'Natural' emollient for eczema and nut allergy advice please

[Bilbomum]

DS (nearly 3) has always had pretty bad ezcema and itching problems and also has multiple food allergies including nuts.

I'm losing faith in the standard treatment he's had for the last 3 years and I'm starting to worry about the amount of petrochemicals he has been absorbing through his normal eczema treatment (Epaderm/Hydromol twice daily). Final straw came on Friday when I picked up his new emollient prescribed by the hospital consultant and found it contained peanut oil!

I was thinking of shea butter but obviously I think that's a nut. The only other thing I've found that looks like it's worth trying is apricot kernel oil. Presumably it doesn't count as a nut does it?? Has anyone ever tried it?

All advice gratefully received...

have you tried Dream Cream or Dream Wash from Lush

they list all their ingreds online i think

we only have fairly minor skin probs, but it works for dd's mild eczema, my general crispy skin, and dh's dermatitis

tis fab!

Aveeno cream?

Medihoney cream?

I use both on my dd1, She doesn't have a nut allergy (so check they don't have anything nut like in them) - but if you keep using them frequently it keeps her eczema controlled.

Your GO can prescribe Aveeno - the bath oil is good too.

that should be GP!!

I think Dream Cream is a bit too perfumed for ds (might be an irritant), although I have used it myself and found it good so will investigate further taxilady. Thanks.

Aveeno is great for his face Meep but doesn't give enough moisture for his body. The Medihoney looks interesting though, I've never seen it before.

We've always had to use the 'vaseline' type of emollients as they're the only ones that actually stay on the surface of the skin for any length of time. Any normal creams just seem to be sucked up and disappear. That's why I thought an oil might be worth a try.

there is a thicker Aveeno body lotion that you can buy in Boots?

My GP said to apply the Aveeon in a thick layer - don't rub it in - and it will work better.

Medihoney is a bit oilier but also soaks in.

this is wonderful weleda calendulon ointment very natural very soothing
i lost faith in prescribed emollients long ago
aso fing a mix of oots sudocrem and green vaseline works on my mild ezcema

aveeno didnt soothe my ezcema but think diff things work for diff people

I buy the intense overnight itch relief aveeno cream for ds2 (who was so bad he used to bleed) and it worked miracles. I had to buy it from america initally but I did find one place in the uk that stocked it recently.

The normal aveeno cream worked a little but this one was fab. He also has food allergies. I tried lots of different creams before that and nothing touched it. I also use the aveeno bath oil, body wash and sun lotion. Can't rate them highly enough personally.

weleda voted best baby skincare for ezcema in natural health awards try the calendula range here is the baby skin care range

This one

Forgot to add that he's 2.7 years.

Jodie is it this one?

Waitrose baby Bottom Butter. Pure Potions Skin Salvation. Weleda. Green Baby non pet jelly. Natural Shea butter. I tend to alternate every 2-3 months when a cream becomes less effective. Aveeno reacted badly with my DS 2.6. DS also dairy free. Epaderm is revolting but it does do the job when his skin becomes very dry. Dermol cream is fairly new and we are using that at the mo as it is wonderful and his skin looks brilliant. Will use it for a few more days and then return to Baby Bottom Butter. HTH.

My son has eczema, found Aveeno works wonders. We get it on prescription from the GP.

dd2 recently became very sensitive to all usual emollients, possibly the petrochemicals.

She has been using Napiers infant starflower skin cream (herbalist stuff). Lots of planty oils in it like almond, starflower, chickweed and chamomile oil.

here

Fairly pricey natch, but it doesn't irritate dd2 at all.

Very much trial and error and luck, isn't it. Aveeno was fine for years and then it started to irritate.

Meep - yes that's the same one

Thanks everyone for these tips, I'll investigate them all.

One of the big problems seems to be most 'natural' creams have either almond or sesame oil in them, both of which he's allergic to. I'm also not sure if he should be using shea butter as that's technically a nut as well I think. If anyone knows different though, I'd be pleased to hear from them.

I tried most of the below recommended creams and found that they worked for a while, then his skin became resistant, so I found I had to keep chopping and changing. I've spent a fortune over the last 2 yrs in our healthfood shop !

Some good ones I like that haven't been mentioned - Weleda Skin Rescue cream and Vogels Neem Cream both really helped most recently. Green People body moisturiser was nice for a while too.

You could also contact a local aromatherapist and ask her to make you up a bath and body oil based on a blend of Grapeseed, jojoba and calendula oil. She could add some essential oils that are really healing to eczema ie chamomile (though NOT if you suspect a ragweed allergy), lavender, geranium etc.

hi Bilbo

I used Epaderm on my eczema too.

Now I have it a bit better under control (went through a v bad patch a few weeks ok), I am using Simple Derma Intensive Relief Lotion.

The only problem is that I'm going through it very quickly but for me, it's been a nice alternative to the normal eczema creams though I'm still having to slap on the Epaderm every now and then.

i agree with Lankyesme on the pure potions and also try SK Cream only availble on line from camomilehouse.co.uk - totally natural.

Right, I now have a huge list to go at, could be v costly but possibly worth it to avoid my current guilt complex about petroleum poisoning .

Hi fox, glad you're getting yours under control, Simple sounds like the cheaper option to start with!

I've just had a call from the hospital to ask if ds would partipate in a research trial on a new emollient which sounds interesting so I'll let you all know if I find out anything interesting.

Thanks everyone for sharing your tips.

We used Aveeno for a while until lo was diagnosed as intolerant to oats too so have to stop that, I now don't use anything in the bath just put lots of moisturiser in after..

is one of the allergies milk? If not switching from cows milk to goats milk may help.

Have you tried acqueous cream which is very cheap - large tubs behind the counter in Boots - and recommended for cleaningwww.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100000160.html?

or calendula cream (check other ingredients)

www.boots.com/en/Nelsons-Calendula-cream-50g_6733/?CAWELAID=334481069&cm_mmc=Shopping%20Engines-_-Go ogle%20Base-----Nelsons%20Calendula%20cream%20%2050g if you like natural

Can he have fish as omega 3 oils are important for skin? If not flaxseed or algae supplements are alternatives.