Baby Eczema - Winter Park,FL

A.- my son had eczema, too, and the doctor recommended Aquaphor ointment. Like someone said, it's similar to Vaseline, but it also contains mineral oil. It comes in a white tub with a blue lid. It worked really well for my son- so well that I started using it on my lips (because they chap easily) and it's helped more than anything I've ever tried. I also like Eucerin Calming Cream or the regular Eucerin- it's great for dry patches and gentle enough for babies.

Hi, my daughter has A-topic dermatitis which is in the family of Eczema and we bath her in Aveeno and the doctor gave us a sample of Ecxema Oil is a RX but it works..in about 2 days her dry spots and everything were gone. Its worth a try.

i had issues with this when my daughter was younger, not as bad but my doc recommended aquaphor, and it really worked..it's like vaseline but better and really works. we use it still when she gets a diaper rash or dry spots on her skin although they are minor. Target and Walmart sell it and it is worth a try..we tried lots of other things and nothing worked as well as this..
good luck!

I use Cetaphil lotion and the Huggies bath wash in the blue bottle (dye free, frangrance free...) and my daughters skin is really clear and moisturized. The Cetaphil lotion is not a baby product but it is AWESOME and also is frangrance free, hypoallergenic...non comodogenic...all that stuff. I actually use it now and my skin has improved as well. It's like $7-10 for a huge bottle ($7 if it's on sale at Walgreens.) Best of luck with his skin!

Hi A.,

My son (6 mo. old now) has had Eczema since birth. Our dr. gave the Rx. for Dermasmooth. You can apply it to the affected area after bath time while he is still damp. I use it in conjuction with Eucerin (sp?) and baby aveno lotion. It has worked for him. Don't worry about the accusations. You love your son and you are trying to protect him. Good luck!! I hope you find something that works!!

R.

I typed a whole page of advice on this topic but I don't see it posted. I wonder where it went. If you don't get an advice response from L. L. email me at ____@____.com
I have tons of experience with this - my son is two years old now and have gone through a lot...........still do. But I already typed a whole response and don't see it...let me know.L.

Hi, first of all don't let your doc or staff make you feel bad. If that continues find a new doc. It's hard enough without feeling judged by your doc. Try Calendula cream. California Baby makes a version that ROCKS! I'm sure there are other brands. Aveeno oatmeal bath works great too. Obviously you can't soak your baby's face but what works is soaking a warm washcloth and leaving it on your baby's face as long as you can. Good luck to you!

I have found that Eucerin cream helps my son. He has a patch on his face that at times will get red and blotchy. We were just at the doctor today and she said I could use it twice a day since it is just moisturizer. That is the only patch we have seen since he learned to crawl a year ago and had dry patches on his knees and elbows. I am sure you have tried it, but if not, do...it works pretty well for us. Good Luck!

A., try washing his face with warm water and cornstarch sprinked in, this will help the itching. i would sk the Dr for an Rx, or some remedys. There are so many, but i dont know if they are all safe on the face.
PS if your Dr makes you feel like that, its time for a new Dr!

Hi A.! I carry a great product line for babies that is WONDERFUL for eczema. I even have some adults with eczema on it. The line is called Arbonne Baby Care and it (and all of our products) are pure, safe and beneficial. The products are not formulated with chemicals, dyes or chemical frangrances. They are hypoallergenic and dermatoligist-tested. I would be happy to send you a sample if you would like to try it first.

Please let me know if you are interested! I suffered from eczema as a child and know how painful and uncomfortable it can be. Unfortunately many doctors prescribe steroids for infants with eczema. ABC is a natural alternative to that and it works great on stubborn cases.

Regardless of whether you try this line or not, I wish you the best of luck. I know it is hard to watch your little one in pain! Take care!

Sincerely,

M. Antal
www.melissab.myarbonne.com
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You know that you would not hurt your child. That's all that matters there. I have a similar problem with my baby, but it is in the bends of arms and legs. She scratches till bleeding. So far I am using ELIDEL and Aveno lotion. Just keep it moisturized and don't worry what others are thinking. You know you are doing the best possible.

