Does anyone suffer with eczema and has it gotten worse with pregnancy?

julievdm12 · November 2014

Do any of you ladies suffer from eczema? I have had it on my hands on and off for years before pregnancy but now it's getting worse and it's also on my chin (ugh) and legs (so itchy!)
I have steroid cream from my doctor that works wonders but can't use it right now. (Obviously)

Has anyone had any success with any natural remedies that you could recommend?

LEMSA · November 2014

Anything hydrating, like eucerin or aveeno. Mild showers. Not sure your climate, but it really gets bad for a lot of people in the winter.

Anything to keep your skin hydrated will help.

bsdub · November 2014

souptin said:

Coconut oil!

I love that this is your fix all solution!! I'm going to get some ASAP!!

jmfs25 · November 2014

My skin is freaking out worse then ever before. I have a dry patch on my hand that will not go away. I can get it to chill out with aquaphor but not go away. Not even the steroid cream my ob allowed in small does did anything. I am going to try coconut oil, seems to be a cure all for many people.

jesswein9 · November 2014

I have a patch on my hand too. I bought soft vitamin e infused gloves from bed bath and beyond. I wear the glove to bed at night after putting lotion on my hand and that has been helpful in locking in moisture.

hillbillywife · November 2014

This is my first post but I have eczema all over (face, arms, legs) and it drives me nuts. I dip myself *ahem* plaster myself in Eucerine original and it super helps. Although, I might dig the coconut oil out of the pantry and see how that helps!

bennneky1 · November 2014

My doctor said aveeno! Mine has gotten worse too.

julievdm12 · November 2014

@LEMSA‌ yeah winter is just awful, and I'm in Burlington, Ontario so it's getting pretty nippy out. Haha Also we have a wood stove for heat (waaaay more affordable than electric) but it makes everything so freaking dry!

Also I should have mentioned, I do use coconut oil, and you ladies are all correct, it helps. Thanks!

I guess part of me is holding out for a "miracle" cream that someone has the secret to out there.

kassiz · November 2014

I can't use aveeno at all, seems to make it so much worse... Coconut oil seems to work more than anything else I've tried. I've also stopped wearing any makeup and that has helped my face a ton!

Edited because again typing is hard :-(

Caileybug · November 2014

Mine is so bad. My doc told me I can use my steroid cream every second day. I am always hesitant to, but then I break out uncontrollably and cave and use it.

keifekm · November 2014

I have also had some flare ups on my hands and legs. Just heard about the coconut oil today and am going to try it on other parts now that I did a sample and it was ok (aka no crazy itching).

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

For the bad patches on my hands and arms I'll use aquaphor or coconut oil. I bought gold bond restoring lotion and it has really helped my legs so far!

sagehens47 · November 2014

I've always had it on my legs but it comes and goes. Has definitely flared up in pregnancy. I put a plain oil on my legs right after the shower and pat dry (def helps). In emergencies my doc said I can use my steroid cream sparingly.

specialsn0wflake · November 2014

YES! Coconut oil hasn't ever helped my ezcema personally. My dr recommended a lactic acid lotion, prescription strength isn't available in my area and the store stuff hasn't really helped. I have a low dose steroid lotion I can use if I want. Since it's my upper arms it doesn't bother me too much to just scratch most of the time.

I'll look into the gold bond. I really love the smell for some reason!

kaklein2 · November 2014

Coconut oil has helped on my face (it helped with some of the pregnancy breakouts too since it is anti microbial). However I need something thicker on my hands to help because they are cracking and bleeding now and the coconut oil just isn't enough. Just started using a salve tonight from the website below so we will see if that helps.

For some good all natural products, for years now I have been shopping at https://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com

Their salves and whipped lotions are amazing!! Even the all natural deodorant works really well (the only all natural one that has ever works for me). Not a huge fan of the shampoo soap bars though but that's just me maybe since I am so use to regular shampoo.

kaklein2 · November 2014

Haha sorry my post sounded like an infomercial. I swear I am not affiliated with that website in any way. But having eczema, store bought lotions really flared it up and made it worse. Even the unscented ones since they still had a million and one chemical ingredients. The whipped Shea butter from that site is what got rid of and keeps away the eczema on my legs when nothing the dr prescribed helped at all. I have actually been eczema free for four years since discovering Chargrin Valley Salves and Soaps ....until this pregnancy. Lol. Now it's back with a vengeance on my hands but hoping the salve I got from this place clears it up.

