My 2 Year Old Has Extremely Dry Skin, Any Recommendations on a Good Lotion?

Hi R.,
I'm a nutritionist and 95% of kids and adults with extremely dry skin patches and eczema improve dramatically or have complete reversal in symptoms by targeting the root of the problem: Food allergies and/or Omega 3 fatty acid deficiency. Have you ever given your boy a good quality Cod Liver Oil? Infants and kids needs a LOT of healthy fats for their growing bodies not to mention their brains.

A 2 year old should be consuming at least 6 Tablespoons of healthy fats daily including Cod Liver Oil. You can mix it into their food and they don't even know it's there. The good quality Cod Oil does not taste fishy (just oily). Nordic Naturals is a great brand found in Health Food Stores. Coconut Oil is also fabulous for kids and skin health.

Here are some detailed recommendations from my site on essential healthy fats and how important they are for everything from brain health to immune system and the skin:
http://tinyurl.com/5unhlr

You will be blown away at the dramatic effect adding good oils to his diet can be for his skin. Your little body is just starving for them.

Removing foods he is sensitive to (i.e. pasteurized cow milk products) could also cause a huge improvement. Most Eczema is caused by or made worse by processed dairy. For over 10 yrs I have seen complete reversal by just removing foods causing the skin inflammation.

In summary, rubbing lotions on his skin or taking toxic medications will never really fix the problem until you correct the underlying cause of the severely dry skin patches. His skin symptom is a sign that something is wrong. I urge you to fix the problem from the inside out! Contact me if you need any further suggestions.

-A. R., CN

1 mom found this helpful

HI R.,
Sounds like he has excema. My 3 year has it too with the same symptoms and we discovered it right before he turned 2 and he would scratch until he bled. Those patches are usually linked with an allergy. I found that his came out when I used soap. So he can only get oatmeal baths. Aveeno collidal oatmeal baths were so expensive after a while, that I started blending raw oatmeal to a really fine powder and putting it in his bath. Oatmeal is a natural soothing remedy to take away the ichiness. After I got this under control, I found an oatmeal body wash from St. Yves, that I found in walmart and that worked well on him. Whatever you use on him, make sure it doesn't have quaternium-15 on it which is a cheap preservative and is actually formaldhyde. My son is only allowed to use the oatmeal body wash and he hasn't had an episode in more than 6 months. The last time he got it, I linked it to a new shirt that I had bought and not washed and he was allergic to the chemicals that were left on it from when it was made.
Also keep him lubricated with lotion. The Aveeno works well with us and it doesn't have the quaternium-15 in it.
Good luck and Take care! I hope you can get it under control soon!
V.

1 mom found this helpful

When my daughter was around two she suffered from rough dry skin especially on her torso. Creams and lotions and oatmeal baths did little to help so I treated her from the inside with a daily dose of olive oil and flax oil, mixed in rice potatoes or whereever I could sneak it in. Within a week her skin was smooth and silky. Now I give her a dose of oils every few days to keep the dry skin away.

1 mom found this helpful

Bath products, including the "extra gentle" Johnson's and can be very drying and contain a chemical called SLS which can aggravate dry skin or eczema (even Cetaphil has SLS). Try using a natural product like California Baby super sensitive shampoo and body wash. It is available at Target. It costs around $8 for an 8oz bottle, but it is concentrated, so a little goes a long way, and you don't need more than a few drops to get a good lather. My son has eczema, and this is no the only bath product we use. It contains no harsh chemicals or fragrance, and no parabens. Watch out for parabens too, they are in a lot of lotions. Most people don't react to them, but for a little one with sensitive skin, they can be highly irritating.

Even a lot of products that are made for "sensitive skin" contain chemicals and fatty alcohols that are man-made (including and Aveeno). A natural product like coconut oil, or other nut oil blends can be more gently and soothing. We use a product called UNpetroleum jelly, which is made from all natural plant ingredients (from the local heath food store).

