Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema

This is the hub note for Track A: the herbal, “natural” and kitchen-cupboard remedies parents use for Atopic Dermatitis in toddlers. Track B is doctor-prescribed care, mainly Emollient Therapy and Topical Corticosteroids. Plenty of parents use these remedies. In a UK teaching-hospital clinic (Leicester, 100 children, median age 6), 46% had used complementary medicine and 63% used it or planned to. Chinese Herbal Medicine was the most common choice (Johnston 2003). In a Malaysian tertiary clinic (173 parents of children aged ≤12), 46.8% had used CAM in the past year, and virgin coconut oil was among the top choices. The more severe parents rated the eczema, the more likely they were to use CAM (Koo 2020). Population figures look much lower when the question is narrower. In the 2007 US National Health Interview Survey, 46.9% of all children used some CAM, but only 0.99% used it specifically for eczema. Herbal, homeopathic and dietary CAM were linked to a higher prevalence of eczema (Silverberg 2014). Two motives recur across the studies. Parents turn to CAM because conventional treatment “isn’t working” (54% of Leicester users) or because they fear steroid side-effects (17%; see Steroid Phobia). In Leicester, 39% of all families thought CAM was safer than conventional medicine, but only 14% thought it worked better.

Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema [relates] Atopic Dermatitis Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema [opposes] Topical Corticosteroids Steroid Phobia [causes] Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema Chinese Herbal Medicine [part-of] Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema Coconut Oil [part-of] Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema

Overview table

evidence_level rates how good the evidence is, which is not the same as whether the remedy works. “(against)” means good evidence that the remedy does not work. The safety notes cover toddlers aged 1–4.

Colloidal Oatmeal [treats] Atopic Dermatitis Olive Oil [worsens] skin barrier Sunflower Seed Oil [supports] skin barrier Evening Primrose Oil [contradicts] Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema Cochrane [contradicts] Probiotics

Conflict: [Cochrane emollients review, 2017, via Colloidal Oatmeal / Emollient Therapy] says oat-containing moisturisers made no difference to eczema severity (fewer flares, low certainty) and had more adverse events than control. [AAP, n.d.] says colloidal oatmeal baths “have been shown to improve atopic dermatitis symptoms, including itch, in children and adults”. Unresolved — add to open_questions.

Oils: not all “natural” oils are equal

According to the Vaughn 2018 review in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, what decides whether a plant oil helps or harms the skin barrier is its fatty-acid ratio. Oils high in linoleic acid (for example Sunflower Seed Oil) support barrier repair. Oils high in oleic acid (for example Olive Oil) are irritating and can disrupt it. The review also says processing matters: cold-pressed oils keep their beneficial lipids, while heat- or chemically-distilled Essential Oils and fragranced oils add irritants. The controlled data agree. In Danby 2013, olive oil significantly damaged stratum corneum integrity within 4 weeks, and the authors concluded it “should be discouraged” for dry skin and infant massage. In the same volunteers, sunflower oil did not. A 2019 Pediatric Dermatology review focused on children (Karagounis) says olive oil may make AD worse and that there is not yet enough evidence to recommend coconut or sunflower oil. In that review, parents chose oils partly because natural products felt lower-risk and partly out of fear of steroids. One RCT (Evangelista 2014) did find Coconut Oil better than mineral oil in children, so the evidence on coconut oil is unsettled (see Conflict below).

Sunflower Seed Oil [supports] skin barrier Olive Oil [worsens] Atopic Dermatitis Essential Oils [worsens] skin barrier Coconut Oil [treats] Atopic Dermatitis

Essential oils and fragrance on broken skin

Eczema skin is broken skin, so essential oils and fragranced oils reach it as both irritants and allergens. NCCIH notes that tea tree oil contains the irritant 1,8-cineole and that oxidised tea tree oil is more allergenic. It also notes that swallowed tea tree oil has poisoned children, causing drowsiness, disorientation and ataxia. Separately, 8 boys with prepubertal gynaecomastia and 4 girls with premature breast development were reported after exposure to lavender and/or tea tree oil. All cases regressed once the oils were stopped, but causation is unproven (Braunstein 2023). Keep essential oils, “aromatherapy” balms and fragranced products off a toddler’s eczema.

Nut-based oils and peanut/nut sensitisation

Inflamed skin can sensitise a child to food proteins. In the ALSPAC cohort of 13,971 preschool children, using skin preparations containing peanut (arachis) oil was independently linked to peanut allergy (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.4–32.9). An oozing, crusted rash was also a risk factor (OR 5.2) (Lack 2003, NEJM). Avoid nut- and peanut-oil creams, massage oils and home-made salves on eczematous toddler skin. Check labels for Arachis hypogaea, almond (Prunus amygdalus dulcis) and other nut oils. See Food Allergy.

