Want To Reverse Your Eczema? Read This!

Heather Dessinger

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I Didn’t Know The Difference Between A Linebacker and a Wide Receiver . . .

But on the day my best guy friend snuck into the all-girls dorm, scooped me out of bed, and carried me to watch the Broncos stomp the Falcons I didn’t care. I was Cinderella at the ball, or at least someone who was **not** having a bad day with her autoimmune disorder.

Now call me vain, but for me the worst part wasn’t the chronic pain, fatigue, or endless trips to different doctors. Nope, it was the GREEN PUSS that oozed from my acne-ridden face. It was the way size two jeans hung on my 5’9, one-hundred and four pound frame. It was the fact that I looked so incredibly sick I was embarrassed to go out and live my life.

Why Am I Telling You This?

Eczema Cure Cover Final 1

Because though I’ve never had eczema, I know what it means to want to crawl out of my own skin. I know what it’s like to turn to experts for answers, only to have them scribble off a “quick fix” prescription after a 60 second exam.

Annnnnnd because I’ve received a bazillion emails about eczema, which up till now were responded to with a one or two paragraph response because I didn’t have a resource to send you.

Until now.

Over the weekend I downloaded a copy of Emily Bartlett’s new ebook, The Eczema Cure, and couldn’t put it down. Unlike my healing journey – which includes detours to quack doctors and an incident that left me looking like a surprised geriatric frog – this book gets right down to business. Emily starts out by explaining why dermatologists can’t cure eczema, saying:

The conventional treatments for eczema include: steroid creams, non-steroid petroleum based lotions, antihistamines, and anti-itch medicines. These medications work with varying degrees of success, but typically after a variable period of time, eczema flares again.

These treatments fail because stopping the rash does not resolve the reason why the rash is happening in the first place. Eczema (and in fact, most skin conditions) is a reflection of a deeper, internal imbalance typically originating from poor digestion. When a dermatologist gives you creams and medicines to make the skin clear, the internal issues are not addressed.

Using cortisone cream to fix eczema is a bit like painting a rickety house that’s about to fall down. It makes it look better, and you may feel better for a short period of time – but ultimately the underlying issues must be healed.

The Eczema Cure, p. 6

From there she tells her own story, including how she implemented the four steps outlined in her book to cure her daughter’s eczema. I love the before/after photos because they show just how possible the “impossible” is!

Want To Reverse Your Eczema? Read This!

Does This Sound Infomercially?

Let’s see then, I’m sure I can come up with a critique or two. First – and I’m not sure this is a critique really – The Eczema Cure is not as extreme as the GAPS diet, which is also effective for eczema. However, I personally think this is a good thing because some people who are totally overwhelmed by GAPS might feel Emily’s four steps are more approachable. If you’re already doing GAPS, though, you’re probably not going to find a whole lot in this book that you haven’t already implemented. However, The Eczema Cure does have lots of helpful eczema specific tips (like which moisturizers are best and how to keep babies from scratching themselves).

Second, she recommends sunlight but warns against high EMF (electromagnetic frequency radiation) emitting tanning beds. I totally agree with her, but would like to add that a small percentage of tanning beds actually contain beneficial UVB rays with electronic ballasts rather than magnetic ones. In places where natural sunlight exposure is not available (such as in northern climates during the winter) some experts – including Dr. Oz and Dr. Mercola – say these beds could be beneficial.

Okay, that’s the best I could do. It’s a fantastic guide, and I learned a lot that I will be passing on to family and friends.

Who Should Read This Book?

There are no quick-fixes with it comes to healing from the inside out, but for those who are interested in making real changes The Eczema Cure takes a lot of guesswork out of the process. Your path will be unique and you may find you need support along the way (Emily includes pointers for where to look if you get stuck), but sometimes the hardest part is just getting a plan together and sticking with it. The Eczema Cure is not rocket science and you may have heard some of it before, but the beauty of this book is that it shows readers how to put things into practice and encourages them to stick with it. Emily has shared this method with hundreds of patients in her California practice and seen great results, so if you…

  • Want to know how steroids and antibiotics can make your condition worse rather than heal it
  • Need help identifying environmental and dietary triggers and putting an end to those flares!
  • Want to know how to “put out the fire” that causes your itchy, red, oozing rash
  • Need help selecting the supplements and nutrients your body needs to heal
  • Are looking for gentle detoxification tips
  • Want to help a little one who is suffering from eczema
  • And would like to do #’s 1-6 on this list while eating pizza, Mexican carnitas, sauerkraut, kombucha, ice cream, and fudge, then check out this book!

