Although 80 percent of eczema is a reaction to chemicals that would irritate anyone, the remaining 20 percent is caused by a specific sensitivity to something which may not be a problem for others - an allergic reaction. The reaction could be to something either in the diet or the individual's environment. Thousands of doctors now recommend shielding lotion as topical eczema treatment, but for those who do suffer from allergies, new desensitization techniques may also be beneficial.



The most common allergy diagnosis and treatment for eczema involves testing for sensitivities by subcutaneous injection of a small amount of potential offending substances, watching for a reaction, then avoidance of or desensitization to the substances found to cause a reaction.

Desensitization, also known as hyposensitization, has traditionally been accomplished by injecting increasingly larger amounts of the allergen in the hopes that the person will build up a tolerance. It takes up to six months to have any positive response at all and treatment can continue for three to five years. It is expensive and unreliable, and is done only as a last resort in severe situations. Those undergoing desensitization for eczema treatment can spend a lot of time and money for little or no results.

However, there are new desensitization methods now available that make this a viable option. Nambudripads Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET) is one of the most common, although not necessary the fastest. Most involve a form of muscle testing - the practitioner exposes you to the substance without injections and, gauging by changes in muscle strength during exposure, determines whether there is a reaction. Several substances can be tested this way in just a few minutes.

Desensitization techniques vary, but don't involve needles and sometimes don't take any longer than the diagnosis. These methods are light years ahead of traditional desensitization and, for those who suffer from allergies, can't be beat. It completely eliminates years of expensive trial and error.

The jury is still out on the effectiveness of these methods as eczema treatment. They seem to work much better for some than others, but anecdotal evidence indicates that they are at least as effective as traditional desensitization, and possibly more.

As topical eczema treatment, regardless of the cause of the problem, a shielding lotion is the most advanced technology available. A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective layer that keeps out the chemicals. Again, this is light years ahead of steroid drugs and irritating chemical treatments and, for those without allergies, it may be all the eczema treatment needed. However, if you suffer from allergies, you may want to find a natural health care practitioner to also discuss desensitization.