Suggestions for Eczema Problem

Hi T.,
I am so late in responding but i have to agree with the past entries about the Renew cream from Melaleuca. I have been a customer of all their products for a year and a half and would never use anything else. My 11 month old also has eczema on his legs and arms and this cream along with their laundry detergent and body wash for kids work wonderful. The company has a solid reputation for the past 23 years and is more reasonably priced than many other healthy alternatives. Good luck.
V.

My daughter had eczema too on her legs and cheeks. I found cod liver oil (Carlsons lemon liquid) oral supplement helped. Also, I use goats milk baby wash and lotion. I too tried everything and those things, coupled with brief uses of cortisone cream helped. Good luck.

I have a few suggestions- which you may have tried. Cut out dairy, soy, wheat, and see if there is improvement- especially the dairy. See a trusted chiropractor if you know one. my husband is one, so I know he helps with this. I have recommended essential oils for the condition as well.... since I sell them. But if you go that route, use only organic, therapeutic grade essential oils.
H.

I am so glad you have received such a response. This is a great site when you are looking for advice. My son who is now 5 has had excema since he was 5 months old. Arbonne Baby Care products work the best for him. We have tried most OTC creams and oils...the thing is...they contain mineral oil, which prevents the moisture from getting into the pores, and most OTC creams and lotions contain this. Arbonne's products are formulated without mineral oils, dyes or chemical fragrances. Check out this website www.kristenstemple.myarbonne.com and you will read a letter from a 15 year vet in pediatric medicine who is now "prescribing" the ABC line instead of jumping to steroidal treatment for her excema patients. She also describes exactly how to use the system to ensure maximum benefit! It is a must have if you have excema, rosacea, psoriasis. And for those children with nut allergies...it is formulated without any nut oils. I strongly recommend the body wash, lotion, and body oil. The oil is my favorite product, it will not leave your daughter's skin feeling greasy. Since it is formulated without mineral oils, it is absorbed almost instantly by the skin. Once you use it you will see the difference between Arbonne's products and the OTC ones. You can purchase straight from www.kristenstemple.myarbonne.com and it will be shipped straight to you usually within just a few days...they are so fast. Whatever you choose, I wish you luck finding relief from the itchy scratchies (that's what my son calls them!) He also says he can't live without his Awebonne (how he pronounces it...so cute!!!). Good Luck to you!

Good morning T.,

I am also an Arbonne Rep. and many of my customers have used the Arbonne products on Eczema and it works! The products are Pure, Safe and Beneficial. I am a Mother of twin 4 year old daughters and the products have worked very well on their skin. Hope all this feedback is helpful from your friends at Mamasource. You can check out my website at www.duplicate.myarbonne.com or contact me at ____@____.com regards,

M. Binczewski
Arbonne Independent Consultant
Danville Ca, 94526
###-###-####

Hi T., Arbonne International is a 28 year old company that formulates products in Switzerland and manufactures them in the US. The products are botanically based, vegan certified, contain no animal products or by products and no mineral oil. The products also contain less than 1% preservatives. Arbonne has a skin care line for babies and children that is awesome for eczema and psoriasis. I am an Independent Consultant with Arbonne located in Leesburg. I would be happy to have you sample the products.

Hello T. -

If the info I am about to share is redundant, please forgive me, but I did not take time to read all of the wonderful responses you got to see if someone had already covered this ground.

In our clinic we typically saw two causes of all skin irritations: a reaction to the chemicals in the water (allergic) and a reaction to the person's diet (allergic).

The first thing we would have a client do was to get a good quality water filter for their bathing water. New Wave Enviro makes good quality ones that are fairly inexpensive. They are available on-line, at Whole Foods, and at Wild Oats. I am sure other health food stores carry them, too. The bath ball isn't that thorough, so I suggest getting a shower filter and running wee ones' bath water through the showerhead.

Do NOT add any bubble bath or any other petroleum-containing bath products. If you don't know how to identify petroleum ingredients, call or e-mail Lifetime (1-800-284-4983) and request a copy of their (very small) catalog. The last several pages of their catalog is a directory of the most common toxic chemicals. You can use it to go through all of your hygeine products to see what is clean and what is toxic. Basically, after years working on this stuff, I have found only three broadly distributed lines that are clean: Dr. Hauschka, Weleda, and Aubrey Organics. Dr. H is wonderful but expensive, Weleda has fabulous lotions and body oils, and Aubrey makes the best clean shampoos I have ever found (Blue Chamomile is my favorite). For women's skin care Dr. H and Protective Nourishment are my favorites.

DO NOT put anything on your wee one that isn't clean. The petro chemicals in them irritate their skin and actually dry it out. The petros destroy our bodies' natural oils. If your child needs additional moisture use something from one of the aforementioned companies or use some natural oil - avocado, almond, etc. Heck, pull the olive oil out of the kitchen cupboard and coat 'em!

Call your local water treatment facility and ask them if they are adding Chlorine, Fluoride, or Aluminum. All are common additives in city water systems and only Chlorine is necessary. If they are adding the others, ask them to stop. While you are at it, go get the book "The Fluoride Deception" by Christopher Bryson. It is a rigorous, PhD worthy work that will open your eyes to all kinds of things we all ought to watch out for when working to safeguard the health of our families.

As for diet, wheat and dairy are the two biggest culprits, but soy is now coming in close behind them. After years working with clients, I became a vegan because I couldn't ignore the health benefits of doing so, but with that change I observed in myself and others a heavy dependence on soy products to fill the gaps. Be careful of transitioning a child off of dairy - moving onto soy is not the best option. Going toward more veggies and fruits, ideally uncooked or lightly steamed, is best for most of us.

I hope this info is of some help.

Best Wishes -
D.

I know you already posted your response, but I didn't see your request and wanted to reply that homeopathic treatment helped my son in an amazing way. He had it on his face and hands the most, but also had bad breakouts all over his body that took months to heal.
Dr. Jospehine Polich, a homeopath in Naperville, helped him. Don't try homeopathy on your own, though, you could make it worse. My son was 90% better in 3 mos. He takes a remedy now if he has a flareup, and it has no side effects like steroid creams and prescription meds have. Here's a newsletter Dr. Polich wrote on the subject.
http://dupagehomeopathic.com/newsletters/eczema.pdf
Also, check out her homepage (www.dupagehomeopathic.com). there is info on a free talk she's giving re chronic problems next Saturday from 1-3 in Naperville.

Dear T.,
I am sure you have enough suggestions, but after dealing with eczema in all of my 3, I couldn't resist. Two things worked for us..#1 I added omega -3 oils into the diet(good for all of us) in the form of Stonyfield farm YoBaby yogurt with fruit and cereal, has DHA in it. I also squeezed a capsule of Borage oil in it too, and squeezed another capsule into fruit or food every day. #2 I only washed her in water no soap at all, even though I only use all natural products.. (no chemicals as much as possible, like burts bees now but not even that at that time..)
and after the bath I had a tub of Aquaphor or Vaseline unscented, and squeezed a few teaspoons of 1% hydrocortisone in the tub and mixed it all up with a little spoon. Kept by diapers and put all over after her bath and on her bum and legs at every diaper change.

I will tell you after about a few days if not sooner eczema was not only gone but didn't come back as long as I kept it up! After it would be fine for a while I used plain vaseline and saved the combo for a flare up.

Now I always wash in minimal soap, just a squeeze of Burts Bees shampoo(adult) in the hair and thats it, and after bath ALWAYS coat her whole body in some Body Shop unscented bath oil(way better than mineral oil- has almond or soybean , I forget) or Vaseline. Its absorbed quickly and she's butter soft for days.
Any of the drugstore fancy mixes of all kinds only made ours BURN or get worse. Aveeno, LacHydrin, etc..all have ALCOHOL listed and many chemicals..forget those.Even the RX from the pedi worked for one time and failed. My dentist told me to try this combo! Imagine..

Best of luck :)

On top of her hands and varies is just how my daughter was when younger, also I had very dry skin as a child. It got to where they would crack and bleed some. An herbalist student told us that was linked to the liver and to take flax seed oil. For her it was really worse in the winter. As long as she had flax seed oil though, she was perfectly fine! This is an interesting tidbit, I found that both of us have type B blood and I can spot kids w/ this now and find they are also type B. ? In a book about blood typing it does mention B's having dry skin as children.
Hope it's all covered now. Oh, also check into the properties of Castor Oil for healing skin conditions. There is a site called longhair.com or poss longhaircommunity that I have learned many helpful skin (and hair) care remedies from, many natural and inexpensive. E.

Hi T.:

Instead of medicating the symptoms, may I suggest that you visit NAET.com, order and read the book "Say Good-Bye to Children's Allergies" and make an appointment to consult with an NAET certified doctor at your first opportunity? I go to Dr. David Karaba in Fullerton and absolutely love him. His phone number is ###-###-####. One of the wonderful things about NAET is that for children or the infirm, they can be treated through a surrogate, i.e., you. Here is the description paragraph from the book information.

"Say Good-bye to Children’s Allergies
By - Devi S. Nambudripad, D.C., L.Ac., R.N., Ph.D.
Paperback-1st Edition 2000
350 pages, 8.5’ X 5.5’ X .75’
ISBN: ISBN: 0-###-###-####-8-4
In Say Good-bye to Children’s Allergies, Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad, the developer of NAET®, will help you understand your child’s illness and will assist you in finding the right help to achieve better health for your child. This book will show you how certain commonly used products in your foods and environment can cause health problems in your child; how you can test your child in your privacy of your own home using the Nambudripad’s Testing Techniques described in the book. This book will educate you how your child’s health problems can relate to allergy, a traditionally under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed condition; and, how allergies can manifest into myriad symptoms that might seem unrelated. The author also provides remedies for mild conditions of common childhood ailments arising from allergies and how to find help in assisting your child find the right help for serious problems such as, asthma, hay-fever, common colds, sinus problems, milk allergy, peanut allergy, sugar allergy, hives, gastritis, vomiting, colic for newborns, ear infections, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, bronchitis, drug reactions, and many other conditions. Dr. Nambudripad explains how allergies are often the underlying causes to pediatric problems and how NAET® testing procedures and NAET® treatments can offer relief from these allergies. The book is supported by NAET® practitioners’ testimonials and patients’ success stories."

I know of the Renew Lotion; pretty awesome product. One of our teammates sent this product experience.

"We have eczema and psoriasis in our family and since using these products we haven't had a break out in 2 years. How do I know it's the products? When we went to visit our family on vacation, we obviously used their cleaning products but it started up on certain areas where the clothes rubbed up on... which directs us to the laundry products. We were across seas so I couldn't just call up the company to order a laundry detergent so I pulled out RENEW (otherwise known as Moistursil) and after a couple of applications it would go away.

On another note, my grandfather used to wear gloves with expensive medications on his hands and he would wear the gloves for the majority of the day because his hands were so red and painful WITH the medication. The Renew cleared up his hands within a week and I don't even remember my grandfather without those gloves on... it's a nice change after so many years.

Maureen
A preferred customer since October of 2000"

Its a great store and the best thing anyone can do is get all toxic products out of the home and switch to the safer non-toxic products. Think of when you go down the aisle at the grocery store, all the nice smells. Even though bottles have caps and they are sealed tight, the out-gassing of those toxins are what scientist and doctors now believe are causing many illnesses such as MS, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, ADD/ADHD, allergies, etc. That out-gassing continues when you have those products in your home, even if you have them in a cabinet. It may not smell as strong because you don't have as much in the home as the store does on the shelves. So switching to safer products most families find symptoms are lessen rapidly and eventually just seem to eventually go away.

I have a lady on my team who has MS, went to the doctor ridding her home of toxins, finding all her vitals were much better than her husbands, which made him angry, because he was the one getting all the exercise. They converted all cleaning products, soaps, lotions etc.

Great store. Great company.

M.
http://livetotalwellness.com/mykid

Hi T.!

I don't know if someone else has already suggested this, but there are several testimonials from people who have had good results from using the Bella Bar soap. If you would like to see more information go to:

http://www.bellamiacandle.scent-team.com/bellabars.php

There are also several testimonials in the January 2006 company newsletter.

Everyone is different, so best of luck finding something that works for your daughter!

Best wishes,

V.

I am an Arbonne Int'l rep and we have many people had much success with our Skin Conditioning Oil and all of our baby products. In fact, we recommend the baby products for adults who have Egzema too. I have some before and after photos if you would like to email me - I will email them to you.
____@____.com

Good Luck!
M.

I am an 87 year old grandmother who has been plagued wirh eczema for quite a few years. My dermatologist told me to moisturize, moisturizer, moisturize. I use otc Eucerin Dry skin Therapy Plus Intensive repair lotion. Ihope it helps.

I am an 87 year old grandmother and have been plagued with eczema for quite a few years. My dermatologist told me to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I use otc Eucerin Dryskin therapy Plus Intensive Repair lotion. I hope it helps. E.

T.,
First of all, I am sorry to hear about your sweet girl having eczema. I know eczema way too well! My 6 year old son has suffered from it since the time he was a newborn. When he was around 2 was when it really flared up and covered his whole body (thankfully, not his face). My husband and I took him to see many Doctors, allergists, dermatologists, UCSF, chiropractors and natural doctors. It affected his sleep (he would be up every night for hours itching). It also affected his attention span at school. Finally we gave up and put him on Cutivate cream which is a steroid (25x stronger then hydrocortizone).
We hated to make that step, but saw no other solution. He even got to the point that the UCSF docs had suggested putting him in bleach baths twice a day to ward off a staph infection. Those times were the worst parenting moments of my life. Having to hold down my sweet little guy while he was screaming in pain. He would be crying so hard that he would throw up. Can you imagine open sores in bleach?
Just two months ago my husband brought home a juice called MonaVie. It is made from primarily Acai berry and 18 other fruits. You may have heard of Acai through Oprah (it was named the #1 superfood in the world on her show).
Within a week of my son taking the juice I noticed that he no longer needed the steriod cream. I am now a firm believer that eczema is a direct correlation of what we are (or are not) putting in our bodies.
Acai has natural anti inflammatory properties and has healed my son's skin.
Believe me, I have tried every lotion/potion known to man. I currently have $875.00 worth of product in my son's lotion drawer from just the last couple months. I was always willing to try new things because I was desperate. The lotions may work for some, but for my son they just masked the problem. He now is getting the fruits/veggies he needs and his skin is reaping the benefits. I have read all 44 of your responses and have tried almost every one of them. From the elimination diets to all the creams. I wish I had known about MonaVie 5 years ago it would have saved us thousands of dollars, and most importantly saved my son and I sooooo much heartache.
Hopefully, your daughter does not and will not have eczema to the extreme my son had it. I would be happy to talk to you more about it, just call me ###-###-####.
Sincerly,
G. C.
Mom of 2. Married for 10 years. Stay at home Mommy.

FYI, if your child has any nut allergies, please read all lotions ingredients carefully. Cetaphil cream/lotion and many other creams have sweet almond oil in the ingredients. Now your child may not have a reaction towards that, but I have found that by using those products my son's nut allergy has worsened considerably! He went from a 2 on the scale to a 6 and we could not figure that out until I realized that the oils were in the lotions I was putting on him (with doctors orders).

Hi T.,
A young one with skin problems can be trying. A lot of folks young and old have used mangosteen juice, from the mangosteen fruit. They use the whole fruit puree. XanGo.

You can find more information here:
www.newwaytohealth.com

click on picture stories, audio stories. Let me know if I can help.

H.

I work for SunFeather Natural Soap Company, which is located in Potsdam, New York. Many of our customers tell us that our Oatmeal Vitamin E soap helps to relieve their eczema. Another soap that works well for this but isn't as pleasant is our pine tar soap. We also make an unscented Baby Your Skin soap that may offer some relief as well. Many times the soaps that people use can make the skin condition worse because the soaps contain fragrances that irritate the skin. If you can find a nice olive oil based soap like the ones that we do here at SunFeather you may find that they help with this skin condition.

I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and your little one.
Cathy
www.sunfeather.com

Hi, T.!

Sounds like you've gotten a lot of good responses for treating your child's symptoms. You also might want to consider investigating and eliminating the root cause. I understand that childhood eczema can be caused by dietary allergies and sensitivities (wheat, soy, and dairy and usually big-time culprits).

Here's a link for more information, should you decide to investigate this further:

http://www.talkeczema.com/webpages/skincare/skin_care_dai...

or, use this link the one above is too long and broken:

http://tinyurl.com/2bbq25

I hope that helps!

~Marji

Hi T.,

A few ideas... holistic as they are.... Cold Pressed Aloe Vera. You can get it in a health food store. You want cold pressed. It is the highest grade (some even drink it!!) and it works wonders with eczema. Also, check to see if she has a milk allergy or sensitivity. A lot of people I know with eczema have a dairy problem.... even if it touches their skin.

Good luck,
A.

Hi T.,

Here is my two cents.

Firt re-wash all laundry with a natural fragrance free laundray soap. If any chemicals listed below are in the product, don't use it.

Next, stay away from chemicals such as: artificial preservatives, parabens, artificial sulfates and phosphates, petroleum products (minerial oil and petroleum jelly), artificial colorants and fragrances.

READ YOUR LABELS!! I have seen many products and companies listed as "natural" but in reality they are organically based. There is a difference between truly natural and organically based. Organically based still uses some chemicals. Truly natural does not. Become familiar with what ingredients are listed. If a product only lists "active ingredients, be careful. Sometimes they don't list the inactive ingredients. With the skin being the largest organ of the body, it absorbs almost everything into the body. So it is kind of like "eating" the product. When you read a label does it look like something safe to eat?? Are there warning labels "Do not ingest. Contact Poison Control. Etc..." If it is safe to eat, it is safe to apply to the skin.

Next, check into food allergies and sensitivities. Dairy, wheat, soy are BIG ones!

You should also check into a naturopath, herbalist, or other such person. The natural way is better. Just think, natural remedies have been used since the beginning of time! Use them...they work.

I hope you have found some great advice on the replys.

Best Wishes!

J. Hobbs
____@____.com

Hi, I am a mom of 4 boys, each has had their share of eczema, the only thing that has worked for us is switching laundry detergent and fabric softener to unscented and dye free. No scents at all!!! Then, after a bath, I would rub glaxal base into their skin while it was still damp, (it absorbs better). After 2 weeks without the scents in their clothes, all was fine in the skin department. I still lather them in glaxal base after their bathes and also only bath them every 2-3 days, that gives their body's natural oils a chance to hydrate their skin. We haven't had to deal with eczema for 2 years.

Hope it helps.

S.

I have a 3 year old son who has eczema also and he itches so bad that he creates scratches and sores. I had been using Aveeno products and prescription hydrocortisone cream until i met a mom at my sons preschool who sold Arbonne International. It is an all natural and botanical skin care, makeup, and health and wellness products. This stuff is awesome and my son has minimal itching and his scratches are going away, and that was 2 1/2 weeks ago that i started this. I have joined Arbonne (for $29 and no minimums or obligations) and get a 35% discount on the products and have my own website http://kmb.myarbonne.com and my email is ____@____.com you are interested please contact me and i can give you any information you need or go on my website and you can look up the products. I am a very skeptical person with these types of things but Arbonne International is an amazing company and their products don't have any animal by-products, no animal testing, 100% hypo-allergenic and the list goes on. I hope this helps!!

Sincerely ,

K. Thomas
Arbonne Consultant
###-###-####
____@____.com
http://kmb.myarbonne.com

My Daughter had excema for several years. She always got it worse when she ate more dairy (and soy seemed to exacerbate it too, but only in combination with the dairy). Finally I gave her a chewable daily non-dairy acedophilous supplement and after the first couple of months on that (they say you have to take acidophilous for 6 months for it to build up a good culture in your gut) she didn't have it anymore. I took a heavy-duty intravenous and also oral antibiotic for a kidney infection when I was pregnant with her and I think her excema was a result of just never having a good culture of gut flora.

T., I'be been getting these messages but have never responded. My son was exclusively breatfeed and had TERRIBLE eczema! The dermatologist suggested steriods. He was less than 15lbs! This book set me on the course to finding the root of his problem. "Take Charge of Your Childs Health" by Dr. George Wootan. My son is gluten intolerent. I cut it out of my diet and within 4 FOUR yes 4 DAYS there was improvement. Later it completely cleared. Now I am reading "Gut and Pschology Syndrom" http://www.guthealth.info visit this site to learn more. I am convinced creams and topical may help surpress or soothe, but you must find the CAUSE of the problem to solve it rather than just treat the symptoms. Good Luck. Remember you are your childs best advocate!! J.

Hello, my son has the smae problem. Some days his eczema is almost gone but some days its not. I put Sarna Lotion on my son's eczema and it seems to work. That is my suggestion to you. It's a great lotion. It's kinda pricy, about $13.00 a bottle but it lasts a long time.

The BEST thing to do albeit perhaps challenging , is to stop them from eating dairy!
This is a big culprit for excema.
Stop her dairy consumption for two weeks and you will see.
Good luck

i would ask the doctor what creams are safe since she sucks her thumb...i used to use aquaphor on my son

Hi T.,

One thing to look into and you will most likely have to do your own research as most doctors I have found do not think along these lines.

Look at the connection between Eczema and Candida(yeast). After my second child was born the yeast infection I had spread through my whole body. My doctor told me it was all in my head. It took me several years of my own research to figure out was wrong, but the number of symptions associated to yeast is amazing. My 5 year old has recently also started showing signs of eczema on her hands also. We are cleaning out her system by taking away sugars (all), wheat, and corn. We use a lot of goat products instead of dairy so I wont change that yet.

You are right that everyone is different, I hope you are able to figure it out and that your little one will be all right soon.

J.

I know you already have recieved a number of responses...I talked to a doctor who I haven't seen yet. He is in Mission KS. Dr. David Beaulier. He has a hotline. T/W/TH the number is 1-800-888-4866. He is really weird..however he brought me new hope. My good friend has a severly disabled son who has been hospitalized every year for RSV many times. Ever since he has been seen by this doctor he hasn't had any RSV issues, Severe Eczema is gone, and he has been rid of his allergies.

I haven't been yet because of the cost ($180 for consultation - $40 2 x a week for treatments- is not covered by insurance- he is a total hippy).

He did tell me that eczema (my son who is 2 has it pretty severe) is autoimmune. So he is allergic to something in his diet. More than likey whatever he craves. He craves Carbs. Breads, crackers, candy, fruit. So i haven't had the nerve to omit them from his diet, because i think he would go bananas..but I am sure that is what it is. I may just have to put him on a veggie diet. We will see.

Good Luck.

Oh I also tried all of the creams too. Even the prescription ones that cost over $300 a month. They don't really work. We do give him Hydroxizine. A antihistamine when he is itchy and that helps him sleep and really controls the itching. But it is a prescription. Good Luck!

I have partnered up with Melaleuca, the Wellness Company and am a proud customer of this International Company. First let me mention that we are not a pyramid because that is illegal. The company has been inducted in the Inc 500 Hall of Fame and the President sits on the Board of the US Chamber of Commerce. Frank Vandersloot are President and CEO is very a very humble man with a lot of integrity. Before people respond with such ridiculous accusations they should look at the companies credentials rather than disgruntled people that didn't see the value in these products. Consider the source. We just shop once a month for things that we need like shampoo, toothpaste, deodarant, cleaning products, things that you buy at the grocery store anyway but Melaleuca doesn't put harmful chemicals in their products. If you don't like the products you have a 60 day empty bottle money back guarantee and you can cancel your membership at any time. You are not held by any contracts.

Moving right along T., our Renew Lotion which works wonders on excema does not have any harmful ingredients in them such as formaldahyde which is a cheap preservative that companies use to give there products a longer shelf life.
Clinical studies show that "Renew provides faster, better, and longer lasting relief from severely dry skin than dermatologist-recommended lotion." The Renew is great but should also be used with a change in laundry and cleaning products that also can be an irritant to skin. I think you would fall in love with these products, just like I did.

If you are interested in know more, I'd love to talk to
you.

Have a great day!

K.

A little Mike and Salt is very goog for Eczema. Just clean the area.

The first thing that came into my mind when I thought of a little girl was playing princess. I had a horrible nail biting problem as a child and my grandmother gave me three pairs of fancy gloves that were just my size. I know she's three and this may not work, but its worth a shot, right? :) Maybe she could wear some medicine on her hands while she is awake- IF she keeps the gloves on? Or maybe during nap time- when she doesnt sleep as long and you're awake to monitor her.

Hello, My son also suffered with eczema when he was a baby. I used all kinds of over the counter creams and things. The only things that would help him was prescription. His doctor gave him Kenalog cream and Atarax syrup by mouth. The Atarax syrup helped more than anything. I have a friend whom I suggested using Atarax syrup for on her little girl because she has severe allergies and eczema. It helped her a great deal too. So you might want to talk to your doctor about that.

My daughter's doctor said DON"T use fabric softener on any of her clothes, towels, etc., and to use detergent for sensitive skin. No parfumes or dyes.

Hi T.,

At age 4 my son suddenly showed eczema on his stomach. We tried all kinds of prescription lotions and ointments. Finally we took him to National Jewish Hospital in Denver, CO. They did an allergy test (pricked his back with about 30 allergens) to see if there was an allergy. None showed up. (This was SO hard to do as parents! It itches and you can't touch the spots - but worth knowing if there was an allergy causing the problem.)

Their treatment was a combination of things - First soak in a warm (not hot) bath up to 20 minutes 1-3 times a day. (There is no benefit of soaking longer than 20 minutes.) This puts moisture into the skin. Use mild soaps. (We are also using Melalueca products but they don't seem to help our son so he uses Dove.)
Pat dry when he gets out of the tub and use a thick water based lotion. We use Vana Cream. We get it at target it is an otc lotion. It must be put on within 3 minutes of the bath to seal in the moisture.
We use mild laundry soap as well and rinse his clothing twice.

Our son is now 8 and he still bathes twice a day and uses the Vana Cream. He also uses a prescription ointment when he has flair ups. I think the baths and Vana cream help the most.

We had friends who's daughter had it on her hands and they soaked them in water, put the Vana Cream on and covered them with socks so she couldn't scratch. Maybe socks on her hands at night will easy the worry of prescriptions getting on her face.

I think there is something to the preservatives and stress theory. He always got it worse after Halloween (all that candy). And in 1st grade when learning to read it was out of control.

Good luck! It looks like you have a lot of information to choose from.

Rebecca R

T.: When I was a kid, I remember that my older brother had eczema so badly on his arms and legs that the doctor couldn't even get a needle through it to give him a shot. That was back in the 1960's. The only thing that actually helped relieve his problem was salty seawater. We lived near the ocean then. He would go and swim in the ocean and over time it helped relieve the roughness and the itching and redness.

My 7 year old daughter has had severe eczema since birth. We've tried all kind of prescription lotions, creams, ointments, and just about every over the counter lotion or cream available. A friend of mine gave me some Renu lotion made by Melaleuca. We love it! I use it twice a day on her and she rarely has flare-ups anymore. I think you have to join Melaleuca to be able to buy it. I just have my friend get me a bottle every month. It's totally worth it. Plus, I think everything from Melaleuca is chemical free. I've also started using some special soaps and detergents for her clothes. Good Luck!

My 2 yr old son and I both suffer from Eczema. I tried many different things! A little over a year ago I switched my house over to natural products. The lotion was amazing. There is also a bath oil that I can not live without! I have to say the night my products arrived I took the clothes that my son and I were going to be wearing the next day and put them on to wash using the natural detergent and then I ran a bath for my son and put him in the bath oil. After he was done I put the lotion on him. I did the same before bed. He was clear in two days I took three. I would love to send you a sample of the lotion and bath oil. I am sure that this will help. I have heard so many stories of it working. I do think that a lot of the irritation was from our laundry soap. I was very happy to learn that something natural was less than any thing else I had tried. And believe me I am 33 yrs old and I have been suffering from eczema for a long time. I have tried a lot of things. If you would like for me to send yo a sample I would love to. Simply email me your information and I will be glad to do so. You can also check out this website if you would like tx.parentsunited.com ____@____.com
H. M

There is this company that sells Melaleuca products. It is kind of a pyramid scheme thing but you can buy a lot of their stuff on ebay without getting involved in all of that. They have this lotion called "Melaleuca Renew Lotion" and it works wonders for eczema! Also, the who purpose of their company is to provide safe all natural products to replace all the chemicals in peoples homes and make things safer for children. You should really try this lotion for her!

I have a 4 year old son. He has had eczema since birth. It started with craddle cap. He also has Asthma, and severe allergies. We have tried everything, prescription meds, OTC meds, and Natural Meds. It is all over his body, nooks, crannys, hands, arms, legs, ankles, and some his sclap. I can count the number of times on two hands that he has had a full nights sleep without scratching. It gets so back that he's taken Antiboitics for the sores he's caused from scratchin....that said, I know your pain. He's had allery test completed, and he's allergic to almost every kinds of tree, grass weed, air mold, dustmites, border line ...eggs, soy, wheat.... this being said, you'll need to find somethint for you that works.

I can say he's done the steriod creams daily,(two at at time). What finally worked for me is:
1) He has to bath every night luke warm water to moisterize skill, pat dry, and apply apaphor lotion (find at any store)

2) I apply the creams that are prescribed

3) He takes allergy meds

4) The one I found that helped the most. I give Cod liver oil all natural.

My daughter went to 3 different doctors, trying to 'cure' her eczema! all they did was put a band-aid, so to speak, on it - with prescription lotions and oils, that, over time, will thin her skin! :( My mom, as always - had the BEST advice - that REALLY worked!! Good, old-fashioned, cod liver oil! The problem about eczema is that it's NOT a topical problem, it comes from within the skin....so taking a table spoon of cod liver oil every day - lubricates the skin from the inside out! It really worked - her eczema actually is GONE! You also may put some on topically...but no need to. Get the Norwegian kind, if possible - has the most nutrients in it! Hope this helps!!

Hi T.,

I just saw that you updated your question. You said that you were just going to keep trying products until you found one that work... what if I can assure you that all you need to do is try one product, and you would find something that worked? I buy Melaleuca products and there is this wonderful lotion called Renew that was developed for eczema, psoriasis, and severely dry skin. I know another mom suggested the same thing but she is misinformed about Melaleuca being a pyramid scheme. Those are illegal in the U.S and this company has been in business for over 22 years (you can't be illegal and still be in business for so many years). They do have other great products that you should try too. It is illegal for their products to be sold on ebay so I suggest you not even go there and do that (I personally wouldn't want to be mixed up in any of that). If you want more information just email me at ____@____.com and I'd be happy to go over it with you.

Hello T. ~

My son is 18months and he has also had Eczema since he was two months old. We too have tried everything....I think we have used everything that has been mentioned in the responses you have gotten. We have tried baby arbon and that is what has worked best for us. We don't use the lotion, we used the diaper rash cream on his face and behind his legs....I think he is growing out of it, his face has healed and sometimes we do have a few areas behind his knee's....but it is great to try and different things. Sometimes products work for others and do not work for some...I hope things are working for you!

J.

Hi T.,
I grew up with Eczema on my hands and as suggested milk
product do need to be out of the diet....but it is difficult when you have a 3 year old. The lady who mentioned Melaleuca was a good suggestion and STRESS is a
big factor as another suggested...I know a lot of people say how can a 3 year old have stress...but they can...and also it is food allergies....I drink Xango because it helps me as an adult and I find it works for me for energy....
you can do the research but only what works for your daughter will be the answer...my parents use to put my hands in hot water that is the WORSE thing you can do....
I would suggest going to a health food store and see what they may have to offer you. Good luck and hope you have a great day. D.

Hi T.,

My name is A., and i am an independent consultnat for a Suisse company that sells botanically based products. I have a baby line called ABC Baby. All of the Arbonne Baby Care products are certified vegan, and do not contain any synthetic fragrances. Natural oils made of orange, lemon, and cedarwood make up a non-irritating unique scent. The wash & lotion are excellent for eczema in baby and adults. it is one of my most popular products right now. Let me know if you are interestd in trying the product. My website is www.annamariagrieco.myarbonne.com

Hi,
My son had a slight case of eczema all over his body for the first 3 years of his life. It completely went away when I started shopping with Melaleuca. I used the renew lotion directly on the spots and I started using the laundry products. Within 3 days he was better and in almost 3 years now, it has not returned. I saw someone else post about Melaleuca products and they say something about a pyramid scheme store. I'd watch out for that store, it must be illegal because Melaleuca is a direct sales catalog company. Meaning you can (or should) only buy from them directly. I don't order Melaleuca products from anyone but Melaleuca, so I don't worry about pyramid schemes or anything unethical like that. I hope this helps,
H.

My husband cleans carpets and mattresses for a living, and has found that so many problems can come from dust mites. Eczema is often an allergic reaction to dust mites (which are in every home/ bed). Clean your pillows, sheets, floors, and air vents regularly- and mattresses professionally and it will help to increase the health of everybody in your family. My son had skin problems before we started cleaning his bed regularly... it seemed like all the creams we used worked for a few weeks, but it kept coming back.

Good Luck-
K.

Hello, My son has the same problem, except it has spread to his whole torso region. We have found that being vigilant about taking a multi-vitamin makes a big difference. When he stops taking the vitamins, the rash come back. The gumi vitamins worked best when he was 3. I made sure to stress they were Medicine so he wasn't tempted to ask for more. Also we do not use any soap on him except for Johnson's baby shampoo. When his rash is really bad, like at the change of seasons and very cold weather, I use AandD ointment and whipped petroleum Jelly. (Walmart's brand seems to work best) I have also stopped wahing his clothes in anything except fragrance free detergants. Take heart. My nephew's also had this and they eventually grew out of it. Hopefully, so will your daughter. S.

Hands down, aquaphor is the best. I battled excema with my kids for years. Aquaphor was the only thing that got it under control and kept it that way! And it is so gentle that we even used it on my husband's radiation burns when he was undergoing radiation therapy. They hand it out at the cancer center. It's safe to use as a lip balm as well.

I would be careful with what soaps you are using on her. We actually ended up having to use no soaps at all, but that is very difficult to do with hands. Just make sure you are using a natural, fragrance free hand soap.

It also might help to take a look at her diet. Most times, excema is related to a food allergy. And make sure that she is getting some good fatty acids in her diet. Supplementing with cod liver oil might be beneficial.

Good luck!

Hi T.,

My 11 year old daugther has a severe case of Eczema which also causes her to have allergies. Per the doctors advice I use Cetaphil lotion on my daugthers entire body daily. It sounds like a lot of work but it is worth it. You also wnat to take you daughter to the doctor they can prescribe an oinment called Tricyclone or Desinode. I don't think I spell the medication correctly but if you mix the cream with the lotion and apply to the body. Your daughter will be relieved. Also use Dove soap with no fragrance. You can purchase Cetaphil at Costco for about $15.00 for two large bottles of lotion. I hope this helps your child it has helped mine. Take care.

Falicia

PS
The doctor might prescribe one or the other medications. Oh yeah. Monitor your daugther's food.

Hi there,

I have had eczema my whole life, and it has been really really severe at times. I agree with the Nordic Naturals fish oil advice among some others. (Nordic Naturals makes kid chewables for their fish oils too.) But the best thing I can tell you is to have her seen by a naturopathic doctor and/or acupuncurist now. I was treated with topical steroids starting from very early on (infant) as well as elimination of foods. Suffice it to say that I have now tried everything under the sun for about the past 8 or so years, after my eczema came back full force. Acupuncture has been one of the only things to work for me, but, had I been treated much earlier in life with non-steroids, my eczema probably would not have escalated so much. Also, putting steroids on topically can lead to the internalization of whatever the underlying health problem is. Most commonly: asthma (which I also have). So, if you can, get her seen by someone who will help you find the underlying problem; I have not found dermatologists--even the good ones--to be open to anything but prescription creams. And definitely find her something besides lotions. :) Good luck to you!

My son had a small spot of eczema on his shoulder. His doctor recomended Aquaphor,(the stuff you get for dry nursing nipples - obviously non-taoxic!) or anything else thick and petroleum type.

I didn't read all of the responses you received, so you may already have "heard" about these 2, but just in case....A big AMEN! to the Arbonne baby line. The diaper cream worked literally overnight for my daughter. Something else I keep on hand, in case the Arbonne isn't on hand is a prescription from our dr.: Clotrimazole/Betamethasone. Takes longer to work, but it does work good. This treats infection as well as the eczema; in areas that the eczema can't heal because of bacteria. My daughter gets it bad in the bend of her legs and too much moisture gathers, so it becomes a sore and so on.....Hope you find something that works!

Hi,
My daughter ha Eczema too.I have tried every thing and i found that the best way to prevent it is to use a lot of vaseline. I apply it all over her skin 2 or 3 times a day.

I buy the cheap one from cvs. it works just as Aquafor.

When she has the flare ups, I use Locoid, which is a cortizone based cream (perscription)

Hi T.,

My son is 2 yrs old & has mild eczema. The first thing I did was switch from Johnson & Johnson baby bath to Huggies Lavender baby wash with skin conditioners. I did try Aveeno which was great, but since I'm on a budget I had to try the Huggies Bath which is wonderful. His skin did improve, but he still would have minor breakouts due to the hard water, dry air & my hubby using different soap on him. The only things that seems to work well in terms of a moisturizer is first & foremost & the cheapest is Grapeseed Oil. I buy mine from Henry's market because it is cheaper there. It really does work. I have also heard of people using Extra Virgin Olive oil, but I have not tried it since the grapeseed oil works wonders for my son. Depending on how bad his breakouts are it could take less than a day to work or up to 2-3 days to work it was at the scaly stage. The other moisturizer that I have used on him that also works wonders is called Corium 21 (you can find it if you just type it into the google search engine). It is an aloe vera cream with other natural ingredients. It is expensive, but worked well. The only thing aside from cost that I did not like about this product is that it does not come unscented. There is a slight perfume like smell to it. The upside is that anyone in the family can use it for things like acne, rashes, etc.
Hope this this helps. Good Luck!
H.P.

I saw someone else suggest it but I know Eucerin works very well. Best of luck.

Hi,
My daughter suffered from bad Eczema. Our pediatrician told us to order Vani Cream. I know it is sold at CVS. You need to ask the pharmacist for it, you do not need a prescription. It is a really thick cream that has no perfumes, dyes, or irritants. You literally use a dime size on her whole body and it keeps the skin nice and soft for hours at a time.
Hope this helps.
L.

Two of my 3 children sufferedfrom eczema starting in infancy.
I brought them to the dermatologist who put them on elocon cream. This worked for one but not the other.
A friend suggested food allergies and it turns out, they had sensetivities to milk. Once milk was eradicated from their diets, the eczema went away.
My daughter will indulge in icecream every so often and once she does, the eczema on her hands crops up. I notice in winter it is worse and more painful for her, she creams her hands often and I insist on gloves. For the most part though, the skin is clear...when she isn't at a friends having milk products!

Please DONT EVER put baby oil or any other "sealant" on eczema. That will only make it get worse as I found out when I put baby oil on my son's head (thinking it was cradle cap) and entire sections of his scalp came off. It was by far the most horrifying experience of my entire life and the doctor I subsequently saw afterwards told me it was eczema and to NOT EVER put baby oil or any other kind of oil on it. See a dermatologist - they can tell you many options. Since my son never had it on his hands - his is more in nooks and crannys and on his behind, thighs and upper arms - I use the steroid cream and it works wonderfully. I only ues the least amount required to make him stop itching, but it's the only thing I've tried that works. Basically I just wanted to let you know NEVER put baby oil on eczema!

Our family has used products from a company called Nature Rich for 3 years now. They are ph balanced natural soaps, creams, gel, etc. They cannot hurt even if ingested. I brush my teeth with the soap and gel and do the same with the kids. The products work on all skin conditions from poison ivy, stings, eczema, burns etc. My website is sspurser.naturerich.net. We buy it wholesale that way. It's wonderful......S.

we have that problem on her legs and dove sensitive soap, vanicream lotion, baths every other day and aquaphor helps. good luck

The two things that I did to get my daughter's outbreaks were:

1. oatmeal baths. You could spend tons on the Aveeno packets, or make your own. Take 2 cups quick oats and put them in a knee-high stocking that's tied at the top. Toss it in the bath with her. Not only will she love playing with the gloopy mess (which is great since it helps squeeze the good ingredients into the water) but it really sooths the skin quickly. Also you can add a few spritzes of baby oil to it.

2. I cut out as many chemicals as I could from my laundry. Especially fabric softener. I use the bare minimum to get the same results. Bleach free, fragrance free, you name it. Use just the basics. If you need bleach occassionally that's one thing, but we never need it EVERY time. And our precious skin needs a break!

Good luck!

D ear T. M AVON HAS A PRODUCT CALLED CRACKED HEEL CREAM It is odorless and greaseless I sell it to a lady at work who has eczema it stops the itch and clears up the rash Sincerely G. T

I use Hylira (a gel lotion- prescription) and Cetaphyl body wash. Works great!

Renew Lotion from Melaleuca, The Wellness Company. The best lotion for eczema in the world. Absorbs into the skin right away and continues to work even after washing. Also use their hand and body washes to avoid additional drying. We changed over our laundry products as well, since my son had it all over his body. Even though this is in their pharmaceutical line, it is non prescription. B. L

Try regulating the soaps she uses on her hands. Both my son and I have it and when I am allergic to hand soaps it flares up on my hands. I also am trying children's dha by nordic naturals for my son. It is cod liver oil that has no after taste. It is supposed to be a natural anti inflammatory recommended by his ped. His skin is definitely a lot smoother and not as scaly. It's not perfect, but I have ben only been using it for two weeks. I use Burt's Bees baby wash on his skin. Good luck because eczema is horrible.

My 2 year old daughter suffers as well. I found that using Now Foods Cocoa Butter helps. It doesn't have any other ingredients in it and it works wonders for my daughter. You should be able to find it at the health food stores.

