Sometimes the antibiotic seems to help the eczema itself, rather than just the infection. The exact reasons for this are not known, but some research suggests that certain staphylococcus bacteria interact with the eczema to produce a higher level of skin reaction than either would alone. Tar Tar based treatments can be very effective for certain types of eczema. The products used tend to be black, sticky and smelly but are effective and reducing inflammation and itching. Examples of bath additives containing tar are Zetar, made by Dermik Laboratories, Collegeville, PA and Balnetar.
Shampoos containing tar are useful for itchy, scaly scalps.
Examples of these are T-Gel and Polytar. Zinc Creams containing zinc are effective at reducing inflammation and promoting healing of damaged skin. Examples of these creams are zinc oxide cream and zinc and castor oil cream. The branded cream Sudocrem also contains an antiseptic. This treatment involves enclosing the skin in bandages covered with emollient or steroid, or applying emollient or steroid to the skin followed by bandages soaked in warm water.