Eczema is a long-term condition that causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked, according to the NHS.
It most often appears in children before their first birthday, but can also be diagnosed in adults for the first time.
Eczema symptoms vary from having small patches of dry skin, to large, widespread areas of red, inflamed skin.
Having eczema on the eyelids – or eyelid dermatitis – is common in both children and adults. You could relieve signs of the condition with this natural gel, it’s been claimed.
Elaine Wright, 51, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, treated her eyelid dermatitis by using Hydrosil Dry Eye Gel.
The gel contains a natural vine extract, called Cardiospermum halicacabum, from Sri Lanka.
The extract helps to relieve signs of dermatitis by reducing inflammation, studies have revealed.
It is a natural phytosteroid, that has calming and restorative effects on inflammatory conditions of the skin, they claimed.
“I’ve never had eczema even as a child, but a year and a half ago I started to develop itchy eyelids,” said Wright.
“It started off as a mild irritation but over a few months developed into a constant excruciating itch that left my upper eyelids and the lower eyelid of the left eye red raw, swollen and very dry.”
She was prescribed a cortisone steroid cream after seeing a doctor. While the cream did provide some relief, signs of eczema kept coming back after she stopped applying the emollient.
Wright eventually came across Hydrosil Dry Eye Gel, and decided to give it ago.
“As soon as I put the gel on for the first time I knew it was going to help me,” she said.
“There were a few seconds when it stung a bit when I first applied it as my skin was literally an open wound, but within minutes my eyes felt instantly calmer and less itchy.
“It took a few weeks for my eyes to really improve but every day they felt a little bit better after applying the eye gel.”
Wright used the Cardiospermum halicacabum gel twice daily for 10 months.
It kept eczema away for several months at a time, and now rarely has any bad flare-ups.
Cardiospermum halicacabum could be used to tackle a number of different conditions that are caused by skin inflammation, according to pharmacist Danilo Carloni.
Its “skin-loving” compounds are particularly useful for tackling pruritus – itching of the skin, he said.
The plant should be “considered as a plant with interesting potentiality of action in many forms of skin inflammation,” he said.
“The plant has indications in atopic dermatitis, in contact dermatitis, in keratosis and in lichenification. Thanks to the anti-inflammatory and skin-loving activity of its components, it succeeds in re-establishing cutaneous homeostasis while calming important symptoms such as pruritus.”
Hydrosil Dry Eye Gel can be bought at Skin Shop for £8.95.
There’s currently no cure for eczema, but treatments aim to reduce symptoms.
Speak to a pharmacist if you’re worried about the signs of eczema, or for advice on the best over-the-counter treatments.
