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Help!! I'm dealing with Eczema & Psoriasis
and don't know what to do!
by Jen Flanagan
by Jen Flanagan
Years ago when I lived in California, I had eczema so bad on my legs that I would itch and itch and itch at night and lose lots of sleep. It was really awful to experience. I had 4 kiddos in 6 years and already had a daughter so I was run down, exhausted and very likely low on vitamins and nourishment too! This was not a good combination.
During this time some of my little ones were also getting eczema patches too. I realized that it could be the soap we were using and perhaps the detergent as well. We started using conditioner to clean our skin, and I changed our laundry detergent to a natural one and washed our clothing with this. (Planet at the time I believe) This resolved the issue. I then started suggesting this to anyone that has eczema/psoriasis issues!
Not long after this Garden of Wisdom created the Eczema Psoriasis Products so using this as well helped speed up the healing process!
Not long after this Garden of Wisdom created the Eczema Psoriasis Products so using this as well helped speed up the healing process!
This combination has been a miracle worker for so many.. we hope if anyone is experiencing this, they consider this option!
Things that can contribute to Eczema & Psorasis flares
- Soap
- Cleanser
- Shampoo
- Detergents (clothing and bedding)
- Diet (some major factors are wheat, dairy, sugar, corn and soy) though many artificial colorants, flavors and added ingredients as preservatives or fillers in food can also contribute)
- Stress
- Products that contain irritating/inflammatory ingredients
- Environment (high smog areas, high levels of toxins in the air, animals (if you're allergic to them and have them in your home)
Soap, Cleanser, Shampoo, Detergents and products that have irritating inflammatory ingredients can contribute because they irritate the skin causing an inflammatory reaction.
When diet is playing a role, it is because the skin is having a reaction from the inside out. This can lead to more serious allergies so it is a good thing to watch for.
Lets look a bit deeper at the causes of Eczema.
The First is internal (diet, medications, gut and health issues etc)
Consider going to a Naturopath that is versed in histamine response and using diet to help with skin issues.
Diet - Wheat, Dairy, High Carbs, sometimes soy, and high sugars can all contribute to this. Finding out if you're allergic to these. Not all skin tests can show if you are allergic, you may need more advanced tests to find out. So often it is wheat, dairy or
Medications can cause this/and contribute to this too.
The Second is what is being used to wash the skin - most people use soap or surfactant based cleansers. Soap and Surfactants need to be eliminated in situations like this. Sudsy = Surfactant/Soap!!
They need to use either a Conditioner like our Conditioning Cream Cleanser (sounds weird at first, but really its like using a creamy cleanser on our face but on our body instead) or a water based cleanser that has NO soap or surfactants. Like our Soothing Gel Cleanser, or having making your own fresh concoction at home with herbs/infusion and make it fresh weekly.
Third - what is used on the clothes being worn (what kind of detergent!) I suggest using something very gentle like Planet or there is a brand called Dropps which are also eco friendly - Unscented Version
Some clothing materials can also contribute (for example polyesters)
100% Organic Cotton, Hemp or Bamboo can often be the best choices.
Fourth - Environment.. for example high smog areas, animals (if you have any and maybe are allergic) So in the least, having an air filter in the home if this is an issue.
Fifth - Stress - Not an easy one to control :( Seeing a therapist, managing stress, using supplements or meds if needed (keeping in mind certain meds can contribute) Meditation, finding things to enjoy - self love, gratefulness practices, art of letting go)
Find all of our Eczema & Psoriasis Products here
A review using the Garden of Wisdom Eczema/Psoriasis Serum and Shea Butter (including Repair and Recovery Serum)
I wanted to give you another update and my most sincere thanks. I've been using the serum for Eczema/Psoriasis Serum and shea butter on my two-year-old since the middle of December. I'm attaching photos of what we've been battling with his skin since he was an infant to give you some context. When I say his skin was in bad shape, I really mean it. It felt like a rough towel, never hydrated or healthy and he was always itching at it and then it'd crack and bleed and it was terrible, especially his fingers. It was truly a head-to-toe condition.
The dermatologist gave us an antifungal and a steroid to use every day to treat the flare-ups. The problem was that it never went away, so we were putting that stuff on him almost daily. When it'd finally clear up and I'd stop with the medications, we'd get a maybe two-week break, and then it'd flare up again. Plus, it got to the point where he'd cry when I put the medications on because I think they must've burned or something.
Anyway, we started with conditioning his skin with conditioner, and that immediately helped his skin at least not feel like a rough towel. Then I tried the serum and, I'm not going to lie, I was incredibly skeptical. I'd been trying other alternatives to steroids and antifungals (which weren't really even working at that point) and nothing seemed to work. It's been about two months and his skin is healthy and soft with just a few small flares. It's mostly on his hands but I think that's because they wash them so much at school. Anyway, I put the serum and the shea butter on every night and he's never complained about it hurting. I use the recovery serum when the spots look particularly red and that seems to help calm the skin as well. I've only had to put steroids on him twice in the last two months, which is beyond my wildest dreams. Now we're at the point where the serum actually clears the flare-ups and seems to be preventing new ones. It's amazing.
I don't know how or even if I could ever adequately thank you enough. I've cried so many tears in frustration and sadness because nothing seemed to work on his skin and I hated that the only treatment was a steroid, which seemed to be painful for him. Plus I kind of worried about if that stuff would end up hurting my skin because I was the one that applied it every night. I worried that his skin would always bother him and it'd never even be close to normal. I don't have any "after" pictures right now but the skin on his shins is soft and free of red areas for the first time in probably 12-18 months (he turns three on Monday, so that's a significant portion of his life). This feet and toes are normal, his face is completely normal...it's honestly beyond anything I could've hoped for. Your products are incredible and I'm so thankful that we found them. You guys have completely removed a huge area of stress, frustration, confusion, and sadness from our lives and I can't thank you enough. I also really appreciate that you ethically source your ingredients and also keep your products super reasonably prices.
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