<iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5HFCVX" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe>
Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking &amp; Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets &amp; Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets &amp; Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
    Featured Articles
    • Recipes
      Immunity Soup
    • Food Safety
      Does Eating Organic Prevent Cancer?
    • Weekly Bulletin
      Food Allergies Examined In Adults
    • Videos
      Best Foods With Vitamin B12
    • Nutrition
      How Is The Slow Food Movement Doing?
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments &amp; remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
    Weil Vitamin Advisor
    Weil Vitamin Advisor
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    blog_bulletins_topnav
    Health Tips
    blog_health-tips_topnav
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • Marketplace
  • Healthy Aging
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • VITAMIN ADVISOR
B12 Cream for Eczema?
Newsletters Vitamin Advisor
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Body, Mind & Spirit
  4. Hair, Skin, & Nails
  5. Q & A

B12 Cream for Eczema?

I read that topical B12 cream has great potential in treating eczema by helping new skin grow. What information do you have on this and where can one buy it?

– June 2, 2009

Closeup shot of hands applying moisturizer. Beauty woman holding a glass jar of skin cream. Shallow depth of field with focus on moisturizer.
0 shares
2 min

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is an allergic skin condition, characterized by red, scaly, dry patches that are extremely itchy. The disorder is especially common in young adults, children, and infants. Eczema tends to come and go and often accompanies other allergic conditions such as asthma. Dermatologists usually treat it with topical steroids, but I believe these drugs only suppress the problem and may worsen it over time. Steroids can also negatively impact immunity.

A vitamin B12 cream tested in a small study in Germany proved effective in reducing the extent and severity of eczema. Only 49 patients participated. They each used the B12 cream on one side of the body and a placebo on the other but didn’t know which was which. The research team and patients concluded after eight weeks that the B12 cream was “good” or “very good,” at improving the symptoms, while the placebo was rated as “moderate” or “poor” in 87 percent to 89 percent of all cases. I haven’t seen results from any other studies. To my knowledge only one other investigation was contemplated, in children, but I’ve seen no published findings.

I have no firsthand experience with vitamin B12 cream to treat eczema. However, my approach, described below, has worked well for many of my patients:

  • Eliminate cows’ milk and all cows’ milk products from your diet, as well as foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (often found in snack foods and baked goods) and trans-fatty acids (margarine, vegetable shortening).
  • Take 500 milligrams of black currant oil or evening primrose oil twice a day (half that dose for children younger than 12). These are sources of gamma-linolenic aid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid that promotes healthy growth of skin, hair and nails. You should begin to notice positive changes in six to eight weeks.
  • Apply aloe vera gel (from a fresh plant or buy lotions or moisturizers containing aloe) or calendula cream to the affected areas of your arm.
  • Experiment with lotions and salves containing chaparral (Larrea divaricata), a desert plant used topically in Mexican folk medicine for skin conditions.
  • Visualization and hypnotherapy can have a significant positive impact on allergy-related skin conditions. And try to relax – stress can make the condition worse. Explore relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and yoga.

In addition, be sure to bathe or shower as quickly as possible, and use a non-perfumed moisturizing soap. Apply a thick moisturizing cream immediately after patting yourself dry – don’t rub your skin when you towel dry your body.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Advertisement
Related Weil Products

Are You Getting the Supplements You Need?

Find out which supplements are right for you: take the Weil Vitamin Advisor evaluation for a free vitamin and nutritional supplement recommendation. Start your evaluation now!
Get Started
What’s Right For Me?

Free Vitamin Recommendations

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Custom Vitamin Plan - Weil Vitamin Advisor
Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Trending Now

8 Natural Skin Care Tips | Personal Care | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Hair, Skin, & Nails

8 Natural Skin Care Tips

Woman applying sunblock protection on shoulders
Hair, Skin, & Nails

A Chronic Skin Condition?

woman holding and applying suntan lotion on a beach
Hair, Skin, & Nails

A Painful Reminder of Shingles?

Closeup shot of hands applying moisturizer. Beauty woman holding a glass jar of skin cream. Shallow depth of field with focus on moisturizer.
Hair, Skin, & Nails

Acne

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
8 Natural Skin Care Tips | Personal Care | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Hair, Skin, & Nails

8 Natural Skin Care Tips

Woman applying sunblock protection on shoulders
Hair, Skin, & Nails

A Chronic Skin Condition?

Daily Tips
Body Odor 5 Natural Suggestions
Health Tips

Body Odor Bugging You? Try These 5 Natural Suggestions

Worried About Cholesterol Levels
Health Tips

Worried About Cholesterol Levels? 5 Ways To Help

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright 2019 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox