Condition
Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
A chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin condition causing dry, intensely itchy, inflamed patches — often starting in childhood and linked to a weakened skin barrier.
See a clinician
Some causes of atopic dermatitis (eczema) need medical care, not self-treatment. Seek help for any of these:
- Weeping, yellow crusting, pus, increasing pain or warmth — possible bacterial skin infection.
- Painful clustered blisters or punched-out sores with fever — possible eczema herpeticum, a medical emergency.
- Sudden widespread redness over most of the body (erythroderma) — seek urgent care.
- Eczema not controlled despite good moisturising and appropriate over-the-counter steroid use, or severe sleep loss from itching.
What may help
Remedies studied for atopic dermatitis (eczema), ranked by strength of evidence.
- — Fish oil (omega-3) supplement
One small pilot trial of high-dose DHA hinted at improvement, but the Cochrane review of supplements found no convincing benefit for eczema — too little to recommend.
The mainstays are consistent moisturising, avoiding triggers, and topical anti-inflammatories. Oral supplements have been studied but, as the Cochrane review concluded, none is convincingly effective — which is exactly why the entry below is graded insufficient rather than recommended.