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Original poster

Baby eczema - should oilatum be avoided?

29 replies

Knackeredmum13 · 15/01/2014 12:41

5 month old DS has severe eczema on his face that is really causing him a lot if discomfort.
I've been to the GP countless times and nothing is working. I'm waiting for a dermatology referral.

Meanwhile my poor baby is constantly clawing at his face. Lots of people have suggested oilatum to me. I've used it on myself and it really helped with itchy pregnancy skin. However on reading past mumsnet threads people seem to think that it made their child's eczema worse. So I wondered what the general consensus was? I'm headed to Boots to buy up every oilatum product they sell if there is a chance it will help my baby to stop itching.

OP posts:
TippiShagpile · 15/01/2014 12:42

Oilatum made ds2's skin worse. Eumocream was amazing and made a real difference with regular use. He still uses it now if he's looking like he's going to have a flare up.

Original poster
Knackeredmum13 · 15/01/2014 13:07

Can you buy that in boots?

OP posts:
TippiShagpile · 15/01/2014 13:18

Yes - make sure you get the one that's suitable for babies. They also do eumovate which is for older skin and not for babies.

Another good one is dermalex repair which has an eczema cream for babies.

FoxyRevenger · 15/01/2014 13:20

Oilatum has always made my skin worse, certainly.

Aveeno is great on my son's skin, also Baby Bee moisturiser. The Aveeno with Aloe Vera is especially gentle.

adagio · 15/01/2014 13:34

IMO very limited experience (one baby) and having advice from friends with kids and mumsnet searches, I tried lots of things.

I have had most success with (in no particular order)
Burts bees, both lotion and 'vaseline' replacement (the slip makes it harder to scratch) - but I thought this smelt quite potent so IF your little one was sensitive enough to require completely fragrance free this might not cut the mustard.
Waitrose bottom butter - if you read the pack this is simply olive oil, hydrogenated olive oil, and vanilla. Fantastic texture and my current favourite.
Lansinoh (the nipple cream) for small localised bits of rough and itchy skin, and under the chin where the folds collect moisture and make it very hard to fix

I have bought the ones above, those below I got on prescription to try (I just asked the GP e.g. so and so recommends I try Aveeno can I have a script please and they did).
Doublebase, Diprobase, hydromol bath stuff, 50/50 paraffin gloop, and 1% hydrocortisone (I know the risks, but for really bad bits it has worked for us)
Aveeno has had some success too, but not a miracle cure.

We have not got on with (as in read no improvement at all, possibly slightly worse) E45, Dermabase, oilatum bath

TheGreatHunt · 15/01/2014 13:36

Is he on formula? That could be a trigger. Any pets?

I would minimise baths, and try burts bees. It is expensive but great.

hillsy27 · 15/01/2014 13:39

I have eczema in very intimate places an i use baby oil with a few drops of lavender oil in. This is the only thing that works othetbthan steroid cream which i don't like using.
I have tried using this on my lo when he was six months, i only used 1 or 2 drops of lavender but it worked really well. It soothed the itching which stopped him scratching and helped him heal. He has eczema on his forehead and cheeks.

QueenOfGeeks · 15/01/2014 13:44

Oilatum junior was great for my DS but I probably didn't start using it until he was about 1

Original poster
Knackeredmum13 · 15/01/2014 13:50

DS is breast fed. We've tried all the usual prescribed stuff. Aveeno etc lansinoh helped but it's out of control now.

OP posts:
Original poster
Knackeredmum13 · 15/01/2014 13:50

We used Burt's bees since birth thinking it would avoid this type if thing but no luck.

OP posts:
AwkwardAnnie · 15/01/2014 14:04

It's all trial and error unfortunately. What one person swears by with cause flare ups for you.
I have eczema as well as my DS.
Burt's Bees makes my hands feel like they are on fire. I used it on my daughter who didn't have eczema when she was younger. I've never used any soap or shampoo on DS (his hair is gorgeous as a result, I hope I can keep it up when he starts school) The doctor recommended Aveeno, but again it hurt so much I had to wash it off. I didn't try it on DS. Diprobase and Dermobase have the same effect.

At the moment Oilatum junior cream is working well, and we use it in the bath, it's keeping it under control. We try not to bath every day though as our water is the main problem. Eczema clears up as soon as we go away for more than a couple of days.

Other things that work. Porridge oats, in some tights in the bath. This works wonders! Almond oil as a moisturiser and coconut oil too, but there's no hint of a nut allergy in the family or I wouldn't risk it.

Original poster
Knackeredmum13 · 15/01/2014 14:22

We've tried hydrocortisone ands fucidin h. Both worked a little then stopped and the eczema came back worse than ever. Diprobase, Epaderm etc were all not moisturising enough.
I've also tried vitamin E, aloe Vera gel and Aveeno but none stop the itching.

I've not tried coconut oil though I do have some. I've just bought Eucerin cream with 5% urea to try.

OP posts:
Pobblewhohasnotoes · 15/01/2014 16:34

Have you got steroids to treat the inflammation? We use oilatum in the bath for DS and oilatum shampoo and have no problem with it. We get it on prescription.

DS got eczema at four months and it wasn't sorted until we saw a dermatologist and got a steroid/emollient/bathing regime. Now his skin is great.

IHeartKingThistle · 15/01/2014 16:42

Oilatum for the bath is great, but the cream made DS worse.

Buy some scratchsleeves. It was the best thing I ever did for his eczema.

Original poster
Knackeredmum13 · 15/01/2014 17:40

Yes we have the scratch sleeves after a recommendation on here. They are great but he can still rub his face with them.

OP posts:
Goldmandra · 15/01/2014 18:48

50/50 cream helped mine as babies. It's very cheap and you can buy it from pharmacies.

It is 50% Vaseline and 50% liquid paraffin which makes it very soft. It's very long lasting and doesn't have and perfumes, lanolin, etc.

AwkwardAnnie · 15/01/2014 21:17

Are you using wash powders? I can only use Ecover, even folding a pile of washing done in anything else makes my hands red raw. I though DS would be fine but when nothing else was working my MIL bought us a wash egg thing, I realised the only place he didn't get eczema is round his nappy area. Once we'd got all his clothes washed a few times his eczea was loads better.

I reintroduced ecover after a while as I thought he'd be okay as he was older, but his eczema has come back so we're back onto the wash egg. Although a bout of D&V has meant I've been washing everything with wash powder again on either a 60 or 90 temperature, so we'll have to wait a few weeks for the wash powder to be out of all his clothes again.

I'd seriously try the oats in some tights in the bath though. I wash DS in it and it's lovely. If I ever had baths myself I'd use it too.

IHeartKingThistle · 15/01/2014 21:20

Oh washing, yes, we cut out fabric softener completely (makes no difference to the clothes!) and started using an extra rinse cycle. It did really help.

TheGreatHunt · 15/01/2014 21:28

Yes what washing powder do you use? My ds reacts awfully to anything and everything except for ecover.

I'd try that. Also consider whether he's reacting to dairy via your diet as well.

Original poster
Knackeredmum13 · 15/01/2014 21:49

I've gone back to using Fairy for DS as I had started using whatever we used for our clothes. What's a wash egg? It sounds interesting.

The dr called and I've got a whole load of prescriptions to collect tomorrow. Meanwhile tonight he had an oilatum bath and then was smothered in Eucerin 10% urea cream. So I shall see how he gets on tonight.

I've been thinking about my own diet. I don't eat much dairy. I have one coffee a day with the smallest splash of milk. Cheese once a week max and eggs not even weekly. Though of course as ingredients in other foods I probably eat eggs and milk quite a bit.

OP posts:
AwkwardAnnie · 16/01/2014 10:05

I can't use fairy either, it's one of the worst for me. (But I stress, everyone is different) Fairy washing up liquid is a nightmare too, I ended up with great infected blisters on my hands when I used that once.

The only 2 wash brands I've found okay for me are Surcare and Ecover. When I used to work at a home and do sleep-in shifts I used to either take my own bedding or go to bed wearing full pyjamas, gloves and my own towel on the pillow so I wouldn't have to touch anything in the night or my skin would be red raw, and I always wore gloves when I was doing anything to do with their washing.

Liquids are better than powders as they wash out better and never ever use fabric softener as the whole point is it clings to the clothes. The dermotologist will tell you this.

This is the Eco Egg we have. You just put it in with nothing else and it works it's magic. It does seem to work too. The only problem we had was as we use washable wipes (he's allergic to any wipes too) I found after a while everything had a slight wiff of DS's bum. Now I'm washing the wipes with Ecover, and everything else with the Eco egg and I put a few drops of lemon or lavendar essential oil in the drawer. If I'm washing really grubby things I put some white vinegar in too as a booster.

IHeartKingThistle · 16/01/2014 10:25

Ecover is awful for DS. Has to be Fairy in this house!

Goldmandra · 16/01/2014 10:38

Surcare is fragrance free and is the only washing powder or liquid we can get away with in our house. I try introducing a bit of Fairy or Ariel now and then because I like the smell but someone always breaks out so we have to go back Sad

I also always used to do an extra rinse but nowadays I just have to press the button for extra water.

AngelaDaviesHair · 16/01/2014 10:49

Another recommendation for Surcare, it is all DH can tolerate and we use it for the children too.

adagio · 16/01/2014 10:53

I forgot about washing.

Fairy is awful for my LO, too much perfume perhaps? (Smells very strong to me)

Surcare or nothing for the baby, or for really grubby stuff wash with daz (or whatever bio is in the cupboard) then immediately wash again with no detergent at all and lots of extra rinses. This is the approach for poo accidents and clothes worn whilst tomato soup has been consumed…!

I might look at that egg, thanks Annie