Talk to me about your eczema fixes...

mrs.larry · November 2012

So DS2 has terrible eczema. He's had it since he was 2-3 weeks old.

We've tried (often in combination)
Aquaphor (applied throughout the day)
Babyganics ointment
California Baby eczema cream
Shea Butter baby eczema soap
infrequent bathing
more frequent bathing
baby oil
olive oil
cortisone cream
prescription cream

None of these has worked to actually rid him of the itchiness during the night. He's having trouble staying asleep and I see him on the monitor rubbing his little ankles together and seemingly very uncomfortable. If I pick him up he melts into me and falls back asleep, but will scream if I put him back down. He's waking up his brother. He's waking up DH and me. He's obviously not getting the sleep *he* needs. I'm at the end of my rope. Has anyone run across a great product or other fix? I'm willing to try nearly anything.

jas9210 · November 2012

Have you tried vanicream? DS had eczema and this is what his Dr said to try and it worked great! It's an over the counter cream and we got it Walmart. We put it on in the morning and at night after his baths. I also didn't use soaps or any scented lotions until it started clearing up.

lizziekparr · November 2012

Poor thing sounds like he'll really uncomfortable. My 9month daughter has just gotten over a 2 month dermatitis with no apparent cause. I cut out all soap and used emulsion in her bath. I bathed her every 3-4 days and made sure the bath was cool/warm... like swimming pool heat ie not hot/warm. I also was given a tip to put Oats in the water. I don't know how this helps but I think it did. 3 baths with oats mixed in and her skin was definitely less irritated and dry. I know it's not eczema so maybe this won't help but I hope you find a solution soon.

gymkatinka · November 2012

Have you looked into food as a possible cause?

While you will never find a dermatologist who'd agree that food can cause eczema, but can...some of the most common triggers are dairy, egg and nuts among others.

Was your LO breastfed or formula fed?

Aside from steroids when needed we use Aquaphor right after bath, then either Vanicream or CeraVe to moisturize. These are the best creams for eczema skin.We also use Vanicream cleansing bar and it's really great.

Good luck!

JuliaJAG · November 2012

Extra-virgin coconut oil (food-grade) is the ONLY thing that works for us!

shotzie · November 2012

gymkatinka:
Have you looked into food as a possible cause?

This. DD2 developed eczema after I was already dairy and soy free [she's milk and soy protein intolerant]. So I decided to try cutting all nuts from my diet too, and her eczema was gone a week later.

AlliMG · November 2012

My LO had eczema really bad on his face so we switched him to California Baby Eczema Body Wash/Shampoo and then we use Cetaphil Skin Restoring Moisturizer on any red or rough patches as many times a day as we can remember. He had a particularly bad outbreak about a month ago when the weather really started to turn and I put the lotion on his face probably ten times one saturday and by sunday it was almost completely gone. We also got a steroid cream from the dermatologist, but we use it really sparingly and we haven't really had to use it at all since we've started with the Cetaphil lotion. Good luck!

sunnybrook. · November 2012

The only thing that worked for my DD:

Sit her in the bathtub in lukewarm water every night for about 20 minutes (we suspected she is allergic to our dog, so this helped get any allergens off). We used Dove soap every other night. Immediately moisturize her with CeraVe cream - its' an over the counter cream, not lotion.

Moisturize her every morning with the CeraVe.

It worked perfectly to heal it. We now do it whenever she starts getting mildly dry patches and it resolves them right away. Your poor little man. My DD would lay on the carpet and wriggle around to get her back scratched. I hated seeing her that way

cecilyandgautam · November 2012

I've had eczema all my life and here's how I keep it under control:

-minimal water exposure, EXCEPTION: swimming pools with chlorine seem to help for some bizarre reason so swimming is good, long baths are bad

-let skin breathe daily: so let it air out for some amount of time every day without any products, then keep layering lotion on - i put lotion on every hour or two in the winter

-keep skin covered in cold & windy weather; cotton allows skin to breathe but protects skin from cratches

-keep nails short obviously

-Neosporin is a life saver on badly affected areas. I don't know if that's a baby-safe product, but I started using it when it come onto the market and I was in about 2nd grade at the time.

Honestly, being on the east coast during winter is so much harder on my skin than California weather. If you have any vacays coming up, take baby with you & let him bask in the warm sun. Good luck!

hway24 · November 2012

DS only has mild eczema, nothing like what your DS has, but the only thing that helps him is Curel Itch Defense lotion, we use it daily and it immediately relieves the redness and itching. At night I use the Curel and aquaphor together. You might want to give it a shot. GL!

emjenkins715 · November 2012

DS1 had eczema on his face and after a couple days of applying Vaseline it cleared up pretty well. DS2 has eczema on his back and if the Aquaphilic(sp?) isn't working then I usually smear the Vaseline all over his back and it helps clear it up in a couple days. It's greasy, but it seemed to work. Good luck!

katie4253 · November 2012

The only thing that worked was a combo of neutrogena sesame oil (that is what their bath oil is, unscented) both some in his tub AND put all over him after he got out and then lubing him up with aquaphor after that. It was intense last year. I am hoping his skin isn't quite as bad this year. If it is we are going to try coconut oil. Oh, and we use no soap on him. We only wash his hair and once a week clean his bottom with CA Baby unscented (both hair and bottom).

dyg201 · November 2012

So sorry you are going thru this. I know how awful it is. Swimming helped clear it up tremendously this summer. We also just started using mustela stelatopia cream which seems to be making a big difference. I get a lot of good info from the National Eczema Association.

NiniJ55 · November 2012

His eczema could be tied to a food allergy. You might want to take him to see a pediatric allergist and see if they have any suggestions for you.

mrst-tobe · November 2012

We have had the most success with an emollient called theraplex. It was rec by our pedi. I got it online at dermstore.com.

Lubriderm has been pretty good too. We use the one with the gold label. If he seems very itchy I will dot some hydrocortisone on and then top it with the lubriderm for a few days so he can have some relief.

I hope you find something that helps soon! We are still fighting it too! Eczema sucks!!!

gooshbaby · November 2012

try the brand norwex. mattress cleaner. it kills organic material and dust mites on your beds/ pillows/blankets. peole dont realize their are 1,000 to 10 million in a sq. foot and your sleeping on that! the norwex matress cleaner helps with your alergies, eczmea and athma. its worth a shot. my friend says it helps them and ihave the stuff too but i dont eczema. it just disgusts me thinking about the dust mites!

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