Baby Eczema - Broomfield,CO

My son gets eczema really bad also. The best remedy I have found is when you get them out of the bath tub, rub them with plain old vaseline instead of any sort of lotion. Lotion makes the problem worse. Then a couple times a day I would rub the eczema on her face with the vaseline too. Just be careful because it is greasy and can stain clothes if you use way too much. Hope it helps

Just a few days ago we say Dr. Daniel Leung at National Jewish in the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology clinic. He said to bathe in warm water in a onesie for a min. of 15 min, then pat dry and apply VaniCreme within 3 min. increase her Vit. D by 400IU and let her get plenty of sun. Within a week her rash is all but gone.

I didn't read through all the responses so I apologize if this is a repeat. My ped. suggested Aveeno baby lotion for my daughters eczema. It worked wonders. Hope this helps. Good luck!

My advice is to try Renew Lotion from Melaleuca - its AMAZING stuff and works better than anything I have ever seen! This lotion keeps my baby's excema under control, and it gets rid of my hubby's excema as well whenver he has a breakout (it takes just 3-4 days even when its cracked and bleeding!) You also only have to apply it once a day instead of 2 or more times! Its very reasonabley priced, but if your are interested I can tell you how you can actually get it for free... message me if you would like to learn how!

K.

I am with Arbonne International and we have wonderful baby products that have helped many babies (and other ages) with eczema. All products are botanically based and vegan, and have a 45-day money back guarantee. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me through our website, www.feelpure.myarbonne.com, and Contact Us. Thanks! D.

My daughter had terrible eczema on her cheeks and diaper area. I tried creams to no avail. I then learned she had several food allergies. I was breastfeeding only at that time but she was allergic to eggs. Once I cut eggs out of my diet everything cleared up perfectly!

My baby too had horrible eczema and suffered for weeks while we tried tons of different remedies. Here is what worked for us:

** 2 baths per day for at least 20 minutes (this hydrates the skin)

** lotion all over within 3 minutes of finishing bath (if you wait too long to lotion, the moisture evaporates in our dry climate)

** lotion -- (1) wherever he had a bad eczema breakout (anywhere but face, groin, or armpits) we used tricimilone (sp?) which is a prescription steroid cream; (2) if he had bad eczema on his face, groin or armpit area, we used a prescription hydrocortizone cream; (3) everywhere else on his body that didn't have terrible eczema, we used Vanicream - which can be bought OTC at Walgreens.

Good luck....I know how hard it is to see your baby so uncomfortable....

We use cetaphil, my youngest has it the worst, and thats what the pedi reccomended. Its a bit pricey, but it lasts a long time, and works great

Hi M. - here is a good article on baby eczema you can read - it has some tips for treatment. It also says that infants have it the worst and often grow out of it by the time they are 2 or 3

http://www.drgreene.com/21_647.html

Also, since it is on her face, is it possilbe she might be reacting to your skin products or detergent on your clothes when she is breastfeeding, etc.?

Good luck to you. I'm sure you'll find a way to help your little darling!

btw - remember that your little one is still way to young for any kind of herbal supplements or juice products.

M.,

My sil has kids with bad exzema. She finally was sent by her wise pediatrician to an allergist who specializes in infants or pediatrics I guess. Anyway, he told her that all eczma is a reaction to some allergy. Most docs dont believe or know that which is why so little is caught. So, he tested her little guy and found severe allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts. My sil who was breast feeding changed her diet and he cleared up. Why more docs dont go this route is a mystery. Her new daughter had some eczema and they went right to allergist. She has slight allergy to egg. Cleared right up. So, I would push this issue with your doc, just an idea.

There is a product called Renew that is fabulous. It is produced by a company called Melalueca. My friends child had exema so bad on her hands that she wouldn't open them. She used her thumb and first finger as pinchers to do anything with them. After about 3 weeks she had full use of her hands and still does. It is 15.99 for 20 oz. if you become a melaleuca prefered customer which works for our family...but you don't have to join to buy. I use it on my daughters toes and on my sons rosey "Utah cheeks" (they got windburn this last winter). Good luck.

I definitely agree with the suggestions about diet, be sure her back is in place, and here is a product I definitely would recommend:

http://www.eczemamed.com/

I used their remedy for ringworm and had such great success - nothing else would work! - that I simply trust their line. It is a bit expensive, so I think best to combine with all the other advice here. :o)

Hi M.,

You don't mention whether you are nursing or bottle-feeding....But what I ate could result in my son developing eczema when I was nursing. Watch also that you do not wash the baby's clothes with your clothes (deoderant etc. could cause problems). With her being so young I would take her in to the dr. as well.

R.

I always found Boudreaux's Butt Paste to be the most helpful for my kids eczema (and pretty much every other skin problem).

Hello M.,

I am sorry to hear about the problems you are having with eczema with your baby girl.

Another thing you may want to try is a natural remedy for the eczema. You can use certified pure therapeutic grade (CPTG) essential oils and add them to Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO). You can pick up the EVCO from a natural foods store. I would not recommend picking up the essential oils at the store, though, as the purity of the essential oils is not regulated, and you want to make sure you get a good one. From the research I've done and my personal usage, I have found doTerra's oils to be of the highest quality and purity, and I like the peace of mind of knowing they test every single batch of their oils with both mass spectrometry and gas chromatography to ensure they are 100% pure and natural and free of synthetic compounds or contaminates. See http://www.doterra.com/essentialGrades.php
Lavender is a good one to start with.

You can use a mixer to blend the lavender into the EVCO and put it in a sealed container so you can easily dip some of the mixture out and rub it on any time you need to use it. You could start with about ½ cup of the EVCO mixed with 30 to 40 drops of CPTG lavender. As others mentioned, you would want to apply right after a bath to help maintain the moisture in the skin, and you would apply as needed (e.g. throughout the day and/or before bed).

Other things to watch for are:
- eliminate any sources of allergens, such as perfumes, fragrances, chemicals in any soaps, laundry detergents (remember dryer sheets too). I have learned that MANY of the baby products available in stores have lots of chemical fragrances in them and other harmful ingredients. (See for example http://www.babycenter.ca/baby/safety/phthalatesinproducts/). So get a fragrance free baby wash as well. (I use Arbonne's baby wash as their baby wash is fragrance free and phthalate free.) Unscented is not the same thing, and can still have chemical fragrances in there. Even the ones that claim to be fragrance free sometimes still irritate my skin and my kids' skin if they are not using pure ingredients, so be careful of the quality of products too.

- Other essential oils that may be useful are frankincense and geranium. Again, I would only recommend doTERRA from my personal experience, because if you get an inferior quality oil it can actually end up irritating the skin more.

- If you are using formula, Alimentum (thicker) formula or Nutramigin sometimes help can for allergies and skin issues (and/or reflux issues).

As a massage therapist you may already be familiar with lavendar, but if not, here is some useful information on Lavendar from http://doterra.blogspot.com/:

The word Lavender literally means “to be washed” or “to wash.” This remarkable plant has been cherished for its unmistakable aroma and its treasured medicinal properties for thousands of years.

From its earliest beginnings in ancient Greece, Lavender has gradually spread and is now grown in many parts of the world, including France, Spain, Italy, China, and all throughout Europe. For many years, England was the largest producer of Lavender; currently, however, France produces more than any other country in the world.

Lavender is chemically complex and offers a broad spectrum of activity in the body. There has been considerable research on Lavender, all of which offers ongoing support and credibility to its miraculous healing potential. Many of these studies have concluded that Lavender essential oil is effective for use as a sedative, mood modulator, analgesic (reduces pain), anxiolytic (reduces anxiety), anti-carcinogenic, digestion, and active against bacteria, fungi, and even insects. Lavender is also excellent for healing and disinfecting wounds and tissues. One of the most recognized benefits of pure Lavender oil is its ability to soothe and heal burns. Lavender is quite frequently reported to be beneficial for allergic responses in the body.

Perhaps one of the reasons Lavender is so widely used and accepted is its versatile, non-aggressive nature. In short, it is safe and easy to use. Whether it is diffused into the environment or applied topically, its benefits are far reaching and healing to mind, body, and spirit.

