Eczema - at the end of my emollient-covered rope

[EssentialHummus]

DD is six months old and otherwise a happy little thing, but she's had eczema since she was two months ish and it's not improving despite my trying everything. Her body is now clear, more or less, after a course of hydrocortisone and plenty of daily Child's Farm, but her face is still very badly marked and (bewilderingly) will go from nearly clear/healthy looking to red and weepy - and back - in the course of hours.

If you have been through this, can you advise, please?

I've tried:
Diprobase
Doublebase
Oilatum + variations in the bath
Aveeno
Sudocrem
ZeroAQS
Hope's Relief
Dermol
Various non-bio washing powders
Fewer baths
Cutting out (my) dairy (BF)

...and probably more besides.

We've been to a dermatologist twice who feels we just need to do our best to manage things while she grows out of it, with Child's Farm and weekly/less hydrocortisone.

I have a vague sense of some things that I eat making it worse (like soy) but I can cut them out fully and the flare-ups carry on.

Help, please.

Not sure it would work but if olive oil and coconut oil (kokoso baby) work for cradle cap...?

EssentialHummus yes the sun helps! There have been links between low vitamin D3 and eczema so it might be worth asking your GP for a blood test...

www.lovelula.com/products/pure-potions-100-percent-natural-skin-salvation-60ml
This is the one I was talking about.

Just following this with interest, as I had severe eczema as a baby and still struggle daily with it now. Tried every lotion and potion going, been to specialists on and off throughout my life and nothing really works except steroids, or it works for a while and then flare ups happen again. It's trial and error. But then again, mine is quite a bad caseS

Unfortunately as others have said, it's about managing it, and finding what works specifically for the individual, as eczema is a fickle beast, there is no one size fits all cure (if only!).

I can see the start of patches on my 5 month old, as others have said Child's Farm is keeping it at bay at the moment. Oatmeal in the bath is good for for the itch. Another thing I will definitely be trying with her is a brand called moogoo, which worked for me in the past. It's an Aussie brand, but might be worth a look?

https://moogoo.com.au/eczema

Sorry I don't know how to do fancy links

I'd also suggest Skin Salvation by Pure Potions. It's definitely soothing and worth a try.

Also, a lot of ppl have said Moogoo products are good, particularly the Milk Wash and Udder cream.

We had a water filter system fitted as were in a hard water area, it does help a bit bit I realise it's not a possibility for everyone. I grew up with eczema and my daughter had it when she was small, so I completely sympathise. It's a complete bugger.

Here's the Moogoo UK link moogooskincare.co.uk

Thanks all, noting all of your ideas down here.

Child's Farm has worked miracles on her body, but not her face. I've no idea why - easier to scratch (though I watch her like a hawk and don't see scratching)? Some product (wet wipes?) used on face only? Something about the skin there?

I know mn hates homeopathy, but my dd was the same, and a homeopath cleared it. She was too young to know about the placebo effect.....
Tried oat baths, abveno, steroids, cutting out my dairy etc.

Are you in a hard water area?
DS's eczema finally stopped when he stared showering around the age of 3, pretty much overnight. I dread to think how many potions we'd tried and failed with prior to that.

Just a thought. Stupidly high numbers of people with eczema are allergic to MI. It's in lots of liquid products and may even be in the baby wipes.
Bathe infrequently.
Emollient VERY frequently.
Use the steroid until it's gone and right back on it when it reappears. Don't underuse. Leave at least half an hour between steroid and emollient use.

Freetodo,

As far as i can tell, the corticosteroid cream you describe contains a strong corticosteroid (there is a heirarchy - hydrocortisone is relatively weak, the active ingredient in e.g. Betnovate much stronger). It will be more effective than weaker ones, but obviously have greater risks. Worth taking to an English pharmacist for their view. I was prescribed a steroid cream when working on a kibbutz in Israel which gave the GP back here ha shock. Powerful, but not very safe...

for you, it's hard going. I don't have experience of having a baby with eczema but when my wee boy was little my eczema went mental because of the baby wipes and the scented nappy bags. I switched to water wipes and sandwich bags and it calmed it down.

