Functional medicine treatment for eczema
We take a personalised, root-cause approach to eczema. Care focuses on identifying how factors like immune reactivity, gut health, and environmental or dietary triggers may be contributing to skin inflammation and flare recurrence, using targeted investigation and individualised treatment to support calmer, more stable skin.
Is our eczema care right for you?
If eczema has been recurring or flare-ups keep coming back, a more comprehensive and individualised approach can help move your treatment forward. This is particularly true when flares follow periods of improvement, or when stress, diet, or seasonal changes seem to be involved. Our approach may suit you if:
You feel worn down by recurring flare-ups, itching, or skin that never fully clears
You want to understand how food, stress, or environmental triggers may be contributing to flares
You're looking for a more thorough, personalised approach beyond topical treatments alone
You want to investigate what may be contributing to skin inflammation and barrier damage
Why eczema can keep flaring even with treatment
Eczema often keeps flaring because topical treatment, such as steroids, moisturisers, and antihistamines, reduces inflammation without addressing what’s triggering it in the first place. These can ease symptoms in the short term, but flare-ups often return once treatment is reduced or stopped.
When eczema persists or becomes more reactive, the cause is often something beyond the skin itself. Your gut health and the balance of bacteria living there can influence how reactive your immune system is. Food or environmental triggers can add to that load. And ongoing stress can slow down how well your skin barrier repairs itself between flares.
If these influences are not addressed, skin may improve temporarily, then flare again in response to the same triggers or new ones.
Our approach to eczema care
Our approach to eczema starts with understanding how your eczema presents, including when it first developed, how your flare-ups behave, and what seems to trigger or worsen your skin. Patterns such as seasonal changes, stress-related flares, or reactions to certain foods, together with functional testing, help show whether immune activity, gut function, or skin barrier repair are more central to your care.
In eczema, gut health is frequently where investigations lead, even when the skin is the only visible symptom.
Your care is then based on these priorities and may include supporting your gut health and microbiome, identifying and reducing dietary or environmental triggers, strengthening your skin barrier, and helping your immune system stop overreacting to everyday triggers. In some cases, this also involves adjusting topical care to support healing rather than repeatedly suppressing inflammation.
Depending on your presentation, care may include:
Gut lining repair
Targeted nutrients and herbs help repair your gut lining where intestinal permeability is contributing to your immune reactivity. When this lining is compromised, larger food particles and bacterial components can cross into your bloodstream and trigger an immune response, which can show up on your skin as inflammation and flares.
Microbiome support
Prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary changes help build a gut microbiome linked to a less reactive immune response, particularly relevant if you have digestive symptoms alongside your eczema. A large 2025 review of existing research found that specific probiotics and synbiotics were associated with a measurable reduction in both eczema incidence and severity scores in children.
Dietary assessment and food sensitivity investigation
Identifying your specific food triggers through structured elimination or functional testing clarifies whether those foods are causing a direct immune reaction or contributing indirectly through gut permeability. Knowing which of these is happening changes which strategies are prioritised in your care.
Nutritional support
Addressing nutrient deficiencies supports skin barrier function and immune regulation. Common targets, identified through assessment, include:
- vitamin D, which helps regulate immune cell activity in the skin
- zinc, involved in skin repair and barrier integrity
- omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which influence the skin’s inflammatory response
Liver support
Your liver clears inflammatory compounds and metabolises hormones and toxins that can otherwise add to the load on your immune system and skin. Where testing or history points to a reduced capacity to clear toxins, nutritional and herbal support for liver function is included, particularly where eczema has been resistant to skin-focused approaches alone.
Immune modulation
Herbal medicines help calm an overactive immune response, a pattern often associated with eczema, including:
- echinacea
- astragalus
- albizia
- baikal skullcap
- therapeutic mushrooms
These herbs aim to regulate the immune response rather than suppress immune function broadly, and should only be used under practitioner supervision.
Nervous system and stress regulation
Lifestyle changes, such as better sleep habits, and targeted nutritional or herbal interventions help regulate your stress response, since cortisol released under stress affects skin inflammation and barrier repair and can maintain or worsen eczema even once other triggers are addressed.
Skin barrier support
Topical anti-inflammatory herbs help strengthen your skin barrier, alongside dietary support for its lipid layer. A compromised lipid layer allows more moisture loss and lets more irritants in, so rebuilding it is often central to reducing flare frequency. Commonly used herbs include:
- calendula
- chickweed
- chamomile
Environmental assessment
Your practitioner assesses and helps reduce your exposure to environmental triggers that can directly irritate already-compromised skin or add to your immune system’s overall burden. Common triggers include:
- mould exposure
- chemical irritants
- allergens, such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander
How we investigate eczema
Testing is guided by how eczema presents, including flare patterns, triggers, and any signs pointing toward immune, digestive, or environmental influences. Where testing is appropriate, it is selected to clarify what may be maintaining inflammation or impairing skin barrier repair, rather than applied routinely.
- Microbiome testing
- Digestive function tests
- Nutrient deficiency testing
- Food sensitivity tests
Case study
See how our approach helps our patients achieve better health and richer lives.
James was 17 when he first came to us. He was covered from his neck to his ankles in eczema. There was bad scarring behind his knees from the constant itching and scratching.
Read James’ story by hitting the button below
James’ story
James was 17 years old when he first came to us, covered from his neck to his ankles in eczema. There were severe scars behind his knees from constant itching and scratching. James also had a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and was verbal, enjoyed learning at school, but wasn’t a fan of making eye contact.
An in-depth analysis of the problem
A thorough assessment revealed that James was also constipated, despite drinking plenty of water, and had congested sinuses most of the time. Historically, he wasn’t breastfed, and the eczema developed in infancy. He also had a history of multiple urinary tract infections (due to a congenital malformation), for which he required several courses of antibiotics. His bowel movements were never quite consistent.
The holistic assessment indicated several factors, both past and present, contributing to his eczema:
- Early exposure to bovine-based formula and the onset of eczema point to intolerances. The inflammation created by food intolerances can express systemically, and likely in this case both in bowel and skin
- Recurrent courses of antibiotics disturbing microbiome ecology, and potentially leading to constipation, compromising a key pathway of detoxification and impacting the behaviour of the immune system (eczema, chronic upper respiratory congestion)
- When key paths of detoxification are impaired, this can overburden other systems such as the skin and lymph
Implementing the solution
We began by assessing food intolerances using blood tests, which identified dairy, almonds, and eggs as the primary culprits. Upon eliminating these foods from James’ diet, we saw a significant reduction in his eczema symptoms. However, after a binge on ice cream, his eczema flared up again – a valuable lesson that reinforced the importance of sticking to the diet.
James’ health coach provided ongoing guidance and emotional support throughout his healing journey. His health coach worked with him and his family to:
- Understand the link between his food intolerances and eczema. They provided practical advice on how to avoid his trigger foods and introduced suitable substitutes, making it easier for James to stick to his elimination diet
- Living with eczema can be challenging, especially for a teenager dealing with a visible condition. His health coach helped him develop coping strategies for the emotional impact of his eczema, particularly during flare-ups
- Staying committed to a strict diet can be difficult. James’ health coach kept him motivated by setting achievable goals, tracking progress, and celebrating his successes. They also helped him stay accountable after the slip-up with the ice cream, ensuring he stuck to his plan
- Monitoring symptoms and activities is key part of the healing process. James’ health coach was involved in tracking his eczema symptoms, noting improvements, and making any necessary adjustments to the diet or lifestyle to maximise results
Achieving an incredible result
After getting back on track with the elimination diet, James saw remarkable improvements. Within 16 weeks, his eczema had completely cleared up. The before-and-after images show a clear transformation, and James couldn’t be happier with the results achieved through his commitment and the ongoing support of his practitioner and health coach. His eczema no longer impacted his daily life, and he felt empowered to maintain his new lifestyle.
We support calmer, more consistent skin
We help people with eczema move beyond short-term flare management to longer, more stable periods of clear skin. Start your care journey today.
Before
After
Before
After
Your skin health care team
GETTING STARTED
Choose how you'd like to begin
3-hour initial apt
3-hour initial appointment
- Comprehensive deep dive into your health picture
- Ideal for complex or long-standing concerns
- Root-cause mapping and strategy session
- Get your personalised health mindmap
Start with a deep dive
1-hour initial apt
1-hour initial appointment
- Review your health history and current concerns
- Receive testing and treatment recommendations
- Leave with an initial plan to get started
A focussed starting point
WHAT PATIENTS SAY
Why Melbourne Functional Medicine is trusted for Eczema
Patient experiences
Our award winning approach is personalised, collaborative and focused on your health.
See what past patients say about their experience below.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
Do I need a diagnosis before getting support?
No. Some people come in with a formal diagnosis, while others are dealing with ongoing eczema without clear answers. Care is guided by how your skin is presenting, how it has changed, and any patterns that stand out. If further medical input is needed, we will guide you on that as part of the process.
Can this work alongside steroid creams or prescribed treatments?
Yes. Many people continue using topical treatments during flare-ups while exploring a broader approach. The focus is on understanding what may be maintaining the pattern alongside symptom management, rather than replacing medical care abruptly. Any changes are made gradually and with appropriate guidance.
What if my eczema keeps flaring despite treatment?
This is common, particularly when flare-ups return after treatment stops. It often means there are still influences on immune response, skin barrier function, or inflammation that haven’t been addressed.
Can you help if I’ve had eczema since childhood?
Yes. Long-standing eczema often follows recognisable patterns, even if it has changed or become more persistent. Understanding how it has evolved, including triggers, flare behaviour, and recovery, helps guide a more targeted approach, even when it has been present for many years.
Where can I learn more about eczema?
For a deeper look at how eczema affects the body and why it keeps flaring, read our detailed guide to eczema.
Ready for a more personalised path forward?
We work with you to get to the bottom of why your eczema keeps flaring, and what it takes to feel comfortable in your skin again.
