Getting so desperate over DD's skin, its flared up badly and I don't know what to try next

[used2bthin]

She had a patch like a sore on her cheek aged three months which gradually got bigger and now covers bith cheeks, its raised red patches on a red background. Tried various things, it wastreated as excema then it kept getting infected so we were referred to a dematologist who said to treat it as excema so she had very strong steroids which cleared it up so that it just looked red not raised and was fairly ok. Then the dermatologist said we should try to use it less so I did and t flared up again so we had a few months using pro topic. Then DD developed psoriasis on her elbows and thigh and the dermatologist said that although that was definately psoriasis, she was reluctant to label what is on DD's face as anything and just wants to continue treatment, so epiderm for everyday, eumovate for bad flare ups and elidel for in between with dactocort for the psoriasis and for the face if needed. The problem is its suddenly and for no reason I can think of, flared up badly. Her face is worst but her elbows look pretty bad too. Sorry that was so long I just am putting it all down in the hope that someone will come up with something new, poor poor DD looks terrible and it must be uncomfortable. Sh'e 20m btw.

ahhh bless her ur poor lill dd must be so hard for her and painfull u would think tey would at least try to say what it is on her cheaks hope u find something tht helps sorry i could not help i to have psoriasis in my hair well on my head and know how sore that can be

Hi used ( I used to as well ;-) )

I hope i can help - this was similar to my son - there's a whole set of posts on this somewhere. He had terrible eczema / psoriasis (sorry, can never spell that) all over his body, his chops were worst and it spread. He was in a bad way. We used to call him the Singing Detective (I blush at this now) because all his skin was falling off

We tried all sorts of stuff given from the dermatologist and none of it really helped long term, they all would maybe work for an hour or two and then get even more sore.

I read on the internet after weeks of research about using Vitamin E and this proved to be a life skin saver. You just buy Vit E capsules, prod them open and use the oil inside. They were amazing! I also tried some homoeopathic creams, which seemed to work again for a bit, but not a lot.

The only other thing, is pure cotton sheets, check your washing powder etc.

Good luck - it's tough and it will get better. DS is now gorgeous and has the best clear skin.

Hi kee27 and oneliein its good to hear from people who have had similar problems. Oneliein how old is your ds and where on his body were the skin probs? Was it diagnosed by the dermatologist as psoriasis? Which washing powder do you use?

Infant Starflower Creme from Napier's the Chemist:

here

a little goes a long way and it's cheap enough to try out.

The vitamin e is something I can definately try thanks for that btw,I'm assuming its quite gentle so can't do much harm? My dad mentioned homeopathy today which is possible. I'm wary of putting something on that makes it worse but it really is bad atm so maybe anything is worth a try.

Thanks expat, have you used that one yourself?

ah wee soul I have, and have always had 'dodgy' skin since a child and have found the best thing ever is Nelsons Tea Tree Antiseptic cream

I have used in on my eczema/chicken pox/ rashes etc

would check it before using it on a child though (have used it on both of mine but none have anything as severe as your wee one)

second Vitamin E cream too, if you don't want to use the capsules, Superdrug vit E cream is good as well

what about Aveeno products? can get them on prescription of over the counter at chemist too now I think

fairy washing powder only in this house and simple bath/hair/soap products

hope some of this helps

DS is now 5, but had problems from about 4 months old til about 2.5 yrs old. Problems started with his chops, then spread over a period of time to all of the creases, plus then generally.

They diagnosed eczema, psoriasis - I think they did not know honestly what was causing it.

Washing powder - non bio only. Fairy mainly or Surcare (both too much £, but others seem to set his skin off).

It turned out to be a milk intolerance in the end, but it took us ages and ages to find that out.

Good luck!

is she a dribbler? mine both dribble terribly when asleep at night ending up with soaking wet pillows etc

vaseline/immolient (sp?! sorry) to help protect from dribbles works wonders too

We have used it on DD1, used2, who had a patchy type rash like your daughter when she was about that age and still has very sensitive skin.

Thanks all, she is a dribbler but has epaderm on almost always as a barrier/moisturisor then the other stuff used as and when. The best it has been in the last year was a couple of months ago when we were using the strong steroid but even them the skin was a different tone, I just worry that it is scarred. On her elbows it is very obviously psoriasis but on her face it looks like a cross between that and excema so sounds really similar oneliein. Was the vit e cream the only thing you used for it? Did it only clear up fully when you took him off milk? The dermatology consultant has never suggested an intolerance but I did think of that as I was lactose intolerant as a baby. I think she was tested for it though when we were in hospital about something else.

Ah I've heard of Aveeno because I think they do a suncream don;'t they? As for washing powder I use persil non bio liquid, I could try fairy but tbh I think I've used different ones when she was smaller without noticing a differnence. I don't use softener anymore though and don't use anything other than a bit of aqueous cream to wash her inthe bath.

The VitE oil (from the inside of the capsules) was the only thing that worked to sooth it and calm the redness for any decent length of time.

As for the intolerance, they tested DS, but it was a negative. After paedeatrician (why are all these words so bldy hard to spell?) number 2, I started researching. We cut out milk totally for 2 - 3 weeks and saw quite a difference. He also started pooing again (oh how I regret that now, when I have to clean the toilet )

Is she better in the sunshine? Does that help?

My DS was the same when he was a baby. I discovered he was allergic to bananas. His face used to crack and bleed and he would smile at me in the morning in his cot and his lips would be bleeding. No creams worked really, the steroids improved it but not a cure.

Try it, cut out bananas for two weeks. I hope it is also your miracle cure.

DD has had anti biotics before actually if it doesn't clear up soon maybe I should go back for more? I really can't stand to see it get back to as bad as it was at christmas, she's gorgeous but all you could see of her face was the red raised bumps it was awful and its getting that way again.I really hope this goes away and she doesn't have to go to school with it although I gather that the psoriasis diagnosis is not very good news in that it is hereditary so won't ever go completely. If its excema on her face though at least that may clear up.

i try to avoid antibiotics with DD1 because in addition to her sensitive skin she gets thrush whenever she has ABs.

aveeno cream

nelsons tea tree cream

hi puss! Onliein I am going to go tomorrow and find some vit e capsules are they literally just the ones you get in boots etc? DD gets badly constipated too, its been a big problem. What did you give as a milk substitute and did you cut everything with milk in or just milk, cheese, yogurt type stuff with lots in? I thought the sunshine had helped a bit but suncream doesnt so hard to tell. It seems to help her elbows but not alwyas her face. Saying that she's not had the psoriasis on her elbows long so still learning. Kbear DD doesn't eat bananas at all but thanks for the suggestion, glad you found a cure though!

Thanks for the links dizzy I just had a little read up on excema on there too, its quite a good basic overview if you click on skin conditions.Expat true, I don't want AB's for DD if at all possible, they did work last time though I think. Well they got it under control for a short while that is. Control meaning better but not by any means looking normal. Its so frustrating!

Ds was terribly allergic to persil. What suits one child might be the worst thing for another. It might be worth trying a different washing powder for a couple of weeks.

Vitamin e oil is excellent for healing skin.

very welcome. I hope you find something that helps

Oh I am sold on the vitamin e front I have got a dentist appointment tomorrow and will be picking it up on my way home then rushing to try it out! I think I'll try switching powders I'll go with fairy and see how that is maybe. Am sure I've used it before actually its sometimes hard to tell what affects DDs skin. As for her psoriasis I had another thread about this but have to have a quick moan, they are out of coal tar treatmnent right across the country and I can't even have it ordered in. I'm expecting a call back from the dermatologist or her secretary tomorrow I'm hoping they can help me track some down. Its so annoying as its meant to work really well. Wouldnt help with her face though its just for her "plaques" on her elbows.

treatment even.

3littlefrogs, Persil was also the really bad one for DS - I wonder what sht they put in it to make our skin go so nuts?

Used2, yes, just normal boots or anything vit e capsules, they are clear, just prick them with a pin and squeeze the oil out.

As for milk, we tried cutting it out a few times with no success. I read you need to do it for at least 2 weeks, so there is no 'footprint' left. We cut out all milk, icecream, yoghurts etc. Milk we used soya instead, icecream use Swedish Glace (yum) and yoghurts use alpro soya ones. It was a p in the a for 2 weeks, but the change after these weeks was amazing.

Let me know about the VitE oil, hopefully it will do the trick.