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Atopic dermatitis - or eczema - is an itchy rash which tends to occur in the bendy bits - the inside of the elbow and the back of the knee for instance. It usually starts in childhood and is linked to asthma and hay fever. The most common treatment is cortisone - or steroid creams. Complementary practitioners and some GPs have clung to the belief that evening primrose oil, whose active ingredient is thought to be gamma linolenic acid, is just the job for eczema. Atopic dermatitis - or eczema - is an itchy rash which tends to occur in the bendy bits - the inside of the elbow and the back of the knee for instance. It usually starts in childhood and is linked to asthma and hay fever. The most common treatment is cortisone - or steroid creams. Complementary practitioners and some GPs have clung to the belief that evening primrose oil, whose active ingredient is thought to be gamma linolenic acid, is just the job for eczema.  There have been quite a few studies going to and fro on this but the largest, highest quality trials have unfortunately been negative. But a debate has continued with proponents arguing that people just haven't been given enough. A study in the UK has tested this by trialling high dose gamma linolenic acid in children and adults with eczema. Both placebo and active treatment groups experienced an improvement and there was no significant difference between the two. If anything, the placebo group did better. Nor did the gamma linolenic acid reduce the need for steroids. An accompanying editorial described a saga of negative studies on evening primrose oil being withheld from publication making it harder for parents and doctors to make decisions.
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