Eco-Friendly Family

Ecxema/Excema ?

Happy holidays to you all! 

 Just wondering if someone is floating around with experience with excema?  My Dr. said that LO (3mo)  has a bout of it.  We run the dehumidifier quite often (combatting  mold) and I think part of the issue is dry air.

He recommended Aveeno moisturizer ( I found stuff esp. for babies with Excema ) but was wondering if there were alternatives/techniques to keep this under control.

*doesn't seem to be bothering him, gets worse as the day goes on, as he is picked up

 Thanks :-)

Re: Ecxema/Excema ?

  • Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!  You want a thick cream type not a liquidy lotion.  Eucerin worked best for us, or just straight lanolin.  I would sometimes rub some lanolin on his face and head while he nursed since that's where it was worst for DS.  I did notice that it was worse when I ate/drank more dairy, but it's coming back again this year so I'm assuming it's winter related this time around. 

    DS didn't seemed bothered until he was about 4 or 5 months old and figured out how to scratch at it.  Then he would make himself bleed from the scratching.  

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  • Yep! I have always had excema and apparently I passed it on to my poor son. We only wash him with soap on his privates and then we just let him soak in the soap water. Don't use any soaps/lotions with perfumes, etc. I used Aveeno when we was a baby, but now he hardly flares up anymore. =)
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  • Yep. You need to moisturize all the time! I use CA Baby calendula cream. You want a cream rather than a lotion. You should also put it on right out of the bath because it traps the moisture from the bath in his skin. Ds has always had it pretty bad from head to toe but it doesn't bother him. I just have to keep at him to not scratch it.

    ETA: I only use soap when absolutely necessary.

  • I've dealt with it since I was a child. I've tried every.single.thing. out there. At 26, I've finally found a system that keeps my skin from becoming horrible, even though I do still have issues in the winter. I use Cetaphil cleanser in the shower. It doesn't lather, which is a little odd, but it is very mild and doesn't strip the natural oils away. I've used other products like this, but Cetaphil is the only stuff that still makes me feel "clean." Immediately after I towel off, I slather olive oil (just the cheap kind) all over. It soaks in relatively quickly, so I don't have greasy skin. At night, I use Crisco. As odd as it sounds, it melts into the skin and really does work at combating the dryness. Plus, both olive oil and Crisco have zero fragrance, alcohol, and all other stuff that can irritate sensitive skin. I talked with my LO's pedi about it, in case she inherited my skin (not so far, knock on wood!) and she said both olive oil and Crisco were excellent, safe choices.
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  • We use Lanolin on our son when he gets eczema spots. It really has worked for him.
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  • Aveeno looks great on the outside, but I have severe eczema and had a dermatologist tell me not to use it. It has citric acid in it. (I think, I may be remembering incorrectly).

    I use cetaphil (spell?) instead. 

    Also, no fabric softener (unless it's free and clear). Only free and clear detergent. (if you're using dreft stop, it has fragrances in it). And cut down to about half as much as you usually use. The fragrances/additives/dyes etc touching the skin can irritate it.

    For soap I use cetaphil gentle skin cleanser also.

     

    You may want to consider eliminating possible sensitivities from his diet, such as cows milk. A lot of people with eczema experience worse breakout with certain foods. particularly milk.

    eta-I'm guessing a 3 month old isn't drinking cows milk ;).  If he's bf and you're up for the challenge, considering eliminating cows milk from your diet for a few weeks might help clear it up. Milk is a very common food to have a sensitivity too. Eczema is thought to be caused by an overactive immune system, so things upsetting balances people with eczema bodies (such as milk) can irritate them.

    This is my experience with things that help my eczema, but I'm obviously an adult so it may be different with him.

     

  • ditto everyone else re use as little cleanser as possible and moisturize. we liked yes to carrots for daily use and something heavier for more severe spots (eucerin or something).

    DS's was triggered mainly by dairy, which we didn't find out until he was 6 months old and was recovering from surgery. he was off of BM for 10 days and completely cleared up and someone suggested I cut out dairy to see if that was the cause. It was! Well, he still had occasional mild flare ups, but nothing compared to the first 6 months.

    If your child's eczema gets bad, I'd definitely look at food reactions in addition to fragrances, etc.

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  • I just got home from an appointment with the allergist.  She said that this time of year just skip the lotions and creams and go straight for the heavy products. She said that unscented vasoline works great.  I've tried several EF lotions and creams and they haven't done anything so I think I might try the vasoline trick. 
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