Conflict: [Evangelista et al., Int J Dermatol, 2014] says virgin coconut oil was superior to mineral oil in a double-blind RCT of 117 children with mild–moderate AD (SCORAD −68% vs −38%). [Karagounis et al., Pediatr Dermatol, 2019] and [AAP, n.d.] say that coconut oil’s role in AD “remains to be determined” and that more studies are needed before recommending it. Unresolved — add to open_questions.

Supplements and systemic remedies

There is solid evidence that the best-known oral supplements do not work. The Cochrane review of oral Evening Primrose Oil and borage oil (2013; 27 RCTs; 1,596 adults and children) found no benefit over placebo. Its confidence intervals were narrow enough that the authors called further trials “hard to justify”. It also flagged an anticoagulant effect and an interaction with warfarin. The Cochrane review of Probiotics (2018; 39 RCTs; 2,599 participants, mostly children) concluded that probiotics “probably make little or no difference” to symptoms rated by patients or parents (moderate-quality evidence). The average SCORAD reduction of 3.9 points is below the 8.7-point minimal clinically important difference. The AAD guideline, as summarised by NCCIH, does not recommend probiotics or prebiotics for established AD. It finds “inconsistent to no evidence” for fish oil, EPO, borage oil, multivitamins, zinc and vitamins D, E, B6 and B12. A 2012 Cochrane review of other dietary supplements (fish oil, zinc, selenium, vitamins D/E, hempseed, sea buckthorn) found no convincing benefit, though these supplements appeared safe (AAP). NCCIH is a little more hopeful about probiotics for some children (see Conflict).

Evening Primrose Oil [contradicts] Atopic Dermatitis Probiotics [relates] Atopic Dermatitis Cochrane [contradicts] Evening Primrose Oil Cochrane [contradicts] Probiotics

Conflict: [Makrgeorgou et al., Cochrane, 2018] says currently available probiotics probably make little or no difference to eczema symptoms and that their use “is currently not evidence-based”. [NCCIH Clinical Digest, n.d. (cites 2021 RCT)] says “evidence suggests that probiotics may be effective for some, but not all, children”. It cites a 2021 RCT in children under 2 with cow’s-milk allergy in which more children improved on L. rhamnosus + L. casei than on placebo. Unresolved — add to open_questions.

Chinese herbal medicine and steroid-adulterated “natural” creams

The 2013 Cochrane review of oral and topical Chinese Herbal Medicine (28 RCTs, 2,306 children and adults) found no conclusive evidence of benefit. Most of the trials were at high risk of bias. Minor adverse events, including transient rises in liver enzymes, were reported in 24 studies. The AAP summarises CHM as “ineffective”. The larger danger to a toddler is what some “herbal” creams actually contain. The UK regulator MHRA found clobetasol propionate, the most potent class of prescription steroid, plus antifungals in Yiganerjing cream and Zudaifu cream in 2018. Both were sold online as “natural Chinese herbal” eczema remedies. The MHRA warned that such steroids “should not be used on children under 1 year of age” and that long-term use on children can thin the skin and cause other medical problems. NCCIH separately notes topical CHM products found to contain high concentrations of dexamethasone, and Chinese herbs contaminated with heavy metals. A parent who believes they are avoiding Topical Corticosteroids may therefore be applying an unlabelled, unmonitored, very potent one. See Adulterated Herbal Creams.

Chinese Herbal Medicine [relates] Adulterated Herbal Creams MHRA [regulates] Adulterated Herbal Creams Adulterated Herbal Creams [part-of] Topical Corticosteroids Cochrane [contradicts] Chinese Herbal Medicine

"Natural" creams with undeclared steroids

“Herbal” or “natural” eczema creams bought online, from market stalls or from herbal clinics have been found to contain undeclared potent steroids. In 2018 the MHRA found clobetasol propionate in Yiganerjing and Zudaifu. NCCIH reports dexamethasone in topical Chinese herbal products. A cream that works “miraculously fast” and “has no steroids” is a red flag. Used unsupervised on a toddler’s face or large areas, a potent steroid risks skin thinning and systemic effects. The MHRA’s UK advice is to check for a Marketing Authorisation (PL) or Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) number. Stop any suspect product and tell your doctor.

Diet and elimination

Food can be a genuine trigger in some children. Around 30–40% of children with moderate-to-severe AD have IgE-mediated Food Allergy (Kohl 2026). Still, avoidance diets do not cure AD. Unsupervised Elimination Diets carry two concrete risks. The first is that removing a food a child already tolerates can lead to new immediate-type allergy. In a 2026 case series of 2–5-year-olds, cow’s-milk elimination was followed by IgE sensitisation, allergic reactions and even anaphylaxis when milk was reintroduced. Avoidance is indicated only after proper testing and an oral food challenge (Kohl 2026). The second is that nutritional gaps follow. Cutting out cow’s milk or several foods raises the risk of inadequate calcium, vitamin D, iodine, protein and energy, and can affect growth (Dobrijević 2026). In the US NHIS, dietary CAM, and vegan diets in particular, were linked to higher eczema prevalence, not lower (Silverberg 2014). Parents online describe extreme regimens copied from TikTok for a 2-year-old: daily oral Apple Cider Vinegar, a “parasite cleanse”, activated charcoal and shilajit resin (evidence: anecdotal, Reddit r/eczema).

Elimination Diets [causes] Food Allergy Food Allergy [triggers] Atopic Dermatitis Elimination Diets [relates] Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema

Unsupervised food elimination diets

Cutting dairy, wheat, egg or “everything” from a toddler’s diet without allergy testing and dietitian support risks deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D, iodine, protein and energy, and can impair growth. It can also create a dangerous immediate-type allergy, including anaphylaxis, when the food is later reintroduced. Only eliminate a food after an allergist confirms the allergy, ideally by oral food challenge, and with a dietitian planning replacements.

What parents report

All of this section is evidence: anecdotal. On Reddit r/eczema, parents of toddlers repeatedly say they want “natural remedies… I’m wanting to avoid any steroids” and fear long-term steroid use. One parent of a severely affected 18-month-old said that nightly baths followed by Vaseline helped “a bit” after many failed prescription creams. Others mention Coconut Oil, aloe vera, honey and tallow cream, but describe the relief as “only temporary”. In the Leicester clinic study, which is survey data rather than anecdote, 35% of CAM users felt their child’s eczema improved, 53% saw no change, and 56% would not recommend CAM to other families.

Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema [relates] Emollient Therapy Herbal and Home Remedies for Eczema [opposes] Topical Corticosteroids

Connections

• Atopic Dermatitis — Track A remedies used for it, source: Johnston 2003; Koo 2020
• Emollient Therapy — Track B comparator; oils and oatmeal overlap with emollients, source: Vaughn 2018; AAP
• Topical Corticosteroids — fear of steroids drives CAM use; adulterated creams contain them, source: Johnston 2003; MHRA 2018
• skin barrier — fatty-acid ratio decides whether an oil helps or harms it, source: Vaughn 2018; Danby 2013
• Colloidal Oatmeal — best-supported home remedy, source: AAP; Lisante 2023
• Coconut Oil — one positive paediatric RCT, contested, source: Evangelista 2014; Karagounis 2019
• Sunflower Seed Oil — barrier-preserving oil, source: Danby 2013
• Olive Oil — barrier-damaging, avoid, source: Danby 2013; Karagounis 2019
• Calendula — Compositae allergy risk, source: Paulsen 2020
• Chamomile — Compositae allergy risk, source: Paulsen 2020
• Evening Primrose Oil — no benefit, source: Cochrane 2013
• Probiotics — little/no benefit, source: Cochrane 2018
• Manuka Honey — small adult pilot only, source: Alangari 2017
• Chinese Herbal Medicine — no conclusive benefit, adulteration risk, source: Cochrane 2013; NCCIH
• Apple Cider Vinegar — no microbiome effect, source: Luu 2021
• Essential Oils — irritant, poisoning and endocrine reports, source: NCCIH; Braunstein 2023
• Breast Milk — one infant RCT ≈ hydrocortisone; toddler pilot null, source: Kasrae 2015; Berents 2015
• Elimination Diets — nutritional and new-allergy hazards, source: Kohl 2026; Dobrijević 2026
• Adulterated Herbal Creams — undeclared clobetasol/dexamethasone, source: MHRA 2018; NCCIH
• Food Allergy — nut-oil sensitisation and elimination-diet risks, source: Lack 2003; Kohl 2026
• Steroid Phobia — drives CAM uptake, source: Johnston 2003
• MHRA — issued steroid-adulteration warnings, source: MHRA 2018
• Cochrane — reviews on EPO, probiotics, CHM, source: Cochrane 2013/2018
• Topical Steroid Withdrawal — online TSW fear steers families to steroid-free regimens, source: Zhu Cureus 2025
• Vitamin D — oral supplement; contested evidence, source: Camargo 2014; Cochrane 2012
• Fish Oil and Omega-3 — oral supplement; weak evidence, source: Cochrane 2012
• Shea Butter — tree-nut-derived butter; weak product-level evidence, refined form protein-free, source: Hon 2015; Sivapiromrat 2021; FARRP 2018
• Treatment Outcomes Comparison — Track A vs Track B on effectiveness, harms, cost, prognosis, source: Cochrane 2013/2017/2022