Reactions to emollients for eczema

[Suzy55]

Hello there,
Just wondering how long you should persevere with a new emollient for? I've tried so many, but seem to react to them all. Been using Double Base Flare Relief for 10 days, but it makes the eczema patches on my arms redder after application, and itchier. DO I just have to persevere - will things get redder before they get better (usually I don't persevere this long to know whether this is the case) or is it time to yet again try something new?!! Also has anyone had eczema and just let it dry out and then used nothing at all?
Many thanks.

@Mnhealth202020 also, yes I've seen a consultant dermatologist. They just tell you to try different things. Im waiting for more allergy tests but think I just have to put up with it and hope it settles when my hormones settle. The heat is rubbish for it. nb. how long did your contact dermatitis last, and did you ever find out what caused it?

Some people can react to the various preservatives in different emollients, and this can make symptoms worse. nationaleczema.org/eczema/ Has good advice on preservative free and alternatives.
Sorry I am unable to make the link work, but nevertheless I hope it’s belpful.

I also have a dust mite allergy. I have all the dust mite covers etc. on my duvet and pillows. I was told that I shouldn't change the bed myself, should have blinds rather than curtains, damp dust every day, wash bedding at 60 degrees.

For me, it makes my face and neck itchy and red, especially if the bedding is due to be changed.

I guess I am saying that perhaps it might help to do more to address the cause of the irritation.

Betnovate steriod cream for bad flares to get them under control then aveeno twice a day for me and ds, as well as avoiding most perfumes (gutted as my favourite one gives me the worst flare ups)

I did mean Eumovate (steroid), I was prescribed it earlier this year. But for a non-steroid product I do highly recommend the bepanthen nappy ointment! It feels very similar to Eumovate when on.

Yes I know what caused my issue. I had a fairly severe reaction to a hair removal product (embarrassingly). GP prescribed all sorts but nothing helped and the area continued to randomly flare up (dry patches, flaking off, redness & itchiness etc). It took about 9 months for it to stop continuously flaring up, I’m really careful with hair removal now. Whenever I see the slightest hint of redness I use bepanthen.

If it is an allergy get some loratadine. My daughter has a dust mite allergy and takes it daily. I suspect I have the same so I've just started it too, it affects my nose more than my skin but my daughter is very itchy with it. We also use Salcura outbreak rescue cream (stings though) and dermol 500. However because the salcura stings so much we're now trying Balmonds skin salvation. We also have Lyonsleaf zinc and calendula balm, which is very good but it's expensive. I've chose the Balmonds and Lyonsleaf because they are entirely natural, contain no petrochemicals and do not sting. It's too soon to say that they will continue to work but they definitely don't irritate where so many other products have.

Following this thread with interest as my ds has eczema and it is currently flaring up really badly. We use cetraben but his skin is still really dry. He has seen a dermatologist a while ago but unfortunately they weren't especially helpful - just told us to keep doing the same things as before (that weren't working).

@Kittywampus I tried Cetraben - it is nice and thick and works well for some but it does contain quite high levels of paraffin (which some skin doesn’t like) and cetostearyl alcohol and phenoxyethanol - these are preservatives and many people don’t tolerate these v well. I don’t know how old your ds is - If very young, I guess all areas will be as fragile as others, but in older kids and adults, tougher/thicker areas of skin may be able to tolerate things like Cetraben better. Everyone is different and some people are fine with emollients and it’s a necessary part of their treatment but I’m beginning to think that for many people, the emollients are only tolerated whilst using steroids - and, depending on the length and strength of the steroid used - for the few weeks after that, when the effect of the steroids is still working. I bought some avene thermal water (reductions on the whole Avene range - not aveeno - in both Boots and Superdrug at mo). It feels v soothing on application. I have decided to ditch using any emollients on my arms, which are my mega allergic blotchy area - have used eumovate for just three days and my arms are totally clear from having been a dreadful red and sore blotchy mess. I intend to now just use avene xeracalm cleansing oil in the shower, and maybe just avene Thermal spray after. And nothing else. If I get allergic reaction to obs elsewhere from dust mite, sun, food etc then I’m going to use xeracalm balm, I’ve used this on my legs for three days - just to see if tolerated - and no reaction, and it feels very good. Have also used on elbows which were like sandpaper and in that short time they have gone totally smooth. The Xeracalm range - it also comes in a lighter weight cream version - has no preservatives, La Roche Posay do a similar range - Lipikar. There are many totally natural products available to try too (skin salvation, various products like exebalm on ultrabee.com - I haven’t tried either). I would LOVE to go all natural but tend to have worse reactions to those products than any other :-( I think skin can go into meltdown with too many new products. It’s tempting to keep buying new things to try (which I have) but I can imagine our skin going ‘Aaagh! give me a break!’. Good luck with your DS. I hope his skin feels more soothed soon.

Thanks and that's interesting about cetraben. My son is 4. Cetraben seemed to help him for a while but now he is having a flare up, and it seems that his skin dries out within half an hour of applying it. He had a dermatology appointment scheduled in March and it was cancelled due to lockdown so I think I am going to chase them to reschedule it now that things are opening up.

@Kittywampus I too have seen a dermatologist. They will probably recommend trying different emollients and/or stronger steroids, and possibly allergy testing and/or food intolerance tests - there is little else they/you can do, except making sure there is no fragrance/nasties in washing powder (Boots sensitive/Surcare/Ecover are often recommended) or soaps etc, and doing an extra rinse on the washing machine cycle. And keeping the house as dust-free as poss, in case it's a dust mite allergy. Also anti-histamines to stop him scratching and making worse. Sorry, I'm probably saying stuff you already know. In the meantime it may be worth asking the GP again/pharmacist, they can be very knowledgeable on these things. I never had any of this stuff as a child, but on a positive, from what I can gather the majority of children do grow out of childhood eczema. Good luck.

Thank you, we have tried most of those things except for allergy tests. I asked about them last time we saw dermatology and didn't want to refer him but I can't remember what the reason was. I will ask again, if not then I'll have to try cutting things out of his diet. I'd prefer for them to do the tests though, ds is a fussy eater so I'd rather not cut any more foods out if I don't need to.

Is all Aveeno good? I've found it really helps my hands that have reacted to hand washing and wondered which is the best?

@tobee personally I can’t do Aveeno. But can do Avene.

Oh right thanks @Suzy55

We also tried la Roche posay (through a mumsnet product test) but ds said that it stung. So I got to finish it (it was great for my slightly dry skin btw).

I'm going to buy a couple of creams to try at my next supermarket shop, probably aveeno and child's farm because lots of people recommend them, and see how they compare to the cetraben.

@Kittywampus I think your DS will find child’s farm much more soothing than cetraben. Child’s Farm (the unfragranced one) has never stung me, unlike Cetraben.

@Suzy55 is it this one? Thank you. groceries.morrisons.com/products/childs-farm-moisturiser-unfragranced-478984011

Ds actually likes the feel of cetraben compared to other prescription creams we have tried, but it doesn't seem to be working any more. He usually scratches himself after I apply it, and his skin feels dry again within no time . It is very thick and I wonder if it makes his skin feel hot, which is a trigger for his eczema.

@Kittywampus yes that’s the one, it’s not as thick as cetraben so yes it won’t heat him up as much. Also I read on some eczema site that it’s a good idea to keep it in the fridge and if you do it really is lovely on a hot day, will really help to soothe him. Fingers crossed it will work for him, it does seem to work for so many and did work for me for a long while. I probably used too much in the end and became sensitised or something so it stopped working but one thing it never did was sting.