eczema

Angela - posted on 05/23/2009

The doctor prescribed Elidel, it's steroid free and it works the only thing is that it says not to put it on and be exposed to the sunshine for long periods. Try to avoid steroids if possible because they cause adverse effects on skin later in life. It has worked for my daughter but I also wash my clothes and linens in dye free, perfume free detergent and I never used fabric softeners. She also uses the sensitive skin dove soap, and suave sensitive hypoallergic lotion right after every shower. It is important to put lotion on while the skin is still damp to lock in the moisture. I usually only give her a shower/bath every other day unless she gets dirty. I also never use bubble bath. Also like others have already said food allergies can cause breakouts too. Hope this helps.

Marcelle - posted on 05/12/2009

Michelle that sounds horrible for her. Yes, we've had an infection or two in our time.



Using many creams alternatively is not really giving any one to chance to work. If the cause is not being removed we are expecting it to work in spite of continued eruptions. This is not going to happen.



Eczema is an ongoing lifelong condition, there are going to flareups whenever the person comes into contact with the irritants. Anyone cream will work but it cannot remove it like a dry patch of skin. It can only sooth the immediate itchiness of it all.



The causes need to be tracked as well. This way the day to day itching can be minimized, and the occasional flareups managed with the correct cream.

Michelle - posted on 05/12/2009

My 6 year old daughter has eczema between her thighs, it has gotten so bad that she recently had a staff infection in the sores! I too have struggled with many different lotions and creams, we have tried antibiotics too all to no avail! Poor babies, I wish I had better news for you but it sounds like we are in the same boat!

Amy - posted on 05/11/2009

(Don't be afraid to put it right on the oozing and the bloody raw areas. We did, and after a couple of days, it was all gone! It works super fast! No just for the ladies;-)

Amy - posted on 05/11/2009

My child had this and no prescription worked. Then, Mary Kay came out with an Intense Moisturizing Cream. It's pink and costs about $30, but lasts forever and is the ONLY thing that has worked! Now, I have a three month old with the same exact problem, but we've been able to stave it off with this same cream. It's just too bad I'm not a consultant anymore. I used to get it half off :-( TRY THIS! U can order it online too. It WORKS! (My first is now seven and still uses it in the winter when it is at it's worst.)

Amy - posted on 05/09/2009

I'm sure you've already tried elidel, which worked great for my son (he was only a baby at the time) But I tell you what, a friend of mine sells products from "melaluca" and they sell a lotion called Renew, It was an awesome "maintenance" to prevent the eczema from coming back, a little pricier that other lotions, but definately worth it!!!

Alison - posted on 05/09/2009

Are you using 100% organic cotton sheets and clothing? My son has trouble with synthetic fabric on his skin, so we have to use dye free organic fabric. Also lavender and oatmeal bath oils help calm the red and itchy skin for him, but always spot test things before using them. Some cases of oat flare up reactions have been documented, so do not assume it will help with out ensuring an oat allergy. Allergy testing is critical! Another posted suggesting stopping everything, which may be what you have to do in order to give her body a chance to "reset" or steroids may be needed to stop the cycle of break outs. Do you know what type of eczema she has?

Here is some info I have that may help:

Itch treatment - Capsaicin applied to the skin acts as a counter irritant. Other agents that act on nerve transmissions, like menthol, also have been found to mitigate the body's itch signals, providing some relief. Sebexol, Epaderm ointment, Exederm and Eucerin lotion or cream may also be helpful with itching.

Moisture - aqueous cream or paraffin Some common emollients for the relief of eczema include Oilatum, Balneum, Medi Oil, Diprobase, bath oils.

For unbroken skin, direct application of waterproof tape with or without an emollient or prescription ointment can improve moisture levels and skin integrity which allows the skin to heal. This treatment regimen can also help prevent the skin from cracking, as well as put a stop to the itch cycle. The end result is reduced lichenification (the roughening of skin from repeated scratching). Taping works best on skin away from joints.

There is a disagreement whether baths are desirable or a necessary evil. For example, the Mayo Clinic advises against daily baths to avoid skin drying.[19]. On the other hand, the American Academy of Dermatology claims "it is a common misconception that bathing dries the skin and should be kept to a bare minimum" and recommends bathing to hydrate skin. They even suggests up to 3 short baths a day for people with for severe eczema. According to them, a moisturizer should be applied within 3 minutes to trap the moisture from bath in the skin.[20] U.S. National Eczema Association and the Eczema Society of Canada make similar recommendations.

Dermatological recommendations in choosing a soap generally include:[citation needed]

* Avoid harsh detergents or drying soaps
* Choose a soap that has an oil or fat base; a "superfatted" goat milk soap is best
* Use an unscented soap
* Patch test your soap choice, by using it only on a small area until you are sure of its results
* Use a non-soap based cleanser
* Use plain yogurt instead of soap

Instructions for using soap:

* Use soap sparingly
* Avoid using washcloths, sponges, or loofahs, or anything that will abrade the skin
* Use soap only on areas where it is necessary
* Soap up only at the very end of your bath
* Use a fragrance-free barrier-type moisturizer such as petroleum jelly before drying off
* Use care when selecting lotion, soap, or perfumes to avoid suspected allergens; ask your doctor for recommendations
* Never rub your skin dry, or else your skin's oil/moisture will be on the towel and not your body; pat dry instead

Light therapy using ultraviolet light can help control eczema.

