Skin Allergy

Updated on April 01, 2008
R.M. asks from Alexandria, VA
20 answers

Hi, I have an 18 month old daughter with a skin allergy. We have recently moved to Singapore and her rashes have gotten worse. I have had her in cloth diapers since about 4 months old because the chemicals in disposable diapers were too harsh for her skin. It's difficult to find chemical free products here that I am familiar with and I am desperate for advice on washing her diapers, clothes, sheets etc. Are there any other cloth diaper users out there with advice on the best way to clean naturally? Thank you, R.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.S.

answers from Richmond on

Are you sure it's a skin allergy? You should have her checked because it could very well be eczema. It looks like a skin rash, but it's not and can be helped with a cortisone cream. If it is eczema, be on the look out for asthma as well. They go hand in hand most times. The other thing it could be is a fungus. You should really have a doctor check her out. My son had both at different times and it looks very much like a rash, but never goes away. If it is just diaper rash, the best thing for that is Borofax. You can only get it from the pharmacist (non-prescription). Nothing I've ever used has worked better. If they don't make it any more, have your pharmacist suggest something similar. Good Luck

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.R.

answers from Richmond on

Hi R.! This is N.. I'm a SAHM of 3 boys, 12, 7 & 2. My husband has serious skin allergies and we have found a cost effective way to shop for all of our needs without ANY problems. Check out saferforyourhome.com Be sure to click on the products tab at the top and look at the MelaPower. This is the laundry detergent I have used for over a year now and LOVE it! My husband wares uniforms to work and because of his skin allergies, I wash them at home in MelaPower. His boss wants to know why his red shirt has stayed so red and bright while the others have faded...it's the MelaPower no doubt! The baby's clothes have been stained and messed so many times. He is a boy with 2 big brothers you know. LOL I have been able to take grass stains, blood, gel pen, hydrolic grease, food and so much more out of their clothes without any trouble. Also since we switched to shopping Melaleuca, we have found that the other allergies we all have suffered with aren't there this year. Everything is blooming now and it usually causes all of us bad headaches and sinus problems but not this year. I believe it's changing my cleaning products to safer healthier products that have made a huge difference for us. Another thing that they have that I LOVE is their lotion. It's called Renew and I use it for everything including baby rash if he starts to get red or anything. Dry skin on feet and ankles is gone almost instantly with Renew!
It's no problem to get it in Singapore either! Check out that web site and let me know if I can help you take a closer look to see if it's something you'd like to try. Thanks and have fun with those babies! N. =)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.F.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughters and I have very sensitive skin. I have broken out since I was a child. Last year my sister introduced me to Shaklee products. I have been using them ever since. I have not had any breakouts as Shaklee is an all natural company with no chemicals in their products. It has made an incredible difference in my life. The best part is that I order everything online and they ship it to me. Here is the site shaklee.net/natural-health

Good luck.
P.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.B.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi, R., How are you adjusting to life in Singapore? Sounds like quite an adventure! Are you familiar with Melaleuca? They are an international wellness company, based in Idaho Falls, Idaho; they are in Singapore! Their products are all manufactured with health in mind & are fabulous for any kind of skin issues. They can save you time & money, and help you improve the health of your family. Feel free to contact me directly for more information. Good luck! N. B. ###-###-#### or ____@____.com.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.Y.

answers from Washington DC on

Your baby may have food allergies. Try taking out dairy products first, as they are a usual culprit. Then, try wheat and gluten.Do the elimination for a month and see how her skin changes. Add fish oil into her daily routine, you can buy flavored cod liver oil, and this helps a lot.
G Diapers are great, I have been using them for 6 months and love them. The website is gdiapers.com

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.P.

answers from Washington DC on

Dear R.,

You probably have noticed the difference in moving to the USA because the regulations here for which chemicals are allowed to be used in household products are very inadequate.
My son had exactly the same problem. He had big blotchy rashes all over his skin and I didn't even realise it was caused by the laundry soap I was using until I switched to the Melaleuca brand. Now that is all I use for our family and I also use their baby shampoo and cleaning products for our house because they don't contain toxic chemicals. Now my son doesn't have any more skin problems and it is really a relief for our family.

Let me know if you want to ask any questions about the products or try them for yourself.

L. P

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.L.

answers from Washington DC on

I totally empathize, R.. My son also has very sensitive skin. Two things helped us the most:

1) Washing our diapers and the whole family's laundry in Charlie's Soap. Make sure you are doing enough rinses on the diapers, too. I would definitely not recommend Dreft. I tried it and it was actually making my son's skin worse. It turns out it has lots of additives that can be extra irritants for ultra-sensitive skin. We bought the big 5-gallon bucket of Charlie's and use it for everything with much success. http://www.charliesoap.com/products/laundry-powder.aspx

2) A filter for the bathwater. We love this one from Gaiam; it made a HUGE difference in our son's skin: http://www.gaiam.com/product/eco-home-outdoor/water-quali...

D.S.

answers from Allentown on

Hi R.,

Sounds like the baby has a yeast overgrowth. Take the baby to your pediatrician and get some type of medication for this rash.

Hope this helps. Good luck. D.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi R.,
Have you heard of Arbonne International? We have a baby skin care set made from botanicals, PH balanced, never tested on animals, vegan approved. Our set is ABC, Arbonne Baby Care but we have testimonials from adults who use these products for their skin problems with great results. If you are interested email me at ____@____.com can simply order online and the products will be shipped to you.
Sincerely,
P. C
Arbonne International

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.G.

answers from Washington DC on

There are some great products out there that may help.