Jen

Not to scare you but I thought my daughter who is 17 had Eczema for almost a year and went to three different dermatologists and could not find a cure. During Thanksgiving break we tried a new medication for the itching and I ended up taking her to the hospital and she had an xray. The week later she was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. Itching was a symptom.

my son who is now 3 and a half has eczema, the latest research on eczema is to bath daily, sometimes up to 3 times a day, if the eczema is severe, for atleast 20 minutes and IMMEDIATELY moisturize him after bath with any moisturizer, i use "baby oh bay" by rainbow because it seemed to give him the best results..it has worked great for him. we did all the other treatment suggestions before we found a great allergist, yes, allergist not dermatologist, because my son also has three food and one enviromental allergy. The bathing and moisturizing method is called "soak and seal" it saved my sanity and my whole families'. It can be such an awful thing for the child and the parents to go through and no one (most doc's)ever says how hard it must be for the parents when they wake up at night and can be up for an hour or more at a time,itching, so I can completely sympathize with anyone who has been through or going through this. My son is much better at his age now and often they do get better as they get older But I also am so grateful to the allergist we saw who i am referring everyone and anyone i know with a child with eczema, also the derm's and pediatricians i come into contact with. Good Luck! Don't know if I can mention the Dr. name here?

Hello,
I am new to this site & not sure how it even works. I do hope that you get this message. Saba is a great immune system support liguid supplement. The wbsite I am going to refer you to you will be able to see how a 2 year old was cleared of his eczema after taking Saba for only 1 week. He had been on various antibiotics & topical creams to no avail. If you would like to try the product for your daughter you can reach me @ ____@____.com My name is K.. The website is www.teachsaba.com go to the pictorial testimonies. Glad to help your daughter!

Hi T.
My 3 yr. old has suffered since birth and the only thing that gave her some relief was Cortaid Maximum Strength. We tried every prescription out there....good luck. You are lucky it is only her hands.

Hi there!

I know you posted this a few months ago, but I know of a company that sells products without the harmful toxins and chemicals in them that could truly help your daughter's eczema. The detergent you are using could be aggravating it as well as the cleaning and personal care products you are using. My company also sells a lotion that has been proven to beat Eucerin in double-blind studies.

I would love to share the information with you! Let me know if you're interested.

K. C
____@____.com

AQUAPHOR for babies is an amazing product! I highly recommend it, and with frequent use (2ce a day at least), it will help enormously. Made by Eucerin, there is another Aquaphor for adults which is easier to find. Baby Aquaphor solves almost every skin irritation my children have. My son has eczema under his arms and I have it all over my hands. Personally I use frequent doses of Neutrogena hand creme, Norwegian style, which is close in texture to Baby Aquaphor. The key is to keep the eczema hydrated. It itches like poison ivy, but I think it's actually really dry skin. Good Luck! Regards, G.

I also used topical steroidal medication for my son that truly did help but wasn't comfortable using everyday. I bought "Gentle Naturals...Disney Baby Eczema Cream" (buy in supermarkets, Walmarts, drug stores, etc. Works Great!!!!!
Also as previously suggested look into the allergy thing. I realized on my own that his ezcema flares highly with milk. Please try this and I hope it works for you!

Eucerin (buy the TUB, because it is much thicker than the pump or tube) everyday! On very red and irritated days we used Cortaid (hydrocortisone cream). Make sure to use the Eucerin everyday even if the patches don't look particularly bad. My doctor recommended this treatment, and it completely cleared up the patch of eczema that was on my son's forehead for nearly a year.

Up until I used the Eucerin, I used several eczema soaps, but none of them worked.

Hi T.! I just found this site~What a great concept!!!I know you posted this back in November but I too have battled the eczema with my daughter-it is horrible! I have found this lotion that has been a dream! Email me if you are still having problems. I,too, live here in Holly Springs!
____@____.com ~M.

hi hun,
my name is L. and my 1 year old has it bad on her ankles and hands too the doctor told me to try this and i did i use vasline healing lotion with a 1% cortizone mixed in it helps something wonderful and when bathing the baby luke warm water hope this helps for i too went throught it and i find this helped i bought all types of lotions and cremes and find this truly works i was buying lotion at 10 to 15 dollars all eszema for stuff that was suppose to work amd didnt the valsiline is 6 buck and the cortizone is 3 but the stuff last for month good luck and keep me posted

Hey there,
This is A. Davis,

Hi T.,
Sorry for the delay but I would also highly reccommend Arbonne's Baby line. My own mother has been suffering with eczema her whole life and has found relief in the baby oil from Arbonne. It is pure,safe,gentle and totally botanically based. UNlike other baby oils (johnson & johnson) etc.. it Does NOT contain mineral oil which would just excacerbate the problem. I would be happy to send you a sample pack. My site is :

www.TheSkinYourIn.myarbonne.com
Good luck & please give us all feedback on what you tried & what worked!

:)

Hi T.,
I have a 9 year old son who had eczema. When he was a baby, his doctor prescribed steroid creams which I did not want to use on him. You may need to consider buying non-toxic products. I started using them about 3 years ago (soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc. - basically, anything that touches her skin) and my son's eczema has gone away. If you want more info on the products that I'm using and where you can get them, please email me at ____@____.com or call me at ###-###-####. Good luck! V.

I thought I'd pitch in - My daughter has excema on her legs: behind her knees, back of legs, and sometimes on her tummy. When she was littler (she is 4 and 1/2 now), she would get it on her cheeks. We find that plain Eucerin cream works to keep her skin hydrated and we occasionally use a 1% steroid cream (over the counter) if it really flares up. I also use Dove sensitive skin body wash and body bar - it is the only soap I found for bath that works well and is easily available. I can get away with using normal kid shampoo as long as I rinse well. I CANNOT use anything with fragrance - detergent, fabric softener, oxyclean..... - or it flares up. So, I use "free and clear" detergent, fragrance free fabric softener, etc. And I don't use anything scented on her skin. I also have to wash clothes in our detergent before she wears them (new ones) - if I put something new on her without washing it, she also has flare ups. Weird! And, it is hard - you feel so bad for them! Good Luck!

Hi T.,

I've lived with Eczema all over my entire body since I was 14 and my son has had it since infancy. I would have to agree with those who recommended Eucerin Cream. When I was 14 medication was too expensive at that time so the doctor told us to use plain solid white Crisco, yes the shortening and cover my hands and fit with gloves, but as you can imagine it was extremely greasy, however it did work wonders. Through the years I discovered Eucerin Cream you can get it over the counter or most military doctors can prescribe it if they have it at their hospital. **The key to using Eucerin Cream is to use it on a regularly, I use it every night and morning, but I have extreme case, no one realizes it anymore because I am able to control it with Eucerin twice a day minimum. In the winter I usually carry a tub in my purse because if I have to wash my hand often I need to reapply it a few times during the day. Eucerin has been excellent for my son and I. Since my son is now 10 sometimes I don’t caught his eczema on his hands at the first sign and have to apply 1% steroid cream for a couple of day to get it back under control. The Eucerin is absorbed into my skin and my son's hands within a couple of minutes so there is not greasy residue.

I also find that for me it helps to apply aloe baby oil all over prior to drying after a shower or bath. Hot showers do make it worse and peanuts generally makes eczema and asthmas worse, as would other allergies. We also use dry free and perfume free detergents and fabric softener or bounce free. I use to be a distributor or Melaluca Products prior to being about to buy dry free and perfume free items in the grocery store. I switch and have saved a lot of money and haven’t had any reactions to All, Downy or Bounce Free items.

Eucerin extremely dry skin treatment cream is a moisturizer that contains urea as the active ingredient. Urea is a substance that is found naturally in the skin, which by its nature is very attracted to water. It is used to help rehydrate dry, scaly skin.

Hope this helps,

C.

I know this is a late response, but just thought I'd let you know that my son had severe eczema too. At the suggestion of his doctor we only bathed him twice a week with NO soap, only water. When he got out of the bath and also every morning and night we would slather him down with cetaphil lotion. This worked wonderful, we never had any more open wounded bloody flair ups as long as we kept up with the lotion. By the time he was kindergarten age we didn't have to worry about it as much, he takes normal showers and just applies lotion as needed now. Also, the dr does not suggest using cortizone cream unless REALLY needed because it can cause white spots on the skin, it removes some of the skins pigment.

T.,

Try Aveeno Baby wash for her bath. It helps a lot. As for creams, either Eucerin Calming Cream, or Aquaphor. That's what my ped. recommends for my 6 month old, who has it on his face. If none of that works, you'll need a prescription cream.

Hi T.!

I am new to MamaSource and just saw your question. I too, am a skin care consultant in Indianapolis for a relatively new company called Kara Vita (started in 2003). We have a product that was originally created in 1989 under the company name of Dermazone that is for burn victims and was sold only in Doctor's offices. It is called Everyday Skin Penetrating Lotion. I won't go into all the detail about this product. If you like, you can check out our website at www.karavita.com to read more about it and the customer testimonals regarding this lotion. I have a few customers with eczema who swear by it and some of these customers use it on their young children who also put their hands in their mouth. Our product are pharmceutical grade and made with the purest bioactives that are not harmful if swallowed. My personal experience with the Everyday Skin and why I'm now a consultant myself was how it got rid of my "chicken bumps" that I get on my arms. I'm 47 years old and have had these bumps up until 2 years ago when I first started using the lotion. If you read the testimonals, you'll see that it's great for all kinds of skin contitions and dry skin in the winter. I hope I don't sound like a commercial. I truly believe in this product and I think it will help with your daughter. Please check out our website and if you like, I can send you some samples of the Everyday Skin lotion. Please let me know if I can help out in any way.

T.- it has worked great for us. also have you tracked her diet? i know with my son it can take 3-5 days to have it break out more
Also have you tried arbonne? that is what works great for my daughter and her feet. i can get you a sample it has been amazing

We have used Elidel and I LOVE it! You need a prescription from your Doc though. I put it on at night after my daughter is asleep. Her skin looks so much better in the morning!

www.elidel.com

Blessings,
L.

Hi T.,
I am new to this site and just saw your question. I dont know if anyone has mentioned this to you since I didnt read all of the 72 responses (sorry)! This story comes second hand but I tell everyone, because its great info. My friend's daughter had eczema at age two so bad she still has scars on her forearm from scratching herself bloody! The doctors only had the prescription lotions to offer and she was desperate. She finally went to Bastir http://www.bastyr.edu/, a naturopathic teaching clinic here in Seattle that is world renown. She thought it was what she calls "woo woo" but had nothing to loose. They had her fill out information about her girl and then prescribed a little white pill that de-solves under the tongue. She left with little more hope than she had arriving, but those little pills (I think they're herbal) made the eczema go away! They would still slather her with lotion after each bath and if she had any signs of an outbreak another little white pill would go under her tongue! Hey it sounds crazy but she is ten now and they are very happy they sought out help early! Hope this helps, L.

My son had the same thing on his legs. Try hydrocortisone 1% cream...also known as hytone. You can buy it over the counter in the grocery store, i used the grocery store brand from pathmark grocery store. Worked wonders in a matter of days! Double check with your pediatrician though about the rubbing her eys and sucking her thumb, it should be safe but double check anyway. Good luck!

aquaphor works really good for my sons eczema. since it is like vaseline it is safe to consume. my ped said that it might make his stool a little loose though. my son gets it on his cheeks and i rub it in at night especially and when he gets up it is gone. but beware since it is very oily it will stain. best of luck!

A combination of my own findings, along with advice from my children's pediatrician is how I treat their Eczema. Nothing too fancy. I just make sure that the water temperature when bathing them is not too warm (especially in the winter). I no longer use commercial brand baby washes. The pediatrician suggested Cetaphil. It's extremely gentle and cleanses the skin well. After that, I lather them up (while still a bit damp) with Aveeno lotion. I purchase the thick one that is made specifically for skin issues. Then, in the morning, I lather them up, for the day. For me, being mindful of all harsh chemicals that may come into contact with their skin has been helpful (baby wash, clothing wash, hand soaps, body lotions). Also, keeping their skin extra moistened has worked well (after bath at night and when they wake up in the morning). I'm also very conscious about their diet (most of the time). I'm not the food Nazi or anything, but I barely let them drink sodas or juice. Water is very helpful when treating anything in this house (colds, Eczema, etc.) and plenty or fruits and veggies. I definitely think that diet has much to do with many of the health issues that people face. Aside from that, genetics can really play a big part with skin issues...that wouldn't be anyone's fault. Good luck and GOD bless your family (-:

Try cetaphil wash and lotion.You can get it at any drug store .It is also available in a generic that is some cheaper. If that doesn't work try an oatmeal based wash and lotion like aveno. Good luck,

T. M.

My daughter is three as well with eczema. My peidatrician suggested Cetaphil body wash and cream. It has worked like a charm. You can even get it at Costco.

I've had eczema almost my whole life. The only thing that works for me is Dove soap for bathing and Dove lotions. Make sure you avoid cold water or too warm water on her. She needs nice soothing warm water. Obviously, gloves any time she goes out in the cold will help, as well. I cannot do dishes by hand - it flares up when I do that, so I have to use the dishwasher. Any constant wetness on her hands will help it flare up, as I'm sure you've noticed. The only kind of medication that helped me was an ointment calls Psorcon (something like that). A dermatologist gave it to me. But it does have steroids in it, so it CANNOT go near her face as it will cause a bad reaction (been there, did it! not fun). She is a bit young for that now. But if it ever gets to the point where infection sets in (and mine has done that several times) that was the only thing that helped me. If you ever use it, you might want to put gloves on her to protect her face. Eczema itches really bad - but the more she scratches, the more irritated it'll become. I'm so sorry she's having to deal with this - especially at such a young age. Avoiding fragrances is good. I always hate it when people give me body lotions and soaps, etc., because I cannot use anything but Dove. It helps put the moisture back in my skin that it needs. I also had a pediatrician who told me to use Dove on my babies when they were born. When I don't use it, my skin feels so tight. I have to travel with it, too. As I've gotten older (I'm 44) the eczema has gotten better. But I still have to be careful of how much I let my hands get wet. good luck with her.

My daughter is nine yrs old and has had Eczema since she was about 1 1/2. I took her to a dermatologist because it had gotten so out of control. I asked him what was the cause and he said that he believed that it was due to an allergy in the blood. He told me there were currently no cures for it and that I was to concentrate on the itching. Keep her lubricated so that the skin would not dry and iritate her. He also told me that she would eventually grow out of it. Like I said she is nine now and I am still waiting for her to grow out of it. She doesn't have it as bad as she use to. She would get it behind her knees, under her but cheeks on her face, hands and elbows and yes on her hands and even in her scalp. I have done a lot of praying for her as well and had her prayed for at our church. I've tried every cream out there.
I had a rx from the dermatologist and while I was in the Rio Grande Valley I took the rx to a pharamacy in Mexico and had it filled there. It works really good. I use it sparingly because it is a steroid cream. I apply it on her only when I see her start to break out. The medication is called Kenacomb. Every child is different ofcourse you have to find what works for you. I am praying that she will grow out of it soon. I am thankful that it is mild now. I will say a prayer for your daughter. You are doing a good job staying on top if it. I have seen what it can do when it is not kept up with. It can literally eat the skin away because the children scratch so much. To keep infection down don't let them scratch with their hands if they absolutely have to. If they have to scratch let them do it with something between the skin and their hands. This will help prevent the breaking of the skin.
I wish you all the best. God's blessings!!

my 3 year old son also has eczema and his doctor recommended acuaphor (sp?) and it works great....

My doctor recommended Derma smooth.

My daughter has it too. The prescription creams are not necesary. I was told to use an adult frangrance free like Eucerin to help, and it does. I've even used the mary Kay one I have and it worked great.

HI T.
i hope your daughter is doing much bette and its improved...i just joined and your email was the first i saw in my mailbox.... and I am a skin care consultant. Im not sure what you have or have not tried yet, and i know how frusterating it is to see your little one suffer. If you need assistance in clearing it up let me know...i have a baby line that is all natural, pure safe and beneficial. Everyone with eczema, adults and infants love the benefits that my product offers. Its it helps prevent it from coming back too, and has NO fillers, bi-products, no animal testing, no dyes chemicals or fragrance...(important to know bc any product that you use that does contain any of the above, wont heal the issue). Let me know if I can help... I have 2 small boys, one suffered from very dry cracking skin and rashes...a mild case of eczema. I know your frusteration.

thanks!

Whenever my son gets it on his hands I use lansinoh - the pure lanolin used for nursing. It is safe if baby consumes it, creates a nice barrier and it is incredibly soothing.

With my older son the only thing that stops it in its tracks is bag balm. It is not safe for thumb suckers, but an amazing product. I sometimes mix it up with the prescription hydrocortisone and it works miracles! It does stain so you need to be careful.

Good luck.
A.

Hi T.. Because you've had so many responses, I couldn't read through to make sure I wasn't being redundant. The last response about Arbonne did catch my eye, because I am a consultant with Arbonne and use their baby/children products on my son everyday. My son had pretty bad eczema all over in his earlier months, which I believe was partly diet related, but I do believe that the products were helpful in combating rashes and preventing recurrences. The lotion is very hydrating and not greasy, which I really appreciate, and safe so you don't have to worry about your daughter ingesting any of it. All of their baby products are free of nut oils, fragrance, colors, mineral oil, etc. I have heard so many positive testimonials regarding these products and eczema. I would be happy to stick samples in the mail for you tomorrow. Best of luck. P.S. I know at this time of year it can be tempting to apply hand sanitizers, even with little ones, but if this is something you are doing, you might consider avoiding this for a while because of the harsh alcohols.

Our doctor recommended Eucerin CREAM (NOT lotion) and it works great. Good luck!

hello im a 25 year old stay at home mom my skin itself is very bad with eczema ..i use to have to use elidel until they took that off the market..i have been using since johnson and johnsons 24 hour moisturizer lotion it works great..its made for little ones also so your daughter might have this fix her eczema

What a great resource mamasource has been for you!! What a wonderful response you have received. My suggestion is to look for products that do NOT use mineral oil because that causes an occlusive barrier where it's like plastic wrap on the skin...nothing gets in that is helpful from the product and dirt stays in the pores too.

Another reader suggested Arbonne International products and so do I. The Baby Oil cured my son's cradle cap as an infant in 2 days!!!

Email me if you want to try these botanically-based, vegan products: ____@____.com

My daughter had severe eczema and asthma and was on two different prescription creams, a daily pill and regular breathing treatments. She had allergy tests and nothing showed. While her symptoms were under control, I felt horrible about medicating her. I read an article by Dr. Andrew Weil about milk allergies and asthma/eczema. I decided to take her off of milk to see if it would help and it has been night and day! I was amazed! She is no longer on any medication and I couldn't be happier! She has goat milk or almond milk and doesn't miss regular milk at all.

hello i sell avon and we have moisture therapy lotions that might work there is a oatmeal, and a new olive oil one that my cutomers love. i seen one of the respones some gave you a web site for avon. i would try the oatmeal one first. but cod liver oil thing sounds better than avon to me. also try baby oil too. just go my avon.com

How has everything worked for you?. I am new to Mammasource. I am an Avon rep. My Great-Nephew( who is 2) has eczema. His mother uses Avon Moisture Therapy Intensive Lotion. This is my website. www.YourAVON.com/eallen. I hope your child is better.

T.,
I to am a fellow sufferer of hand eczema, since I was a lil girl, it is usually stress induced, so if something is bothering her or she has been ill, it will all come out on her hands, when I am under alot of stress, nothing seems to work, put the medicine on and put her hand in a glove, that will ease the pain.and the itch.

If you're looking for a natural way to heal and for real results...Carlson lemon flavored Cod Liver Oil from Whole Foods...1/2 teaspoon orally a day. And I use almond oil after a bath without toweling the water off....it works and her skin is perfectly sweet and soft!

Hi, T.. I have heard amazing things about Coconut Oil. You can get it at PCC or Whole Foods. It comes in a jar and looks like Crisco. I have heard of people with kids with Eczema using it in their bathwater (about a tsp). I haven't had this problem, but it sounds like something simple to try. Good luck.

Hi there!

My friend's 3 year old son really suffered with Eczema and she discovered that he is allergic to soy. So she began removing all food in his diet containing soy and saw an immediate improvement in his condition. You would be surprised when reading the labels how many items contain soy. Give this a shot and I hope it helps. Good luck:)

Hi T.!
I work for a wellness company that offers Renew skin lotion for eczema. I can send you a free sample plus documentation on the product. If you would like me to send you the free sample, let me know where you would like it sent.

Thanks,
Jo Ann

Neutrogena has a hand cream that is not petroleum based and is fragrance free-- you can find it at Target, Stop & Shop, CVS or Rite Aid. Look for a short box in the Neutrogena section (I belive it's called "Hand Creme"...
It works quite well, is not greasy and is quickly absorbed.
You won't need to use a lot.

While the Neutrogena will soothe the skin, the eczema is likely to be a symptom of a sensitivity or allergy to foods or environment (dust, pets, plants, etc). It is very common for dairy to irritate in this way, among others.
You might consider eliminating food(s) from her diet one at a time to see if she experiences relief.

I have three of my own, and we have TONS of dietary restrictions to deal with, and I've seen all kinds of reactions over the years.

Wishing you the best!

When my daughter was a newborn she had the same thing and her face was red. We took her to a nutritionist and they said that it was the milk. She has an allergy to animal milk (not the breast milk though. I also tried Hylands diaper and skin cream instead of the other kind of creams. The ingred. are more natural and if she puts in in her mouth, you don't have to worry too much.

Try this. Your baby will thank you.

32-yr old -stay at home mom of a beautiful, intelligent daughter.

I read about this 2 yrs ago and it really works...Good quality yogurt is helps my daughter, diet is vital...and try some good apple juice they have a new one in the ref section that is not clear it is real apples not from concentrate if she tends to hard hard bowels...it helps loosen things naturally. C. ____@____.com

My 19 month DD developed eczema a couple months ago. Our pediatrician also suggested Aquaphor and it has helped alot. Also, I put hydrocortisone on it once a day (in elbow creases and back of neck) when it was very raw. But you probably should not put that on your DD's hands! We have also been washing her in Cetaphil since it's supposed to be non-drying and that seems to help too. Good Luck!

I know you've had a LOT of responses, but here's what's worked for my daughter and here's a GREAT web site that rates the toxicity of all kinds of products.

http://cosmeticdatabase.com/

NOTHING IN THE BATHS. No oil, no cream, no bubble baths. Nothing. And she doesn't use soap every day. The doctor said just sitting in a warm bath for a while is enough on most days.

When she does need soap, we use Cetaphil.

Stress and diet absolutely affect the eczema.

Euerin Calming Creme. It's been better than anything else we've tried for her. Work great for me, too. Non-greasy.

Once we use up these products, I'm going to start trying some of the products rated low in toxicity.

Good luck.

Hello,
Have you tried Selsum Blue medicated shampoo, it is an expensive dandruff shampoo. Wash the area as you would with soap, except wash with the blue shampoo, applying a small amount on the affected area and rinse, you can do this 2-3 times week.

My daughter who is now 9 years old went through such horrible Eczema that we had to take her to a dermotologist and had an entire skin regimin she was on. It involved two prescription creams that worked much better than prescription cortizone cream. However, the vital part of the regimin (and the only part we still have a need for) involved a specific lotion and soap (body wash) that just about every drug store sells. The doctor told us to start using Cetaphil lotion on all her areas where the Eczema popped up. She also uses the Cetaphil body wash. Now whenever I start seeing her skin looking irritated, we just rub in the Cetaphil and it seems to nip it in the bud. Only one quick note of caution: when her Eczema was really bad (as in open sores) the Cetaphil did seem to burn her a little, but as long as the skin isn't broken (or at least not bad) it never bothers her. (Not sure if this is a repeat tip, but thought I'd throw it in the ring. My daughter's Eczema was so bad she actually looked like she had Leprocy on her stomach and legs. It was one of the worst pediatric cases my family doctor had ever seen.)

Have you heard of Melaluca Products, they have worked wonderful for my family and eczema, check them out on there web site, need to make the home environment toxin free.

My 15mo. old daughter just started showing signs of Eczema. I have been using A&D ointment on her face and Aveeno 24hr night time cream on her legs. They both seem to be helping. The A&D might be a little safer to use at night. I don't think it would hurt her eyes if she got a little in them. Hope this is helpful.
N.

A friend of mine had the same problem, it wasn't eczema, it was contact dermititis, a severe allergic reaction to things that she was touching. You may want to take her to an allergist (see if you can find out if they specialize in skin reactions. At any rate Eczema is caused by sensitivity to foods, and it may not be a bad idea to have her tested for food sensitivities. Common allergies can include wheat, milk, nighshades (potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant.

If the allergist cannot help you, you may want to consult a reputible doctor that also uses alternative therapies, to help you find her "triggers" that is causing her hands to break out.

I have food sensitivities, and unfortunately, my son does too. Sometimes young kids will grow out of some of them, for example, fresh milk caused my son's eczema to get worse, but we held off giving him milk for a while, and eventually he overcame it, and is fine with milk now.

I have two young boys - both with sensative skin. My older son had very bad eczema when he was younger. The dermatologist told me to use Cetaphil and/or CeraVe cleansers. They are very mild. I used them on my younger son when he was a newborn. (I actually still use them on the boys.) The dermatologist also prescribed a cream called "Mimyx". It is a non-steroidal that can be used multiple times a day (unlike the steroid creams that can only be used twice a day). It may be something that you want to look into. I also find that Aveeno Baby is very mild and tends to not irratate their skin. I understand the reason you want to steer clear of medicated creams, but another trick the Dr. taught me was to apply the medication cream and then put Baby Aquaphor (or Vaseline) on over it. Hope the information was helpful.

Hello Tula

My name is S. and I live in Park Ridge. I have a solution for your child's Eczema problem. Please feel free to contact me at ____@____.com Once you have done this I will share my number. I am confident that I have a wonderful solution. So contact me as soon as possible.
By the way I am a mother of two beautiful daughters who are in high school. Looking forward to your reply.