You may have luck with the Aveeno, as it seems like other moms like it, but for my son it was very irritating to his skin, as were most other OTC lotions. Anything with fatty alcohols (cetyl and stearyl) or parabens in it seems to really irritate my son's skin. The natural oils and chemical free lotions worked best for him. Beware though, even at the health food store, you have to read the ingredients to find ones don't contain chemicals.

I notice a few others have recommend Renew, and again, may work for you, but it does have parabens and cetyl alcohol in it, so I personally would not use it on my son.

Give him Benadryl at bed time to prevent scratching in his sleep. My son is 21 months and he gets a half-teaspoon at bedtime when he is having a flare up. Also, cut is nails really short and file/buff them smooth.

1 mom found this helpful

Hello,
Try the Weleda with Calendula, the Calendula hydrates the skin really good , and it heals irritations. It's a natural cream. It worked for my baby and it smells really good!!!!

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter is 2 and has the same dry skin issue....my pediatrician gave me Elidel....it is amazing and works like a charm. Without insurance it is very expensive, but if you have coverage, it is worth asking your DR about it. If you want something over the counter, A&D has always worked well...just apply it every morning and evening and you should see an improvement in a couple days. Good Luck.

1 mom found this helpful

R.,
I was having a similar experience with my two year old. He's been dry all his life and I've been told that he has echzama. At one point we went to the derm and got an rx strength cream. It helped, but the problem just came right back. Just recently I bought a bar of Grandpa's soap. I've been very happy with it and I plan to try the Tar bar next...it's best for such skin types. I found it at a health foods store. They sell it online at amazon for a little less. It's not cheap, but I would pay anything to get his skin better. I'm also going to buy some lotion that's all natural. Just in the two weeks of using this new soap I've noticed a difference. It's pure and natural.
R.

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter was doing that to her legs and it turned out it was Eczema. Her dr recommended Ceptaphil(sp) It's worked great.
Cathy

I had a college roommate with eczema who used Phisoderm to bathe. This might help. Also Keri lotion is very good. You should probably see a dermatologist, though, there may be a prescription just for that problem.

Have you tried any mineral oils, or baby oils if it does not bother him for sesitivity. My husband and son are both dry and my son did the same as a little child. They both like oils on the body, but my husband also for years has used Curel- continuous comfort or the ultra healing formula. These both have 24 hour moisture relief and are Dermatologist Recommended. I have worked for a very high end cosmetic company and none of the $70.00 to $150.00 creams are any bettter. It really is trial and error to what works best for his skin. If he is sensitive, be ready to wash off what ever you try quickly.

Good luck, hope this helps.
~S.

triple cream is awesome!!! they also make triple paste for diaper rash which works very well! sold at target, walgreens, etc.

I agree with Annika R., you will likely see your best results with Omega 3 Fatty Acids supplements. There are many out there that are labeled for kids now-adays. It is not an overnight results but in a few weeks you will notice dramatic results and probably cure this dry skin. Both my boys (4 and 2 yrs old) are prone to it (one has been officially diagnosed the excema)in the wintertime and clear up when I add the supplements to their diet but have no trouble in the summertime.

Have you tried Gold Bond Powder or ointment? This is very good for itching.

Hi R.,
My son suffered from "Exzema" since he was 3 months, besides the rashes and breakouts- he suffered from extemely dry skin. I used "Aveeno" baby lotion. It was recommended by his dermatologist as well as his pediatrician. Good Luck!!! :-)

We live in Canada half the year, VERY dry here, we use this:
http://liveitdontdiet.isagenix.com/us/en/handbodycream.dhtml

It's great for the whole family!

I am going to suggest this as well:
http://liveitdontdiet.isagenix.com/us/en/isakids.dhtml
Dry skin starts on the inside.

B.

Hello,

My second daughter, now is 6 has always had extremely dry skin even as a baby. Since she also has food and skin allergies, I have found that if her skin was very itchy that Aveeno oatmeal baths plus their body soaps worked well.
There use to be a baby face cream sold at Publix that cost about $10 for a little tub of it ~ it worked wonders for her, unfortunately it has slipped my mind as to what the name is, I will try to remember.
I remember that our dermatologist told me to keep a journal for my daughter and to write down everything ~ laundry soaps, fabric softners, body soaps, lotions, sunscreens used, foods & drinks given. Basically, everything you can think of with an area just below each one that stated "reaction". By doing this, I found that she was allergic to all huggies products, but not johnson & johnsons products. Plus cinnamon & strawberries.
Good Luck!

try taking him off wheat and dairy for a month and see if that helps.
i think he has allergies. start using an organic first pressed extra virgin coconut oil on him instead of any other lotion with chemicals in it.

Hi R.,

My daughter also gets the dry itchy patches.. We use Cetaphyl (sp) lotion on her and I also put hydrocortizone directly on the scaley part. We find that the dry air this time of year really triggers this. Cetaphyl also sells a bar soap. I have not used it, but a girlfriend of mine uses it on her girls who have very sensitive skin. Good luck, I hope your little guy feels better soon.

try vaseline brand with cocoa butter seems to work really well on very dry skin.Good luck.My Daughter has had skin issues her whole life she's 2 1/2.

my 2 children are extremely sensitive to laundry detergents even when its on our cloths and they get close. Use a mild detergent like dreft, and no perfumes on you or anyone in contact with the child. over the counter you can buy Aveno lotion if all else fails ask pediatrician about precription Cutivate lotion.

that really works doesnt need to be applied for very long to see results.

good luck, let me know if it works...

my 2yo also has dry patches of skin. my dr said it was excema. he said to use hydrocortizone, but that didn't help. i used A&D ointment, it doesn't smell the best but there was a huge difference in the moisture in his skin and for about a yr i've had no problems until just recently and i've torn the house apart looking for the ointment. i have to buy some more.

Hi! My son is 20months old and has always had somewhat dry skin. at around 18 months, he developed a really bad rash which was like eczema but doctor said it wasnt, just really dry skin. by this point i thought i had tried everything and someone recommended the Aveeno Baby Lotion. not the daily moisturizing, but there is a special one that is for eczema... it cleared up his rash in 2 days and i'm able to use it on his legs which were always extremely dry. he still has somewhat dry skin but nothing like before... i also try to bathe him only every other day as opposed to everyday like i used to and i am lucky because he LOVES to take showers so he doesnt sit in soapy water that strips skin of its natural oils. my son is very active and rambuctious for his age and sometimes i just cant get away from having to bathe him everyday. i hope this helps you, good luck!

My instinct is that it is food related like one of the posts below mentions. I use Aubrey Organics lotion. You could moisturize him with jojoba oil from the health food store. Or even olive oil, which is very good for the skin.

hi there---My 4-yr-old has eczema and we've tried everything--now we use Dove-Sensitive skin soap in the bath and then AveenoBaby Soothing CREAM (not the lotion-that almost seemed to make it worse)--and that combination keeps it away :)

My daughter had excessive dry skin... eczema to be exact. Eucerine (spelling?) lotion orked WONDERS for her. We started with Eucerine creme becuase tht was super thick and once the skin got better we then started the Eucerne lotion.

Good luck :-)

It sounds like a food allergy, which is very common in babies this age, he may grown out of it so don't panic. I would eliminate ALL wheat and dairy from his diet. I know, it is VERY hard to find wheat free foods, but it is possible. Rice cakes can replace crackers and bread, cereal can be changed. There a lot of resources on the internet. Search celiac diet, or wheat free for kids. It will take about 15-30 days to see a big difference. Until then, you can offer him a little benedryl at night and soak on the aquaphor, just for healing. The itching is coming from underneath which is why the topical creams didn't make the itching stop, but the benedryl can help his get about 12 hours of releif and the aquaphor will help his skin start to heal. Many african american children have severe excema and having a few years of being wheat free and dairy free offers a LOT of relief. Also, wash his clothes separately in baking soda. Buy it in bulk at Sams Club and after washing in a perfume free, allergen free soap. wash a second time with a cup or more of baking soda to strip any residue of soap left in his clothes.

It may not be simple dry skin, it could be something more like ekzmea (man I never spell that right) or some other skin condition. My mom has that and she uses Cetaphil. It seems to really help. If it does not get better I would get him a doc appt just to check it out.