Apply Lavender to the bottom of your feet or on your temples and neck for a calming and relaxing sensation. A few drops of Lavender in the palms of your hands and cupped over the nose can quickly and easily eliminate stress and anxiety. Lavender is perfectly suited to calm the mood and entice restful sleep when used at bedtime for adults and children alike. Simply add a few drops to your bathwater, pillowcase, or diffuse in the bedroom. Due to its soothing nature, Lavender can be applied directly to cuts, abrasions, and burns for a disinfecting and healing action.

Hope this helps!!

D.

I agree that you should probably look into the possibility of food allergies/sensitivities. (Bear in mind that some sensitivities or intolerances will not show up on allergy testing, just in case you decide to go that route.)

At Nat'l Jewish, they do the wet wraps as recommended by the other poster. I have a friend who brought her son to Denver from CA and they had her do them twice a day at first, then back off to once a day, then once every few days. She was *astonished* at how well they worked on her son.

There was a recent study done on bleach baths (look it up 'cause the bleach is very diluted). The results were so successful that they actually halted the study early so that all of the test subjects could benefit from the bleach baths. Let me know if you can't find good info on it...I've got some links filed away somewhere. ;)

If you're sure that the products are safe for her, I've heard really great things about shea butter and coconut oil slathered on. Just be careful in case she's got undiagnosed nut or coconut allergies.

Best of luck. Hope you can get your little one healed up quickly!

Sadly, there is lots of conflicting advice out there about eczema. It can be allergies, but be aware that babies' immune systems are still developing and most allergies they have that young they will grow out of by the time they're 5. My first was diagnosed with egg and peanut allergies (and had really bad eczema) and he's 2 1/2 now and loves eggs with no problems.

If you don't want to do prescription-strength remedies or go to doctors (or if you want to use that as a last resort), start with the following:

* Bathe your baby less (not more) - like only 2 or 3 times a week, and use tepid water (as cool as she can stand).
* Lotion immediately with Cetaphil or Aveeno or something along those lines - NO scents or colors. That kind of lotion is perfectly safe on babies' faces (and everywhere else, of course). Lotion your baby up 2 or 3 times a day, but immediately after baths or playing in water. Water will actually dry out her skin.
* You can get hydrocortizone 1% over the counter anywhere (I even found some at the dollar store) and use that everywhere but on the face. Twice a day is recommended for severe eczema. Don't ever do steroid on a baby's face unless directed by a physician, and even then ask if there are other alternatives first.
* Start eliminating foods from your diet if she's breastfed - one at a time, for a week at a time. Foods to try: milk and all other dairy, nuts, eggs, wheat, and soy. Those are the foods that babies can be tested for before the age of 2 unless there are obvious severe allergies. If she's breastfed then your diet will affect her.

Lastly, ask her pediatrician at her 4 month appt for advice. He should have a handout about eczema because it's a really common problem.

Good luck!

Talk to the pediatrician. Mine gave us Elidel, which is non-steroidal and safe for babies. It really helped both my boys. (My youngest is now 5, so I don't know how current it is, sorry, but you can ask!)

Hi--
I went through this with my little one. Eczema like this is caused by an allergy, usually a food allergy. If you are giving formula then I would change to a non-dairy formula. If you are breastfeeding then your little one is likely allergic to something you are eating. There are 8 top allergens: dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat/gluten, eggs, shell fish...and for the life of me I can't remember number 8??? Anyway, you have two options to find out what the allergy is. National Jewish hospital is the leader in western medicine. I chose to go the natural route instead because western medicine was not helping my little one. I have a great doctor I love who did help my son and I'm happy to give you his name if you are interested in going that route.
As for topicals, not much will help because the rash is coming from the inside out. Many people will say use aquaderm--this has mineral oil in it. Mineral oil (vaseline) clogs the poors. Whatever is causing the rash will not be able to get out onto the skin. The rash will get better, but the underlying cause will not. Coconut oil has the essential fatty acids in it that the skin uses to repair itself. You can get raw coconut oil and put it directly on her skin and it will help. Also, there's a company called earth mama angel baby that has a great lotion and ointment called angel baby bottom balm. This also works great on eczema. You can get it as Vitamin cottage.
Good luck!
J.

My daughter and I both have eczema and we both use Aveeno products..plus I try not to bathe my little everyday it's not good for the skin...I would try the Aveeno bath soap for babies and the lotion...It has been our miracle cure...good luck!!!

Look into food allergies. A milk allergy is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed problems in infants. That cleared my little girl's eczema right up. If you are breastfeeding you will need to change your diet. The most common allergies are milk, eggs, nuts and soy. I went off all dairy and anything that has dairy products in it, including whey protein, I also avoided soy and nuts. Her skin cleared right up within two or three days. After two weeks I added soy back in but she can't do soy milk for some reason so i drink rice milk.
If you are bottlefeeding try a soy based formula. There is a formula for very sensitive kids called neocate or something like that, it is expensive though. Try getting a sample of different formulas from your doctor, if you are bottle feeding.
My daughter still gets dry skin on her elbows sometimes but I can just use baby oil or lotion for it, and it doesn't get all red anymore just dry.
If you are breastfeeding going off dairy and maybe eggs and nuts, is the cheapest option.

My doctor recommended CeraVe lotion (usually with beauty products rather than the regular lotions), which I think helped. We definitely need to use a steriod cream occasionally, so we have a prescription that's weaker that what you buy over the counter. (.025 percent instead of the usual .1) In the script, we've found the the gooey ointment works better than the cream. It's a mess, but we mix some in with her lotion and it's not so bad before bed. It has gotten better with age - good luck!

If you can soak and seal the area it works well. Meaning to wet and then put a lube like unpetroleum jelly on. Our daughter when 3 had debilitating eczema-we finally got it under control when we took her to get allergy tested-big soy allergy. Good Luck.

Hey M.,
I saw your question on mamasource and thought i might be able to help you. My son had eczema on his legs and my cousin told me to use Gentle Naturals by Disney. The cream says Baby Eczema Cream right on the front and piglet and pooh are on the front. The container is light green and pink. I got it at Kingsoopers down the baby isle. Hopefully this cream helps you.
C.

Renew lotion from Melaleuca has worked well for several people I know. Also look at the water you are using to bathe her and if you mix formula in the water. Also, look at your cleaning products (laundry too) and skin care products. What is on the skin can be in the blood in about 30 seconds. Lots of info on water and environmental toxins at livinghealthiernow.com. Let me know if you have any questions or need to get anything.
Take care,
S.

Shea butter works great

I recommend Arbonne. It is botanically based and safe. They offer a 45 day money back guarantee if you are not happy with it. Check out their web site www.arbonne.com and contact me. I have never had a mother not love this for their baby.

My 10 year old son has eczema on his arms and hands. My brother gave me some stuff to try, and it works great for my son! You can buy it at Walmart, its called, "Aquaphor Healing Ointment (Advanced Therapy for dry, irritated skin) by Eucerin. It is a clear salve.

It comes in a 1.75 oz tube, and it's usually somewhere next to the lotion. I think it might be safe for babies, but I would probably check with your doctor first. I am not sure I would put it on your daughter's face, unless u rubbed it in really well. Hope that helps! :)

My son has had eczema issues since he was born. We have done the allergy testing but with them being so little, sometimes the allergies dont show up. So we finally went to a dermatologist and she reccommended CeraVe(I can only find it at Walgreens). It is a lot like the Cetaphil but seems to be less greasy and work a lot better on my little boy. We have also done the wet wrap like one of the other moms suggested. Wash them head to toe with the CeraVe, pat dry and lotion up immediately. Even if you dont want to do the wet part, just make sure they have clothes on that will hold in the moisture and not allow it to evaporate. This is an every day battle, but as long as you get a routine down, it keeps it under control. Good Luck

My son had baby eczema on his face and body for a long time, and when he was about 5 months old the doctor recommended having him tested for food allergies. Turned out that he had an allergy to egg whites, and every time I ate eggs (I was nursing him) he would have flare ups of the eczema. After I stopped eating eggs he got much better. You may check into that.

Maybe she is allergic to milk. I didn't figure this out with my daughter until she was 20 months. As soon as I stopped giving her milk, her eczema is a ton better.

I agree with Kristi. I use ReNew Lotion as well for my eczema and my children's sensitive skin. Plus, I also use it on my 8 month old's tush between diaper changes to keep rashes at bay.

It's called a wet wrap. You bathe your little one in a luke warm bath (I used Cetaphil bath soap) and rub a decent amount of Aquaphor all over the effected areas while she's still wet when skin is most absorbant. Then you put a warm, wet layer of clothing on her, followed by a dry layer and leave her in it overnight. By morning, the rash will be considerably better.

I know it sounds uncomfortable, but my little boy had all-over eczema and he really didn't seem to mind. Aquaphor would be the non-prescription remedy I recommend. My son had to get Triamcinolone from the pediatrician and that's what I would use under his wet wrap. It worked amazingly.

Good luck! I was fortunate and my son hardly fussed over his eczema even though I know it had to be miserable.

Avoid anything with fragrance. The pediatric dermatologist told me, "If it smells good, it's bad for him."

The pediatrician also gave me Zyrtec to give to him at night if it bothered him too much to sleep, but it rarely did.

try Jus --it's an all natural antioxidant drink that has 23 herbs and berries. it does wonders with excema and is safe for kids. my children are on it and they are thriving -- you can tell their immume system is stronger and that's where eczema comes from -- low immune system. My peditritian checked out Jus and said it was great. check out www.yjus.net for testimonials about ezcema. it also has a money back guarantee, so there is no risk. another good website is www.jusglobal.com and if you want to order, go to my website www.myjus23.com/C.

Good luck.
C.

Aquaphor helped my son's poor red cheeks, but the only thing that finally kicked it was Elidel. My pediatrician gave me two tiny sample tubes for free. I only had to use it once and his cheeks were better within hours. I used it a few more times when he started to look pink again, but I just threw the rest away because he didn't need it anymore. This was after nearly two years of his poor cheeks looking so chapped and sore!

My son had severe eczema on his face - we started using Dove unscented soap for bathtime (when soap was needed - otherwise, we just washed with water), and used Cetaphil cream at morning and night. Both can be found at any drugstore, and within a few days we noticed a dramatic improvement. Hope that helps!

So, we went through the same exact thing. The key for us was prevention. Is she on formula yet? She may have a dairy allergy/intolerance. If you're breastfeeding, she may be picking up allergens from what you're eating. Our daughter is intolerant to soy, dairy, wheat and eggs. We went to a nutritionist and got her started on probiotics and fish oil. Has she been on antibiotics or have you while pregnant and/or nursing? That seemed to be a problem for our daughter. This may seem a bit weird at first, but these solutions completely solved our daughters problems that started when she started to eat solids and when we attempted weaning from breastmilk. Figuring out what was causing it worked better than just treating with a steroid cream and lotions. Feel free to write back if you have any questions. Good luck!

My 5 year old has had eczema his whole life. The best things we have found are Eucerin creme ( the creme NOT the lotion) It is a more expensive creme but it does last a long time. Hydrocortisone creme helps the most for a big red flare up, then the Eucerin helps after that.I would try the Eucerin on her face and body when she is just from a bath and not dry her off real well, the moisture helps set the creme in. Hope this helps!
J. Serrano

Try the B. tub of Eucerin cream (we use the Wal-Mart brand--it's way cheaper!) or California Baby lotions. We have had success with both for our kiddos.
Good Luck!

My daughter had baby eczema as well. She is VERY fair - blonde, green eyes and light skin... I had the best luck with Cetaphil cream. Just buy it at Target, Wal Mart, etc in the big white tub with blue lid - appx $12.00. The stuff is awesome! I even use it on my body and face and as make up remover! No perfumes or anything to make you break out.

I would slather it on her after her bath when she was still a little wet, and occasionally apply as needed. Hers was worst behind her knees -even bled once, but the CetAphil really did help.

note: Her eczema wasn't related to anything she was allergic to or eating. If you can't get releif for her, I'd have her seen by the pediatrician in case there is an underlying cause.

Good luck!