Your skin barrier is made up of specialized fats — and in eczema, those fats are broken. In this episode, Dr. Fong breaks down the "bricks and mortar" model of your skin barrier, explains exactly what goes wrong in eczema skin (shorter chain ceramides, kinked fatty acids, and increased water loss), and shares the evidence-based supplements and dietary strategies that can help rebuild your barrier from the inside out.

Topics covered:

• The brick wall model — what your skin barrier is actually made of
• Ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids — the lipid trio that holds your skin together
• What goes wrong in eczema — shorter chain ceramides and "leaky skin"
• The vicious cycle of inflammation and barrier breakdown
• The truth about moisturizers — why no product is proven superior
• Supplements with the strongest evidence: Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and topical B12
• Promising options: L-histidine, oral ceramides, probiotics, and zinc
• The gut-skin connection and why fiber matters
• Q&A: Tacrolimus — short-term benefits vs. long-term concerns
• Q&A: NAC & glutathione — why timing matters for eczema patients

Resources mentioned:

• Free Healing Kickstart Guide: https://www.cleanbody.health/eczema-healing-kickstart-guide
• Free Root Cause Assessment: https://eczemaassessment.scoreapp.com/
• Full blog post: https://www.cleanbody.health/single-post/eczema-your-skin-barrier-the-lipid-connection
• Book an Eczema Clarity Visit ($97): https://www.cleanbody.health/eczemaclarityvisit
• Supplement recommendations: https://us.fullscript.com/plans/cleanbody-eczema-recommendations-all

🧴 Get CleanSKIN Calm (Hypochlorous Acid) — the non-steroid topical I recommend most: https://www.cleanbody.health/product-page/cleanskin-calm

🔍 Not sure what's causing YOUR eczema? Take the free 3-minute Eczema Root Cause Assessment: https://eczemaassessment.scoreapp.com

📞 Ready for a personalized plan? Book an Eczema Clarity Visit with me ($97 — credited toward any care program + 100% money-back guarantee): https://www.cleanbody.health/eczemaclarityvisit

🎙️ Join me LIVE on YouTube (@cleanbodyhealth) and Instagram (@drfong.nd) to ask your questions in real time.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider.

If you’ve been stuck in the cycle of using steroids… only to have your eczema come right back—this episode is for you.

In this episode of Live with The Eczema Doc, I’m breaking down evidence-based, non-steroid topical treatments that not only provide relief—but can actually help address the root causes of eczema.

Because here’s the truth:
👉 Steroids suppress symptoms… but they don’t fix what’s driving your eczema.

We’re diving into:

• Why steroids and calcineurin inhibitors often lead to the “apply → improve → flare” cycle
• The real root causes of eczema (microbiome imbalance, barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation)
• How bacteria (Staph aureus) and yeast (Malassezia) drive flares
• The best non-steroid topicals backed by research:
  • Hypochlorous acid
  • Zinc pyrithione
  • Vitamin D, B12, B6, and niacinamide
• How to know which topical is right for YOUR eczema
• Why some “natural products” can actually make eczema worse
• Real case studies (including infants) showing what’s possible without steroids

✨ Plus, I share how I personalize topical treatments in my practice to target the root cause—not just calm symptoms.

If you’re ready to stop the cycle and start actually healing your skin—this episode is a must-listen.

👉 Want a full breakdown of these treatments + exact recommendations?
I wrote a detailed blog that walks you through this step-by-step:
🔗 https://www.cleanbody.health/single-post/beyond-steroids-alternative-topical-treatments-that-actually-work

⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider.

🧴 Get CleanSKIN Calm (Hypochlorous Acid) — the non-steroid topical I recommend most: https://www.cleanbody.health/product-page/cleanskin-calm

🔍 Not sure what's causing YOUR eczema? Take the free 3-minute Eczema Root Cause Assessment: https://eczemaassessment.scoreapp.com

📞 Ready for a personalized plan? Book an Eczema Clarity Visit with me ($97 — credited toward any care program + 100% money-back guarantee): https://www.cleanbody.health/eczemaclarityvisit

🎙️ Join me LIVE on YouTube (@cleanbodyhealth) and Instagram (@drfong.nd) to ask your questions in real time.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider.

If you’re a parent watching your child struggle with scratching, bleeding, or sleepless nights from eczema, this episode is for you. In Episode 21 of Live with The Eczema Doc, Dr. Fong, a naturopathic doctor specializing in eczema, is joined by Cleanbody Practitioner and eczema expert Tori Taggart, MS, CNS. Together, they share ten of the most powerful lifestyle and nutrition tips they use with patients to help calm eczema naturally—often before medications or supplements are needed.

Instead of starting with creams or pills, Dr. Fong and Tori walk you through the foundational steps that create real change. You’ll learn how to keep an effective eczema journal to track food, skin photos, bowel movements, mood, and flares so you can finally see patterns. You’ll also uncover how processed “kid foods,” sugary drinks, and constant snacking quietly fuel gut inflammation—and how to rebuild the skin from the inside out with rainbow-colored, fiber-rich, gut-healing meals.

This episode also covers hydration, daily bowel movements, toxin reduction, gentle topicals, clean water, clean air, and the simple routines that help kids sleep better and itch less. These steps are where healing begins for both kids and adults.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why journaling is step one—and exactly what to track
• How processed snacks fuel inflammation and flares
• What a true gut-healing, rainbow-rich plate looks like
• How to use urine color to monitor hydration
• Why daily movement and outdoor play support detoxification
• How sleep, nervous system calm, and routine affect itch
• When to avoid certain oils that worsen fungal/yeast-driven eczema
• How toxins from plastics, fragrances, and cleaners impact the skin
• The importance of clean water for drinking and bathing
• Why indoor air quality matters for sensitive skin

Want to explore the research behind these insights? Click this link to head to our blog for a deep dive into the studies mentioned in this episode: https://www.cleanbody.health/single-post/the-eczema-doc-s-top-tips-to-start-healing-eczema-naturally?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast

🧴 Get CleanSKIN Calm (Hypochlorous Acid) — the non-steroid topical I recommend most: https://www.cleanbody.health/product-page/cleanskin-calm

🔍 Not sure what's causing YOUR eczema? Take the free 3-minute Eczema Root Cause Assessment: https://eczemaassessment.scoreapp.com

📞 Ready for a personalized plan? Book an Eczema Clarity Visit with me ($97 — credited toward any care program + 100% money-back guarantee): https://www.cleanbody.health/eczemaclarityvisit

🎙️ Join me LIVE on YouTube (@cleanbodyhealth) and Instagram (@drfong.nd) to ask your questions in real time.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider.