Treatments for Eczema

My mother-in-law has had eczema on her hands for years. So when my second son got a patch on his face the Dr. said to try hydrocortizone for about a week. It did not get better. My mother-in-law has tried everything for hers and she gave me some cream that she uses. It cleared it up really fast. You can get it at the pharmacy with no perscription. It is DML Forte. Good luck.

B.

Eczema is no fun...My daughter and I both have it. I have had it since I was little. I use Aveeno bath wash and lotions for both of us and only Aveeno. It has been the best thing that I have found. I was told as a child not to take long baths or use bubbles. The hydrocortizone creams have never worked for me. I don't know where the patch is on him but I have found that I'm more prone to breaking out if I get sweaty like the backs of my knees or inside my elbows. So you might want to watch out for that. I also found that getting a little sun has helped me a lot. Good luck!!!!

My daughter has a mild case of it but, the dr. gave us a sample of protopic and it works great. when it comes back I put it on and it is gone later that day or the next. good luck. (THis is a prescription though)

We did the hydrocortizone, steroid plus lots of other meds route. We finally went to National Jewish. They recommended a 10-15 minute bath once or twice a day. If only once, do it at the end of the day. At the very end of the bath, quickly use either Ivory or Dove soap, unscented and get him out of the bath. Do a light towel dry and while his skin is still wet, slather any rough spots with Vanicream. You can get it at most pharmacies OTC, if you ask. Since doing this, we have not had to use any medications except for a week we spent with family with a cat. The other change we made, is we do not use any fabric softener at all on our son's clothes. It's a bit more wash, but has helped tremendously. I'm so grateful to be off all the meds! His was extremely severe eczema, and now, most days, his skin is normal, even during allergy season. He is on allergy meds, as well, but they did little for his skin before this. GL! I hope he gets better soon!

My husband has psoriasis and this is what we do. Using the steroid medicines thins the skin and causes more rash and hypersensitivity to things such as water. Anyway, what we do is all natural and it works. If he has it in his hair then get tea tree oil shampoo, you can get it at sports clips. Also Flax seed oil. The best way to keep the rash away is to take 1 tablespoon a day and also to rub it on the area before bed. It takes a little while, but it goes away and stays away. You can get the oil at either Fred Meyer or at a health food store. Good luck.

Dry skin like eczema apparently runs in my family, my chiro suggested using nutragena unscented sensitive skin bar soap and the cream lotion in a jar that is fragrence free right after bath at nite and just before dressing for the day. My son had this when he was a baby. Also watch the laundry soap, my step son came to live with me and said his clothes didn't hurt him like they did at his moms.
My sons have since learned how to buy soap for themselves now they're grown.
Good Luck on finding the right stuff it is well worth it.

1. apply raw COCONUT OIL to rash 2-3 times a day (including within 3 minutes of getting out of a bath/shower)
2. switch to ALL-free laundry detergent
3. avoid all foods he's allergic to
4. Soapless baths - use Cetaphil instead.
5. keep his fingernails trimmed so he can't scratch

I've been battling my toddler's eczema for 2 years now. The coconut oil works better than any other cream/oil/gel I've seen. (We avoided using steroids on his skin--the coconut oil worked better anyway.)

We also discovered that my son is allergic to OATS! That cut out many of the possible eczema treatments. So, I can't tell you how well those work.

When we get careless about it, he breaks out again...and we have to be strict about it..and start applying the coconut oil all the time. Once we get it under control, it clears up and I don't have to use any oil or lotion on his skin.

My daughter also has eczema, my moms friend told us to try bathing her in oatmeal (put it in some knee high tights, less mess) then to put desitin on it let it sit for 30 minutes before getting dressed and rub eczema lotion on it. It seems to be working, the hardest part is getting them to sit still for 30 minutes. My daughter gets tired of it. Well i hope that helps and if you have any more questions my email is ____@____.com. S.

Usually eczema is caused by an underlying problem. Usually food allergies, peanut better is a big cause of eczema. Try cutting out common allergens and see if it gets better. Eggs and milk might also cause problems. I wouldn't use the hydrocortizone cream, it is not a good idea for children. Try finding the root of the problem, rather than treating the symptoms.

Hi M.,
My son has yet to have eczema but I recently have had many issues with this. I never had it growing up but in the last year or so I have had issues with patches of this showing up in weird spots. Crooks of my elbows and behind my knees. I tried it all, the same things you tried, and did the cortizone cream with no improvement and it got worse. I finally went back to the doctor and she gave me a prescription for a cream that is a lot stronger. Literally after the first application, the next morning the rash was almost completely gone! I would go back to the doctor and ask for something stronger, otherwise it may just keep getting worse. Hope this helps

Hi!

My son has eczema, and it is also associated with other allergies. We found that mixing the hydrocortisone with Aquaphor helped a lot. You may need a stonger prescription since it gets diluted in the Aquaphor, but there's something about the Aquaphor that really works. My son's eczema improved greatly in the first few days, although it never seems to totally go away. As a general use moisturizer, use Vanicream. You have to ask your pharmacist for it (it's not prescription, but they keep it behind the counter. My sons' allergist recommeneded it since it's really thick but is free of allergens. Hope this helps!

It is possible for the creams not to help... these skin conditions are life long. However you may want to double check with your doctor because I thought my daughter had Eczema and it turned out that she had a skin fungus. So gross! But the doctor said it was really, really common in kids. So they gave her an anti-fungal cream and after about a month of use it cleared up. Hope this helps!

My son had eczema when he was a preschooler. Eucerin creme works great for the itching. I echo the no fabric softener. also no dryer sheets or only use the ones that are scent free. For us (me, my dad, my son), only Bounce doesn't cause skin issues; every other brand is horrid for us. I also echo the need for mild soaps on everything. We use baby All and do a second rinse. my son has issues at my in-laws where they use Tide on his sheets. I actually stash some All at their house for washing clothes. and my son (7) is still using aveeno baby to wash body and hair - everything else brings back the eczema. Ask the DR about antihistamines. Zyrtec cleared up my son's eczema in 2 days and no icky steroid cremes. The comments about elidel below - it works but has a black box warning on it (don't remember what for - but these are bad). Also ask dr about a prescription steroid - we were told to only use it 3 days out of 7 and not more than 2 weeks a month but it would clear things up in 1-2 days; the overcounter didn't touch it. we prefer the antihistamines though. Don't forget to change out your household cleaners too - move to eco friendly; vinegar and baking soda are best. You might try a gluten free and/or lactose free diet for a couple of weeks too.

I get eczema on my hands and just bought some Moisture Therapy lotion from Avon with Oatmeal for itchy skin. I've only used it about 3 times and the dry spots on my hands are practically gone. I've also used vasaline at night to seal the moisture and the aquaphor stuff, both work if you use them consistently.

Good Luck.

Hi M.,

Here are a few products I've used with good success:

1) MyChelle Eczema balm: comes in a stick form, my
youngest loves it! You can find it at Natural Food
Stores or at Mychelleusa.com (it's about $14)
2) If you know someone who buys Melaleuca products (let me
know if you're interested and don't know anyone), the
Renew lotion is great for eczema.
3) Use coconut oil (a small amount) regularly. Buy a good
one at a Natural Food Store. Buy it extra virgin and
unrefined. It's not very expensive and will last a long
time.

L.

Hi M.,

My son has eczema along with allergies and asmtha. I tried everything over the counter. Nothing helped. His doctor finally put him on Betamethazone (Sp??). Works wonders. I put it on at the first sight of eczema. It clears up in one treatment.

Good Luck!

My 15 month old daughter and I both have it and if we use a shea butter lotion it helps right away.

allo --------- I really enjoy a medical site called HSI -- I just got a newsletter from them today telling about atopic eczema being the result of low omega 3 fatty acids -- take a look

and when our son had it on his feet, we put neutragena on them and bread bags to hold the moisture without making a mess in bed over night

I have a product that is non- toxic and and has been clinically tested to fight eczema successfully. I have seen it work as well and it is amazing! If you would like me to mail you a Free sample just let me know and I can get it in the mail for you today.

Look at your laundry detergent too- if you use tide- this product is linked to causing dry skin and eczema.

I look forward to hearing from you!

C.
www.AHomeCareer.com

I know a PA who said products with oatmeal in them are good for eczema. Try finding a gentle soap or lotion that contains it.

We are treating my son's eczema by

1) Taking a fish oil supplement (Nordic Naturals) every day
2) Using a generic version of Eucerin cream
(comes in a tub, not the lotion) 1-2x per day

Yesterday I took him for a NAET (http://www.naet.com/) treatment by our chiropractor Dr. John Daugherty

I hope this helps...

I am sorry for you little man. As was suggested earlier, don't use fabric softener in his wash. My daughter has sensitive skin, not diagnosed with Eczema, but she would get these horrible dry patches all over her body and my PA suggested this. Also when she bathes we only do soap at the end and it is still baby soap even though she is 4. Unfortunately no more bubble baths :-(. When it gets really bad(scratching so much it bleeds) we use the steriod cream that the PA prescribed and that clears it up very quickly (next day or so). I hope this helps.

Take your son to a dermatologist. They are much better at treating that stuff than your pediatrician. There are many options for eczema treatments and a dermatologist will be more familiar with the treatments. Also, medicine is a lot of trial and error; if one cream doesn't work take your son back to the doctor and get a new one.

I don't have experience w/Eczema but I understand that "Pine Tar Soap" has an over the counter monograph for this issue. Vitamin Cottage/Wild Oats, etc. should sell it? "Grandpa's" brand has been around since your grandpa's time. It's drug free, mild, good for other skin disorders and inexpensive. People swear by it. Good luck.

My daughter had a rash for months and the Dr. kept saying it was fine and to put Hydracortizone cream on it. Finally, I pinned down my Dr and explained what was going on and how something needed to be done.
To be honest I can't remember exactly what he told me it was but he perscribed MUPIROCIN ointment. It cleared it up so fast.

My oldest uses the elidel cream and it is pretty good too.

From everything I've read and talked to people about, eczema is an allergy. Many of the comments below are lovely for treating the symptoms, but you definitely need to see if you can find out what's causing it--milk, dairy, etc. I would go get him checked for allergies and try to stop him from eating/using the cause than to treat the issues. Best of luck!

My son has had eczema since he was 9 months old, we've been to many doctors and tried just about everything. the hydrocortizone cream only made his eczema worse. A midwife suggested giving him fish oil and probiotics . It worked wonders . it took about two months to clear up his skin completly, but I highly recommend giving it a try. good luck.

my 18 month old boy has eczema and has had skin problems since he was born. It is finally starting to get better. We have been going to an acupuncturist regularly for treatments, and we have also been playing with cutting out allergen foods like: Dairy(especially cow products) - goat's milk is easier for the body to process because it is more similar to human milk, also we do a combination of rice milk and almond milk which makes a complete protein. Then there is wheat, eggs, citrus fruits and tomatoes. It sounds like a lot but you can to it one at a time until you find the food that they are sensitive to. Then there is a treatment called NEAT done by acupuncturists and other alternative health care professionals that actually treats the sensitivity and they should be able to handle that food.
This has really been a process for us, but it is important to work with the root cause of eczema rather than the symptoms. There are a lot of links between eczema and asthma and usually eczema comes first then using topical steroid creams and hydrocortizone cream just suppresses it and can drive it deeper into the body.

My son gets horrible eczema. The only thing that has worked for him is to get flax seed oil and cetafil. Mix 2 parts cetafil with 1 part flax seed oil. Keep it in the fridge and create a nightly ritual to rub it on the patches. I saw improvement within 2 days, plus it helped him relax and sleep better which also improves everything.

Hope you and he get some relief soon.

We went through dealing with eczema with my son several years ago. We tried the cortisone creams (helped a little but kept needing stronger doses--certainly not a cure). We tried elimination diets--learned a lot about food allergies. What I learned after several years of searching for solutions was that eczema is usually allergy-based. Stress can also be a factor. Food allergies were a big issue and poor digestion is often a factor with that. Changing his diet and incorporating probiotics helped somewhat but didn't clear it.
I finally took him for BioSET therapy. By the next day after just the first treatment his eczema had cleared about 80%. That certainly caught my attention! Shifts were not that dramatic after the first treatment but over time with continuing treatments it cleared. He is now able to eat most foods (whole foods, we still avoid artificial colorings and flavorings and refined products because they're just bad). BioSET is noninvasive, gentle and safe. You might want to google it to see if you can find a practitioner in your area.
I would also add that I believe it is important to combine these treatments with a healthy diet of whole foods, perhaps eliminating problematic foods for a time while going through the treatments. Also, look at dealing with any stress factors in his life. All conditions will respond better to treatment when you follow an approach of caring for the whole person (physical, emotional, mental, etc.).
Good luck!
B.

M.,

My 6 yr old has the same thing it gets much worse in the summer, not sure if it allergies, sun exposure, swimming pool or what the ONLY thing I have found that works I learned from my Chiropractor last year, I then did more investigating at Vitamin Cottage is "Borage Oil".
This has absolutely no taste comes in gel liquid capsule or pure oil the pure oil which is easier to take for the little ones. I found I had to special order it. It is called Borage Liquid Gold.
I found this is the ONLY thing that will help reduce and eventually with faithful daily doses will remove the rash completely. Good Luck hope it works for you as well as it did for us.

Eczema is a common condition in children. If the rash is eczema it will respond to skin rehydration, decrease in inflammation (redness), control of the itching, and quickly treating flares as they arise.
1. hydrocortisone is too weak of a topical steroid to use for eczema flares. often times a medium potency strength steroid is needed - applied twice a day to rash until redness / dryness improves then it is stopped (usually within a couple weeks). the steroid should be an ointment based medication. ointments should always be used in colorado given the dryness.
2. bathing should be decreased to every other day. only soap areas of groin, feet, and visibly dirty skin. soap to use: dove sensitive skin body wash (liquid) or cetaphil soap. warm water not hot. after bathing blot do not rub skin dry. then apply a thick layer of moisturizer (cetaphil cream (out of the tub) or if skin is really irritated use the topical steroid in areas of rash and vaseline (unscented thick plain old vaseline). the skin should be a little moist and not dry when applying the moisturizer. then have your child put on long johns or pajamas to help seal in the moisture.
3. eczema is often referred to as the itch that rashes. scratching the skin makes it worse. ask you doctor for an antihistamine. have your child take a sedating antihistamine at night time and a non-sedating anti-histamine during the day until all rash and symptoms are gone (sometimes for a month or longer). trim his fingernails.
4. if the skin has open sores, yellow crusts or looks otherwise infected a round of antibiotics is needed. eczema is often made worse by skin infections and treating the infection can dramatically improve the rash.
5. severely inflammed skin can be treated with wet wraps:
- moisten skin as after bathing etc, apply vaseline or steroid ointment.
- moisten a pair of pajamas (or if the area is only bad on the hands/feet socks can be used) wring out any excess water until just damp. dress the child in the damp pajamas or cover the area involved with the moistened clothing.
- cover the moist layer with a dry layer of similar clothing.
- this process creates humidity right next to the skin and will help it heal more quickly. the process usually works within 5 days. it is best to apply at night time so it can be left on over night. but if not it should be left on for 4-6 hours.

there is always a chance that this rash is not eczema. other rashes can look similar. if your child does not improve with the above recommendations you should request a visit to a pediatric dermatologist.

There is a diaper ointment called Butt Paste. Use the regular one that is used for diaper area, not the whole body one as it is thicker. It still can be used anywhere on body. Keep it out of the eyes. I used it on my son who had a rash and irritated flaky skin that wouldn't heal when he was born. With the first application I could tell a huge difference, and kept using everyday for a while. He is now almost four months old and I haven't used it on his face in a while, just use regular baby lotion and he looks great.

aloe vera gel, and if exzema's anything like psoriasis, which i have, it won't go away. stress makes it worse. any ointment probably will work well enough. i would do a study on it. psoriasis can be treated by the sun.

I have a friend whose daughter has eczema and she tried prescription creams and nothing worked until I had her try a product I sell called Renew from Melaleuca. It has been clinically proven to be better than the leading prescription lotion - I have some if you want to try it. I'm not trying to make sales - I just know from my friend's experience how uncomfortable it was for her daughter and I would like to help if I can. Just e-mail me at A. <dot> moreno <at> gmail <dot> com.

My dd got it really bad I switched to aveeno baby for everything and then I also use Vanicream 3 times a week and I haven't dealt with it in over 6 months.

Both my 8 yr old and my 2 year old have eczema, they have both had it since they were little babies. The things i have learned in 8+ years is first of all do not use lotion, it is mostly water with alcohol and can sting the skin and can make the eczema worse. Second, use hydrocortizone ointment, not cream, it sticks to the skin better than the cream. Use oil, any kind of oil but plant oils are best as they absorb into the skin better than mineral oils, olive is good. When my 8yr old's skin is really bad I will put the hydrocortizone ointment on, then oil, then diaper rash cream (to hold in the moisture), wrap her legs in plastic wrap(to hold in heat) and put on a blanket sleeper. I know it seems like alot but it really does help. The best oil and diaper rash cream I have found is Arbonne Baby Care line. I started selling Arbonne just so I could get the discount on baby stuff. Good luck, feel free to email if you have any questions.

Try some Aloe Vera Gel. Its a clear gel that you can get it at Kmart near the Pharmacy isle. It helps to relieve the "itchy" feel & the dryness. Works as a general lotion or on the spot areas, you can also use it in your hair after you've washed it :)

A. :)

Hi! My 5 1/2 year old daughter is also struggling with eczema. I can get it under control at times, but it hasn't gone away. I did find some products that help: Sensi-Clean Shampoo & Body Gel and Laundry Detergent from www.atsko.com. They are fragrance free and don't leave a residue. I also like Coloplast Atrac-tain Cream found at www.sweenstore.com. Her skin usually flares up when we spend time outdoors. Her older brothers had the same problem. Luckily, they have outgrown the condition. The comments others have given has given me more ideas as well. I've used Aveeno Bath which has oatmeal. That is nice. I bathe her every other day. I have used almost all the prescription creams: Elidel, Triamcinolon (sp?), etc. They help for brief periods of time but the steroids scare me. So, we're always in search of a reason it's happening so we can hopefully find a "cure." Good luck with your son!

I know you posted this a while ago and i'm not sure if you still have the problem but you should try Shaklee's Creamy Baby Oil. My son had eczema spots all over his legs and the Shaklee Creamy Baby Oil cleared it up in a few days. You can order it at www.shaklee.net/L.

What your doing is great. I have used Cetaphil cream on my son (it's about $10 a bottle) but it works. Also, we used a fragrance dye free goats milk soap (natural on him when he was little and it helped. When it got really bad the doctor had me give him Benedryl because it itches to keep him from scratching.
Good luck!

My son has food allergies (have you checked for those?) as well as eczema. Here is what we do every night. Right now (for the last couple years this has worked well) his skin is doing really well. He takes a bath or shower and then we immediately put steroid where ever he has a flare up (crooks of arms, knees, wrists, etc). Then we put vanicream (recommended by National Jewish)all over his skin. The key is to do it right after bath time. Good luck.
Ali

Here are the things we tried that both worked and didn't work for my daughter. Her eczema is worse when she has dairy products. I see that other people mention food-related outbreaks, too. You might try some experiments of withholding certain food groups and see if there's an improvement.

1) Elidel (prescription required) - DIDN'T work. Caused her to scream in pain all night and claw at her skin. I finally figured out what was going on and bathed her twice to get it all off. This side effect is mentioned in the literature.

2) Triamincinolone (sp?) (prescription required) - DOES work. Used sparingly for a few days when there are outbreaks. Not meant for daily long-term use. If used daily and long-term, all cortisone-based creams thin the skin and can make the condition worse. Directions say to use for no more than 10 days at a time with a few weeks off between use. We've only had to use 2-3 days at a time and usually several weeks apart.

3) Eucerin Calming Creme - DOES work. This is the best one I've found for her skin. No side effects. Can be used as often as needed.

4) Aquaphor - DIDN'T work.

5) Vanicream - Works okay. Best for faces. Not great on other body parts.

6) Bag Balm - Works okay.

7) 2 warm baths daily -- without any bubble baths - DOES work. Soap used only every 3rd day or so and at the very end of the bath. Rinsed in clean water.

8) Cetaphil Soap for sensitive skin - DOES work.

Good luck!

I use the thick eucerin CREAM (comes in a tub) for mine. If I catch it quickly it usually only takes a couple of applications. You'll probably have to put it on every night for a while.

California Baby - Super Sensitive is a great shampoo and body wash. They also have lotion. We have been using this for about 3 months and My son's eczema is under control.

http://www.californiababy.com/super-sensitive-limited-tim...

Good luck!!

My daughter had eczema and the only thing that worked was Cetaphil CREAM...in the jar. Not the lotion. Also we used the cetaphil bar soap. There's a liquid soap but we didn't try that. Green & white packaging. Good luck.

Hello,

I have a 2 and a half month old daughter who also has been suffering from eczema. My doctor told me to let her soak in a warm bath for about 20 minutes a night, and then apply petroleum jelly to the rash 2 times a day. The rash is nearly gone and it has been about a week. She also told me if worse comes to worse to use a hydrocortizone cream but only for a week at the longest, due to the fact it is a steroid and will thin out a child's skin. Hope this helps!

AQUAPHILIC!!! When my 4 1/2 year old son's exzema acts up, we smother him with this stuff. This stuff is a God send! You can get practically anywhere. If you go to Kings, you will need to ask the pharmicist for it. It's in a round white tub with black lettering. Don't get the one with blue lettering! Let me know how it works for him!

aquaphor will help to heal the patches and did the dr tell you to limit baths and pools this could also be iritating it. excess water drys out the skin . eczema needs moisture. i would go back to your regular soaps.

Ask your doctor for Elidel. It's a non-steroid prescription cream for eczema. We used it for both our boys and it worked well.
Also, no soap and very little water to wash affected area with. Use cetaphil cleanser without water except in the bath. Keep the water cool and the bath brief. Use cetaphil cream after each cleansing, too.

Here's what worked for my toddler. We tried everything, and finally, Vaseline worked. If the area got cracked and bloody, it occasionally got infected, in which case we stopped using Vaseline and switched to some type of prescription cream that came from the doctor.

My daughter has suffered from Eczema for quite some time now and is currently going through a flare-up. The first treatment was Elidel (when it first came out) Worked okay. Since then, she has tried a couple of different RX's from the dr and they seem to do the trick. I can't remember what they are called (Thought I had them handy but don't). When she take a bath or shower, I have her stay away from any fruity/flowery smelling types of body wash. I have her use IVORY which is very mild or (and I drew a blank again) an oatmeal body wash.. Also mild and doesn't irritate the skin.

My mom had it when she was little and said that she grew out of it.. I only hope my daughter does as well... During her flare-ups, she is miserable. I give her benadryl once in a while or put hydrocortisone on it but doesnt help with the itching. Good luck.

All three of my kids have eczema. It's hard to deal with. There are so many factors as to why breakouts happen. With my kids here is what has helped the most. For the patches you can actually see- put the hydrocortisone cream on those spots 2-3 times a day. After every bath, put on a good lotion. My doctor suggested Aquaphor. It looks almost like Vasaline, it works really well because it seals the skin and protects it. If your little boy has been swimming, chlorine is going to aggravate the condition, so make sure to bathe him/rinse right after swimming. Then do lotion again. Also, changing soap will help as long as you consistently use the same one. I use Dove for Sensitive Skin that is scent free. You need to be aware of your laundry soap too. Don't use dryer sheets at all with his clothes and try to use a dye free/ allergy formula. The one other thing I can think of is do anything you can to keep him from scratching. My kids will scratch spots that "itch" that don't even have a rash which is common. A lot of the time it itches before you even see the red patches. I hope this helps you and it gets better. It will take a bit while you are changing soaps, etc. before it gets better. Good luck!

My daughters have eczema and say the hydrocortizone cream hurts especially if its a bad patch. We use Cetifil and Eucerin lotion after every bath. You spread on the cetifil (yes its a soap but its sooo mild and it softens the skin so the lotion doesn't hurt) then right away put on the eucerin lotion. It works great. You can use it all day or I just put it on after baths as a reventative. My Family has such sensative skin and we have tried every thing (Including scalp oil, it worked but left everything oily) I noticed that if I do this regularly it clears up and spots and helps prevent new eczema from breaking out. Good luck!

Hi. Have you tried the Arbonne line of baby products? http://www.arbonne.com/products/baby/wash.asp
one of the ladies in my moms group is a consultant and several ladies in the group have used the products with a great deal of success in treating Eczema.
good luck!

here is a page that talks about Arbonne and Eczema more:
http://www.topix.com/forum/health/eczema/TNFDQ9DD8S5OL6BQE

My son has eczema and recently had a bad case of it. I took him to an allergist because I thought food was causing it to breakout. She gave me a prescription jelly. It works great. Have your doctor give you a prescription stregnth cream.

I have had eczema my whole life and my 5 year old son also gets patches of it from time to time. Steroid creams work, but they only suppress it until you stop using the steroid cream, then it comes back worse. We use Cetaphil cream, not lotion, on all our bad spots and it works really well for both of us.

Good luck!

Hi M.,

I'm an RN and also an Area Manager with Arbonne International. My daughter had eczema as well when she was younger and the Arbonne products cleared it right up. Arbonne products are all botanically based. That means that they use flowers, plants and herb extracts to heal the skin rather than harsh chemicals. I'm happy to offer you a discount if you'd like to try it! Also, we have a 45 day money-back guarantee and I can show you some before and after results pictures! Let me know how I can help!

Blessings,
J. B

My son had eczema then we took him off dairy and now he just has dry skin like most Coloradans.

My girlfriend had eczema all her life. She went off dairy when she was nursing her third who seemed to be milk intolerant. And her eczema cleared up.

Try taking him off dairy or have him tested for food allergies.

Egyptian Magic - find and buy online

Hi M.,

My 2 boys have multiple food intolerances. Gluten, eggs, soy, and dairy.

Eczema is a common sympton of gluten intolerance.(wheat, barley, oats, and rye), sometimes the only symptom. It can onset at any time, sometimes not until adulthood.

Since the classic treatments for eczema are not working, it may well be food related. We always associate food reactions to the stomach, but it does not always manifest that way. It might be worth it to take him off of gluten for a week or so and see if it improves. You may be very surprised. Kids with gluten problems often have trouble with dairy and soy also.

Watch what he is eating and how his eczema responds.

Feel free to contact me directly about this. I have tons of recipes I could share with you.

Regards, L. (____@____.com)

My daughter has eczema also and her dr gave her a prescription strength cream that works great. It's called Elidel and after putting it on the affected area twice a day for a few days the eczema is completely gone. I would ask your dr for a stronger cream.

