Eczema Help! - Pleasant Grove,UT

Triamcinolone is the best stuff that I have ever found. It is a prescription product that comes in a large tub and is not really too expensive. I have fought eczema since birth, diagnosed at 3 months, and I am now 45 years old. We've done everything from reducing the number of baths, to OTC stuff, to prescription stuff, to shots, to home remedies and to (the most amazingly gross thing) I was covered in Crisco shortening every night when I was put to bed. Nothing seemed to help. As an adult I have determined some very beneficial things. Dry climates are definitely better for me. I was raised in St. Louis, MO, and moved to Utah 23 years ago. It's done more to help the eczema than anything I ever did as a child. Keeping my stress levels down is huge as well. Even as a child I lived a very stressful life due to being teased relentlessly because of the severe eczema. (my nickname throughout my school years was leprosy) The more I was teased...the worse the eczema became. Avoid too much water, dishwashing, bathing, etc... Try to live in as dust free of an environment as possible. Carpets are horrible for someone that has allergies/eczema because they hold so many allergens in the fibers. I could go on for days. All I can say is that I hope your efforts work for you and I will hope your child never has to endure the severity of this disorder that I have endured. I am almost eczema free nowadays with only a few flare ups now and then.

My 19-month-old has some pretty severe eczema. The doctors have recommended using only Cetaphil lotion and cleanser because they don't have anything extra like scents. We had one doctor recommend Aquafor and it's like a lotion-y petroleum jelly. I don't like using it because it stains everything, but you can put it on over night and cover it with clothes you don't care about so it can soak into the skin while your baby sleeps.

We've also gotten prescriptions for hydrocortizone 2 1/2 percent cream. That really does help, but since it's a pretty strong steroid, we don't like using it very often. Instead, we get the OTC 1% stuff and generally rub it in a couple of times a week. Then, every single time he comes in contact with water we lotion him up. He's doing much better now too.

One thing to consider is that it could be your laundry detergent. Our son also has some allergies and the doctor we saw for them said that just about anything can irritate sensitive skin. Try to get natural laundry detergents (even something like Tide Free would work) for all your baby's things and it also should help.

Good luck, and if you need more information shoot me an email. We've been dealing with this since our boy was about a month or two old.

there is a cream called Gentle Naturals (I think, I can't find mine right now). It is a blue-green tube of thick lotion you can find over the counter at walmart. It is for babies and it works great. Kind of smelly, but worth it. It will say on the label that it is for eczema, there is also a body wash.

I haven't had to use an Rx in a couple of years on my daughter...so I don't remember what it was called, but every night after her bath I use Eucerin lotion. Its really thick and creamy and it works very well for us.

I have found that Eucerin cream works the best for Eczema. You can apply it with a little hydrocorizone cream if the eczema is causing itching. My current pediatrician recommends Aveeno. I use the Aveeno baby wash and shampoo on my little girl. I also use Aveeno lotion after the bath. That seems to prevent the Eczema.

Many times eczema is a result of a food allergy. Try taking them to an allergist or simply eliminate dairy for 2 weeks. Doctors prescribe cetaphil, hydrocortizone, and even steroids for this when that is only treating the symptom of a bigger problem. I'd at least look into it. My baby recently got bright red patches on his arms when I tried giving him milk formula for a week. There's a bit of a learning curve, but it gets easier over time and it's so good to know that they're healthy!

My younger brother has had eczema since birth. He is the talk of all the dermatologists in his area because NOTHING works for him - they have tried Elidel and every other prescription, things with cortizone and without - nothing makes it better. He is left to control it. He takes an over-the-counter allergy pill (aller-clear from costco) and uses "Vani-cream" - it is not a prescription but you have to get it or order it from the pharmacy. Its a thick specialty lotion with no cortizone (you don't want to use cortizone for long periods of time because they don't know its long-term effects - basically its not good for you) and is not expensive. It come in a 1 pound container and the first time you will want to get it with the pump. 1 container lasts my brother at least 6 months, usually longer.

With this treatment he is able to be eczema free when you look at his skin. If he misses a day, you can tell almost immediately but the pill and cream work really well!