Eczema DD2 - recommendations for homeopathy, Chinese remedies or anything else

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DD aged 2 has eczema on her elbows, wrists, legs, feet and some on her neck. Have tried everything; oilatum, diprobase, e45, hydrocortisone. The only thing that has worked to control it is fucibet but as it is a steroid I am worried about using it long term. Also now using aveeno and although this has been better than everything else we have tried she still gets itchy and then flare ups. She scratches a lot when tired and sometimes during the night but generally sleeps through. Scratches periodically throughout the day.
Any recommendations for alternative treatment in Manchester area or even anything else you have used which has helped?
Not a dairy allergy as we have already eliminated that and not caused by washing powder; we use either ecover or persil non bio.
Any advice will be very much appreciated.

Em over and Persil non bio are not re commended for eczema. We use Surcare, it has made a big difference. Has your DD had bloods tests to see what the allergen is? I'd start there.

We used those ecoball wash things, and also Hope's relief. It's a natural cream, so a bit woo, but I truly believe it sorted my DS's eczema out, and we still use it if he gets itchy.

Also liked Epaderm as a good inert cream to keep him moisturised.

You can get Scratch Sleeves as well to stop the night scratching. Not sure whether a 2 year old would tolerate those though.

Thanks for replying. I wasn't aware of the washing powders not being recommended, just didn't notice any flare ups with using them. Can I get surcare from regular supermarkets?
DD hasn't had any blood tests. Eczema runs in her dad's side of the family so never thought to do this but will speak to our GP

Thanks LFT. Where can I get hope's relief from? I actually do prefer natural creams.
Unfortunately DD will not tolerate scratch sleeves

no no no to homeopathy and chinese 'medicine'
with eczema it's trial and error I'm afraid, you need to find a routine and treatment that works for you.
for us it's weleda skin food and aveeno. and a steroid cream if really angry (there is no shame in using it at all).
all cotton clothes and hot washes in between. we use bio powder + extra rinse but you have to try what works for you.

I will give all these suggestions a go. It just gets frustrating for her and us and I keep thinking there is a magic potion out there which I just need to find!
Would switching to goats milk help? Although we did eliminate dairy but just read another thread and now I'm questioning it again. She does have quite a lot of milk

Agree with the no no no to chinese medicine and homeopathy. I'm a believer in steroids as they really helped my DS. Do you see a dermatologist or is the GP just prescribing stuff? Using a stronger steroid for a shorter length of time is better than using a weaker one for longer so it may be better to try that. How often do you moisturise? You need to keep applying and applying, but at a different time from the steroid as the emollients can dilute their effect. Aveeno is meant to be good but we never found it made any difference. What so you wash with? We use aqueous as a soap and oilatum in the bath and shampoo. Found oilatum shampoo to be fab.

you can try goats milk, but the protein is very similar to cows milk so some people react to that as well.

I had eczema as a child and my parents were really against steroids. DD occasionally suffers from eczema and was prescribed Eumovate, a steroid cream. I was apprehensive, but it took 2 days for the eczema to disappear! It makes me cross to think that my years of itching, pain, embarrassment and bullying could have been prevented so easily.

Fucibet does work and clears it up but as soon as we stop using it the eczema returns. Will ask GP for eumovate - thanks hrrrm and sorry you had to go through that awful experience.
We moisturise 3 or 4 times a day but will keep applying throughout the day now.
I suppose I just assumed alterative remedies would be a miracle cure but will not pursue it if it's not recommended

Surecare is in most larger supermarkets. You can get liquid or powder. It is a bluish packet. I find the liquid better personally, just because the powder tends to clump.

There is a good website called itchy baby that has lots of advice and product suggestions.

Oral antihistamines are good for helping being down flare ups too.

live.guru/articles/eczema-and-food-allergy-the-facts

Here's what the fantastic Dr Adam Fox has to say.

If it's that bad I would insist on a referral to a paediatric dermatologist. Your GP should be looking into why your DD has ezcema rather than just trying to treat it.

"We used those ecoball wash things"

That is a bad idea as they won't prevent mould growth in your washing machine.

DD's eczema disappeared when I started using Aerial bio and washing at 60 degrees. I discovered this quite by accident as I had been using ecoballs and low temperature washes. I ended up with a smelly washing machine and some mould. It had been the mould spores that had caused the eczema.

Surcare didn't make a jot of difference to DD's eczema BTW.

Lush dream cream is good.

Interested as to why people are so against Chinese herbal medicine? Skin is one of the areas where it has good results- according to controlled clinical trials, not just woo or anecdotal.

I will agree though you need a proper practitioner who works with western medicine. Not a high street shop. Avicenna.co.uk were highly recommended to us.

two of my dc had patches of eczma behind the elbow and knee joints, what worked for them was pure almond oil applied regularly. We'd tried the various creams prescribed by the GP (never steroids IIRC as the problem was not severe enough for that) but it was the almond oil that seemed to work best.

Are you stopping the steroid too soon? Apparently you need to keep using it for two weeks after the skin looks clear or the eczema will just flare up again.

I recommend a book called "the eczema solution" which somebody mentioned on here once and it's really sensible advice. You can probably order it from the library. It's the advice given by dermatologists at Chelsea and Westminster hospital, no woo at all. It explains how to use steroids and emollients properly.

Lush dream Cream didn't work for DD either.

bunbaker you are onto something there as I noticed my washing machine is a bit mouldy the other day. Will go and put it on a wash cycle with bleach to clear it up.
Is bio washing powder ok to use? I usually wash at 40 but will start washing at 60.
Micah did you try Avicenna? If so what was your experience with this?
Thanks nowabit will read up on that later and yes I think it's high time I actually went back to the GP for answers

TTO you are right about the steroid cream and will continue to use it. Have read on another thread that we need to wean off it as eczema will rebound so maybe that is what has been happening, not sure but will give it a try.

I always believed that bio washing powder was evil and cause all the skin problems under the sun, which is why I tried Ecover, Surcare, ecoballs, fairy dust with unicorn powder etc, all at 40 degrees, none of which made any difference other than making my washing machine very smelly and mouldy.

It was only after getting excellent advice from MN about my smelly washing machine that I bought a small packet of Aerial bio powder to get rid of the smell and mould in my washer. The side effect was that DD's eczema disappeared and I can only deduce that it was the mould that caused it in the first place.

In any case you should be washing the bedding at 60 degrees because that does help with eczema anyway.

Thanks Bunbaker. I will start washing at 60 and get some aerial bio powder. Would it help to run the washing machine in bleach to clean it out?
Thanks all for your helpful replies

If you read the helpful advice here it should answer your questions.

I was directed to this website and found it very useful.

have you tried a camomile bath?

Hi, I use to have Eczema quite bad as a child (i am now 30). My parents took me off Diary products and this seem to reduce how often i had a flare up. When i did have a flare up i used Eumovate or Benovate they were and still are brilliant. Also they use to make sure my whole body was moisturised every day. So it was possibly a combination of all these which helped. My Eczema fares up now once or twice a year, i still don't drink milk but i do have other diary products in moderation, i generally just need to use Eumovate for a few days and then it goes.