Eczema is an Immune System Disorder (atopy), and 75% of your immune system is found in your gastrointestinal tract where 3 to 4 pounds of bacteria should naturally and normally reside.
From The American Academy of Dermatology's EczemaNet: "Preliminary studies indicate that probiotics may benefit children with atopic dermatitis."
The normal good intestinal bacteria that reside in healthy infants is not the same as the normal good healthy bacteria that reside in adults. Babies can't handle all good bacteria until they are 4 years of age, because other good bacteria colonies don't normally take up residence until later on in life. Babies are fragile in this way. The only good bacteria that normally inhabits infants is Bifidobacterium infantis found in a product called LifeStart sold by Natren.
Now with that understood, see how good bacteria ("probiotics") which are supposed to normally inhabit our gastrointestinal tracts benefit people with eczema and even help prevent eczema in your unborn children.
- Staphylococcus Aureus Causative Agent of Atopic Dermatitis/ Eczema Syndrome (ADES ) and its Therapeutic Implications The Internet Journal of Dermatology
- Eczema. A Healthy Breakthrough by Alexander Angelov, M.D.
- Probiotics during pregnancy and breast-feeding might confer immunomodulatory protection against atopic disease in the infant. National Institute of Health
- Probiotics for Baby Eczema and Full Fat Yogurt for Infants from Dr. Greene
- The Beneficial Bacteria and Eczema Connection The Lancet
- Prebiotic Reduces Eczema in Infants, Healthy Day News
- Probiotics Cut Atopic Eczema in Infants by Half Skin & Allergy News
- Eating to Cure Your Eczema, Christine Climer
- Eczema Patients Lack Natural Antibiotic Web MD
- Eczema Patients Lack Natural Antiboitic Science Daily
- Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization in Patients with Atopic Eczema National Institute of Health
- Probiotics Protect Against Childhood Eczema: 4-year Follow-up.(Clinical Rounds) Pediatric News
- Probiotics help infants who have eczema, cow's milk allergy: lactobacillus and bifidobacterium Skin & Allergy
- Probiotics may ameliorate milk allergy eczema: lactobacillus and bifidobacterium.(Clinical Rounds) Pediatric News
- Probiotics' Benefits in Eczema Affirmed Nutraceuticals International
- Probiotics Could Reduce Asthma and Eczema in Children.Chemist & Druggist
- Probiotics Reduced Atopic Eczema Family Practice News
- Probiotics in the Management of Atopic Eczema. Alternative Medicine Review
Have you heard about the friendly bacteria in yogurt? Lactobacillus acidophilus--which also has anti-fungal properties--is one for example. There are trillions in each person, divided into over four hundred species, most of them living in the digestive tract. Good bacteria help detoxify and protect our bodies, aid in the production of vitamins, enzymes and have antimicrobial effects among other benefits. When the "good guys" are overpowered by the "bad guys", problems like acne, pasty complexion, allergies, bad breath, hair loss, fatigue, auto immune illnesses, depression, heartburn, PMS, digestive disturbances, bloating, intolerances, rheumatoid arthritis and certain nerve disorders can arise. Antibiotics kill both beneficial and harmful bacteria, but probiotics (good bacteria) keep the harmful bacteria in check while at the same time producing natural antibiotics. Good bacteria will also plug up the holes of leaky gut.
International Food Information Council has an extensive article on good bacteria, The Bacteria Museum will teach you how to make food with good bacteria, and see these two great sites as well: Body Ecology Diet and Rejuvenative Foods.
- Yogurt
- Buttermilk
- Kefir
- Tempeh
- Miso
- Kim Chi
- Sauerkraut
- Other "fermented" foods
Food Sources of Prebiotics
- Flax
- Other whole grains
- Onions
- Greens (especially dandelion greens, but also spinach, collard greens, chard, kale, and mustard greens)
- Berries, bananas, and other fruit
- Legumes (lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, navy beans, white beans, black beans, etc.)
The acid mantle is a protective film formed by the skin. It inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms on the skin’s surface. Thus, it is very important to have proper pH on the skin, and you can read more about that in the "Acid Mantle Web Page."
One of the reasons people say that their rashes got worse after they stopped using corticosteroids is because a staph infection was involved. It has been my finding that many people with eczema have too much staphylococcus aureus on their skin, so make sure one of the first things you do is get tested for a staph infection by a doctor or dermatologist. They'll just use a cotton swab on the skin and test it for bacteria like they do for strep throat. If you get prescribed oral antibiotics, take them and understand you might get a secondary rash from the antibotics, but it will clear up the staph which can be a primary cause. Make absolutely sure you are getting probiotcs when you take antibotics.
Remember that treating staph infections with corticosteroids will cause infections to run wild, because steriods suppress inflammation and inflammation is the process that fights infection. If you have too much staph and are getting treated for it with antibiotics, however, it's okay to use a corticosteroid to help with inflammation from the rash whether it's from staph or a side effect of the antibiotic. Consuming good bacteria and trying to preserve you acid mantle will be very helpful and may make all the difference in a lot of cases..
Garlic and salt (FSTR) and honey according to the NIH and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (especially Manuka honey), and sunflower oil, silver clothing and olive leaf extract are some effective treatments against staphylococcus. Note: vinegar is only slightly effective. Grapefruit seed is also very effective, but I'm going to give that it's own special paragraph here below.
See "The Fungus Web Page." Neomycin Warning: Please note the antibiotic ointment allergy web page and read this article about how polysporin was more effective at decolonization of staph than Mupirocin.
Ceramidase Activity in Bacterial Skin Flora as a Possible Cause
of Ceramide Deficiency in Atopic Dermatitis  In the present study, we provide evidence that CDase is
present in the skin of patients with AD, secreted from P.
aeruginosa and/or related strains, suggesting that such exogenous
enzymes may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. The
enzyme activities may result in ceramide deficiency, thus disturbing
the permeability barrier function of the stratum corneum
while accelerating the immune reaction and eventually
resulting in the predominance of S. aureus in the skin of patients
with AD. The finding that the skin of patients with AD is colonized by ceramidase-secreting bacteria
thus suggests that microorganisms are related to the deficiency of ceramide in the horny layer of the epidermis,
which increases the hypersensitivity of skin in AD patients by impairing the permeability barrier.
See, also, the Staph web page.
[Staphylococcus aureus and atopic eczema] [Article in German] Neuber K, Konig W, Ring J. Universitats-Hautklinik Hamburg.
The bacterial skin flora of patients with atopic eczema is different from that in healthy normal persons. In addition, such patients more often suffer from microbial infections. Differences in sebum and sweat secretion and increased bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells in atopic eczema may predispose to enhanced amounts of Staphylococcus aureus, for example, on the skin. Defective host-defence mechanisms with dysfunction of cellular and humoral immune reactions have been suggested. On the other hand, bacterial antigens may induce allergic reactions, e.g. increased IgE synthesis and enhanced expression of the low-affinity receptor for IgE (CD23, Fc epsilon RII), and the release of inflammatory mediators such as leukotrienes and histamine. The production of bacterial toxins might be important for the pathophysiology of atopic eczema. This paper summarizes the present data and tries to integrate them into a model for the induction of atopic eczema. PMID: 8463093 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Don't just try and kill the bad bacteria; instead, feed your body beneficial bacteria (topically and orally) to provide the army of good bacteria that will fight the bad bacteria. That's the way to do it. It's like grass, when you kill all the grass, the weeds take over, so you need to plant grass to prevent the weeds from taking over. Remember: it's the good bacteria that protects us from overcolonization of bad bacteria, and beneficial bacteria make natural antibiotics.
Effectiveness of Different Kinds of Probiotics
Since people with eczema have trouble breaking down fats, if you are going to supplement, it may be best to start out with a powder as opposed to probiotics that are encapsulated in oil (unless you are taking a lipase enzyme to help digest fat so you can get the benefit of the probiotic that is encapsulated within the oil).
It is effective and can be used both internally and externally. Here are some supporting links for why and how. I buy mine from the health food store for $10-$20 depending on the size, and it seems to last forever. Teenagers use it instead of soap as a facewash to help with acne, too. Just remember that anything you put in the skin can cause itching when the skin is hyperreactive, so keep that in mind especially when you're trying to help children or others who can't communicate very well, because as much as what I'm saying is true about GSE fighting staph, it caused me to itch.
Hi Christina,
I wanted to give you a quick update on my status! I actually got diagnosed with staph infection last Friday. I can't believe that she never checked me for it. I just don't understand why...she even mentioned it to me but said she didn't think I had it! So frustrating. I think I have had it since July...it was a losing battle!
Anyway, I have been on antibiotics for almost a week and it is so much better...it is a miracle. I think antibiotics were the reason I have eczema and they are the reason it is now gone...ironic!
I have been using steroids and taking claritin as well...hopefully it will not come back ever again like that.
I can't thank you enough for your advice...thank goodness I found you and spoke to you. You saved me big time! So thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Sincerely
Kathryn
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