Personally, I use Melaleuca laundry detergent, MelePower. My clothes are so clean and there are no harsh chemicals. It is made with a kosher formula! My children also have sensitive skin; we have had no problems with the MelePower.

I am fairly certain that you can receive the Melaleuca products in Singapore... I would have to check though!

Please let me know if you would like more information!

L.A.

answers from Washington DC on

I would change her diet right away. There's definitely something she's eating that's giving her a bad reaction. This is common with dairy, wheat, soy, and corn. If she's eating boxed, jarred, or processed foods chances are those ingredients are in there and are causing her to react. Her body clearly doesn't like that.

Because nutrition is "feeding" her skin (largest organ), no topical cream can make the rash go away unless changes in the diet are made. Save your money.

My straight and simple rule is eat close to the ground - fruits, vegetables, free range meats. This will take some time, but you'll see the benefits almost immediately. Also you'll help her develop healthy eating habits for years to come.

You may still need to give her pureed foods - find the organic brands to give her the calories and nutrients she needs. Right now she's deficient because her body is dealing with the rash. I know my toddler loves yogurt (high quality probiotics), turkey slices, and lots of chicken broth filled with vegetables.

Here are links for you
http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/
http://www.cookingtf.com/children.html

~L.
www.notaboutfood.com
www.accesspilates.com

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I would suggest looking into Melaleuca products. I love their products and they have helped tremendously with our family allergies over these past 5 years of use. I believe the Melaleuca company now is Indep. Marketing Executives in Singapore. Maybe check out their website at www.Melaleuca.com and go from there. You join for a nominal one-time fee and order once monthly. You receive great, toxin-free products for every member of your household and the home too, and you receive 10-15% back that adds up so that you can purchase products for free also. They are a fabulous company! I highly recommend them! I stay at home and earn a nice income from home with them now also. :) Added bonus! I recomment the Renew cream for your daughter's skin. It was help her greatly! Good luck! M.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.A.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi. My son had very sensitive skin when he was an infant. Now he's almost 3 and his skin is 98% better. Part of his skin allergy was due to his food allergies, which beca me known to me when he was 9 months old. I use ALL Free & Clear or Arm & Hammer w/no dyes, fragrance. I do not use fabric softener, because it irritates his skin. He would break out in rash and be very itchy. I occasionally use a 2% hydrocortisone cream, but nothing stronger(dr. recommendation). As for skin cream, I use CeraVe moisturizing cream. It's the best thing that I have used on him. And note that I've tried practically everything. CeraVe is available at CVS, RiteAid. It's not too thick and not too watery. I also use CeraVe Moisturizing Wash for bathtime. Note: It is so important that you advocate for your child, because from my experience, doctors don't always know what's best for your child.
As for diapers, which brands have you tried?

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I use Tide but I have heard that Dreft is excellent for washing babies clothes, very gentle. Not sure what soap you use but my youngest has extremely dry/sensitive skin and I use Dove soap on him. So sad for your precious daughter! Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi
When our daughter had rashes for days and days and days, the docs asked us to switch her to a VEry bland diet for a week or two. Really plain foods- bananas, breads, rice, potatoes, apples. It might help.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.S.

answers from Charlottesville on

Have you tried Dreft? I was looking for natural detergents and found this: http://www.mountaingreen.biz/difference.html

that's just one of the many "natural" detergent websites that came up. Are you able to test some of those different kinds? Have you tried any other natural detergents that may be in stores already? Seems like you may have to order online or have a family member send you a care package. Good luck. I hope you find something that works for your little one.

ps,
have you tried switching around her diet or are you sure it's contact related?

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi R., All my children are grown and so are my Grandchildren. There uses to be a product by Ivory (in a box like tide) that was supposed to be 99.9% pure for washing babies clothing as well as a bar of soap by Ivory to bathe children with. Might want to check this out. Hope this helps. God Bless. J. M.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Dover on

Hi there I am sorry to hear about that. Your daughter sounds about like mine. I searched high and low for products that did not have the harsh chemicals that made my daughter have reactions and I finally did. I got in contact with a lady and she gave me all the information and I ordered some products like bath soap, lotion, and laundry detergent. We started using them and I tell you I have seen a huge different in my daughter. She doesn't even have the dry skin bumps any more either. After using them for 1 month I loved the company so much I know promote it and have got my two sisters using the products too.

One sisters has 3 kids and the other has no kids but she is allergic to everything even the sun (she has is pretty bed but much better know) but she uses them and doesn't promote the company but she said she will be a customer for life!

If you would like go to: www.urfuturematters.com

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

F.W.

answers from Washington DC on

Hey,
first I am soo sorry to hear about her skin allergy :0( I am dealing with allergy issues with myself and 7 mo ds. Stay away from Arbone... I know they use petrolem based products in their makeup, and if your daughter is having problems with disposable diapers, it could be the petroleum used in them.
Check out http://www.mothering.com/discussions/index.php they have a whole section on cloth diapering. They also have recipes for all natural home made laundry detergent, which I haven't tried but may be a good option since shiping may be expensive to Singapore. I have been using Planet detergent on my CDs, with tea tree oil (which I think is one of the ingredients in Melapower).
Good luck!
Kami

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.K.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi R..

I am very sorry about your little one's allergies. Please check out this website: http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm
This website tells you which detergents are compatible with cloth diapers. I, too, am Melaluca member, but their detergent is not good for diapers. The melaluca oil makes the diapers repel. (Oil and water don't mix!) I haven't tried Allen's detergent, but it's supposed to be all natural. I hope the list is helpful. Good luck to you.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches