Eczema and Chemicals

I have always used Dreft - it is a little pricey, but seems to work well with my daughter who has/had eczema. They also have the dryer sheets. Hope that helps.

Instead of discontinuing fabric softener I switched to a perfume free / dye free dryer sheet and I think it has made a difference. Target sells one and so does bounce.

My 4.5 month old son also has eczema, but fairly mild. We did have to change diapers from Pampers to Huggies, which has made a huge difference. We use ALL free and clear detergent because Dreft has fragrance. Bounce free and clear dryer sheets, you can cut them into smaller sheets if you find some sensitivity. Just a small piece will help with static cling.

We like Aquafore and Cetaphil lotions, but a friend of mine swears by Aveeno and Arbonne. Also hydrocortisone cream is amazing!! It seems to clear up any flare ups so quickly!

Also, Butt Paste seems to clear up diaper area redness super quickly. Good luck.

Hi E.,
You sure got a lot of great suggestions! I hope something helps your situation, it is not fun to see your baby uncomfortable and not know how to help. I also have a son with eczema, he is 14 months old. I have a 4 1/2 year old with sensitive skin too. We use all of Melaleuca's products in our household. I noticed someone already mentioned the company and a few of the products. I would contact that person (Kim F) and enroll as a customer as soon as possible. You won't believe the difference in your babies skin and it is not toxic chemicals or harsh medicated creams that solve the problem. This company believes in total wellness and is definitely worth looking into if not just for your son's eczema but to get the toxins out of your house.
Good luck to you and your family.
Take care,
V.

Hi E., I think these suggestions will help you. First, potassium hydroxide is the chemical name for lye which can cause eczema with repeated skin contact. It is an ingredient in Cascade liquid dishwash, Olay hydrating skin care (if you use it and then hold your baby with his skin touching your skin, Pantene hair spray & hair care products (the spray goes into the air for all to breathe in & it often lands on your skin), Murphy's oil soap, Lysol spray cleaner (again this sprays it into the air to land anywhere and to be breathed in by all), etc. My point is that very harmful chemicals are in many of our common cleaning and laundry products, and these toxic chemicals are responsible for many respiratory problems and allergy-related issues in babies and children, and they are often the last thing that the pediatrician will think of. Hydrochloric acid causes severe damage to skin & eyes, causes throat irritation even when exposed briefly & at low levels & can be fatal if swallowed - it is also linked to reactive airways dysfunction syndrome and must NEVER be inhaled. This chemical is in Lysol toilet bowl cleaner and Lime-a-way toilet bowl cleaner, as well as in Febreze laundry odor eliminator!!! You are NEVER supposed to inhale hydrochloric acid. I have just discovered all this and want to stand on rooftops and scream it to everybody -but especially to young Moms with little ones. Go to this government watchdog web site www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ingredients.htm and put in any and all of the cleaning products you are currently using to see what is in them. You will not find a single product made by Shaklee on the "bad" list of ingredients, because all of Shaklee cleaning products are non-toxic and/or safe with no harmful chemicals. Tide ultra liquid contains sodium hydroxide as does Cascade rinse formula, Comet, Shout, Electrosol gel, Tilex, Soft Scrub, 409, and on and on. Most of Chlorox products contain horrible chemicals. Windex, Fantastic, Simple Green cleaner, Glass Plus, 409 all contain Butyl cellosolve is linked to reproductive harm and exposure for 15 minutes while cleaning the shower could cause you to inhale 3 times the acute exposure limit!! My point is that you should consider switching your cleaning & laundry products immediately to non-toxic ones - either Shaklee or another brand that you are positive contain no toxic chemicals. You have probably guessed that I happen to be a Shaklee distributor, but since I have discovered all of this info, I am on a mission to educate all Moms about this very scary situation -- our government knows these chemicals are in these products and still allows them to be sold on the shelves of every store while most of the public is totally unaware of the dangers. I will be happy to speak with you any time - contact me at ###-###-#### or ____@____.com You may also visit my website www.emilytaft.com On the menu to your left, just click into "Home Care" and browse through the cleaners. Our laundry detergent is wonderful and even takes out infants' yellow poop - I know this first hand as I took care of our 6-week-old granddaughter recently who is being breast fed, and she had one of those "explosions" that shoots up their back and permeates the carseat, changing table cover, etc. I pre-spotted everything with our Shaklee liquid detergent and threw them in the wash - everything came out spotless!! My daughter-in-law was shocked as she uses Dreft and cannot get out the stains with it, so she is switching now. Also, Shaklee is the first company to come up with a non-toxic fabric softener sheet, and it is awesome for static cling!! E. Taft I hope to hear from you asap.

Hi E.,

My daughter has had eczema since she was about 2 weeks old. I switched to cloth diapers when she was about 10 months old (love them!) to save money and because we were tired of creating so much trash. When she is at with my parents or grandparents, they use Seventh Generation diapers. Another thing you might want to think about doing (especially if you would like to cloth diaper) is using cloth wipes. That way you control what you clean your baby with. We just use a spray bottle of watter with a few drops of tea tree oil in it.

We also started using Charlie's Soap on all the laundry. It doesn't leave any residue at all so there is nothing to be allergic to. I also don't use dryer sheets and yes, it does cause static, but I find that when you take them out of the dryer if you just kind of ball up the clothes as your folding them, it gets rid of most of it. If you still find them to have static when you put them on, just dampen your hand and run it on the inside and it goes right away.

We've also cut out dairy, wheat, and soy (as suggested by her ND) for the time being to see what would happen and her skin completely cleared up. Next time we go back to the ND, we're going to try to add things back in to her diet to see how it goes.

As far as cleaning the tub (and most things in your home really), you should definitely use something that is non-toxic and as natural as possible.

I hope everyone's suggestions help you out and good luck to you and your son!

Hi E.,
Check out www.maureenbrunner.myarbonne.com and look at the ABC Baby Care in the "shop online" section. If this sounds like something you'd like to try, I can send you a free sample. Women I know who have used this product on their babies say it really works!
Feel free to call or email me if you have any questions.
Thanks and good luck!
M. Brunner
Independent Consultant
Arbonne International
###-###-####; ____@____.com

Hello!
We use the balls instead of fabric softner. They are avaiable at any bed bath beyond or linens n thngs type store. We like the all free & clear, but I'm sure the arm & hammer is basically the same. We don't use lotions with dyes or smells. We use eucerin lotion, and burt's bee's all natural bath products. When the eczema is really bad we do aveeno oatmeal treatments in the tub. And if they are going througha bad spell we try to bath every other day - it really seems to give their skin time to relax and heal.
Hope this helps!

Hello E.,

My son had eczema as well when he was born and it took a little bit to go away. I switched all the products in my home to all natural at www.melaleuca.com (I can sign you up if interested). I was told not to bathe him as often as I was because that dries out the skin and scalp. I clean my bathroom with a product called Tub & Tile (all natural) I used a lotion called Renew (all natural) and bath products that were all natural as well.

As for my laundry, I use Melapower (again all natural) and I use the dryer sheets as well that are all natural. His skin cleared right up. I too have eczema on hy hands so I use the same lotion and it works great. I didn't have to switch his diapers because it was only on his face and a little on the rest of his body.

I hope this helps and if you would really like to switch your home to all natural products, I would love to get you going with Melaleuca. Look forward to hearing from you and the very best of luck.

K.

hi there! i use seventh generation laundry detergent and All for baby, those seem to be perfect because they are supposed to be the most sensitive... as for static cling, we use dryer balls (you can get them at gaiam.com or probably some stores too) and they help loads with the static without using chemicals, you could also throw a clean, unused tennis ball in there and it would probably do a similar thing. good luck!

My son's skin isn't too bad. I use Price Chopper brand free and clear detergent. The only "lotion" he lets me put on him other than sunblock (Banana Boat Kids Tear Free spf 50)is Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera 100% Gel.

Static is due to low humidity, so do as the other responder suggested, take your clothes out of the drier sooner. You might need a humidifier for your house too. That might be contributing to your son's skin condition. (If water collects on the windows it means there is too much humidity in the room - turn the humidifier off.) We sleep better - moister air passages, and our skin isn't as dry during the winter since we started using humidifiers.

Good luck,
Maureen

We use cloth diaper & Charlie's Soap.

My niece for her daughter uses Purex free and clear. It seems to work fine. And she uses Aveeno for soap and cream because it doesn't have any chemicals in it and it's made with oatmeal. As for the tub, she doesn't use the grown-ups tub yet. She has a blow-up duck that's bigger than an infant tub and she loves it. She just dries it down after she's done giving her a bath.

I really like the All Free and Clear and Purex Free and Clear detergents. Also, I use Downy Free and Clear fabric softener and Bounce free dryer sheets.

I did not change the diapers.

I clean the tub with regular bathtub stuff and then rinse well.

I use Tide Free. I have eczema and have found that I get really itchy with anything other than tide.

I have found that static cling has not really been an issue. I know that there are little plastic balls you can put in the dryer to help with static cling, but I'm not sure how well they work.

I've always heard that Phisoderm is good for kids with eczema. My friend who is an adult still uses it. Any dye and perfume free laundry detergent is good. I used 7th Generation diapers for my daughter. They're dye, chlorine and perfume free. You can get them for a good price online at 800diapers.com I also found them at my local Foodworks store. They sell a lot of organics and natural foods/life products. As for dryer sheets, I've used dryer balls for a long time. They are blue, plastic balls with bumps all over them. They soften the clothes and I have had very little trouble with static cling. I think you can find them online. I got them at the Big E several years ago. Good luck!

Hi E.,

This email is a bit long but hopefully it'll be helpful for you and your child.
My children don't have Eczema but I can tell you what we've done with regards to diapers, chemicals, etc... First of, I now use Nature Babycare diapers which are the only diapers that are 100% biodegradable!:) There are no chemicals in them and I got them at diapers.com.
As for detergents for laundry I use Oxy-Boost and only a teaspoon at that since it's so strong, I still have about 1/3 of a jar left since last August! I got this at zannadu.com. Well, worth it!
I use a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle for fabric softener. There is no vinegar smell after the dryer. I don't use dryer sheets anymore either. This has taken care of static cling, our clothes 'feel' cleaner and there are no more chemicals on our clothes from the detergents and dryer.
For soaps, I haven't really used anything on my son who's 9 mo. but for myself and my daughter who's 4 yo, I use Dr. Bronner's for shampoo, rinse, soap, shaving gel.
And lastly the only cream I have found so far that seems to be completely free of toxins and chemicals is Baby Oh Baby, an organic herbal lotion that is oil free, hypoallergenic and fragrance free. It is made by the Rainbow Research Corporation. I've also heard from another friend of mine that Grapeseed Oil is great for moisturizers.

Good Luck!

E. P.

Hi E.,

I have not had a problem with eczema, but I wanted to let you know that I have always used Woolite on my children's clothes--since the very first load of infant clothing--and the gentle cycle with warm water in the washer. I have always used fabric softener, Downy April Fresh in the washer and Bounty unscented sheets in the dryer. Maybe the unscented sheets are the way to go? And I have always used the low heat cycle of the dryer.

Don't know if this would/will help, but I have never had an issue with eczema.

I use MelaPower for laundry detergent. It's from a company called Melaleuca. They use all natural ingreidents, nothing synthetic. As for my sink and tub, I use Tub and Tile, also from the same company. If you want more information please email me at ____@____.com. Thank you.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned MUSTELLA soap to wash with. That is what the little yellow bar of soap from the hospital is.. I love it to. it clears up my acne as well.
on my 2yr old he gets some little patches of dry skin on the back of his legs and i use the Huggies with shea butter after his bath and then again in the morning.I use the cheapest lusndry soap I can get.. The big hint is to use only 1/4 of a cup of it.. You do know that more than that is just wasting it. so that you buy more of it? My washer repair man told me that..

I used to use the Arm & Hammer until I learned that there are no regulations when it comes to labeling cleaning products. While the product says "biodegradable", there is no legislation that says how long that means. By definition, plutonium is biodegradable! When my inquiry was ignored by the manufacturer, I switched brands. Now I use Sun & Earth, which is plant based. It's more expensive, but you actually use about 1/2 the amount per load so it works out the same. For a particularly dirty load, I add a little borax.

By the way, Xtra is the same as Arm & Hammer. Check the label - same stuff, same manufacturing plant, different label & price!

Static cling only happens when you use synthetic fibers.

I've always had very sensitive skin, so when my little girl was born I made sure to choose very carefully the products I would use with her. I have always been aware of the chemicals that are used to make most commercial products so I went with all natural choices. We use Sun and Earth or Seventh Generation laundry detergent, coconut oil and Burts Bees for lotion and soaps, vinegar, borax and baking soda as household cleaners and Tushies brand diapers...tried Seventh Generation for a while but they gave her a horrible rash. I've never used fabric softener and never had much of a problem with static.

absolutely. Luvs always gives my baby rash. I find that 7th Generation works well. Also he does not break out in Huggies. Putting vinegar in the wash water helps with softness. To prevent static cling, I try to use only natural fabrics, as synthetic causes static - also causes me to break out. I try not to use any perfumed products at all.

My son has mild eczema on his legs. It comes and goes. I didnt change anything in his diet or cleaners that I used, cause his is really very mild. After his showers I have him use some cornstarch powder on his legs to keep the moisture away around the back of his knees. The one thing that really seemed to help us was using the ALL free and clear laundry detergent, I was told by the dermotologist not to use dryer sheets at all, but he doesnt do my laundry and deal with that static cling, I recently started using the Bounce free and clear dryer sheets in the white box, and we havent had any issue with them, they have no scent at all, but take care of the static cling very well!!!!
Best of Luck

Wow there has been a lot of great ideas. I have eczema and wrestled with eczema and severe diaper rash with daughter. Changing diapers helped a lot. I ended up having to get prescription cream from the pediatrician. Another very simple and cheap solution is 98% pure aloe vera gel. You can get organic or regular, but is really helps with the irritation.

Good Luck and Happy Anniversary

I switched to cloth diapers (my current favorites are huggabuns ultra pocket diapers) and I like the costco brand (Kirkland Signature) free and clear detergent. For static cling, set your dryer to "less dry" or take it out a few minutes early - lightly misting clothes works too but is extra work.

Other things that help:
- Get one of those spiky balls that bounce around in the dryer.
- Pin a small safety pin to the seam of any clothes that have chronic static issues - it diverts the static electricity. Touching the clothes with a metal coat hanger can have the same effect.

Good luck, I hope something works for you and that your son's eczema clears up soon!

With the Eczema I use Tide coldwater and downy. I still use bounce in the dryer. I bathe my boys with Aveeno Soothing Relief Creamy Wash and lotion them both with Aveeno Daily Moisture Lotion from head to toe every other day. It seems to work for us. I know every child is different.

stick to dryer sheets, fabric softener, is greasy and oily and leaves a residue on your clothes. when i cleaned my baby's tub, i used the baby wash to clean it out. huggies and loves seemed fine, but i know alot of people who had probs from pampers, they do have a nice smell to them so im assuming they have a frangrance applied to them, good luck!

My son's eczema flared up when we switched him to regular formula. Once that happened the doctor told us to switch his formula to Similac Alimentum. For skin care we wash him in regular dove bar soap and put Aquaphor on his skin. I also use petroleum jelly (vaseline) on his diaper area once a day. The sensitive baby wipes gave him diaper rash. His laundry is washed in Dreft detergent. Once we changed his formula and skin routine, we saw a difference within 24 hours. The formula also doesn't stain his clothes.

