Need Help with Itchy Dry Skin Rash

Changing soaps, using lotions, etc. are good for taking care of your symptoms but what you really need to do is take care of the cause. Your allergies are now heightened by all your hormones from the pregnancy and getting to the cause will be the best thing for you. I would suggest going to a chiropractor. Chiropractors can help your body recognize and correct nerve interference which cause many conditions such as allergies. Do some research and find a good chiropractor- you'll be amazed with the results!

You could try some oatmeal baths in between feedings at night to calm the itching. For the rash. A Shea butter cream is safe enough to use. There is a product called 100% pure. They carry skin care that is made from 100% pure food grade oils and butters as well as fragrances made from fruit or chocolate extracts. I usually can find it online www.100percentpure.com/ or at C.G. Bigelow located at certain malls in place of Bath and Body Works. Its wonderful and perfectly safe for breastfeeding moms.

Vaseline would probably work......Aquaphor is just Eucerin mixed with Vaseline. Also that Lanolin would help. I use Curel lotion...extra healing I think it is called and it works WONDERS! I don't know if I would put it all the way down to my nipples but you could use one of the above for that and lotion for the areas around it. I second the All free and clear detergent and Cetaphil also makes wonderful non irritating products. I am sure the Omega 3s, like one other poster said, would probably help too.

aquaphor is a great healing one my ped rec

and for soothing the itch
aveeno skin relief mosturizing loeion with cooling menthol

Denise and all others who suffer:
I can feel your pain and frustration in all of your posts. Some of you had good ideas - like drinking lots of fluids. But, you really have to know what to put on your skin, what ingredients are in the lotions, shampoos and body washes, etc. Soap is NOT the answer. It does not wash off completely and leaves a residue that can and does cause irritation, especially to those of you with sensitive skin. Anything with Vaseline please STAY AWAY FROM IT! Vaseline and petroleum based products are just a like a sheet of Saran wrap on your skin. They cause a barrier and don't allow your skin to breathe OR let the ingredients to help your dry skin get into the dermis level (lower skin level). You are just wasting your time and money with these products and all you are doing is washing them off only to put them on again and nothing is getting into your skin. I use a great line of pure, safe and beneficial products that are botanically based with no chemicals, dyes, fragrances, mineral oil, animal by products, alcohol - all of these ingredients are very aggravating to sensitive and dry skin. Please do yourself a favor, you can get help. I would be happy to help you learn more about why these products are different and how you can benefit immediately from them without trying 100 different products and not getting anywhere!

What you use on your clothes is true as well. Again, laundry detergent liquids that are chemical free along with dryer sheets (they actually cause a buildup on your dryer screen - try running water through your screen and see what happens!). I have been using natural cleaning products as well for over 10 years and have had no issues with any of my family members. We are very healthy, active people. Truly, there is something out there for all of you. You just have to educate yourselves. I would be happy to assist in any way so that you can feel better without worry of harming yourself or your baby! Hope to hear from you!

K.

* drink burdock root tea
* "before you dry off, dry off soft" - johnson's baby or neutragena grape seed oil after the shower
* take a less warm shower for a shorter length of time
* have your thyroid checked - very dry skin is a symptom of low thyroid levels
* shower with soap every other day
* use gentle goat's milk soap
* extra virgin coconut oil - both consuming it as a spread like butter or to saute veggies / cook eggs and applying it directly your skin. it is said to work wonders.

I had the same problem when I was nursing my daughter last year. I know how you feel. I would scratch myself until I bled, the pain was better than the itching(I don't advise going that route. lol). Anyway, I used Aveeno oatmeal bath it helped some. My O.B. told me to switch to Dove soap for my shower and to use cooler water. I did and it helped. Lotion, Lotion, Lotion, you have to stay moisturized, I use Nivea. You may want to try what the other mom suggested as far as moisturizer though. I hope this helps. Good luck.

I have tender skin too. When I was first married I bought Dreft and Ivory because it was "made for babies". My skin got worse and I got very discouraged. I called my dad who is a chemist. He actually came up with the formula for Downie. I asked him what I was doing wrong. He told me to get RID of the the Dreft and Ivory immediately, that chemically it was one of the worst things to put on your skin! (go figure) This was his recommendation:
A. Use a liquid detergent, not a powder, it washes out of your fabrics easier. Use less than what it calls for. Arm and Hammer is one of the better ones from a chemical standpoint. Use the ones with no dyes or fragrances too.
B. DO NOT use dryer sheets! Dryer sheets put a chemical on your clothes, that is why they smell, but it extremely irritating to the skin.
C. Change your soaps to liquid, Dove is the best. Palmolive is the best dish soap.
D. For your hair try Suave, as basic as you can get.
E. Curel or Jergens for your hands. Once again stay away from things that have too many fragrances and additives.

I hope that helps, worth a try anyway. =)

Hello Denise,
Well first maybe talk with a dermatologist. My dermatologist said to use All Free and Clear for clothes and Celtyphil moisturizing lotion for the dry skin, since you are breast feeding ask the doctor if using a little bit of Lansinoh brand Lanolin would be OK to use on the entire breast area, since it is safe during breast feeding. I have only used that around the nipple area at the beginning of breast feeding. I do know that dry skin can be a sign of many things, it could be the body lacking good fats like Omega 3, find a nutritionist. For my horribly dry skin and loss of hair after my second baby, I added more good fats such as avocados, good fish, ate less sugar, and took a supplement of probiotics, along with my vitamins-all doctor approved. Along with moisturizing my skin. No more horrible itchy dry skin for me. Hope this helps. I just read some of the others responses and I do agree with going to a Chiropracter (finding a good one can be hard). I go to a wonderful chiropracter and I take my infant and 2 yr. old, we are as healthy as can be.

I have a problem with extra dry skin in my family and have a lil boy almost 2 that has it severe. We use cetaphil moisturizing cream and it works wonders the key is to not dry completey off after showers. The showers onlylukewarm for only 10 minutes and then pat to dry off.. Deft detergent has fragance in it, try a detergant that is fragrance free and dye free.

I have dry skin all year long. What works best for me is drinking lots and lots and lots of water!!! I know this may sound strange but I use very little soap in the shower. Soap just makes the problem worst.I use Cetaphil lotion in the morning and at night and bioinfusion rosemary shampoo and conditioner for my hair.I switch to Purex for babies laundry detergent and it seems to be fine. Talk to your doctor maybe she can recommend something.

Cheryl

On this website, www.vickiecolon.mionegroup.com there is a lot of information about natural and organic skin care, in fact they are all made with edible ingredients. They have great soaps and body washes which my whole family love and they also have some great lotions along with many other products. I have heard that people with skin conditions have really benefited by using these products. Good Luck!

Lansinoh Lanolin is safe for babies. I don't really think you'd have to worry too much about your little one getting any unless you put it on your nipple. I would use a really good lotion on the rest of your chest and the Lanolin on your nipples. I too have dry skin, and I have yet to find a good "cure" for it. Keeping hydrated will help also.