisturize your baby’s skin, but they are loaded in vitamins and minerals which help to nourish and repair damaged skin tissue cells bringing about reduced swelling and loads of soothing relief.

What to Do

  • Peel a ripe banana and eat the banana.
  • Rub the moist inner side of the peel over the affected areas of your baby’s skin.
  • Repeat this 2 to 3 times a day using a fresh peel, or more, if you love bananas.

13. Salt

salt in a bowl

Known as halotherapy, the use of salt is another highly available and simple home remedy for baby eczema. Diffused salt micro-crystals decrease itching and irritation and improve eczema symptoms, just be sure not to get it in any open wounds or the eyes.

What to Do

  • Dissolve ½ tsp of table salt or sea salt in a cup of warm water.
  • Place this saline solution in a sanitary spray bottle.
  • Put the sprayer function on spray and lightly mist the affected areas.
  • Repeat this several times throughout the day to relieve itching and irritation.

14. Cold Wet Compress

Cold pack

When it comes to cooling off itching and irritation, a cold wet compress is the simplest solution among all home remedies for baby eczema. The cooling not only relieves the immediate itch and irritation, but it can also reduce inflammation in and around the affected area. Just be careful not to use this solution on oozing blisters, because it could cause the infection to worsen.

What to Do

  • Saturate a soft cloth in cold water and wring out the excess water.
  • Fold the wet cloth and press it against the affected area for about 1 minute.
  • Remove the cloth, saturate it again and repeat the process several times per session.
  • Use this whenever itching and burning need some quick relief.

15. Tea Bags

tea in glass cup

Regardless of whether you use green, white or black tea, tea bags are excellent home remedies for baby eczema. The tannins in tea have rejuvenating antioxidants that do wonders for skin tissue cells. In addition, they have an astringent effect and draw out toxins from the skin.

What to Do

  • Pour 1 cup of hot water over a tea bag in a mug or small bowl.
  • Cover and allow the tea to steep and cool to a temperature that won’t harm your baby.
  • Saturate cotton balls, cosmetic pads or a soft cotton cloth, wring out the excess and apply the tea to the affected area.
  • As an alternative, you can use the wet tea bag as a compress and hold it against the affected area for about a minute, remoistening it in the tea several times throughout the session.
  • Repeat either of these remedies 3 to 4 times daily until the condition improves.

Wrapping Up

The moment the itching, burning and irritation of eczema sets in on your baby’s skin, you will be looking for a quick and effective way to get rid of it. Fortunately, most of the 15 home remedies for baby eczema in our list utilize items you already have in your home or are readily available to deliver the quick relieve you and your baby need.

Before trying any of the methods above, discuss them with your doctor. Share your success stories, comments and questions in the comments section below.