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

Leave a Comment

40 thoughts on “Want To Reverse Your Eczema? Read This!”

  1. SO GLAD you’re promoting this! As a lifelong eczema sufferer, I’ve spent a LOT of time and money trying to get well. I am much better and can say that steroids and creams are now a thing of the past for me. But I still have some healing to do.

    I love the quote you included from the book. Every parent needs to know what steroids really do, and how dangerous they are. Can’t wait to buy & read this one!

    Reply
  2. Whoa! The pictures of her daughter are EXACTLY what my son’s face looked like before we discovered he has a soy allergy…knowing that made all the difference in the world!

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  3. is this really good for babies too? I have a friend who just moved to Canada with her family and her little 5 month old has been suffering from some pretty awful eczema. They’ve been trying really hard to go “all natural” on everything for awhile now, but she is feeling pretty helpless… Should I tell her about this book and/or any other helpful quick tips?

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  4. Alisha Schrag Hunt – I would say yes. Some steps like identifying the triggers will be more challenging (mama will need to keep track of the foods she’s eating to identify triggers), but the overall insights would be helpful I’d think. At the very least it might help her avoid steroid creams and other things that can actually make the problem worse long term. I’d also recommend mentioning tallow balm to her. Many mamas have reported that it has been very soothing on their chldren’s eczema http://www.vintagetradition.com/?source=MP

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  5. I would like to add one more thing besides diet. Foods are important for eczema just like for asthma(fats especially). Buteyko Breathing Method is of great help with older children probably 4 or older in helping with the eczema. You might also look for an educator in your area to work in tandem with the diet whether it be diet or this book which sounds interesting.

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  6. Thank you Heather! I will be ordering today. My daughter has severe eczema on her hands. We’ve been doing Full GAPS since May and no improvement:( I’m excited to read and see what other things I can implement to help her heal…for good!

    Jen:)

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    • I hope you find it helpful, Jen! You’ll be familiar with quite a bit of it since you’re on GAPS, but the section on identifying triggers should be helpful 😉

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  7. Heather- my son’s cheeks look like the little girl’s in the pic. We’ve seen a naturopath, we know he’s allergice to dairy, wheat, soy, berries, corn, etc etc but at the end of the day what would you do about the fact that the kid wants his bottle? We quit nursing after it was evident my milk was poisoing him and he got much better but the cheeks still persist. I am/have been giving him the nourishing traditions formula using piima cultured milk from grassfed jersey cows but he did not test to the culture at the naturopath visit. So, I tried the meat based formula but the kid will not drink it regardless of how much maple syrup (since I cant use lactose to sweeten it) I put in it. I know that Campbell-McBride says that you can eliminate formula after 6 months but in reality what do you give a crying 9 month old when he wants a bottle??

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    • Oh Lauren, I am so sorry for what you are going through. Without knowing the full story I am hesitant to nudge you in any particular direction (especially because I am not qualified to give medical advice), but if it were me I’d contact a GAPS practitioner and see what they say. Big hugs to you <3

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  8. I have been wondering if my daughter has a food sensitivity. Her cheecks look just like your daughter’s did. She’s six months old and only breastfed (has started avocados this week, but the redness was there before). We had some MAJOR bouts of spit up/vomiting that would cover me and her when she was very little. We saw her pedi this week and he thought it might be irritation from her paci, but now I don’t know. Do you know if there is an easy way to tell whether it’s the paci or something else?

