Bad eczema on hands - what to use instead of soap? And how to protect hands?

[alittleteapot]

DD is two and at the stage where she's into everything, so really does need her hands washed properly a couple of times a day at least. Since she's been so busy her normally mild eczema has got really bad on her hands. What's the best thing to wash them with and how can I protect her without preventing her from playing freely? (Sand, washing up water, flower-picking, etc etc etc.)

[MegBusset]

I think most emollients can be used with water instead of soap, so you could just wash with whatever emollient she normally uses.

When DS1's eczema is bad, I put Oilatum and water in the sink (or in a bowl with a few toys) and let him splash for a while then put emollient on (we use Doublebase).

Also, for sensitive skin my midwife recommended getting a baby wipe and rinsing it to wash the soap off, perhaps that could work for when you're out and about?

[IlanaK]

My ds1 has excema on his hands and we use Dermol Cream as a handwash. You can use any emollient really. Their hands will get just as clean as it is the action of washing with water and something slippery that gets rid of germs, not anything special about what is in the soap (despite what soap companies would like you to think!)

[Shitemum]

There's a sort of spray-on hand protector that you can get from the allergybestbuys site.

[Shitemum]

..think it's called liquid gloves or something...

[puffylovett]

I use a weleda body wash as soap if they need a thorough scrubbing as not a fan of petrochemicals, prefer natural creams etc.

Then he gets an application of Neem Cream (thats whats working at the mo - no doubt that will change in a month or so).

But if I'm honest, I am not anal about washing his hands, a) germ theory and b) don't want to aggravate the skin. So usually we just have a good scrub with water unless he's had a poo / scrabbled in mud / smothered in paint...

[alittleteapot]

We were doing well with Aveeno but it's not cutting the mustard now.

I'm pretty relaxed on hand-washing too but the mud/paint/hospital toilet floor(!) adventures are at least a daily occurrence.

I'll give these a try. Thanks.

PS Does anyone make washing up gloves for little ones? She loves washing up and quite frankly i have no desire to deter her, but it's not great for her skin!

[chloesmumtoo]

I second the dermol lotion. I asked the dermatologist once about the liquid gloves thing but she didnt reccommend it. I think basically most creams cause a barrier to a degree and I think that is probably as much as it does but will watch this space. maybe someones tried it? I have never really seem kiddy washing up gloves but never really looked with dd having to watch out on the exposure to latex and corn allergy as some gloves are dusted with corn deriatives. However I strongly recommend the use of the special childrens eczema cotton gloves for gardening, painting and crafts ect. expensive though and white!

[Mummyisamonster]

I use the Body Shop's new baby wash or if I'm feeling flush, the Liz Earle handwash. It's the only thing that doesn't make my hands sting when I wash them. For hand cream the best I've found (for me at least, everyone is different) is The Body Shop's hemp hand cream, works wonders.
Good luck

[Cocogarden]

My little girl has eczema and since last November we have been able to help her by giving her unpasteurized milk and milk product. Eczema can be a reaction that follows lactose intolerance. And fortunately, lactose has its own digestive enzyme in the milk. But it only works at body temperature and is destroyed at temperatures above 45 degree C. So pasteurization being way above that, our little ones are drinking milk they cannot process.
Try Raw milk, it really works well and hydrates the skin from inside so after a while you won't need any more cream at all. Good luck.