Try castile soap for the bath, it smells a bit foosty but helped my flare ups. I do notice a huge difference in my skin when I use liquid soaps/shower gels/shampoos on my bare hands, it really makes them crack and flare up.

And I know some people haven't had any luck with it but if you can try Protopic get it. It is weird magic stuff.

When my little man (now 3) was a baby, his eczema was really bad. We tried many many creams. Once we eventually got it under control it was with a combination of a steroid cream 3-4 times a day and La Roche Posay Lipikar AP+ a few times a day This was the only one that actually kept it away.

Once it went away, it only came back in patches occasionally. We used the LRP a couple of times a day until he was about 18 months and only had to occasionally use the steroid after that. Now we only use the cream when we see a little red patch or if he complains of being itchy. But we always keep a bottle in the house.

The problem is, different products work well for different children, so everyone has their own miracle cure. Good luck

Yeah wet wipes on her skin will be very drying, you need to keep the area moisturised. If you’re worried about her scratching her face you can buy silk mittens specifically for eczema.

Sweet almond oil is my saviour though and it’s natural. But like pp have stated different things work for different people xx

Bear in mind that steroid cream should not be used on the face as it thins the skin as can lead to scarring xx I never use it anymore

And just to add, the GP said it was ok to use the steroid on his face as it's only short term

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/11142266/Eczema-expert-defended-by-parents.html

We used this guy and he changed our life, via email and with a small up front costs before we got the ingredients on the NHS.

My son has periods of time with NO eczema, if it flares it is very short lived. He eats well, sleeps well and is no longer bleeding, scratching weeping eczema.

I'll recommend this guy to anyone who asks.

That is not true. Steroids are safe to use on the face, mild- moderate steroids will not cause any problems when used correctly.

You use wet wipes on her face?

Don't. Plain water - or bottled water - on a cotton flannel. Then emollient.

I am old enough that the standard treatment for eczema was medicinal olive oil, wiped all over as an alternative to bathing, then wrapping, mummy-like, in bandages. Remember that eczema on the face will be much more exposed and dried by the air than eczema on the body, held nice and warm and moist under clothes. So reapply emollient frequently.

Also note when the flare ups occur - what soap etc do you use on your skin and clothes that she could be leaning on when BF? Could your milk be leaking onto her lower cheek and aggravating it?

Things that helped us;

A bath once a week with oats in tights and NO shampoo or soap.
No fabric conditioner (white vingear instead. Works just as well)
Only a small amount of surcare
Got rid of all bleach, spray cleaners etc and use bicarb and vinegar and elbow grease.
Did an exclusion diet; citric acid, dairy and wheat all culprits.
Stopped wearing perfume as affected them.
Good luck It is awful

InDubiousBattle overuse over a long period of time isn’t good for the face. I’ve been told by several GPs that they should not be used of the face especially as a long term solution x

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/868.aspx?CategoryID=73&SubCategoryID=104

My DD 8 months has eczema and we have been using hydrocortisone and epaderm combo, with varying degrees of success so watching this thread with interest. Our HV has said that I shouldn't be using sleeping bags as this can make her too hot and dry skin out further - what do others find works best?

My little girl had this from around two months, she was covered in thick eczema including her face, back, belly, legs, everywhere! She is 4 now and it's gone!! What I remember doing is:

Non bio for washing, no fabric softener at all
No pets
Change bedding very regularly and hot wash it
Baths in oilatum
Moisturise at every given opportunity, so every nappy change etc
Hydrocortisone only when it's red and angry
I stopped wearing perfume and washed my own clothes in non bio/no fabric softener

What helped my daughter tremendously was eczemol, prescribed by a dermatologist.
We had allergy tests etc that produced nothing.
Anyway, the eczemol worked like magic! Like you, we had tried every emollient/moisturiser going!! See if your little one is old enough for it? It absolutely stinks but for my daughter it did the job.

I would avoid using wet wipes on her face when possible (bamboo washcloths are a good alternative). Even water wipes have citric acid which is an irritant.

The only product that completely controls my eczema is Eucerin. My parents tried every product going when I was a child to help my eczema and the arrival of Eucerin on the market was the turning point (you'd need to check it's safe for babies.)