Community Tips: Eczema Products Over the Counter That Work

Three members of the NEA community share over-the-counter products that gave them relief from their eczema symptoms.*

Over-the-counter combo that worked

I’m 26 years old and I’ve had eczema my entire life. Dermatologists regularly refer to my eczema as one of the “most severe cases they see.” I’ve tried just about every steroid and over-the-counter cream in the book, and eventually become immune to them. But I’m here to share the over-the-counter methods that have finally WORKED. This combination has eliminated the stubborn dryness and itchiness in mere days. Spring Valley brand Flax Seed Oil (capsules- 1,000mg), Spring Valley brand Biotin + Keratin (capsules- 10,000mcg), one Zyrtec a day, and moisturizing with Aveeno for Eczema morning & night. I experienced relief after just 2 days of using this combination. My skin feels soft and moisturized, and the eczema rashes are clearing up. If you have severe eczema that gets particularly miserable around winter, please try this method. I hope it helps!

– Elizabeth A.

Drug store lotion provides relief

I’ve found a lotion that helps me. It’s called Shay Butter and Oatmeal Lotion (Saint Ives) $5 per bottle.

1. Goes into skin quickly
2. Relatively not as greasy as other lotions
3. Doesn’t say this on bottle and others may have different experiences, but for me, personally, when first applied slight burning-like itching, but after a short time it stopped and actually made my skin feel better.
4. Seems to heal eczema break-outs relatively quickly, and ease the irritation that comes with them. Also helps them stop itching.
5. My skin feels smooth after using it, felt smooth after two applications.
6. Most lotions are difficult for me to tolerate after my evening shower due to their greasiness, and wet feeling, however, because this lotion goes in relatively quickly, sit about half hour before bed and this won’t be as annoying, at least in my experience, as far as greasiness and wet feeling in the bed is concerned.

Hope this helps. Have a great day.

– CH

Elizabeth Arden cream helped healing

I have a daughter that is 3½ years old and a son that is 2, and they have both had severe eczema since they were born. I have tried virtually everything under the sun to try to help their skin. Just recently, a friend gave me another product to try. . . . I thought, here we go again. To my surprise, this has helped better than anything that we have ever used! I am passing on this information in the hopes that it may help some other people: the product is Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant. It is by no means a cure, however, it has healed the skin and also helped with the severe itching!

– Dina H.

*The recommendations contained in the Scratch Pad are those of the contributor.  NEA provides health information from a variety of sources; this information is not intended as medical advice.  Persons with questions regarding specific symptoms or treatments should consult a professional health-care provider.

Read: 3 unexpected ways to relieve eczema symptoms