What to wash hands in?

[Sheilsie]

My 4 year old DD's eczema is nowhere near as bad as it was when she was a baby, but her hands and wrists are really bad at the moment (no doubt partly down to the change in climate/central heating). I'm looking for advice on what to wash her hands with after she goes to the toilet and before meals. At the moment we're using standard Carex liquid hand soap but I'm sure that is probably adding to the problem. All suggestions much appreciated. Thanks

[stargirl1701]

I have eczema and I find Ecover hand wash doesn't irritate my skin. It's different for everyone though - trial & error I'm afraid.

[Bagofspiders]

I have very sensative skin on my hands and DS has bad eczema & is sensative to most soaps. We use pure olive oil soap, think tge usual one is called Olivia or something, you need to be sure it's only olive oil & water rather than a soap that just contains olive oil. Neither of us have had a problem with us, it's about £1 a bar so not expensive. It might be a good idea to put a bit if vasiline on your DD's hands after washing them too.

[Sheilsie]

Thanks stargirl1701 and Bagofspiders. I'll look out for Ecover hand wash and pure olive oil soap. I don't use vaseline as such but am smothering DD's hands in hydromol emollient of 50:50 several times a day. It's such messy stuff and gets everywhere! Only DD's hands suck it up - it stays greasy on mine for hours.

[Ponders]

apparently you can use \link{http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/skin-and-hair/medicines/emulsifying-ointment-bp.html\emulsifying ointment} as a handwash

DS1 (grown up now) has always had eczema to varying degrees & can't use aqueous cream, E45 etc at all but seems to get on ok with this stuff. I would have thought it was much too greasy to wash with, but with severe eczema, who knows...

[MousyMouse]

bar of soap or ecover washing up liquid here.
and a light cream (aveeno) after every wash and a rich cream (weleda skin food) mornings and evenings.

[MoetEtPantsOn]

I use sorbolene cream to wash hands in. And put greasy cream on bad hand using a plastic disposable glove on my good hand.

My dermatologist said warm water was sufficient for most hand washing situations when hands really bad.

[loubielou31]

Anything that's really really bland is a good start.
E45 do a range of children's washes and the hand one is okay, it's got little coloured "pearls?" in it so it looks a little more fun.
If you keep a pot of her normal moisturiser by the sink to use after hand washing it might help.
Carex and a lot of those liquid soaps especially any kind of antibacterial ingredient make my hands very dry and I don't suffer with eczema so I've never used it on DD.
I think the ecover one has lavender in it, (vague memory which may be wrong) so check if that's something which irritates your DDs skin.

[Chocolateporridge]

I have bad eczema on my hands too which is really aggravated by any type of soap except soap that doesn't actually contain soap! Lately my doc prescribed Dermol which is an antimicrobial emollient and can be used for handwashing and then also rubbed in afterwards as a barrier, its great.

[Sheilsie]

Thanks everyone. Chocolateporridge, is is 'Dermol 500 lotion' you have? (This is what I found when I googled 'Dermol soap substitute'.) Lots of good ideas for me to try. Even I'm getting dry hands at the moment so I can see why DD is suffering. If she used her cutlery more and ate less with her hands that would help too! Her hands/wrists get worse after every meal.

[helebear]

I don't have eczema but I had badly chapped, raw hands last winter & used oilatum soap in a bar to wash my hands, which didn't sting or dry my skin more like regular soap. Aveeno products are good too. And I used surcare washing up liquid, but I don't suppose your dd does much washing up!

[littone]

I use allergenics bought in holland and barrat when I get a flare up, so far the only thing I have found I can tolerate. And def moisturiser after every hand wash.

[greencybermummy]

We are in exactly the same position as you. Dermol 500 was recommended by the Paed Derm Nurses. It comes in a pump dispenser so is ideal. We have one a school for DD too. Get it on prescription from your friendly GPs!

[greencybermummy]

Meant to add that it has an anti-bacterial in it and the moisturising element too - stop using the carex now!

[freefrommum]

We use Dermol 500 soap substitute for DS as he has severe eczema. It comes in handy pump dispenser. He keeps one in school too.

[AngelDog]

Dermol, on prescription.

What do other people do when out and about? I just wash with water, but that's not great.

[OrangeforDd]

We use Dove soap, suggested by dermatologist for Dh's eczema.

[freefrommum]

AngelDog we also just wash with water when out unless his hands are really really dirty then we occasionally risk a tiny bit of ordinary soap.

[WeeNoggi]

I have eczema on my fingers which varies a great deal in severity. I have to avoid sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) at all costs. It's the cheap foaming agent that's in absolutely everything.

It strips the oil/ moisture out of everything. I have to avoid all contact with washing up liquid (DH loves this ). I can't even pick up the bottle as the drips set it off - the content of SLS is so high.

I'm not in the UK so I can't advise on too much SLS-free stuff I'm afraid. I did find the Faith in Nature range at Oxfam has good shampoos etc. Also bars of soap seem to have less SLS than gel / liquid handwash.

Also I've found that I'm prescribed Clobetasol here rather than hydrocortisone and it seems to work better. I just let my hands get dry in the day - I can't be faffed with emolient at work. Then at night - lots of cream or emollient and cotton gloves to encourage absorbtion.

Hope that helps.