Hi R.,

I've found a lotion that is 7 times more effective than Eucerine in treating dry skin. It's called Renew and I purchase it at wholesale through a wellness company. I've heard stories of how it's helped many children and adults with eczema. There's also a liquid form of it that you can use at bathtime - like Baby Oil. Feel free to email me privately and I'll send you all the deets.

K.
____@____.com

does he get enought vitamin E? eggs have vitamin E, but check to be sure. also vitamin A, or fish oil in his diet?
this might be something to check, and then the lotions may help.

Eucerin works really well. They even have a special one for the face

2 things that will work for the skin: gently massage in olive oil. The olive oil doesn't heal, but it adds moisturizes and protects. To heal, use the goop from the aloe vera plant. Another thought: Vitamin E lotion.

Cerave is a very mild but extremely great moisturizer that might do the trick - plus they make a soap that is gentler than others we have tried. We got samples from a physician's office... you may be able to do the same. Good luck!

My 3 year old has had this problem (off and on) since he was about 1. His doctor said to use Dove Body Wash. It's gentle, but it's very moisturizing. Hope this helps.

The other stuff never worked for my boys either. This worked like a charm. Give him a bath with baby oil in the water.That soothes the skin somewhat. Then pat him down when he gets out, and then give him hydrocortisone cream and then a layer of petroleum jelly (vaseline) You can buy a combo of the two at Target, and then just put it on. Then I put pj's on that cover everything, and usually by morning it is WAY better. Also, I have them take some benadryl (liquid) when it first starts. It knocks down the itching. It ususally takes a few days to stop the patches but they stop the incessant scratching almost right away.
Good luck and email me ifyou need anyhthing else.
L.

He might have ezema (sp?). My youngest son has it. What we did was change the soap we wash his clothes with (well now we use it with all of our clothes) We use All free and clear. But what I have found was the lifesaver was once i started to bathe him with Lush soaps. I also got a bubble bar (bubble bath) and he would get one bubble bath a week and all his dry patches have gone away.

http://www.lushusa.com/shop

They have a shop in Adventura.

Hi R.!

I know your probably overwhelmed by all of the great responces you have recieved but I also had severe problems with my 6 year old skin when he was about the same age. My friend gave us some samples from Arbonne's baby care line and it is truly amazing stuff made with all natural ingredients! I was so amazed by the improvement in his skin after we tried numerous creams both over the counter & prescription. I would be happy to send you some samples, if your interested. You can check out my ____@____.com and read what I had to say about the products helping my son:) Blessings, L.

My doctor prescriped Moisturel. It seems to work really well. I don't know if you can find it in stores.
I would agree to get him allergy tests to find out why his skin is reacting that way to begin with.

Hi R.,
Eucerin and Aquaphor both have mineral oil which dries out the skin. Mineral oil is the by-product of the refinement of gasoline. Obviously NOT meant for humans. It also comes in the names paraffin, petroleum, and petrolatum. Please don't put them on your baby, as it will make his rash worse. Use a natural oil/cream. You can find them at Whole Foods, but the best I've found is the one I use from Arbonne. Try the Skin Conditioning oil plus the products from the ABC baby line. You can check out my website at www.createwealth.myarbonne.com or call me at ###-###-#### to find out about the products or order them.
Blessings,
S.

It sounds to me that your child might have eczema. If they are dry patches instead of just being dry, it sounds very familiar. My son has had it all his life. He gets the patches normally behind the knees & elbows & then other spots depending on the time of year. I have a medication prescribed by a dermotologist to help when he has a break out. Otherwise Eucerine is a great cream & if it is not working I would ask the doctor to look at him. This way as he gets older he will not continue to draw blood. My son does the same thing until he complains that he is bleading & then I know we have to medicate again. Good luck.

As far as bath time goes you should get the oatmeal bath they use it for chickenpocks as well to stop the itching. you can even get it in soap bars now as well. As far as lotions you need to be careful he may be alergic. I would ask the pharmacist or your pediatriton before trying a bunch of different lotions.You could be doing more harm than good.

Hello R.,

I had a similar condition with my son behind his ears. I tried for 15 months to find something that would clear it up and I finally found a lotion called Renew. It was clear in 3 days! You can only get this lotion online or by ordering it over the phone. It is not sold in stores. If you would like to contact me, I'll be glad to tell you how you can order it. Also, if you live in the Panama city area, I'd be happy to meet you somewhere and give you some to try, so you can have it right away.

Let me know if I can help you!
blessings,
T.

There is a lotion that is Doctor recommended for very dry skin and I think it is called NexCare or something similar. However, I would get him in to see a dermatologist to make sure that there is nothing else going on except dry skin.
Take Care,
T.
Mom of 4

I had good luck with Gold Bond. (White and Gold color pump bottle). It goes on thick and stays on for a long time.

Try STELATOPIA from MUSTELA DERMO-PEDIATRICS, for dry and eczema-prone skin. It's a moisturizing cream, but they also have some other products for this type of sensitivity. You'll see the results, believe me.
-DO NOT put cortisone on your baby's skin!
-no hot, just warm water;
-have just showers;
-use soap-free products;
-only cotton cloths!

R.,

Both my youngest boys suffer with very dry skin and they have very sensitive skin as well. The very best thing that I have found that works and it isn't greasy as well. It is Aveeno. It is the best stuff. It works all day, no need to reapply and they have a whole line of baby products from baby wash to baby lotion. I only use aveeno on my boys. They even have sun screen and that is the only thing that I use for my boys and I even use it on myself.

Hope this helps.

S.
35 y/o SAHM of 3 boys
13, 6 and 3

I have seen 3 dermatologists for our son's dry skin when we travel to MT. They all swear by & I DO TOO! Cetaphil cream in the tub. Walmart just came out with their version...but try Cetaphil in the tub you will not regret spending the $12 - it is great for everyone of all ages. Good luck. Works in ALL spots on the body.

I agree with the Aveeno...I find it in the baby section. Be sure not to get any lotion in the pump because it is watered down. The doctor has also recommended to us the Cetaphyll (sp?) lotion. it comes in a tub. It is very expensive though and doesn't smell the greatest. Don't use anything with fragrance. Have you also tried to change your laundry detergent? My four year old was allergic to all laundry detergents (even dreft!) and that was the biggest culprit with his skin. He does well with All "free and clear" so try a detergent without any frangrance. The All is pretty cheap. We also get the dryer sheets that are frangrance free.
I hope this helps.

Hi R.,

I am one that has suffered from severe excema and nothing I tried worked. The Dr. would prescribe steroid cream and it was always a pain to use because it was so greasy. Until 2 years ago I fell upon a lotion a friend had me try and it works great! I would not use anything else! I have found that the chemicals in the everyday products we use on a daily basis were the contributing factors to my excema. I am no longer dealing with my excema thanks to this awesome company!

If you would like more information, please request it at www.workathomeunited.com/lives2dream

~W.

Our boys have had problems with dry skin since they were little, and we figured out it was mild Eczema. I know winter is always the worst for my kids. We've used lots of different lotions, but the most effective treatment was hydrocortisone cream (over-the-counter, somewhat effective) or Desonide lotion (prescription needed -- very effective). I coat the affected areas with the steroid cream (over the counter or prescription) and then slather it with lotion, 2 x/day. Could he have some allergies that are causing the eczema? Might be worth eliminating some of the most common culprits (milk, tomato, etc.) and see what happens. The pediatrician could walk you through it. I hope you can make him more comfortable.

Hi, my daughter has bad eczema and we use Canus Lil' Goats' Milk. I use their hair and body wash on her and the body lotion every night after bath and it is AWESOME. I have only been able to find it on AMazon.com I hope this helps!

Arbonne's ABC Baby Line - very gentle on the skin.

www.nicolebritton.myarbonne.com

My daughter has eczema, and we use Aveeno baby lotion. It's GREAT!!!!!!

Dear R.,

Try Pediatrics.com for all your baby's questions, also,
since most doctors's rarely advise moms of alternative
holistic cures ( they make $$ with pharmaceutical kick
backs), Let me recommend oderless and tasteless caster oil. Caster oil has healing qualities, no side effects
either!!! It,s even good for wrinkles.

Good luck and God Bless,
D.

lotion everynight is important, but so is finding out if there is an allergy underlining the skin situation in the first place. My son (now 5) had dry skin and rashes as a infant/toddler. there were also lots of ear infections, and he would throw up a few times a week. In the end, we discovered he has a gluten & dairy intolerance and his diet change (avoiding all foods with dairy, wheat flour, oats, barley, etc..) has altered his skin - for the better. the only time he has had a problem is when he 'cheats' or we dine out and the kitchen is not accurate in the ingrediants listed.

Your pediatrician would be the best source for this kind of thing. We tried a lotion called Elocon, but I don't remember if you need a prescription for it. Doctors usually have samples. It's almost instant, which to someone desperately scratching away, makes it perfect. Also try bathing him with Castille Soap. It is very mild and wont dry his skin. Good luck and God bless.

Have you checked with his doctor to rule out conditions that would need precription medication?

When we lived in AZ cetaphil cream worked great on dry skin. It doesn't have any scent which makes it even better for children.

I was unable to find a store brand that was able to help with my sons dry skin when he was younger, but I use Arbonne Baby Lotion now and being all-natural it works great. If you are interested in trying some, let me know and I can get you a sample.

If you you want to contact me, i can try to help you in all that i can help;just call me at ###-###-####
or just go to https.www.anna2.usana.com There you go to find a line that they do not have alcohol.The name is SENSE FOR ALL KIND OF SKIN.And Body lotion,splash.
call me

I use cetaphil on my son, he is 5 but have been using it since he was a baby b/c he is borderline ezyma.

Try Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleaner for all skin types. A Dermatologist recommended that for me and it helped a lot.

Hi R.,

Lotion is important if it's a safe lotion and most on the market have Quaternium-15 (Q-15) which is a known cancer causing agent. Even the FDA legal limit of Q-15 is dangerous.

The reason ANYONE has dry skin, even to the point of Eczema or Psoriasis is systemic which means it is coming from the inside out. The toxin buildup in the body is trying to get out and the pores are one of the few ways it can. I can reccommend an absorbable multivitamin that does not create free radical activity and you should see immediate improvement. I can also recommend a lotion. Let me know if you are interested in getting to the root of the problem and I'll be glad to help.

God bless!

M.
www.squidoo.com/ifyourbabycouldtalk

Hi, R.. Well, until you find out what's irritating his skin, I think you're going to have to resort to a hydrocortisone cream. Don't worry, it won't hurt him, but keeping on scratching until he bleeds will.

It sounds like an allergy and not simple dry skin. If he's still in diapers, he may be reacting to whatever's in his diapers. Are you using cloth or disposable? If it's cloth, then bleach may be the problem, or perhaps the laundry soap you're using. If they're disposable, have you started using a different brand than you did before? He may be reacting to whatever chemicals are used to make the paper in the disposables.

Aloe vera juice is very healing to the skin for such conditions as this one. However, you need to use PURE aloe vera and not some cream preparation that has perfumes or dyes -- perfumes and dyes will only make the problem worse. Have you discussed the problem with the pediatrician? If he's scratching his rectum/anus, then he may have a food allergy that gets worse when the food comes out in his diaper.

Try feeding him only bland, gentle foods for a few days and then introduce other stuff. You may have to play detective to find out what's causing the reaction. But seriously, talk to a doctor because it's not normal for a child to itch this badly.

Has he been swimming without a diaper recently? He may have sat down on something that gave him a reaction. If a person touches sand or other material that a man-o-war jellyfish's tentacles have touched, the poison can still harm the skin. He may have some kind of insect bites there -- there may be dust mites or other kinds of skin parasites affecting him.

Also, try to get him to sleep on his stomach or side, and not his back, until this irritation clears up. The pressure of his backside against the bed all night won't help the healing process.

I hope his poor little backside heals up completely, and he is comfortable once again.

Peace,
Syl