dry skin - eczema

Mei - posted on 03/21/2013

Hi!

I've a baby with eczema from 2 weeks old, and frequently scratch till bleeding. I would say moisturizing is essential, having a good pediatric specialist in dermatology/immunology/allergy is also essential. Taking allergy test to have some reference points on what's triggering the eczema helps.

On steroid cream, use a mild one as prescribed by the children specialist, some GPs and PDs don't carry the mild range or the one with say anti-fungal/anti-bacterial that your child may need. A holistic approach to managing eczema - diet, swimming, and making sure to clean staph bacteria off by bleach bath/swimming/ chlorhexidine helps as there is increasing research on the impact of bacteria on eczema.

Hugs!
Mei of EczemaBlues.com

Amanda - posted on 03/11/2013

I have a 19 month old son with SEVERE ECZEMA which he developed at 2 weeks old!! He has a twin sister tht has beautiful skin and 2 other sisters with no sign of any skin disorders. We went to DR after DR and Dermotologist and finally we have a treatment plan tht wrks very well for him as an individual. .. and it may help you guys. He was on steroid creams tht made it worse and never helped. So I do nt recommend any use of steroids. We use Dermazinc soap for bathtime which we have found out tht daily baths really help. Nt so much daily washing bt just 20-30 mins of play time in the bathtub with room temp water. We use only fragrence free/dye free laundry detergent. We use Aveeno lotion (fragrence free...bc nt all are) & he uses only 1 prescription medication after being on 20+ different ones in 19 months. Its a body oil called Derma Smooth Body Oil. His prescription was 2 times a day the first week then daily for a week then as needed for flare ups. I find it very usedul to use daily after bathtime no matter if there is a flare up for preventive measures. It works really well. And if I go 2-3d daus without applying it then it is easily noticed bc he is very dry and itching severely. I hope this hells you guys bc I know Eczema can be very painful for an adult so for a child its horrible.

STEPHANIE ANNE - posted on 03/04/2013

HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE, MY DAUGHTER HAS DRY ROUGH PATCHES ON BOTH OF HER CHEEKS AND BOTH OF HER ARMS ABOVE HER ELBOWS ON THE BACK SIDES. I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING AS FAR AS MEDICATIONS, HER DOCTOR HAS EVEN CALLED IN SOME HYDROCORTISONE, 2.5 STRENGTH, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP NIETHER. MY SON HAD THE SAME THING, BUT IT WASN'T AS SEVERE AS MY DAUGHTERS. THE DOCTOR GAVE HIM THE SAME AS HE GAVE MY DAUGHTER, BUT IT WORKED FOR HIM. I TRIED THE ECZEMA RELIEF CREAM MADE BY GENTLE NATURALS , BUT LITTLE OR NO RESULTS. PLEASE, I'M TOTALLY OPEN TO ALL SUGGESTIONS, CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP?!

Sarah - posted on 08/10/2012

My son had eczema on his back, I found using sorbolene cream to wash him with, applying sorbolene cream every couple of hours helped to clear it up. I now use goats milk soap for his bath and it has not returned. Good luck. I hope you find something that will work for your little one.

Sharon - posted on 08/10/2012

Completely natural Aloe Vera products and Propolis cream are absolutely amazing for eczema and psoriasis. Please visit www.achievealoehealth.co.uk for more info.

Fehrin - posted on 08/03/2012

Goats milk soap, liquid or bar soap in the bath. Short baths or showers can follow with aveeno eczema lotion if wanted Cleared my son up quickly.

Hillary - posted on 07/27/2012

Melaleuca lotion is by far the best. My daughter would break out in these uncomfortable and itchy rashes when she was younger. We tried everything: Aveeno, Vaseline brand, Eucerine, Burts Bees, etc. and no matter what, she would cry during bath time and after because she said it would sting so badly. One week, I was at Target every single night buying a new product for her to try just hoping we would find something that worked. We finally gave in and try a topical steroid cream at her doctors request and that did absolutely nothing.
Then a friend told me about Melaleuca. That was 3 years ago and she hasn't had a breakout since. We solely use Melaleuca's lotion and body wash as well as other products like detergent and these have prevented her break outs. We will never use anything else and I tell all my friends about them. They are awesome. Feel free to inbox me with any questions...happy to share my story. :)
Hillary :)

Hillary - posted on 07/27/2012

Melaleuca lotion is by far the best. My daughter would break out in these uncomfortable and itchy rashes when she was younger. We tried everything: Aveeno, Vaseline brand, Eucerine, Burts Bees, etc. and no matter what, she would cry during bath time and after because she said it would sting so badly. One week, I was at Target every single night buying a new product for her to try just hoping we would find something that worked. We finally gave in and try a topical steroid cream at her doctors request and that did absolutely nothing.
Then a friend told me about Melaleuca. That was 3 years ago and she hasn't had a breakout since. We solely use Melaleuca's lotion and body wash as well as other products like detergent and these have prevented her break outs. We will never use anything else and I tell all my friends about them. They are awesome. Feel free to inbox me with any questions...happy to share my story. :)
Hillary :)

Kyla - posted on 07/20/2012

You might want to try and find the cause of it, that might help prevent it as well. There could be many different causes so it could be very hard but it would help in the long run. It could be genetics, food allergy, chemical allergy, etc. Try an elimination diet and try using products like shampoo and soap that are as natural as possible and eliminate things like bubble bath and mosturizers until you know the cause of it. My oldest daughter gets it from acidic foods, my husbands is genetic and my I have recently figured out my 3rd child is sensitive to soaps and shampoos. You could try coconut oil, it has amazing healing properties or just plain shea butter as well. Good luck, I hope things work out for you.

Kim - posted on 06/27/2012

Just like you I do not want to use steriod creams!!! My daughter is 1 year old now she had eczema since 3 months old.she has been showing major improvements since I used Cerave moisturizing cream and Vaseline. My daughter used to have raw weeping looking rash on her face and people would stare like crazy when i pick my son up from school, which bothers me so much! But I have used cerave on her face about 2 months now and she now has an adorable clear face and her arms no longer has crusty weep rash and is able to wear a short sleeve shirt for once instead of being covered up. I do believe in bathing often and apply moisturizer and vaseline right after, even though the doctor told me not to because it dries her skin out more but its not true in her case when u take the time to lather the moisturizer and vaseline all over. I have used aveeno oatmeal cream, auqaphor, mustela and cetaphil, none has worked well as cerave moisterizing cream!! I hope that helps!!!=)

Summer - posted on 06/23/2012

My husband is a physician and we both are impressed by entire line by Rodan + Fields (the dermatologists who created Proactiv). I use the "Sooth" products on my super sensitive skin. I use the Sooth Moisture Replenishing Cream and Sensitive Skin Treatment on my daughter to get rid of her baby achne and to treat dry chapped skin. It is more effective than anything I have tried from the store. Check it out at https://summermayer.myrandf.com/Shop/Soothe
Good luck

Lea - posted on 09/17/2011

My daughter and I both get to share the joys of eczema.
I actually just recently discovered Curel's "extra dry skin" lotion and have been using it religiously for the past 2 weeks, neither me nor my daughter have had any breakouts or issues due to the lotion or eczema. I'm pretty sure i found the holy lotion (and it's not hard on the wallet).

Maria José - posted on 09/08/2011

My daughter is atopic skin as well. When she is having a breakout, I bathe her in oatmeal. place oatmeal in a strainer and let it soak in warm water. the water will be white, that is good. the wet oatmeal should be rubbed on the affected areas. will smooth the itching. there are many creams but the oats work the best. Hope it helps!!

