Dry Skin - Frederick,MD

Olive oil, jojoba oil, and vaseline all work as lubricants. (I prefer olive oil in the summer and on my face always, and vaseline in the winter. A light film of vaseline on infants and toddlers.) A good lotion is Lubriderm. A doctor once recommended Eucerin cream for my daughter, which was very thick but worked. For soap, you might want to try Dove. All of these tend to help people with dry skin and/or eczema. I stopped using Johnson & Johnson products, which smell great but can irritate sensitive skin. Eczema tends to run in my family and my husband's family, so when our son started breaking out around 5 mos. we switched to olive oil and Dove immediately. No problems with him or my daughter.

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter has very dry skin, too. It is somehow connected to her asthma. Anyway, in the winter she gets these bumps all over her and it is called keratosis pilaris (someone else mentioned here, too). I use something called Dermadoctor KP duty. It is very expensive but it works wonders. I order from Sephora but you can order it directly from www.Dermadoctor.com. It was highly recommended and does everything it promised. You only need a little bit especially if it is just on her arms. It "eliminates dryness, crustiness, flaking and rough red chicken skin bumps." You can also try AmLactin moisturizing cream. It is cheaper than KP duty but still pretty expensive. You can get it at CVS. It also works great on VERY dry skin. It has a mediciney odor but it goes away quickly. My daughter's problem is pretty extreme and the AmLactin did a great job but she just needs a little more help. What I have noticed, in this case, is the cheaper lotions/creams just don't cut it. You may have to spend a little more but if you use it wisely, it will go a long way.

Hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

My daugther has very dry skin also. The pediatrician gave her a prescription of cream that has been taking care of it. I tried many kinds of lotion/cream from drugstore on her before. None of them really work. Good Luck.

Wow - great variety of responses! I agree with all the moms that it could be any of an assortment of things, BUT in my experience, my DSD also had the dry skin, and little bumps...her arms almost felt scaly. I never knew what it was...but she didn't seem to mind. I wasn't married to my husband at the time, so I didn't take her to the doctor for it, but after we got married, I noticed it went away...so maybe it was just her age and she grew out of it (which I'm sure your daughter will also since it's the same location, etc), or it was the diet change (her grandma would give her junk food/kid food that was higher in fat, sugar, etc, but I give her low fat/low sugar foods high in fiber and protein). If you are already giving her daily vitamins, healthy foods, etc, then I'm sure it's just an age thing and she will be fine in a few years. :)

Hello C.,
Try using Cetaphil lotion. My daughter has very dry skin and this ususally clears it right up. It's a bit pricey compared to regular lotions. You can get it anywhere Wal-Mart, Walgreens etc...

K. working Mother of 2

It could be Keratosis Polarisis. My daughter has it. She gets dry patches that can get a little red and bumpy on the backs of her arms, cheeks, and upper thight. We've been to the dermatologist when it gets really bad. It is hereditary, and will eventually go away on its own (when she is older teen-adult).
We treat her skin with Cetaphil lotion and Eucerin Plus intensive body repair lotion. Both of then together works great and keeps her skin from getting really bad, which usually happens in the winter.

Try another lotion and make sure to keep her in long sleeves. Young skin is very tender and can dry easily in the cold.

I'm a little late on this thread.
I agree about the dietary changes; especially the Omegas. Excema comes from the liver not doing it's job in the most efficient way. . Acupuncture can also help with this. Keep your family well hydrated with good quality filtered water as well.

We use Aveeno Soothing Lotion on my daughter for her skin. She has eczema and it is the only thing that really helps to heal her dry and itchy skin!

aquaphor or eucerin
just after bath before bed but also a couple of other times a day
might work for dad too!

My daughter has the same issue. The doctor says it is a form of eczema. We use Eucerin products which have helped tremendously. We slather it on her morning and evening and it seems to keep the really dry skin away.

hi C., some of the expensive commercial oils, lotions and unguents work, but for most folks your best bet is to stay as natural as possible. i would try pure olive oil (i add a couple of drops of lavender oil to mine but you probably should avoid that with a kid this young) or unrefined coconut oil. use it after the bath and then with soft long sleeves (flannel is great).
khairete
S.

I had something similar though it was very small bumps not necessarily the flakey skin I associate with dry skin. My Mom used to say it was vitamin D deficency. Both my children have it now too. As an adult woman, it is gone but I don't know when it left or why. My mom used to make sure that I got extra vitamin D. Our pediatrician has seen it but isn't concerned with it, so unless it really bothers your daughter or you, just know that it will eventually go.

My son is the same, like his father. His knees get the same way too. I had a prescription cream from the doctor and that helped. His doctor said he has mild excema. For the past 4 years I have used Aaveno liquid bath soap for dry/sensitive skin and Aaveno body lotion after the shower - daily. You don't have to use the baby version - the ingredients are the same as the one for adults. Costco sells it sometimes in bulk.

Try Vanicream. It can usually be special ordered from any pharmacy. At our Target, it's typically there the next day. Can also be ordered online. We order from dermadoctor.com. Both my sons have ezcema and Vanicream has been the only lotion that seems to help.

Try Cetaphil. You can get it over the counter at Wal-mart. I would suggest the cream. It is about $12 but last a long time. It is not with the regular lotion but more with the makeup/facial cleaners. It worked for my 7 yr old.
Good Luck, B.

Hi. Could be psoriasis. I actually just went to dermatologist. This condition, I was told, could very well be hereditary. See the doctor and he will prob. prescribe a cream that takes care of this for your babe and your husband! Good Luck!

It could be a mild case of ezcema. My children have it every winter as well. I use organic lotions which I offer. If interested, feel free to checkout my site at www.shaklee.net/Z.

We've been dealing with this with my son, and it's almost certain my daughter will be the same. We started using the Equate Advanced Healing skin protectant lotion (it's the Wal-Mart brand comparable to Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion). We put it on our son after his shower in the morning and before he goes to bed every night. His skin has improved dramatically in just 10 days. I know that sounds kind of like a commercial, but it's been really great! He even got a terrible rash at school b/c the soap dried his hands out too much-it was like an allergic reaction. That cleared up in like 30 hours, compared to the week before when it lasted for 7 days which was before we started using this lotion. We were using some baby eczema cream and baby lotion. It didn't even begin to solve the problem like this does.

It has a name and is a deffiency, you need more omega 3-6-9 in your diet! Look it up online and see how to get it.
Smart balance has a peanut butter with omega 3 in it. Coconut oil inside and out is superior to good health too.
It healed my sons sunburn this past summer over night by 90%, great stuff!!! Cook with it!!

well first i would have the dr look at it. but you can use olive oil or even baby oil on it straight out of bottle. the other thing is amlactin lotion or straight lanolin

A few people in my family have dry skin and/ or eczema, and my daughter has it too. I think I've tried just about every lotion on the market, and some perscription remedies as well. For the money, I'd say Aveeno is the hands-down best solution (mid-range price on the spectrum). It's a tad pricier than most other drug store lotions, but Rite Aid does carry a cheaper, generic version. My daughter hated a lot of the lotions we tried because they felt either greasy or sticky (and most didn't work at all). Aveeno works -- also doesn't leave any icky residue. (personally, not a big fan of oils or vaseline which can clog pores -- especially on flaky skin -- and create other skin problems).

Our doctors recommended that she put the lotion on after her bath/shower while she is still wet, pat dry with towel to seal in extra moisture, and then reapply the lotion.

As for causes, not sure. Staying well-hydrated and getting enough vitamins is helpful. In my daughter's case, identifying a couple of minor food allergies alleviated most of the problem. Now she has no more eczema and very rarely has dry skin (though she still uses Aveeno after every shower as a preventative measure).

best luck!

P.S. great suggestion from Linda about the Omega-3s. I started taking flaxseed oil (the fish oil upset my stomach), and it made big difference for my own skin --also good for cardio-vascular health. (our under-consumption of Omega 3s is probably why the Japanese statistically outlive us).

Dear C.,
I take a product called Juice Plus+ that actually leaves my skin soft and supple as a baby's. All it is is fruits and veggies in a capsule! (It also comes in gummies and chewables and is safe and beneficial for all ages). I cannot promise that your husband and daughter will have the same response, but I can say that having softer skin is common among those who take it.
I love this product so much that I became a rep eight years ago! If you like to know more, either email me at ____@____.com or visit my website at www.jpjenn.com.
Here's hoping you find the right solution for your family!
Blessings,
J. F.

Renew lotion by Melaleuca. Completely transformed my son's eczema in a month. He was so severe and covered head to toe at 7 mos. to the point that his eyes were swelling up and nothing was working! www.melaleuca.com is the website. You have to be a member to get the PC price (Preferred Customer)! But I love all their products. I can even use their scented laundry products and it doesn't affect his skin. I even make my own wipes w/their products because if I try to go back to even the sensitive skin, or fragrance free wipes in the store, in 1 day's time he is broken out on his bottom! It has been a life saver for our family! And they have great cleaners that aren't strong chemically. OK, enought of my plug for Melaleuca, I just love it!

Try to stay with natural products like Renew Intensive Skin Therapy you can apply this all over your body. You can get this at www.saferisbetter.com/yourwellness. Also try Sealogix Omega-3 it is ultra-concentrated, safe & effective you can get this at www.trilogyonline.com/mariewolters

All of us in this family have had the same thing! My husband suffered the worst. I have eczema really bad but do not suffer with it any longer. We have tried so many lotions and creams, with and without steroids, until we found a WONDERFUL lotion. A friend shared it with me a couple of yrs ago and I'd love to share it with you.

This is all I ever used on my son's bottom when he was a baby. Never needed diaper rash cream, ever!

Let me know when's a good time and I'll share all I have found out with you. It's clinically proven to be 7x better than Eucerin. And I love the fact that it's all natural too.

Take Care,
N. :) SAHM homeschooling 3 boys and married to my Mr. Wonderful for 15 yrs. I love to help other moms, who want to become SAHMs, reach that goal!

My son has eczema and we use eucerin cream (lotion evaporates too quickly) or aquafor cream (it's like a thicker ointment) both are rather expensive but i have found little else that works. His is on the backs of arms and outside of legs as well as "hot spots" all over at times. He got an rx from the doctor that is non-steroidal called, atopiclair, that's good too,(but expensive also)but we use hydrocortisone if it gets really bad. (sparingly though and not every day) (**1% on body and 1/2% on face**) hope this helps!!

C.,

Have you heard of Arbonne International? I love their skin care products. They have products for everyone in the family. No more dry skin in our house.

Contact me if you would like more info.

Merry Christmas, K. Hayes
____@____.com ###-###-####

Hi there, I too suffer from dry skin and has since I was a child. Try Johnson baby oil followed by the lotion. That is still my remedy today. Johnson's also has a creamy pertroleum jelly that is really good as well.

Talk with her doctor about they might refer you to a dermatoligest then they might give you a cream ( one that isn't over the counter) to help also try Alvenno expensive but it works they have lotions and soaps.

Hello,

my son had that problem, we couldn't use lotion because it didn't hold him at all, we use cream instead of lotion. example instead of saying lotion, it should say cream and when they get out of the tub, don't dry completely than use the cream. also mention it to her doctor, they might have something

I've had dry skin all my life; now my youngest daughter does too. After many years of wasting money on all kinds of fancy creams, I have concluded that you cannot beat plain ol' Vaseline. Slather it on her, put her in flannel PJs and the next morning things will be greatly improved.

