My son has been suffering from eczema since he was 3 or so months old. It has been controlled well with hydrocortinsone cream, but now he's got red patches around his mouth and some red dots up to his eyes that won't go away (has had it 2-3 mo. now). He's had a stronger cream prescribed which we have been using, as well as protecting his skin with vaseline, but it doesn't seem to be working.
One thing I am wondering is that maybe his skin is irritated by some food (his child care provider has said his skin around his mouth has gotten redder after eating tacos etc.). We wipe his face with wet cloth after every meal but maybe it is not good enough. I wonder if we should bring him to the sink and wash his face after every meal (which I imagine, can get wet and messy).
What kind of soap would you recommend for this type of situation? I've read some sensitive skin topics but most was for bathing, not multiple times a day. I also wonder if soap in a pump that comes out foamy may be nice. Does anyone know of any soap for sensitive skin on the face that a child can use multiple times a day? Thanks!
Thank you for all your suggestions! Based on your advice, I've decided not to try to wash his face with soap after every meal. I'll try to make sure to wipe it well with wet cloth (still unsure of taking him to the sink to wash his face), and with soap at the end of the day/bathing. I will also look into cetaphil or oil wipes that don't require water and seem gentler. It's been more than a month with the new stronger steroid cream; maybe it's time to check in with the doctor again as well. Again, thank you for your input!
I would use just water for most of the day and then 1x a day, wash with cetaphil. Its very gentle!
M
Warm water on a papertowel or wash cloth. Forget the soap and diaper wipes. Are you sure he is not having an allergic reaction to something in the tacos? Tomatoes perhaps?
I would go with just warm water on the cloth.
cetaphil facial wash is great for all kids and adults. #1 recom for sensitive skin from my derm.
I would take him to an allergist - red sounds like an allergic reaction as does exema. Just water - no soap as all is drying. For bathtime we use the cetaphil in the pump and it's great!
I use Aveeno's foaming face soap and it IS very gentle. I don't know what it recommends as far as children's usage, but I would say give it a whirl. It isn't very "soapy" and does clean.
I bought it when I had gotten poison oak on my face (yes, my face) and needed to use something to gently clean the rash area a few times a day. Not necessarily to remove make-up or anything...just because of the rash. And I wanted to be sure that I was getting the oils (that cause the rash) off as much as possible.
Most stores carry it, and I think it runs about $6-7 for a decent sized bottle.
Try cetaphil, which can be wiped off without water.
My DD had a rash around her mouth and a diaper rash and we realized after a while that it was APPLES. Mostly raw apples (but not oranges or other acidic foods), but she also can't have apple juice (try reading labels sometimes...apples are filler in so much) or fruit bars with apple, either. That comes out wrong the other end. Since apples are such a staple with little kids, ask her what he's eating.
I also think that since his face is severely affected, you might do well to just go see an allergist.
I would have them use a wet paper towel and not a washcloth. The detergent used to wash the cloth could be affecting him. If you need to use soaps I would find one that had all natural ingredients like California Baby. I would also not rule out an allergy or the acid content in the tomatoes for causing the rash.
I would not use soap more than once a day unless absolutely needed. Oily/greasy residue can be cut with any light oil, such as grapeseed or jojoba (watch for allergic reactions), and wiping gently with a facial tissue or warm, damp cloth afterward. When you do use soap, watch for ingredients rather than whether it foams or not. Ingredients like parabens, sulfites, and added scents are much more likely to cause trouble than the texture of the soap.
You should be able to find a selection of gentle and simple soaps at your local health food store or nutrition center. There are "real" soaps and detergent based soaps. Detergents are more drying for many people, so you may wish to try both and compare. Castile soap is a gentle classic for many babies and sensitive users, but I've known people who are allergic to that, too. So you may need to experiment a bit.
Purified oils for the skin are also a better grade for skin than grocery-store cooking oils. That extra purification is worth the extra cost, because the oil is less likely to have irritating components or smell.
Vitamin E oil might also be worth trying immediately before a meal as a protective coating, and afterward as a cleansing wipe.
I like the Lush brands because they are all natural, and there are many that help with skin conditions. I would try that myself. www.lushusa.com but stores are better because you can ask the people questions and try stuff out. Otherwise I would say my friend has had luck with aquaphore products for her son's sensitive skin. Like I said, I rather all natural products first.
FYI it could be acidic foods causing it ... I would shy away from acids for a week or two and see what happens.
I have no idea.
I just hope you find something!
I know my "eczema" was really an allergy to aloe vera. It is in disposable diapers and was being absorbed into my blood stream and then reacting elsewhere. My kids have the same allergy and they doctor tried to call "eczema" on it but when I started toncloth diaper is went away overnight, no need to do any creams.
I also know other people have true eczema instead of a misdiagnosed allergy, but it my be worth a shot?
Vaseline has mineral oil in it which pulls the moisture from the skin and can be very irritating to the skin. My Grandson had eczema as well as my Daughter, Granddaughter and myself. We now use only Arbonne's all natural products (no mineral oil, animal products and a long list of bad things) I didn't know they would help with eczema and a lot of other skin conditions until I didn't have to get an RX for it. I have a recipe for baby wipes that I use on the Grandkids and babies using our ABC Baby wash. It lasts a really long time and the wipes save money.
I would ask the Dr. Anything else would be an uneducated guess. Good luck!
I would not use soap of any kind multiple times a day on a child's face, whether or not he has excema.
Eating ground beef in tacos WOULD make him a little red - it stains the skin.
I'd get one of those rubber or plastic bibs and take him to the sink. Hopefully he won't get too wet. And then put more vaseline on him after each meal.
Good luck!
Dawn