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    • Hi Hollie! Speaking generally, vomiting could be an early sign of a food intolerance, which is a precursor to eczema. There are other reasons for spitting up early on that are completely unrelated, though, such as a tongue/lip tie causing reflux-type issues. If it were me, I’d eliminate the possibility of a tongue/lip tie (here are some tips on how to do that) and then seriously consider whether eczema might be present. I haven’t seen her and wouldn’t be qualified to diagnose anyway, but back when I had acne I actually had a dermatologist tell me she thought it was from talking on the phone too much. Yes, the acne was the worst on my right lower cheek, but the truth is I didn’t talk on the phone all that much and even if I did, since when should that cause green puss to ooze out? Sometimes I think the “simplest” answer isn’t always the most helpful, you know? #notadoctor

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      • Thanks for your response, Heather. I don’t think it’s a tongue/lip tie, so I think we might look into allergy/diet stuff. I have a few food allergies myself, so I really want to make some changes on my own. I’ve just felt really overwhelmed by GAPS when I’ve looked it over, but I’ll have to do some more looking around because I really think it might be the way to go.

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  9. Sorry, but I’m here to voice one complaint and that is: WHY in the world, if someone knows the pain and suffering of eczema, especially in their own child, would they SELL the information that would bring relief and hope to tons of parents and children? I know people have to make money somehow, but if you can have an active website that you can keep updated, why not just post the information for free?

    My 3 yr old son has moderate to severe eczema, it’s been keeping us up at night (draining), and at times it’s bleeding and very scarring. We are trying a natural approach. But in the last 6 months I’ve come across books by the ton, online classes, web-seminars and they all are selling something. I cannot fathom curing my son and making someone in the same situation pay for information to stop the heartache and madness. I know you aren’t selling the book… bu I just had to say that because it ticks me off, being desperate and hopeless at times.

    Reply
    • Rose, I am so sorry for what you are going through – I know it is frustrating! The questions about why bloggers charge for some materials is a common one, so I’ll try to address it in a general way. Personally, I spend countless hours researching and writing posts that I give away for free, and answering emails for free, and even speaking at events – you guessed it! – for free 🙂

      The thing is, all of these things are not really free. Many bloggers (myself included) could not afford to give so much away if it weren’t for the income they receive from books/classes. Purchasing a book or class from your favorite blogger is an amazing way to support them!

      Reply
  10. I’ve been reading your blogs for almost a month now and really enjoy them. I feel like I always learn something new. This is why I purchased The Eczema Cure even though it wasn’t within my budget. Unfortunately I am disappointed. Out of 82 pages/slides, 35 of them are dedicated to recipes and 10 to the usual TOC/Title/references/thanks/faq/etc. Less than half the book is about eczema! The eczema info was good, but nothing I haven’t read before. This book would be better suited for someone who knows nothing about eczema and is just beginning their research. For $25 I certainly expected a lot more. If this had been published traditionally, it would have been a very small book. With my family in the middle of an eczema crisis, I bought this book hoping to find the “cure” as suggested in the title. Instead I feel as if I should have spent the $25 on food to start the GAPS diet. This book’s suggestions were no less overwhelming than GAPS. A complete diet overhaul is essentially the “cure.” I didn’t need this book to tell me that again. I already knew it and was working toward that. Sorry to be a downer. Just hugely disappointed. $25 is a lot of money to my family.

    Reply
    • Hi Melissa! I highly encourage you to contact Emily and ask for a refund! We are all at different stages on our journey and understanding when it comes to resolving health issues. It sounds like you already know quite a bit about eczema and this book is not the right fit for you, and I promise you that if she reads this comment she will ABSOLUTELY INSIST giving you your money back.

      I personally thought the book was awesome and loved the way she incorporated recipes to help people get started, but everyone is different. For example, If you read reviews of my ebook on Amazon you’ll find that what was “too short” for one mom was just right for another!

      Having done both an elimination diet to identify triggers like Emily suggests and the GAPS diet, I personally think the elimination diet is much easier. Maybe that’s me looking back on the experiences rather than jumping into them, though. 🙂

      It sounds like you have your hands full right now and may be feeling overwhelmed. Hang in there! And oh, please email her for a refund!

      Reply
    • Wow I HATE for that to have happened to you Melissa, but I’m MORE than glad you commented that. *Sigh*, I like you have been seeking new info or insights and am glad I didn’t spend another $25 on a book like this. We are currently doing GAPS and I think the diet is the right way to go, but we have found even more unlying issues with my son (thanks to GAPS!), but also beware because once you get so far in, there can be more sensitivities show up. You just have to keep pushing through. I know a few people who healed their children via GAPS/SCD (2 I know personally), but we are still journeying. If you are interested in any support I’d love to give it.

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      • I can relate, Rose! When we did GAPS I didn’t expect my daughter to have any reactions at all, but as her gut flora got better and better (it was already good) she broke out in a yeasty rash on her face! From what I could figure out based on input from a good friend who has experience with this, her body was “backing out” of a path that could have eventually led to problems if we hadn’t made the switch, and the yeasties decided to make a last stand. It really surprised me that a healing diet can cause little things to pop up like that. 🙂

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      • Hi rose, I’d love to have somebody to converse with on the Gaps diet. I’ve just begun looking into it for my daughter and I. She has eczema and irregular and painful bowel movements. Could I contact you via email?

        🙂

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  11. My 2 1/2 year old has been allergy free for the past 2 months! He sufferered from eczema and poor digestion (bloating, irritability) due to allergies to wheat, soy, sesame seeds, corn, peanuts, and tree nuts. I found out about GAPS through your site and still have yet to completely jump in but I’ve been implementing alot of the major elements of the diet. My baby’s skin is like night and day (I only wish I had taken a picture of his last flare up). So elements of GAPS along with using natural deep mosturizing techniques have changed my son’s life.

    Reply
  12. I started getting eczema horribly in my 20s. It covered my entire upper body. 2 years ago, I started looking at jump start flushes to help with losing weight, and found an ACAI berry cleanse at walmart. I started taking it and noticed my skin cleared up dramatically. I bought just the regular acai berry supplements after that, and have been fairly eczema free for almost 2 years. I have patches once in awhile on my back that flare up when I get super stressed, but no where near where it was at before.

    Reply
  13. Facial eczema is the worst! Try Made from Earth’s Three Berry Face Serum. I used to have it all over my face, and its the only face serum that when i applied it would take away the eczema. . .face saver

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  14. I have seborrheic dermatitis as well. I have a severe case of it on my scalp, which drives me up the wall and on the side of my nose. I am 47 years old and I have been suffering from this condition since I was a teenager. After years of trying every shampoo out there to try to get it under control, I have found some things that have helped me.. Anybody with sebborheic dermatitis or scalp problems, is more than welcome to email me. I’d love to meet others who suffer from this condition as well. Just click on my name and come visit my blog!

    Maria

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  15. I just learned from Wendy Myers’ talk in the Thyroid Sessions online summit that one common cause of skin rashes is copper toxicity, a common but little known condition.

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  16. Hi,

    Im a young mother of a beautiful 9 month old baby girl. I’m doing my best to be a natural mom on slim to no money and I could use all the help I Can get. My sweet girl has eczema and I would love to know more about “The Eczema Cure”. Are there any giveaways for this book, any sales coming up or a summary I could read for free to get the jist of the diet. I’m sure you worked hard to create it and are selling it for a great price and the money most likely helps support your beautiful family. But i am desperate to help my daughter and our insurance covered doctors are of no help.

    Thanks for listening and I have the utmost respect for all that you are doing to help others.

    Reply
  17. I would love to read the book asap as my baby is loosing precious time suffering from eczema, allergies and most importantly a failure to thrive. I just figured out the corn triggered his flairs in which this book has been a spot on hence I think for him its probably the right book to use. But I am from Europe and cannot figure out how to purchase the electronic version from here (didnt find it on kindle nor apple iBooks either). Could someone please help?

    Reply
  18. Hi i have my 1 year old daughter and suffering eczema.her eczema started when she was 7 months and we did everything from milk to her food we’ve been changing even i tried different kind of cream we got from the doctor and skin doctor but it doesn’t help please i need help i feel sorry for my princess so much itchy and i couldn’t do please its been a while she has in her face and back.

    Reply