A diet rich in omega-3 (and low in omega-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids may be able to reduce symptoms.


I hope this help!

Lisa - posted on 05/08/2009

I have eczema on my hands from handling pizza dough every day in my restaurant....the yeast causes a reaction and makes my hands and wrists break out....some of the things I try to avoid are white bread, doughnuts, beer(obviously you won't be giving your daughter taht!), and anything made with lots of yeast, also when my breakouts are really bad maybe cause it's just my hands but I will coat them with a regular antibiotic ointment such as neosporin it works very well for me...can't really do anything while its on but it helps soooooo much

Susan - posted on 05/06/2009

Two of my kids have eczema. When my son was a baby, he had the weeping too. We used Protopic on him at that time. Now with the two kids, we use All Free laundry detergent and no dryer sheets as dryer sheets can aggravate eczema. In the tub, we use Robathol and then we also use Vanicream for our lotion. We do use hydrocortisone too. We try to avoid steroid creams as much as possible as they can cause thinning of the skin. My middle child never had it but the oldest and youngest both had it from head to toe, everywhere but the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet, so I really feel for you. I agree that seeing an allergist and/or dermatologist or if the option is available to you a pediatric allergist and/or pediatric dermatologist is a good idea too. Our son was tested for some allergies but not a lot and now we just have him on OTC allergy meds to save him going through all the different allergy tests. Both kids are doing much better now but not completely cleared up but it's definitely easier now. Good luck!!

Marcelle - posted on 05/05/2009

I feel for you, that is really severe eczema.



My daughter's eczema is a part of her being atopic, i.e. she has asthma and rhinitis too, just sensitive to everything. She's 13 now and learning to cope with it herself.



The important thing is to find out what is causing it. This can be arduous and drawn out, especially if you don't know what kind of allergies are causing it. So what I would do is

1) Have her allergy tested. This is not foolproof but can help indicate what needs to eliminated.

2) My daughter is basically allergic to water. So every bath needs to have 'Oil of Olatum' added. (She showers mainly now, and it has much more under control). Baths also need to be short.

3) She is also allergic to dust mites. So that means an extremely clean room, with no carpets or woolen curtains. Bedding need to be aired in strong sunlight regularly, matress, everything.

4) Any wool in contact with her skin will set of another round of scratching. Any stockings are also impossible. Eucarin cream and steriod based creams do help local scratching.

5) Go to a dermatologist. The problem is constant scratching can cause infections if their hands are not surgically clean (impossible for most children) and that will cause further problems.



I know some other children who have their eczema triggered by food allergies others by stress.



It is a PITA until you get it under control and the child can help take care of themselves.



I would actually try stop all treatments for the shortest period possible, and get the allergy diagnosis, then start the elimination of particular things. It would mean a week or more of constant attention, but I do feel it could get you to a livable solution quicker.

Rose - posted on 05/04/2009

Honey creams- have you tried that. They work wonders for my son. I have honey bath oil and creams. Have honey night and day creams...I have also been told to limit amount of time he is in the bath, as this can cause flare ups...

Mary - posted on 05/04/2009

I was thinking along the lines of Kyle. have you investigated possible causes of the eczema? It is often an allergy, I understand. Have you had her tested for allergies, or looked into it yourself? It can be an outer allergy, like Kyle's child, or a food allergy even. I would look at what she had eaten recently when she gets a really bad breakout, or if she has it all the time, look at what she eats every day and look up allergies online and see which foods/ chemicals are likely culprits. Like Kyle says, all children are different, but yet there are certain foods that tend to be common allergens. Dairy, for one, causes trouble for a lot of people, but look up allergies and see if you find anything related to skin rashes etc. Its a start. :) Poor little girl. Good luck.

Kyle - posted on 05/04/2009

Every child is different, so it's hard to guess what will work for your child. My daughter is 7 now, but a couple of years ago, she started to have spots. The doctor finally said it was eczema. She doesn't sound as bad off as your daughter, but she itched a lot. We use a cream called Sarna, it works for poison ivy too. It seems to help with her itching. It worked great when my son had poison ivy to dry it out. The weird thing about the so-called eczema though is I'm thinking that it really wasn't eczema, we'd just been to the doctor a few times, so she thought she'd diagnose her with that because she didn't know what else it was. Anyway - I got to thinking, I usually use Era laundry detergent, but when she would have her breakouts, I had switched to Mountain Spring Tide, I have NOT used MS Tide since I thought that and she's not had a breakouts of so-called eczema, so I'm just thinking that the doctor was wrong. I'm sorry, I'm probably not much help, but maybe give the Sarna a try. My cousin had really bad eczema on his hands growing up and I don't know if his mother ever found anything good, his hands were always just painful looking. I feel for your daughter!