I tried Arbonne baby oil and it helped a lot, but he didn't really have it on his face. The only thing I found to make it COMPLETELY disappear from his body is to switch to a cleaning (for bath) product by Aveno-- It's Soothing Relief Creamy Wash. It is totally fragrence free, unlike MANY of the so-called baby products on the market.

Hi A.,

My 2 year old had eczema REALLY bad. People with eczema also may have asthma and certain allergies, such as hay fever. For some, food allergies (such as allergies to cow's milk, soy, eggs, fish, or wheat) may bring on or worsen eczema. Allergies to animal dander, rough fabrics, and dust may also trigger the condition in some people.

If you havent already you may want to have your son tested for allergies since that triggers the eczema.

Good Luck

We used the Eucerin and the Gentle Naturals creams.

Just a note on the Eucerin, use the "Original Moisturizing Lotion", it has the least amount of alcohol in it. Don't use the "Anti-Itch" one. That has more alcohol in it and that hurts when placed on the excema.

Please keep this in mind when you buy anything to put on your child. Unfortunately, that means that the creams that take longer to absorb and are a little greasier are the ones that have the least alcohol. But at least your son won't be in pain and/or dry out his skin making it itchy.

Apply the creams often -- that might stop him from scratching some as his fingers will just slide off and/or it keeps it moisturized enough that its not itchy.

I am assuming that when you say you are bringing your son to the doctor, you mean a pediatrician. They see their fair share of eczema cases but you may consider going to a dermatologist, especially of your son breaks skin. It makes him at higher risk for secondary bacterial infections. Eczema is a process in which the immune system tends to "over-react" to irritation, resulting in inflammation, dry patches and cracked skin. If you are looking for over the counter remedies, try Aquaphor oint or a new moisturizer/cream called CeraVe. For most kids, Aquaphor is very good. CeraVe is a newer formulation which repairs the skin as it moisturizes. Most of the therapy for ezcema is maintenance once the inflammation is under control. Now if you are looking for prescriptions, there are a few other options. Traditionally, you see inflammation and you stick a steroid cream on it. Steroids come in a vast amount of strengths and although sometimes appropriate, it is easy to use a steroid that is too strong fo rthe face. A class of topical therapy that is worth using is the Calcinuerin inhibitors that normalize the immune excess. There has been alot of bad press for these drugs lately, but there has NEVER been a proven case of cancer or such adverse effect with topical use. The American Academy of Dermatolgy has even said this publicly in their endorsement of the class of medication. It is a personal choice but one you should be aware of. I would find a good dermatologist to evaluate your child and talk over the options. It is awful to see them so uncomfortable. Hope this helps, good luck!

A., I use Eucerin Creme for my daughter. It's a little hard to rub in at first, but you get the hang of it and it works better for us than just lotion. Good Luck!

Poor little guy!
I agree that getting a reference to a Dermatologist is a very good idea. He/she will be able to give you any RX you may need along with steer you in a good direction on what products to buy.

My son does not have eszema does get very dry itchy skin where he scratches--a lot and it scabs, if I don't keep up on it.
We use the Gentle Natural products and/or the Eurcerin wash and that seems to help a lot. Also the Gentle Natural ezcema cream before bed after bath has really turned it around. I've also stopped putting anything actually in the bath water (wash cloth only) and have cut back using the washes to every other day.
We have used Arbonne products and have had better luck with the Gentle Naturals, Aquaphor and Cetaphyl. They are also easier to to purchase (walgreens, walmart, etc) and less expensive.
Also make sure you are using fragrance/dye free laundry detergents and avoid fabric softeners. No need to get Dreft--All Free and Clear works great and is much less money(I've also used the generic Costco brand that is Free and Clear)and it works great too.
Good luck~!

