I need some suggestions from anyone who has battled eczema. My daughter (former 33 weeker, 7 months actual age) has rough, chapped, red patches on her cheeks and chin. Our pediatrician says it is normal and just put lotion on it regularly. We have used Baby Aveeno for eczema and Aquaphor. Both make the areas more red and inflamed and she cries and fusses after we put it on, which leads me to believe it is stinging her. After the lotion absorbs, there is a temporary improvement, but within a few hours it is red and inflamed again. (Her drooly face does not help!) The patches have been irritated for almost a week now and haven't improved significantly with all the moisturizing. We have stopped using wipes on her face, just using a damp cloth and patting her clean. We have limited her baths to just 2-3 a week to prevent the eczema from spreading and are no longer using soap on her face at all. I would like to try some other home remedies before going back to the pediatrician. I would like to find a way to manage without having to resort to prescription treatments.
Any suggestions for any products you have used with success???
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Eczema - help?!?!
- By kkbadham
- Posted September 19, 2007 at 3:57 pm · 11 replies
- In Growing up and education
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Burns Allergies Eczema Pregnancy Skin conditions Dermatitis Allegra Blisters Rashes Ketoconazole Zyrtec Ear infections Diarrhea
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- By MiaMomma
- Posted September 20, 2007 at 12:12 am
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Actually, my 8 year-old full termer battled eczema until she was about 6 years-old. We have always used Eucerin, in the tub. When she got older we called it peanut butter lotion because it has the same consistency as peanut butter. We also limited her baths, never used bubble bath and used Johnson and Johnson baby soap. We tried the Aquaphor at one point and it just didn't seem to work. So, far my 25 weeker hasn't had problems, but we'll see!
Hope that helps!
Kelly
- By skyfamily
- Posted September 20, 2007 at 8:07 am
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I suggest you to either give your daughter bath with PiMag Water Shower System because the chlorine that is present in your water is toxic and can make the eczema even worse. Or you can wrap your baby with a travel Blanket (Magnetic Blanket) .
The Pimag water found in the company called Nikken has magnets and there are many benefits of magnetized water for the body. You will notice a big difference when you use this shower system within a day or two. You can ask me for more details.
- By babyflower5_22
- Posted September 20, 2007 at 11:46 am
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We have the same problem with our 29 weeker who is about 6 months (3 1/2 months corrected) and Aquaphor makes the patches open sores and Baby Aveeno didn't work either since we have been using that on his twin brother-but he has just barely dry skin. The doctor finally told us to get everything Fragrance Free-detergent, lotion, oil and soaps, and to use Hydrocortizone cream. So we got Cetaphil lotion and wash (at Walmart there is an off brand works just as good) but it has to be Fragrance Free. Then All Free detergent for clothes. The doc even said our clothes and towels should all be washed in it-since it touches their skin too. Then Hydrocortizone cream.
So when you bathe the baby with the wash, you dry them off good, put the cortizone cream on the dry patches and then the lotion (or fragrance free oil for the head) over that. It cleared up within one day! But of course the ones on his poor head is really bad and that slowly is going away. The cheeks and chin still get bad since formula and drool touches it and irritates their skin too. At every diaper change I do the lotion and 3-4 times a day I do the coritzone first. I hope this helps.
- By Coolcroker
- Posted September 20, 2007 at 7:11 pm
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Hello,
My daughter is a former 26 weeker now 7 months (4 adj) & her pedi recommended the hydrocortisone cream 1%. This has worked wonders for my daughter. We've used it for a little over a week now but we saw a difference in 48 hours, I was amazed. I bought the Walgreens brand without the dye.
- By kkbadham
- Posted September 21, 2007 at 10:14 am
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Thank you for all the suggestions. We have been dutifully keeping her cheeks clean and dry, and putting the cream on for 10 days now and her face is finally cleared up. She still has one patch on her chin. I have called the pediatrician to see about the hydrocortizone and hopefully that will do the trick. Thanks again!!
- By NateAndTimsMom
- Posted September 21, 2007 at 10:28 am
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One of my 6 month twins (4 months adjusted, 31 weeker) has eczema. I mistook it for ringworm at first, but asked the doctor when we were in yesterday (we've had 3 weeks of congestion, 2 weeks of diarrhea and throwing up, and found out each of the boys has two ear infections). Well, it is eczema. The doctor told me to use cortizone cream. I got the extra strength Walgreen's stuff. I also still don't use soap on my boys' faces and they only get baths once a week. The rest of the week I use a wash cloth with just water on it to wipe them down as needed; ocassionally I may throw baby soap on the rag and then rinse with a plain water rag. I also don't use disposable baby wipes on my boys. I use cloth baby wipes (from Motherease.com where I bought their cloth diapers) with plain water. This has kept them from having any diaper rash (prior to the two weeks of diarrhea) or anything like that on their little bottoms. I wouldn't have believed it until I saw it with my little guys (and few people believe me when I tell them), but disposable diapers have some toxic elements in them. For example, the gel that you sometimes see in the wet diaper is toxic. It's all the chemicals needed to make the diaper so white and so absorbant. It just made my boys break out and cloth diapers have been the solution. Changing to plain water wipes has also helped a ton. Even the disposable baby wipes that say "alcohol free" have some sort of drying agent in them that really has the same drying effect. Most parents aren't willing to try the cloth diaper route, but it really worked for my boys. And, it doesn't work for everyone. I know one mother (whose son is my age) whose boy broke out terribly in cloth diapers but was fine in disposables (of course this was prior to all the chemicals that are now in the dispoables to make them so much more absorbant than they were 25-30 years ago). So, I think that you are going to have to play around and see what works for your baby and then what you are able to do yourself. Some things may work (in terms of clearing up the skin issues), but parents just can't get themselve to do those things (the extra work of some solutions) and so they really don't work in the greater picture. And, keep in mind that all kids are different and what may work for 99% of the kids with skin issues may not work for you!
- By Farrow
- Posted October 24, 2009 at 5:18 pm
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I know this thread is 2 years old, but I wanted to comment in case anyone is searching for this problem.
My son (now almost 7) and I both suffer from eczema terribly. It has NOTHING to do with being a premie. (And yes, he was a premie. It is genetic.
My dermatologist told me that there are two times in your life when you get it, 1st, when you're a baby and they call it "cradle cap" (although I think the term "cradle crap" suits it just as well! lol) and 2nd, when you're middle aged. (I didn't like her saying that when she was diagnosing me at 35!) She called it Seborrhic Dermatitis (which is NOT, NOT, NOT the same thing as dandruff! Dandruff is dry skin. SD is an oily scaly skin.)
I've had lots of suggestions, but the things that work best for adults is Ketoconazole or "Nystatin and Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream"--if you need prescription strength. The Ketoconazole comes in a shampoo that you use about every other day. It can be used on your hair, in your ears, and on your forehead. You leave it on for 5 min and rinse. (Don't get it in your eyes or mouth though!! yuk!) Use it in conjunction with the "K" cream.
You use that on all affected areas 2x a day. Once it's under control, you don't HAVE to use it every day--just when you have a flare up. The Niacinimide cream is the same method, it's just that I've used the "K" cream for so long (10 yrs.) I didn't think it was effective any more FOR ME. It works pretty fast.
If you don't need or want a prescription, or you're using it on a baby, start with hydrocortizone cream. It will take the inflammation away and calm it down. If you use other products (lotion, creams, ointments, etc.) on it when it is inflammed it WILL sting and burn!
Once it is back under control, you can use a product called AmLactin. It is technically Ammonium Lactate. It is on the pricey side but it is worth it. (Military can get it for free as a prescription.) It blocks the moisture from leaving the skin. I got this advice from a dermatologist in Alaska where your skin gets extremely dry and eczema flares quite often!
Loran : )
- By 1pair-n-1spare
- Posted October 24, 2009 at 7:50 pm
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Loran and the others...
Another great remedy is Hydrolatum cream (available OTC but behind the pharmacy), and Zinc Wraps. My friend's son has eczema on 85% of his body, and it was a bloody, scaly mess. After 3 days of the hydrolatum cream during the day and the zinc wraps at night, he was a different child.
I am currently looking for zinc wraps for myself because my pregnancy has really dried out my skin and made my own excema rear it's ugly scaly head.
lisa
- By 24WeekMiracle
- Posted October 24, 2009 at 8:17 pm
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Extra Virgin Coconut Oil-
It really does work womders for some people with eczmea...its all natural and smells good.
Coconut oil cures many other skin conditions and skin disorders too, besides making the skin soft and smooth. I use it for everything including as a make-up remover and under my foundation. My skin is always soft, silky, smooth, and free of rashes, bumps, blemishes, blisters, etc.
To apply the extra virgin coconut oil, massage it deep into the affected area. You can heat it if you like but you don't have to. Depending on how severe the eczema is, apply it three or four times a day or more and especially at bedtime.
It's important to keep the area moist with the oil. You may have to apply a loose bandage to your skin, soaked with the oil. If the eczema is on your hands, you'll have to apply it even more often.
Also you can expose the area to direct sunlight for 20 minutes or so each day. You'll get your daily dose of vitamin D that way too.
Many have used coconut oil as a treatment to cure or heal their eczema or their baby's eczema.
It just takes motivation, a willingness to try it, and diligent application of coconut oil several times each day and at bedtime.
And your eczema and its symptoms, providing you've removed the cause, should go away. Continue using coconut oil and good clear skin will be your reward.
see full article here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?From-a-Nurse-Using-Coconut-Oil-as-a-Treatment-For -Eczema&id=435979
Also, I give this to my daughter for reflux and to boost her calories, everyone always comments on how beautiful her skin is.
Every baby is differant, and yours may not respond, but coconut oil is a real god send in so mnay ways.
best of luck-
- By mygirlsmom
- Posted October 24, 2009 at 8:32 pm
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wow - thanks for this advice. Both Eva and I have it on our feet, and we've tried all of the prescription creams, and they do nothing. I am going to buy some tomorrow!!!
- By blueyes856
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 5:23 pm
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By twinboymama
Posted October 16, 2009 at 3:18 pm · 11 replies
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One of my twin preemie boys has severe eczema on his face, scalp and chest. My ped told me yesterday to get a steroid cream with 1% hydracortisone in it. Does anyone have any knowledge of this problem and what over the counter cream worked best for you?
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Burns Allergies Zyrtec Eczema Diarrhea Allegra
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By dustarella
Posted October 16, 2009 at 7:39 pm
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My mother has severe eczema on her hands (to the point of bleeding and cracking) and so far nothing has worked for her. I think she even went up to a 10% hydracortisone (is that possible?) and no improvement. Personally, I have always thought it was her diet (she doesn't drink much fluid, and lives on white bread, and other stuff with lots of preservatives), but she's really REALLY stubborn and refused to change her diet to see if it helped.
Did your doctor rule out milk allergy? or any other type of allergy? My friend's daughter had eczema on her face for the first 8 months of her life, then they found out she was sensitive to milk proteins, lactose intolerant AND allergic to soy! They switched her diet around and had dramatic improvement in the eczema.
How old are your boys?
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By twinboymama
Posted October 16, 2009 at 8:42 pm
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Thanks for replying. My boys are 2 1/2 months and they are newborn adjusted age. They are so small and only one seems to be having this problem. Their diet consists of neosure and breastmilk (they are still learning to latch so they do not drink as much breastmilk as they do neosure).
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By brneyedgrl827
Posted October 17, 2009 at 11:24 am
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We used an OTC cream with no luck and have been since been prescribed several different creams before we found one that has been pretty good at keeping her eczema at bay (don't have the names handy right now, I'll post those later). We've also been giving her Allegra whenever she has flare-ups, but your son may be too young for that.
Some other suggestions we had from our pediatrician regarding eczema- use soap (Aveeno and Mustela both make a creamy cleanser designed for dry/eczema-prone skin) only as needed for baths, otherwise water only; bathe only if baby needs it, otherwise just wipe dirty areas; wash baby clothes in a "free and clear" type detergent, double rinse, no softener in washer/dryer; lotion everyday with a thick, creamy fragrance-free lotion (Aveeno and Mustela make these as well), even if you are not doing a full bath that day.
With hydrocortisone/steroid creams, we were advised not to use it more than 14 days in a row on the body and 7 days in a row on the face, because prolonged use makes the skin paper thin and wrinkly. We only use a tiny amount once/day and only for as many days as it takes to clear up the inflammation, typically 3-4 max with this new cream she's been using in combination with Allegra.
My daughter has had eczema since she was about 9-10 months old, mostly between her thighs, in the crooks of her elbows/knees, and occasionally on her wrists/ankles. I feel so bad when she has a flare-up because she gets so itchy and scratches and then the area gets inflammed...several times, she's broken the skin from scratching! :/
Good luck!
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By 1pair-n-1spare
Posted October 17, 2009 at 1:09 pm
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I have excema (moderate to severe) and I use hydrolatum cream (OTC but behind the counter) and Zinc Wraps (hard to find) and it works within 3 days to clear up my outbreaks (itching, bleeding).
I am pregnant and try to steer clear of steroids.
Lisa
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By kkbadham
Posted October 17, 2009 at 10:56 pm
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We have battled eczema with both our children. My oldest is 2 1/2 now and seems to be outgrowing the worst of it but still gets patches here and there. My son has several areas of persistent eczema and without constant vigilance, he is cracked and bleeding.
The rule of thumb I follow is that cream is better than lotion and ointment is better than cream. I use a combination of OTC hydrocortizone ointment, rx hydrocortizone cream, Eucerin cream, and Aquaphor. Prevention is the best. Eczema is widely considered a symptom of allergies, so for persistent eczema, I would look at that as the cause. Both of my kids were diagnosed with seasonal allergies and take zyrtec in spring and fall. The worst of their skin irritation is in the fall and into the drier weather of winter.
Regular bathing in warm (not hot water) is recommended. Soap will irritate eczema, so be sure to use a non-soap cleanser (there are several brands specifically formulated for eczema) and NO bubble bath. Do not let your child remain in the bath water once you have rinsed the soap off. When toweling off, dab instead of rubbing. While your child's skin is still damp, spot treat patches with cortizone and then apply cream all over. Once the cortizone has absorbed, apply some Aquaphor to the affected area.
We apply cream morning and night all over and spot treat twice daily. During outbreaks or dry weather, we send cream to the sitter and she applies it again in the afternoon. If we miss a day, they will get patches starting. After about two weeks of regular treatment with cream and cortizone, you should see an improvement. You might need to try a couple different products to get it right.
Be on the lookout for new patches. If you catch them early it is much easier to treat than once they are inflamed and crusty. Elbows, behind knees, armpits, etc are all prime spots. It is easy to see spots starting right after they come out of the bathtub. They are usually pink and raised.
Good luck!
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By swissiemiss
Posted October 18, 2009 at 2:18 pm
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My daughter had severe eczema all over her body, for which her ped prescribed her 2% hydrocortisone. When I took her for her 6 month (actual) eye exam, I mentioned it on the paperwork. The opthamologist said to be careful of using it in large quantities or for extended periods (I had been using it on her several times a week for about two months!) because the use of hydrocortisone will cause cataracts for a person of ANY age. Needless to stay, I have virtually stopped all use of it.
What I did instead, and have found extremely effective is to put myself on a elimination diet.
A neighbor who is a retired ped (who specialized in allergies) mentioned the diet when I asked what I could do in lieu of hydrocortisone. He said because she is still getting the bulk of her calories from breastmilk, the eczema was due to a food intolerance (not necessarily a full-flown allergy).
For the last couple of months I have not been eating: gluten (wheat), dairy, chocolate, or tree nuts. It sounds awful but it really isn't that bad when you see how effective it is at clearing up your child's skin.
Once you see your child's skin look healthy, you can try reintroducing one food group at a time, once a week. If no changes come about you can determine that is not the problematic food.
So far, I've tried diary and chocolate... both of which had a negative result, so I stopped eating them again. Since I've lost most of the remaining weight from not eating gluten, I haven't tried it again out of fear of pigging out and gaining it all back! I've had some almond milk with no effect, and so I'm pretty sure that isn't an issue either.
You might want to seriously consider this as from what I understand, continuing to cause an allergic-like reaction could do damage to your child's immune system, or possibly cause them a long term allergy.
Good luck!
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By SUPERMOM416
Posted October 18, 2009 at 4:36 pm
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I would look into diet eliminations. Remember these creams just cover up the problem, not solve it. From my knowledge, dairy and gluten are the main culprits of eczema. I had it as a child, and when my mom took me off of gluten products, it vanished. I notice, still today, that when I eat a ton a gluten, I get small eczema spots on my arms. It's worth a try to eliminate these things. Like the PP said, "continuing to cause an allergic-like reaction could do damage to your child's immune system". I have an autoimmune disease as an adult. I think it could possibly be related.
Goodluck!
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By blueyes856
Posted October 18, 2009 at 10:22 pm
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I never had eczema until after I delivered my second child. It started as a small patch on my right hand middle finger but quickly spread to 3 other fingers and the middle finger on the left hand. It is terrible. I am not sure why I got it. Some days it is red, blistery and very itchy. I found that A + D Cracked skin relief cream really works well. It contains 2% lidocaine which helps numbs my fingers so that they don't itch. And some days I think that is impossible but it does a great job.
I also have the steriod cream but don't use it since I am breastfeeding. However one day the eczema was so bad I decided to try it(the dermatologist said using it sparingly was ok) and it got so much worse. I won't use it again until it becomes a lot worse.
I also use Gentla Naturals Disney baby eczema cream (they also have a wash). It is very thick, rubs in well, made in the USA and helps with the dryness. The website is www.gentlenaturals.com. I also use Aquaphor but it is very greasy and gets all over everything.
I have tried the Aveno lotion with dymethicone but sometimes it really BURNS! As does the Gold bond medicated lotion. I have also tried Avon moisture therapy with oatmeal but that can sting as well.
When my hands are really dry I put on a lot of vaseline and then cover my hands with socks and go to bed. During the day, I put on vaseline and cover the worst spots with bandaids.
I can't figure out what triggers the cycle. I thought it was milk but it's not it.
I hope that helps:)
Stephanie
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