For diapers we use Pampers Swaddlers. They have great absorbancy. Another diaper brand you can try is Seventh Generation. They work well too.

I hope this gives you some ideas.

I personally don't have kids with eczema, however, my sister's 3 kids do. She has switched to all cleaners, laundry detergents, & creams that do not contain any chemicals. This has worked amazingly well for her kids with great results! We both do our shopping with a wellness company that offers all of these products. You can go to their website to learn more about ingredients & the benefits - www.melaleuca.com or feel free to contact me for more information. Hope this helps because I know it has worked for many!

Hi E.
I use Planet detergent...I get it at hannaford, it works wonderfully. I also bought dryer balls to help with static cling. I use California baby shampoo/baby wash for supersensitive skin...I LOVE it, my son flares up if I use anything else. I just bought California baby sunblock for my son, I haven't tried it yet, we've been pretty successful at keeping his sun exposure pretty low and I actually found that some of his eczema seems better if he gets a little bit of sun during the day and we're very careful. For daily moisturizing I use Eucerin 2xdaily. I have tried numerous other brands and keep going back to eucerin.

I usually clean the tub on a day that my son doesn't take a bath so any residual cleaner gets rinsed down with my shower. I use Bon Ami sometimes...I've tried many different things and I usually need to do a good cleaning once a month with a stronger cleaner because we have hard water.

As far as diapers go...we use pampers...I know they bother his lower back sometimes, but I put eucerin on him before the diaper goes on and it helps protect his skin. Trying 7th generation has been something I've been wanting to try but hadn't due to their price. We've made it 18 months and I'm hoping we can stick it out until he starts potty training!
I use this website all the time for baby products to research what products are harmful... I've passed it along to many friends so here you go: http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/browse.php?maincat=babycare
Good luck!

Hi E.,

I read your question and was left wondering if you found a lotion or baby wash that is fragrance and chemical free that is working for your son? I have FREE samples of our ABC (Arbonne Baby Care) line that I can mail out to you. Arbonne International is a botanically based product company that does not use artificial chemicals/fragrances/dyes... we also do not use animal by-product that can irritate the skin. Our baby line does not have any nuts added to it. The sample will include baby wash, lotion, sunscreen, oil, and diaper rash cream. Please let me know if you are interested in trying this for your son. Good luck finding out the other information you are looking for.

Pam

Hi E.,
I'm sorry to hear about your challanges with eczema. I have struggled with it my entire life and both my sons have it.
I react to anything with petroleum in it, so have had to find some creative solutions. I love the idea about putting aluminum foil in the dryer! Gonna try that one. I use free&clear detergents, either Earth&Sun or 7th Gen. 7th Gen can get pretty expensive. For cleaning products, I love Method. They work great and are very cost effective, with a focus on highly reactive respirory and skin problems. I don't even need to wear gloves!
I have used everything as far as skin lotions go. The usual suspects didn't last long. If I can smell the product at all, it's gone. Even the super pure stuff from the vegan healthfood store gives me problems. For light moisture I use Heather Loraine Cosmetics of California, Jojoba oil. Their motto is: If you wouldn't put it in your body, don't put it on your body. No additives, no nothing. I buy the certified organic if I can afford it. Jojoba is great for craddle cap and really dry patches. Rub it in, let it sit. The dry skin cells with slough off. It is very messy and you'll need to add vinegar to your wash to get it out of your clothes. This winter, in a desperate act to keep my skin from bleeding I started using Crisco on my feet, then my legs and my hands. It is wonderful! My skin hasn't been this soft in ages. I've use avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, rapeseed oil, all until my body started reacting to them or rejecting them. For my boys, when they get real bad, I use A.D.E. cream.
We also avoid cows milk. It can take up to 3 weeks to clear it from your system so it's typically a hard one to identify in elimination diets. It can also take ten days from exposure to see any reaction.
Good Luck. Eczema is difficult to trackle. Find what works for you. And keep reading labels.
-C.