Hi A.,

Try Arbonne products. Check them out at http://robinhelms.myarbonne.com/arbonne/robinhelms.nsf.
Arbonne products are pure, safe, and beneficial. No harmful chemicals, dyes, fragrances, mineral oil, or animal by products. I have seen testimonials about baby eczema. You can use the baby lotion or oil (even on his face), or even the skin conditioning oil that is not in the baby line. I use these products on myself and my family. Fabulous! Please let me know if you have any questions! Best Wishes. R. Helms ###-###-####

I used Eucerin for my daughter. Also my doctor said if it got pretty bad to use Aquaphor which I did a few times. Also the told me to use Aveeno and still do ..

A.,
I am so sorry for your little one. Luckily my son did not suffer from eczema, but I DO!

It is a life long battle that was bad when I was a child, got worse during my teen years, and came back after I had my son, and even now as I type this (my son is now two). I am now 26. So you do have a long journey if your son is anything like me. I remember seeing my mother cry for the first time in my life, when she saw how much I suffered as a child from this ailment (I believe I was 6 or 7 years old at the time). Living in FL does not help either, with this recent heat wave!

What has helped me tremendously is washing with fragrance free products like Cetaphil (it is expensive so I use the Walmart brand which is the same exact thing), I use this to shower with as well as a facial cleanser. I've been told Aquaphor is good as well for babies, I have never used it myself. I have used Gentle Naturals Baby Eczema Cream also. They also have a Gentle Naturals Baby Wash you may decide to try. I stopped using Gentle Naturals only because they changed the formula recently, and to me the smell is off putting. They have baby Pooh characters on the packaging, and you can find them anywhere, Walmart, Target, CVS...

Eucerin Original Cream is the best. Costly too! Again I use the Walmart brand in the tub, which is the same thing, but only costs $3 as opposed $15 a pop! Put this cream on right after a bath, don't even bother rubbing it in. The skin will soak it up on its on accord and his skin will be so supple (especially if you did this before bedtime).

RX or OTC cream containing Betamethazone helped me a lot, and more recently my Dr RXed an ointment called Triamcinolone within 3 days my rash was gone.

Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a dermatologist. Only those trained specifically in skin care, I have found, really do the most help (no offense to your ped.)!

Good Luck and I hope your little one can find relief!

i don't know if this will work for you, but i just used regular j & j baby shampoo(the yellow one) for cleansing the face and then applied aveeno lotin. it worked FAST for both of my kids. GOOD LUCK!!

Hi Ashely.

My daughter who is now 15 months dealth with Eczema. I also tried everything, even the script they wrote and it DIDN'T work. I was at my witts end when my mother in-law brought over some Arbone lotion she had purchased $12( not sold in stores, only catalogue). I used it overnight and the next morning and I am not kidding, what a difference. Many people that I have run into that have used this product just love it. I hope this helps. If you need more info on getting this let me know. (I dont sell it personally.

M.

Hi A.!

I am a District Manager with Arbonne, and I have a lot of clients who swear by the Arbonne Baby Care lotion and baby wash! I will email you a private message, and you can let me know if you want some samples of it!

I know exactly how you feel my baby girl is 11 months old and I started having problems with her eczema when she was about 2 mths. We tried everything, but I can't believe your doctor is not more helpful. First our pediatrition had us use hydrocortizone .1% very lightly on the areas and aquaphore which is like a thick vasoline. Now she has us using this topical oil called derma-smooth that we put on every night. It has helped us so much, she still has some breakouts but we got it under control. You should also watch what your son eats when he has break outs that could have something to do with it. I feel for you but ask your pediatrition about the oil. But for now i suggest hydrocortizone the lowest % over the counter very lightly, but please ask your doctor first, I am definitley not a doctor, let me know how it goes. Or if you have any new takes on horrible eczema

Have you considered what's causing it? Food sensitivities can be a HUGE trigger, as well as your water quality.
My son had horrible excema all over, especially his legs, and he would scratch until he bled. We have now figured out that he cannot have milk,or peanut butter. Now it's all gone. Also I know that having a good water treatment/softener can help tremendously.

As far as treating the actual symptoms..have you tried giving him oatmeal baths, and using aveeno lotions? Sorry that's the best I have to offer. The real trick is to find out what's causing it. Milk should be your first suspect.

Best of luck, I know it's hard.