Leann - posted on 09/08/2011

my daughter has eczema too dont use ANY lotions or creams with fragrance in them i have found a body wash called California Baby extra sensitive you can get it at most targets or onine at californiababy.com it kinda expensive but worth it a little bit goes along way you can use it in there hair and they have lotions and but creams and sunblock its made for children with allergies even nut allergies it free from all that with no harsh chemicals and its all natural it has helped but i took my daughter to the childrens hospital in kansas city and they said to get her tested for food allergies they usually dont do it until there 3 but if you demand it they will do it

Rachel - posted on 04/18/2010

my daughter has very bad eczema all over shes always has bumps her doctor recommended eucerin plus intensice repair body cream its a little pricey but its working also was told to give her short baths

Julie - posted on 04/14/2010

It's been a while since I posted and we are of course still dealing with my son's eczema. I can say that the recommended Arbonne products did not work, but Aquaphor has worked wonders. I was reading some of the things about the Milk issues and have to say that in hindsight my son hasn't had milk this past week due to a cold and the eczema has been better. We already were wondering about MIlk being a problem due to some other symptoms, so I plan to watch for this possible relatonship more closely.

Stephanie - posted on 02/17/2010

Oh I also want to clarify something. Eczema is NOT caused by milk protein allergy. What eczema really is is chronic dry skin. Per the pedi, if a baby is allergic to milk protein it will REACT the eczema and cause a breakout. So before you panic, keep in mind that he might not be allergic to milk protein but it IS possible that he is. The eczema is NOT caused by that though. He had it all along and an allergy reaction will cause the eczema to breakout. Hope this helps also.

Stephanie - posted on 02/17/2010

My son is 17 months old. He's had eczema since he was a few weeks old. We found out early b/c he's also allergic to milk protein. He got his eczema from his father. The pedi recommended a lot of different techniques and it all worked for a little while. Finally she recommended to see a dermatologist and things got easier. The Derm recommended to bathe him everyday. Pat dry with a towel. For the first week we used a 2.5% hydrocortizone (for itching) then apply Vaseline (petrolium jelly). After the first week with the hydrocortizone we continue to apply Vaseline on his whole body after his bathe on a daily basis. My son's skin is smooth as a baby! LOL! So bathe daily and apply Vaseline. Now with soaps and shampoos. My son started with Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser for his body and DHS Clear Shampoo for his hair. Cetaphil you can get in any pharmacy or wholesale warehouse like Costco. The DHS is harder to find. We order it through our local pharmacy for about $8. You could also use Dove Unscented for his body, but keep in mind that soap tends to dry the skin. We are currently using Dove and he's fine (we used the Cetaphil till he was 15 months old). Make sure to put extra Vaseline on areas that are more dry. The first few weeks we applied Vaseline on him 2-3 times a day. Oh and make sure when you look for products for him to find unscented or fragrance free. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Melissa - posted on 02/17/2010

my son is 16 months old and he to has had eczema for most of his life i tried everything including cortisone creams recommened by doctors and soap free washes to no avail the only thing that has worked for me was a product from the health food store called billie baby milk natures skin drink it is made from goats milk and is free from petro chemicals sulphates parabens mineral oils it is made with all natural ingredients and i highly recommened it to anyone i also use the moisturiser which is pretty good

Rachel - posted on 02/15/2010

I've tried lots of lotions and the one that works the best is called Emily Skin Soothers. You can get it online or at Whole Foods. The have also have a facebook page with numerous testimonials.

Ganit - posted on 02/15/2010

my son has a ittle eczema on his cheaks and i am using a weleda product called dermatodoron and it seems to be helping. I hope it helps your son.

Rachael - posted on 02/13/2010

this is goign to sound completely different from everything else you've heard so far. My second had eczema badly on her back and I tried all the lotions ect... but eczema is not just a skin problem. Is your little one drinking milk yet? or do you have him on formula? If he started milk or he's on a formula with soy it may be more of an allergic type reaction. I started giving my kids RAW milk (unpasturized that i get straight from a local farm, organic!) In a week my daughters eczema was gone. the problem was that she had an intolerance for milk, but raw milk contains all the necessary enzymes needed for digestion, whereas pasturized milk does not. Her eczema was a result of her body reacting to an inability to digest the milk properly. I would suggest going a week without formula or milk (or other dairy, if he's on table food) to see if his trouble starts to clear up. obviously this will only work if he's completely on table food.