My son (2.6 yrs) also gets a bad reaction to new clothes and various soaps. I use the Arm and Hammer Free and Clear as well. I also use hydrocortisone cream for bad flare ups and Aquaphor for all over the body. Be sure to wash any new clothes he gets but be careful with drying them. They might shrink in the dryer. Downy makes a free and clear fabric softener that I use on his clothes. I didn't do anything different with the tub, but I put the Aquaphor on him after bathing and give him a tub after going swimming. I also use the Aveeno soaps in the bath tub.

I know scores of kids who have gotten over eczema, often extremely severe cases, by using Reliv's nutritional product for kids! I was on the phone with one woman just last month - fabulous results for just this problem. It replaces all the multivitamins you would otherwise use, it cleanses and detoxifies the body and stabilizes all the dietary issues that may be causing or contributing to this. It's completely safe even as a prenatal. I know many women who used it this way and gave it to their infants. One friend even had a child with over 50 food allergies - all cleared up after a very short time on Reliv. It's 95-99% absorbed so it's much more economical that most supplements which are only absorbed 30% or even 50-60%! YOu can't buy it in stores, only through distributors, or directly from the company (reliv.com). If you want to talk to some of these moms, Reliv has a great network - a lot like Mamasource! Share stories, etc. Let me know - it's a lot easier than worrying about creams and detergents and everything else! GOod luck!

Hey E.~ I changed my diapers to 7th generation because they don't use harsh chemicals and they worked really well. I also know that the other things you mentioned are contributing factors. with a simple, quick and easy shopping change you can address all those factors. I actually run a business from my home office doing just that; I help people rid their homes of harmful chemicals that contribute to various health problems. A consult is free of charge! check out my website and let me know if you would like to chat more about it. :)God Bless, D.
www.livetotalwellness.com/deannalee

My friend and her son have eczema and here's what they do:

They use unscented diapers...7th Generation and some other kind that is flushable.

They use either ECOS (free and clear) or 7th Generation (lavender) detergent.

For static cling, she makes a ball out of aluminum foil and chucks that into the dryer. Lasts a long time, discharges static as things dry.

For those extra-dry times, she uses safflower oil (which is natural, unscented, cheap, and available in any major grocery store) on her son's skin, which is a heck of a lot better for you and the environment and it's cheaper than vaseline.

Hi E.,
I have a 5 year old son who has had eczema ever since he was 3 months old. I have been using Cetaphil moisturising cream on him after his bath everyday - initially twice a day or more. I use Dove moisturising soap on him - that is what the dermatologist asked me to use. Also, I use Dreft liquid for his clothes - I find it washes the clothes pretty good. I had not made any changes to his diapers but I used perfume/scent free wipes.
We consulted a dermatologist who also prescribed a medicated ointment which I have been using regularly to keep the eczema under control.
As my son started growing older, he developed certain food allergies also. I don't mean to scare you, but children with eczema generally tend to develop food allergies also. You might want to talk to your pediatrician about that(we hadn't known about this and we found out about his food allergies the hard way - having to rush to the ER after every episode).
I would highly recommend using Cetaphil Moisturising Cream - that helped my son a lot. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Hi E.;
My daughter is 8mths old with a wild case of eczema. We've been to the pedi dermatologist and she's like a new child. 1 to 2 times a week she takes a bath in luke warm water with 1 cup of salt and 1/2 a cup of vinegar. Suppose to soak for 5 minutes. Sounds crazy but it really worked for her. After the bath I pat her dry and cover her in vaseline. Head to toe. We continue with the vaseline daily at every diaper change. It has made a world of difference with her skin. If we miss the vaseline rub down I can tell her skin gets dry and she starts to itch.

The doctor had also told us that diet didn't or wouldn't effect Taryn's ezcema.

I've gone back to using Dreft or All. We use Arm and Hammer for the rest of the family. Changing back to Dreft has seemed to help. I don't use softener in the baby's laundry and haven't expierenced static cling.

I hope this helps.