Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

very bad dry skin... or excema?

24 replies

lilsmum · 05/11/2004 17:43

dd is 9 mth, and has had a patch of very dry bumpy skin on her chest for a couple of weeks... does anyone think this could be excema? sorry if i sound a little thick i dont know much about it though.i dont want to go to the docs incase i feel a fool and it is just dry skin

thanks

xxx

OP posts:
misdee · 05/11/2004 18:06

even if its just dry skin the gp can help. even dry skin can be irrating. they might give you a perscription for aquous cream. it'll last for ages.

pixiefish · 05/11/2004 18:19

or try some of bach's rescue remedy- I'm using this at the minute for dd's eczema (as well as the steroid cream) and it does seem to be working ( steroids on their own don't normally)

pixiefish · 05/11/2004 18:19

the cream i mean not the drops (duh)

Original poster
lilsmum · 05/11/2004 18:22

i have got some cream at the moment for her chin because of all the dribbling with teething it makes her chin very dry and red raw... this is called daktacort... anyone know if this could be used on the dry skin as well? thanks for the repies xx

OP posts:
Original poster
lilsmum · 05/11/2004 18:23

replies (duh!!) xx

OP posts:
pixiefish · 05/11/2004 18:24

not sure lilsmum- try some e45 for now- if it's just dry skin that'll sort it out- or the bach rescue cream

misdee · 05/11/2004 22:12

daktacort is anti fingal type cream isnt it? best just to slap some simple moisterer on the dry patch to see if that clears it up. is it red at all?

Original poster
lilsmum · 06/11/2004 21:21

misdee, no not red just very dry and bumpy. i have bought some e45 today so will give that a try.

thanks

xxx

OP posts:
Carameli · 08/11/2004 15:11

My dd(now 1) also had some really dry patches on her legs. I tried loads of things and in the end the best one was calendula cream. You can get it in boots with the alternative medicine things. I think it was by Nelsons( same people who make Teetha) Its great stuff, my mum read about it somewhere and it works wonders.

misdee · 08/11/2004 17:46

i have jusy ordered some dream cream from lush after hearing good reviews about it. might test it on my dd2 arm to see if its a good as they say.

Original poster
lilsmum · 10/11/2004 16:16

update.... i have took dd to gp and it is eczema!! he has told me to carry on using e45 but i have been using it for over a week now and it isnt clearing... is there anything i could ask for on prescription? any advice appreciated as it seems to be spreading if nothing else. xxx

OP posts:
DillyDally · 10/11/2004 16:25

Do you use Infaderm bubble bath as well as creams - this seems to help my DD

luckymum · 10/11/2004 16:34

lilsmum - E45 makes my dd's excema worse. We use Aveeno which you can get from Boots or on prescription.

Pidge · 10/11/2004 16:35

I was recommended to use aqueous cream for my eczema (rather than E45 which in those days had lanolin in it, and lanolin can irritate some people). Aq cream is a pure moisturiser and can also be got in bar form and used instead of soap in the bath (you definitely shouldn't use soap if there are signs of eczema). It is only about £2 for an enormous tub.

I also use diprobase which is a slightly more heavy duty moisturiser, but is pricey so I get it on prescription.

Provided it's not irritating your dd I wouldn't worry too much - just keep moisturising regularly, particularly after bathing. And keep her in cotton clothing.

Carameli · 10/11/2004 19:22

lilsmum, my dd had mild eczema when she was a little baby(luckily seems to have outgrown it now) we use surecare though and also infaderm bath stuff. I was also told to just keep moisturising and we used diprobase which helped a bit, but I have to say it again that the calendula was what seemed to really make a difference. We were also given hydrocortisone(mild one 0.5% I think) but I did not like using it on her as she was so little.

You could ask the doctor for diprobase, my dd got a huge tub of it, will last years I think.

Original poster
lilsmum · 10/11/2004 20:09

thanks everyone... will be going to doc with a list lol. i have been using just normal johnsons bath stuff but will try some of what you have all advised.

thanks

xxx

OP posts:
Doddle · 10/11/2004 20:25

just to add another one to your list, our dermatologist recommended 50/50 ointment for ds2, it's like sloppy vaseline. I get it on prescription by the lorry load!!

His reasoning was that it only has 2 ingredients and to use things with the fewest ingredients as they have the least chance of reactions.

The eczema society recommend that you use ointment on dry eczema and lotion/cream on wet weeping eczema, my GP was not aware of this but the dermatologist confirmed it.

E45 and aqueous cream both irritate my ds2 as does Oilatum bath oil, we use balneum or Aveeno.

hope this is useful

Original poster
lilsmum · 10/11/2004 20:49

thanks doddle... i know i may sound a little thick lol but i dont really know much about eczema can anyone give me some basic facts pls? there is only the patch about the size of a £2 on her chest close to underneath of her armpit... it is dry and red is she likely to get it any where else? she gets a bad dry red rash under her chin too (which is prob caused by dribbling) but could this be eczema too?

thankyou xxx

OP posts:
loobyloo2 · 11/11/2004 16:21

I found that Calendula cream really helps, plus lots of moisturiser. I put on a load of Calendula cream then put a plaster on it over night. I also give her piriton medicinne to try to stop the itch at night. It is working a bit, but at this time of year does seem to get worse due to central heating and long pants and tops.

Pidge · 11/11/2004 16:41

Really recommend the eczema society for info and advice.

As for predicting whether other patches will appear - there's no way of knowing. But lots of babies have dry skin / eczema patches and don't go on to have 'full-blown' eczema. My own dd had lots of red dry patches periodically in her first year, now she's 2.3 and has been completely clear of anything for about a year.

Try the moisturisers suggested here until you find something that you're happy with. Above all avoid anything with any fragrances, as doddle says - the simpler the better. Also avoid soaps and shampoos - babies really don't get that grubby. Just water and whatever moisturiser you're using will be fine.

tis · 11/11/2004 17:15

I think you can waste a lot of money on various creams (I have) but the best is aqueous cream which is really cheap.

alfiebetty · 11/11/2004 17:38

I agree aqueous cream very good my sister has had excema since childhood 35 years. She has used untold types of cream but always goes back to aqueous cream. E45 has lanolin so wouldn't use that. Green Baby have a cream called S.O.S rescue cream for excema is very good as nice light fragrance. Aqueous cream smells a bit fatty!!! Good luck hope it isn't excema

Original poster
lilsmum · 11/11/2004 21:56

thanks for all your advice and support with this everyone!!
i appreciate it SO much!!

xxxx

OP posts:
misdee · 11/11/2004 22:00

dd1 ezcema started with 2 small patches on her face when she was tiny. before that she had dry skin.

you can go through loads of creams trying to find a good one that works. try to get things on perscriptions, the amount of creams/lotions/bath additives i pick up at one time can add up to ver £50 if i was paying for them.

hope your dd skin clears up soon and with no further problems.

btw, i'd ditch the johnsons products as found them bad for my kids skin. infaderm is meant to be good, tho it didnt work for us.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread