When my daughter was first born she had a horrendous red inflammation on her face. We tried irritation creams and herbal creams but these didn't work. Finally, after exhausting other resources we went to a nutrtionist who told us about the connection connecting dairy and eczema.
Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is a skin condition that causes red, scratchy skin. It is most frequently found in babies (and adults) with a family history of allergies and asthma. This brings up an interesting point; eczema is not an external condition, but an internal state that has to do more with the immunity system than exterior factors. This is vital to know if you want to effectively treat it.
As early as 1936 the relationship was recognized connecting eczema and early introduction of cow's milk (formula). Babies fed cow's milk were discovered to have seven times the incidence of eczema as breastfed babies. Quite a few studies also have shown that when breastfed babies do get eczema it is due to a food eaten by the mother -- usually cow's milk (Chandra et al., 1986; Jakobsson et al., 1985; Gerrard et al., 1973.)
This can be the same for adults also. I'm not saying there are grown ups who are breast feeding, but I am saying there is a association between dairy and eczema.
Not all physicians agree with this. In fact there are some (alot even) in the medical community who still believe eczema to be purely an outside matter. My doctor was one of them. Our nutritionis pointed us to a holistic plan that treats eczema at the source.
Environmental matters absolutely have an effect on eczema. Bathing with harsh soaps or using laundry detergents with alot of perfumes, for instance, can inflame eczema that is already there. Using humidifiers in dry climates can help alleviate some of the systems. But until the source is treated with a holistic method the red dry irritated skin will not go away.
It doesn't mean that you or your child has some sort of horrendous immune defieciency if you have eczema. What it means is that you want to take a look at the general lifestyle (including diet i.e. dairy) and address of the issues one by one.
What's going on with your diet. What type of supplements or vitamins do you take. The filters in your HVAC system and your cleaning products - even your fitness level; all of these need to be looked with this skin condition in mind. Not an simple thing to do if you don't know what your looking for/ at.
The plan my nutritionist puts us in addressed all these issues and more. Not only did the eczema go away, but we all feel better. And we know we are living a much improved way of life. If you or your child has this condition, it may be the dairy and it may not. I advocate you find a natural solution so you'll know precisely how to live free from this embarrassing condition.