Eczema, supported holistically: finding the cause, not only calming the skin
The skin is not the real problem. It is the trace.
With eczema, the skin is showing that something in the body is out of balance. Creams and ointments calm the surface, often for a few weeks. When the flare-ups keep coming back, it is worth looking underneath: what sets them off? That is where I look with you, for children and for adults.
Elena Cajka, Naturopathic Practitioner TEN | herbal medicine for children and adults | 5.0 ★ Google reviews | Free introductory call: +41 79 455 28 35
When the cream works and the flare-up comes back anyway
Some time ago a mother came to me with her son, five years old. The skin behind his knees and in the folds of his arms had been raw for months, sometimes better, sometimes worse. The prescribed ointment helped, for a few weeks. Then everything flared up again.
We took our time. I asked a lot. When did it start? What was different in the weeks before? Slowly a picture came together. The skin had changed after a course of antibiotics, and the gut had fallen out of rhythm. That is where we began, gently, step by step. The flare-ups grew rarer, the nights calmer.
Not every child has the same thread, and I promise nothing. But almost always something changed beforehand, and few people notice it first. That is why the long, calm talk at the start is the most important part of my work.
The skin rarely heals from the outside alone. It settles once the trigger is found.
Why eczema often comes back after creaming
Eczema is more than dry skin. The skin barrier is weakened, moisture is lost, and the immune system reacts too strongly to things that leave others untouched. A large part of that immune system sits in the gut, so skin and digestion are more connected than people think.
Creams and cortisone calm the inflammation at the surface, and that has its place, especially in acute phases. But the question stays open: why does the skin react this way at all? As long as the trigger keeps working, in the gut, in the food, in the surroundings or in lasting stress, the flare-up often returns once the cream is stopped. So I look not only at the skin, but at the whole picture.
Usually the skin is treated. Rarely is it asked when it began.
Yet that is often where the answer lies. Eczema rarely has just one cause. Many threads can run together: the gut, certain foods, an infection, a course of antibiotics, a move, a new detergent, a time of pressure. From the outside you cannot tell which thread it is.
So my work begins with a long, calm conversation. I ask a lot, and I ask differently. When did the first flare-up come? What was going on in the weeks before? Often the people who come to me do not notice at first that something had changed. And then, in the middle of the talk, a picture comes together, and suddenly much of it makes sense. Those are the moments I do this work for.
I promise nothing, that would not be honest. But when we take our time and look closely, a trace can often be found. And where there is a trace, there is a starting point.
These three questions are not a diagnosis. They only help you order your own thoughts before we look together.
- When did the first flare-up begin? Does anything come to mind that changed around the same time?
- Do the flare-ups come in waves, sometimes calm, sometimes strong? Are there situations where the skin regularly gets worse?
- Was there a move, a change in diet, an infection, a course of antibiotics, or an especially demanding time?
There is no right or wrong here. What of this fits you or your child, we look at calmly, together.
What often helps in everyday life
There is no single answer here, and I would not trust anyone who promises one. What I can offer is an honest look and a path that fits you, whether for your child or for yourself.
The basics stay similar at every age. Gentle skin care without irritating additives. Short, lukewarm baths instead of long hot ones, then cream straight away while the skin is still slightly damp. Soft cotton right against the skin. And a look at the gut, because calm digestion often eases the skin too.
Alongside this, herbs can gently support. Chamomile calms irritated skin, calendula cares for it and supports healing, and omega-3 works from the inside against inflammation. Which plant, which form and which amount fits you depends on age, on what you have already tried, and on what the body needs right now. Babies need different plants than schoolchildren or adults. That we find out together.
Would you like to understand what is behind the flare-ups?
Free 15-minute introductory call: 📞 +41 79 455 28 35
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Based on 17 Google reviews
"Elena helped me tremendously for my full-body eczema, which was triggered by a vaccine I did not tolerate well. Before, I was seeing a dermatologist and paid a lot for every session. The cortisone tablets and creams helped for a while, but the eczema kept coming back. A friend recommended Elena. I live in Singapore and Elena in Switzerland, so the consultation was by video. She told me what to eat and what to avoid and which nutrients would help me. After two months my eczema was gone and I sleep well again." — Jira, Singapore
When a naturopathy practice makes sense for eczema
If you or your child have been creaming for a long time and the flare-ups keep coming back, a holistic look can be the next step. Not as a replacement for dermatological care, but as a second level that asks about the why.
What I do differently is not the knowledge, it is the pace. It begins with an introductory call, free and without obligation. We look together at what you are experiencing, what you have already tried, and whether my way fits you. There is no pressure to continue afterwards.
Just as honestly, I will tell you when you are better off somewhere else first.
- With badly inflamed, weeping or infected skin, with fever or signs of infection, the medical or dermatological check comes first. Naturopathy comes after that, not before.
- If a flare-up suddenly becomes very severe or spreads quickly over the body, please have it looked at medically first.
- For babies with pronounced eczema, the paediatrician belongs on board from the start.
- If you are looking for a quick fix, I am honestly the wrong address. My way needs some time and the willingness to look at the whole picture, the diet, the daily life, the gut.
- And if a prescribed treatment is acutely needed right now and working well, do not stop it because of me. I work alongside, never as a replacement.
This honesty matters more to me than a new appointment. If my way does not fit you, I will tell you.
What happens in the introductory call
- You tell me, at your own pace, where you or your child stand right now.
- We look together at the possible triggers: skin, gut, diet, surroundings, stress.
- I tell you honestly whether and how I can support you.
- You decide afterwards, calmly, with no obligation.
Free. Confidential. No obligation.
Free introductory call: 📞 +41 79 455 28 35
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No quick promises, no miracle cures. But an honest look and natural paths that have proven themselves.
Warmly, your Elena
Naturopathic Practitioner TEN
Herbal medicine for children and adults
Naturopathy practice Elena Cajka · Luegete 12 · 8053 Zürich-Witikon
Zürich and online worldwide