Kylie - posted on 02/09/2010

My little man has had eczema since he was born. We have had so many different hydrocortisones, steriods and moisturiser creams its not funny! He gets it really bad on his face also and it reguraly gets infected and antibiodics are the only thing that will clear it up. We have tried everything, including a whole bunch of natural products and still, after 17months, am frustrated as!! Aqueous cream is something we use reguarly as a mosituriser/soap substitute which somedays helps other days it dont. Same with paw paw cream. Its just so unfair on the poor wee things. My wee man dosnt sleep at night cause it drives him nuts!! Every childs different tho so good luck! I hope you find a product that works for you. :-)

Julie - posted on 02/09/2010

I recently had a friend recommend Arbonne's baby bath wash & shampoo and their lotion. She said it helped her son's eczema, so we are trying that. I've only used it once so far, but I'll post our results after I'v used it a little longer:).

Nicole - posted on 02/04/2010

my daughter who is six years old now has had eczema since birth the doctor recomended ucereran lotion and calming cream and to use soaps that are fragrance free and baby wash is the worse to use high in fragrance so i use dove and it seams to keep it under control dont use sun block in summer it makes it worse just the ucerin

Danielle - posted on 01/31/2010

I would suggest using ultra-pure products. A local couple I know's kids has eczema and so they started making their own soap. Go to wallawallasoapworks.com to see their stuff or email them at info@wallawallasoapworks.com for eczema advice :)

Annabella - posted on 01/29/2010

my daughter nw 16mths had very severe eczema all over her body frm 2mths up until 9mths,i gave her nanny care goats milk n i have never looked backed.. also i bathe her every 2nd nite in silcocks base put 2 r 3 scoops in a jug n mix wit hot water til melted n run in the bath and after when dryed rub it onto the body do that as often as u like,worked for me,its very stressful,good look.....

Kelly - posted on 01/29/2010

Meryl, I had a friend that had the same problem with her child, the rash around the mouth, and it turned out it was the toothpaste she was using! Something to check out. Also, my 16m old daughter has had eczema for most of her life and it was getting worse this winter. Can't help but think there is a food connection, read somewhere that food allergies show on the skin first, but have yet to figure out what is bothering her. I trust her pediatrician 100% and she is not one to prescribe unnecessarily. We use Eucerin calming creme, cetaphil cleanser every other day, and suave childs shampoo with no added dyes or scents. She prescribed a 2% cortisone creme and it cleared it up immediately. I only use it on spots that she needs it when she needs it. Eczema can thicken the skin if not cared for and I think that the creme is necessary to prevent thickening and for her comfort. I hope this helps you both!

Laura - posted on 01/27/2010

My 16 month old has very bad eczema we have tried everything and the thing that works the best for him is to give him a bath daily just water no soap unless he really needs it. that is what our dermatologist suggested.

Suzanne - posted on 01/27/2010

Aveeno Eczema (blue cap) moisturizing cream is great, we use it on him in the morning and after his bath at night. During bath we use Aveen Eczema Body Wash. We also keep a humidifier going in his room 24/7 in the winter to keep the air moist.

Chatty - posted on 01/27/2010

My daughter had eczema and my doctor recommended not to bathe her every day......I didn't listen to her because I feel bathing is important and it's part of her bedtime routine! I used extra moisturizer and I don't know why but she seems to have grown out of it!?? There's many reasons why babies develop eczema and there's a good chance ur son will grow out of it too! REMEMBER to trust ur instinct.....mom always knows best! Maybe try researching some reason into WHY he has maybe developed it? I heard sometimes stress or anxiety can cause it! Has his routine changed recently? Good luck!

Katie - posted on 01/27/2010

Aqueous cream. The stuff works trust me! I used it and it cleared me straight up. I suffered with exzema wen i was a little girl and now my little girl suffers with it to. i only realised it about a week ago, i went to the doctor an got some aqueos cream. I put it on her once before she went to bed on her dry skin, the bottoms of her legs at the back, the back of the top of her arms, her tummy and her back. It was really dry. I woke up the nxt mornin and her skin was soft again. that was jus after using it once!!! I think that explains everything.

Jennifer - posted on 01/27/2010

I should also say that I am a rep for the company that makes Cetaphil and promotes it to dermatologist. It is good stuff!!! Made specifically for people with sensitive compromised skin.

Jennifer - posted on 01/27/2010

My 16 month old son has it on his legs. Cetaphil Cream- took it away in a week or so. It is the best. We also bath his with the Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser. Much gentler then anything out there.

Julie - posted on 01/26/2010

I have heard of them having eczema on their faces. I think that as far as products go, I've used Aveeno and Dove soaps and Aveeno and Eucerine lotion on my son's face, but since my doc has us using cortisone cream on the really dry areas in the creases of his knees and elbows, I don't think I would use that on my son's face without asking the doctor. I know my son doesn't usually scratch at his rash either and other than those really bad patches I mentioned, overall it doesn't look dry, just that he has little red bumps all over his torso. I've tried some of the over the counter eczema products with no results and when I took them in to my doctor she said she didn't think they were very good. I still haven't seen really good results with either the Aveeno or Dove soap and Eucerine lotion either.

Meryl - posted on 01/26/2010

My daughter has raised red bumps all around her mouth. It has become worse since she started drooling from teething. She also gets them under her eye. The Doctor said it was eczema but from what you all are describing, it doesn't sound the same. Her skin doesn't seem dry and she doesn't scratch at it.

I guess my question for those of you whose children have eczema is do they get it around their mouths/faces and if so, can you use the same products on them?

Thanks in advance!

Julie - posted on 01/23/2010

Our pediatrician recommended Dove bar soap and Eucerine lotion. My son had really dry spots in the crooks of his elbow and the backs of his knees in addition to just regular eczema on his torso. For the really dry spots we had to use cortisone cream, but the Dove soap and Eucerine seem to help a little. We did start bathing him only every other day just to see if that also helped a little. It's definitely not all gone after a month, but seems a little better.

Lisa - posted on 01/22/2010

my twin boys both suffer with eczema and we found that using a bath emolient (with liquid parafin) every night and a good parafin based cream at least 4 times a day really cleared it up and eventually with time the eczema has started to clear on its own and isnt half as bad as it was at the begining the stuff we use is OILATUM for the bath and DIPRO BASE CREAM i hope this helps you xxx

Katherine - posted on 01/21/2010

First, I would ask the doctor. My daughter had mild eczema at about 3 months and the doctor said to put Hydrocortizone (the smallest over the counter dose). We put it on for about 2-3 weeks and when it got better, we would use AVEENO Baby. They have an Eczema lotion for babies.

Brenda - posted on 01/21/2010

my daughter, who is 4 has had moderate/severe eczema since she was born. We use Cetaphil lotion everyday. The allergist told me to bathe everyday but in warm water and only for 5 minutes, then lotion her up, right away. She gave me Mometasone (steroid) for really bad patches and said cortisone for mild patches. She said to put the cream on BEFORE the lotion. Here is the thing, though. She is allergic to peanuts and I've known that since she was one. BUT, I found out about 8 months ago, she is allergic to a bunch of other foods, too. Once I eliminated the foods (eggs & pork) from her diet, her eczema improved dramatically. Food allergies do not run in my or my husband's family but they are more prevalent nowadays, it seems. Also, there is a direct correlation between eczema and allergies. I suggest asking Pediatrician about testing. At his age, they do a blood test and can see what the food allergies are. Also, if you have a PPO, you could take him directly to an allergist/immunologist. Food for thought.

Kathleen - posted on 01/09/2010

Chlos 12 month MMR gave her actually gave her rubella, and ever sense then her skin has been so dry and bumpy, Her Pediatrician prescribed her Cetaphil, this stuff is amazing, it has taking everything away.. I also had to switch back to dreft which is no big deal because I also have a 4 month old but If you can I would defiantly talk to your pediatrician or family practice Dr about trying it.. AMAZING stuff..

Julie - posted on 01/09/2010

My daughter has it as well and I do oatmeal baths and the aveeno for baby the one for dry skin and eczema bath wash and lotion. Seems to be the only thing for her that works the best. Good Luck to you

Sara - posted on 01/08/2010

My LO has has eczema since 1 moth old as well as her oldest brother. The Dr prescribed a steriod ointment but I noticed it affected her mood and stopped using it. I tried Aveeno lotion after baths which does help, but didn't get rid of it. Our new dr prescribed an ointment called Triamcinolone Acetonide 0.1%. It has done wonders!!! It is like a petroleum jelly consistency in a tube. She will break out and after using the ointment it will be almost gone overnight! I would recommend this to anyone!

Aundrea - posted on 01/08/2010

my son has had it since he was about six months and i bathe him everyday. After bath time i rub him down with vaseline all over then i use lotion but be careful to make sure its not drying his skin out more. The doctor has also ginen us some steriod cream to use nd it works but the otc works just as well. Sensative skin products help too we only use purpose soup by J & J and it helps its a face soap ( a bar soap in a blue box) and it works wonderful ( you will only find it with the face products in any store)

Carolyn - posted on 01/08/2010

My son was just diagnosed last month with Eczema. My doctor told me to use Eucerin and Aquaphor along with an oatmeal bath every other day. Aquaphor made it a lot worse and Eucerin sometimes helps. Oatmeal baths seem to help the most, but a month later his Eczema is better, but still isn't gone.

Caryn - posted on 01/07/2010

I use coconut oil on my son instead of lotion/cream. I buy the LouAnna Brand from walmart, its 100% natural and works wonderfully. Its actually a cooking oil so look for it at your local grocery store with the other cooking oils/sprays

Beth - posted on 01/07/2010

Hi,

I've had twins with eczema, as well my third son. My boys seemed to have it worse, certain foods, weather, seemed to trigger. I do agree with not bathing as often, we did have to use steriods at some point, as it could get infected, and with them itching, etc. With the steriod we used Lipicoid, (sp?), however, over the counter, I found best was Vanicream (through pharmacy), was about $15, for almost a 3 month usage, Aveeno was good as well, or even Cetiphil, however, my experience was Vanicream. Also on flair ups, you could try using 1% Hydrocortozone, maybe at nap times, etc. My youngest has it on his thumb and pointer finger, so I have to put different creams there at nap time. Good news for you, my three year old twins have grown out of it. :) Good Luck to you, try not to hard to stress about it, easier said than done, but it seems really common more than not anymore. :) I meant to add, we only use Aveeno baby wash as well. :)

Kate - posted on 01/07/2010

my daughter had excema when she was just a few months old, shes now 15months and we were prescribed dermol cream to use all over her body and face to keep skin moisturised, and then some other cream called timodine which is a steroid and we only use this when she has a red sore inflammed area, but use it vary sparingly. we have to get both creams from the doctor, but there both excellent, her skin is so much better now, and she hardly ever has flare-ups, she can now bathe everyother day, but when she was younger just once/twice a week was all her skin could tolerate. ask your doctor to prescribe some of these creams.

Kim - posted on 01/07/2010

We found out last month (december) that our son has eczema on his buttocks & the back of his upper thighs. At first i thought it was ringworm - started as a large raised circular red mark on his left butt cheek. To make a long story short - it ended up being eczema. The pedi. gave us some prescription cream samples that really helped. I ended up using eurcin cream (in the lotion aisle) to keep the dry & reddness down. Pedi. said that was fine but to call if it ended up not helping. Don't be surprised if it gets worse during the cold winter months. We also started bathing him every other day. Before we found out about this, we noticed that he was really sensitive to J&J baby lotions & during his bath we used to put some of the J&J body wash in the tub to make it kinda bubbly. We stopped doing those as well & have really helped!

Good Luck!