My neighbor is a distributor for melalueca and they have an amazing product called Renew- lotion & cream. A friend of mine tried it on her daughter after spending lots of $$ on expensive perscriptions- her daughter has seen better results with renew then with the perscription- awesome stuff. If you want her contact info let me know & I will get it for you. :) best wishes.

things that have worked for my kids are eucerin lotion, oatmeal baths (you can buy the packets in the lotion/bath section), fewer baths, clothing that doesn't irritated the skin, and when my son had it the worst his doctor put him on a steriod and beadryl treatment for about 10 days. at that point his entire body was covered in the excema rash though. you should also know that this is one of the worst times for excema. spring and fall season changes make my kids flare up every year. good luck!

Hi-
My daughter is 2 years old and just finished with a wild bout of eczema. Seems to have appeared when I started bathing her everyday in the summer. My daughter's allergist recommended a cream called Vanicream. You can get it at the grocery store but you have to go to the pharmacy and ask for it, no prescription needed. They make lotion, soap, shampoo all sorts of soap type items. After using for about a week, my daughter's rash cleared up. A couple of other bits of advice I received. Don't bath him in hot water. Try to keep the bath water as cool as he will tolerate. Don't bath him everyday, if possible. On the days I think my daughter can pass on the bath I just wipe her down with a washcloth. Finally, if you do bath him everyday, don't use soap every day. If I bath multiple days in a row, I just use soap on her bottom and her hair/face. This has seemed to work for me, hope it helps you.

Hi M.,

My thoughts on your son's rash is that it probably isn't allergy (seasonal) related, because he's had it for months. Which makes me think that it can be some environmental exposure and/or possibly Candida.
With the Candida, their intestinal flora is out of wack, so to speak. You would want to reduce dairy products, artificial sweetners and sugar, from his diet.
Lastly, you might want to try some supplements such as an intestinal probiotic/prebiotic, garlic and GLA.
I am a Shaklee distributor and have gleaned this information from a group of other distributors that have addressed these issues before, so there is no medical advice here.
There is one distributor that has put together a whole Candida elimination diet, which she says takes about 16 weeks to see results. If, you'd like me to forward that to you, send me an email and I'll send it along with any other info you may want about our products.
I think it would be well worth it, just to try our probiotic/prebiotic product with your son and see if that makes any immediate changes. The link on my website to that product is: http://www.shaklee.net/sowing4health/product/Optiflora

Good luck and God bless,
L.

hello, my daughter also has eczema. My Doc told me to use hydrocortizone cream as well, but to follow up with Curel lotion especially immediatly following a bath. When she does have rash spots, I treat twice a day until it clears. The curel lotion helps a lot. Eczema clears with good moisture. My husband suffers from it as well, and it completly goes away in humid climates. Maybe use a humidifier in his room at night. Good luck

Both of my kids - 2.5 yrs and 4.5 months have eczema. We have managed pretty well and only use the prescription ointment when absolutely necessary. However, it is a constant battle - us against their skin! Our favorite cream (use only cream, not lotions) is Vanicream - it's the best we've found and we've tried everything (aquafor, Cetaphil, vasaline, eucerin, aveeno, moisturel). The Vanicream is more effective than the others and not nearly as greasy. Vanicream also makes other products. We use their soap and sunscreen as well. Another plus with the Vanicream is that it doesn't contain any preservatives, parabens, lanolin, fragrance, or coloring. Also, our allergist just told us that we should be "soaking" our kids in the tub for about 15 minutes and then applying "wet wraps" - I had not heard of this and am curious to try it out. They said to hydrate first in the water, rub on the cream as soon as you can after bathing, and then wrap the irritated areas with wet cloth. Our kids generally get the worse patches behind their knees and on their elbows. So, for them, the doctor suggested using damp adult tube socks for the knees and old shirt sleeves (cut off) for the elbows. Once the wet wraps are in place, put on dry clothes and leave the wraps in place while the kids are sleeping. It sounds a bit messy but the allergist swore by this method.

Good luck!

Try collodial oatmeal. You can find it in the area where you buy over the counter medicine. It is oatmeal ground into a fine powder. You add it to the bath water and soak in it. My neighbor tried it with her daughter who has eczema and it really helped. It has also really helped me with dry skin.