Hi C.,
My whole family suffers from really dry skin. There are 3 options to combat it.
#1. Just using a lotion is not enough. You have to use a really good soap. I have used "Gentle Naturals Eczema Baby Wash" on my 5yo since he was 3 months. I have tried every baby wash out there and this works the best by far.
#2. We use "Gentle Naturals" lotion. Very heavy but I out it on him at night after his shower and it works great.
#3. The best thing is to install a water filtration system to remove all the chlorine. Just think of how dry your skin feels when you get out of a pool. WEll, you are bathing in that everyday. It is easy to install and not too expensive. Check out the Whirlpool®
Central Water Filtration System from Lowe's. It makes a ton of difference.
Have a great holiday!!!

My son was just as you descibed and was diagnosed with exema, although there was no rash or redness. Apparently there are varying degrees of severity. Our ped recommended dove mild soap, avoid daily bathing as even the water dries the skin and hydrocortisone cream. Really helped him, but it recurs so we have to be diligent. hope this helps!

This could be a keratosis (check out keratosis pilaris on dermadoctor.com). If so, its chronic and the best thing is diligent use of lotions and avoiding overdrying the skin. If you stop, the problem comes back. You can try all the expensive and goopy lotions like I did but the tried and true that I am sure to use regularly is Vaseline Intensive Care products. I spot use hydrocortisone cream if my daughter's gets out of control.

Hi C.,
Sorry if I'm a little late chiming in... Both of my kids have this. They have very sensitive skin. Neither could tolerate Johnson & Johnson. We did 2 things: 1. Started using Aveeno lotions and body wash. 2. Got a water softner system for our house.

Made a big difference.
M.

My daughter had the same type of trouble especially in the winter time. My pediatrician suggested Baby or regular aquaphor. You can get it in any where target,walmart,cvs and babies r us to name a few. It works really well. Try putting it on right after you have given her a bath while her skin is still damp it will soften the skin better. Good luck.

My son has excema and his skin is really dry. Some information that was helpful to me was to make sure when you bathe her, you pat her almost dry and then apply whatever lotion you are going to use to help lock in the moisture. We have a prescription ointment but in between the application of that we use vaseline. One of the better lotion finds that we've been using lately is Cetaphil. I have used it on my own skin and it's very helpful and also dermatologist recommended. Hope that helps.

Hi C.,

My son had dry skin on the front side of his armpits. The doctor said to try Eucerin (sp?) or Aquaphor. Both can be found at Target, Walmart, drug or grocery stores. Aquaphor is made by Eucerin but is much thicker. I would coat the Aquaphor on my son (not easy since tough since touching his armpits made him giggle and squirm)after his bath. It really did the trick.

Hi, C.! Just wanted to make a small suggestion that may help. I write for a health website and recently included this in an article as it has helped me and others. Many people with dry patches of skin need help from the inside out- particularly Omega 3s. I got my son hooked on salmon (fresh from Alaskan waters and flash-frozen) when he could begin to eat solids. Also V8, lol. Anyhow, the oils in the salmon are great for your skin and you can tell a difference if you eat it at least 3 times a week (hopefully you like it), within 6 weeks. If you do not like salmon, try Carlson Laboratories Very Finest Lemon Flavored fish oil, which is available at the VitaminShoppe.com. I take a tablespoon everyday and eat salmon; it has done wonders for my skin (less wrinkles, more moist) and it has anti-inflammatory properties, which help me with inflammation due to back injuries. The pain goes away when I take it. It tastes incredibly good- not fishy. I drink it from the bottle, lol. But it is also very good in chicken noodle soup, tomato juice, soup, V8, almost any type of soup. It adds a great lemon flavor, no fish taste. One more thing, make sure she drinks enough water. You will notice a difference in four to six weeks, in both your hubby's skin and your daughter's. Good luck and happy holidays!
L.