Oh also switching to unscented laundry detergent like ALL brand helped a lot too. For some reason, Tide unscented still bothered me but ALL works well for me.

nicpeylee · November 2014

Yes - second pregnancy and my skin is just as bad as with my first! Hands, arms, chest, shoulders, back and worst of all face! Clears up wonders when baby is born. Im surprised a lot of docs won't give steroid creams, I have loads prescribed along with aveeno cream and bath oil. I also attend dermatology at hospital once a week till I have baby and nurses apply creams for me to see what's helping and what's not as it's that bad. Really is just a game of waiting till baby is born till it clears up, but in mean time maintaining your skin to best as possible as it's so uncomfortable and not to mention gets you done when you're walking around with fiery itchy skin

feel for everyone who gets this bad during pregnancy!

nicpeylee · November 2014

*gets you down - oops lol

pistachio&blush · November 2014

kaklein2 said:
Haha sorry my post sounded like an infomercial. I swear I am not affiliated with that website in any way. But having eczema, store bought lotions really flared it up and made it worse. Even the unscented ones since they still had a million and one chemical ingredients. The whipped Shea butter from that site is what got rid of and keeps away the eczema on my legs when nothing the dr prescribed helped at all. I have actually been eczema free for four years since discovering Chargrin Valley Salves and Soaps ....until this pregnancy. Lol. Now it's back with a vengeance on my hands but hoping the salve I got from this place clears it up.

Oh also switching to unscented laundry detergent like ALL brand helped a lot too. For some reason, Tide unscented still bothered me but ALL works well for me.

I agree. You have to change what you put on and in your body. Excema might be flaring up from certain food or products that you are putting in/on your body.

julievdm12 · November 2014

@kaklein2‌ you don't sound like an infomercial, you just sound like a wealth of info! Love it.

dragonsluck13 · November 2014

Last pregnancy my eczema cleared up and my skin never looked better. This pregnancy it's worse than ever. I slather on Shea butter immediatly after getting out of the shower. I'm sticky as he'll for a while but it seems to be helping.

Tiyasearcy · November 2014

I have had eczema all my life and it has certainly been flaring up worse than ever. I have it all on my arms and legs and I just started getting in on my belly too! I started showering with nonscented body wash (cetaphil works best for me) and warm water. Instead of using a cloth/ sponge/ loufa to wash I just lather with my hands so that I don't irritate the rashes. Then I rinse with cold water and pat dry and air dry when I get out. Instead of using tummy butters I just use cetaphil cream all over (the one in the jar) and I've been using the aveeno topical cream for itchy spots. It's really helped me but all skin is different. I also just try to keep cream on all day when I feel dry since it's winter time. And I also TRY to drink at least 4 bottles of water a day. Good luck and I hope this helped a little bit

dragonsluck13 · November 2014

I also second Aveeno, it does work better than any everyday lotion I've tried. And use Cetyphil on my face.

miracle4x · November 2014

I don't have it but found a lotion that works wonders on any rash me or my kids have had. It's TriDerma Eczema Fast Healing lotion I got at Walmart.

DixieNormous330 · November 2014

I have a huge patch between my neck and shoulder. My OB gave me the ok to use the steroid cream.

be888 · November 2014

I don't have eczema, but I have psoriasis, and the combination of pregnancy and winter has me flaring up big time. I have been using coconut oil for itchiness, and putting Keri oil in the bath, and it seems to help a bit.

Goldie000 · November 2014

I have it. Come to think of it, my fingers have been itching like crazy at night. I haven't noticed anything on my arms or legs where I normally get it.

KellyA724 · November 2014

The timing of this post is perfect. My eczema has been flaring up in my usual spots (fingers, underarms) and I woke up this morning and my butt cheeks are covered in it. Covered. Makes it lovely to sit all day at work. Ugh.

I bought some OTC gold bond lotion that is specialized for eczema - it's helping the itch (at least on my underarms, not on my fingers) but it's not healing the way the steroid cream does. I did end up using a tiny bit of steroid cream on my fingers because the itch was unbearable. The spot on my butt (looks like it's actually four separate patches that have merged together) is just too big. I'll give coconut oil a shot.

HZ2012 · November 2014

The only place I have it is in my ear (odd, I know) so I can't offer too much help here. But Aquaphor popped into my head. Whenever DS has a dry patch or irritated skin we put it on and it helps. Just a thought!

Blergbot · November 2014

I have this wonderful combination of eczema and psoriasis called sabopsoriasis. I have it on my scalp, so lotions are hard to use (because hair). I've found coconut oil to be very helpful. I message it into my scalp and leave it for a half an hour, then I get in the shower and massage some more. Then shampoo it out. So if it's your hands that are bothering you I would try treating them overnight and wearing gloves.

newmom1989 · November 2014

Coconut butter lotion, all I gotta do is put some on and it relieves any itching I have

)) and it works well w stretch marks im a lot bigger now and I don't have any stretch marks thanks to this amazing lotion. I have mild exzema that always gets worst in the winter so this lotion has helped even before the pregnancy! Also aveeno oatmeal baths are great when it comes to these things, good luck:)

LeslieSwegart · November 2014

Yes!!! I had it so bad my skin was bleeding from all the itching I did. I use L'Occitane Shea butter cream with the Fabulous Shea oil. It's the only the cream that hydrates for me! I tried everything else, no results. I went back to these products instant relief and it all cleared up! It's kind of pricey, but well worth it if you're suffering!! The store is having 20% off right now. But you can order it online from sephora and Nordstorms

kmtu · November 2014

I have gone to the doctors about my spots. I had them as a teenager and now they're back! Hormones are to blame for anything that you have dealt with previously, when hormones were high.

DixieNormous330 · November 2014

Nothing, including my prescription, is working on my flare up. I look like a leper. Fucking stress.

mnharkcom · November 2014

Possibly look at Burt's bees mama bee oil. That could help and not too greasy.

wendyneilson · November 2014

I usually get eczema really bad but cutting back on dairy has helped and it hasn't flared up too much during pregnancy. My rosacea has been HORRIBLE though. I've started using olive oil instead of face wash (massage on dry face for at least one min and then place a hot washcloth over for at least one min to open pores & remove oils). I also use it all over my belly/boobs/stretch mark prone areas in the shower (on dry skin, massage a few mins then rinse). I've been doing that for a couple weeks and it's much better. And I haven't gotten stretch marks... Yet. I also use coconut oil instead of moisturizer everywhere except my face which reacted to the coconut. I use a little more olive oil there to moisturizer. And cutting back makeup has helped. Good luck!

rav05 · November 2014

I've had eczema my whole life. I have actually found that a gluten free diet has helped me. I have my cheat days! But I try to cut it out when I can I also use lavender essential oil and coconut oil plus a homemade lotion. If anyone would like the recipe I would be glad to share

keganhodge · November 2014

I use bag balm. It's in a gren tin that you can get from publix but I have really severe eczema but it's actually gotten much better since becoming pregnant.

bbyleota · November 2014

Yes, and the worst place in the corner of my eyes, if you are not alergic to bees or wasps then try beeswax or product with beeswax in it as it is natural and not only helps your skin it heals it from the inside out most of the dr medicine only heals the outside! Also try using soap free body wash, here in nz we have a native plant called kawakawa which heals the skin, there is a soap(that has no soap or parabines) made from this and works wonders, not sure what the states has but I'm sure the health shop would have some amazing things. Good luck

Want a personalized experience?

Does anyone suffer with eczema and has it gotten worse with pregnancy?

Re: Does anyone suffer with eczema and has it gotten worse with pregnancy?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards