skin care

[Sarby]

I have suffered from eczema all my life and have a very strict skin regime to prevent my 3 year old daughter from breaking out in it - I've done this since the day she was born and apart form the odd patch that has broken out it really has worked. I use Balneum Bath Oil in her bath every evening and then I smother her in Aqueous cream from head to foot when she's dry - I use this as a moisturiser for myself and it works miracles for the cure of dry, sore skin when used regularly.

Would just like to get some advice on dry skin. DS (3yrs 9 months) has suffered from this since he was a tiny baby. I have always tried to keep the use of creams etc to a minimum as I was worried that the more I put on, the more he would need. But it just doesn't seem to be getting any better, particularly on his arms and back. Should I just give in and and start putting cream on him every day or two?. I also have very dry skin and have been slathering moisturiser all over me every single day since I was about 12 but I don't particularly want to condemn him to the same life sentence.

Bells2 - have you tried giving him flaxseed oil in his food? Available from health food shops, you have to keep it in the fridge and can't use it for cooking, but can dribble it over food once cooked. It contains omega-3 and omega-6 in perfect proportions, and is good for you in all sorts of ways, including clearing up problem skin.

We found oilatum lotion in the bath quite helpful too, as well as changing washing powder - we now use a liquid one for sensitive skins which I think is very good - can never remember the name, but Sainsburys stock it.

you probably mean Ecover - it's brilliant and I use it as dd had severe eczema, it is chemical free and gets the clothes perfectly clean.

Thanks a lot for that NQWWW. I guess that's what I'm looking for - something which will clear up the problem rather than just alleviate the symptoms. It also didn't occur to me that washing powder could aggravate it so will give that a go too.

bells2, I too have very dry skin. I am very careful about the soap that I use (an american one called Ivory that has no perfumes...I think the English equivalent is Simple). And when I shower, I only soap the stinky bits and let the rest of my body just get rinsed by the water. I find that my skin doesn't like many lotions so since I was very young I have only ever put johnsons baby lotion on me. Here in england I only use it a couple of times a week, but in los angeles where the air is really dry, I lotion up at least once a day. Also, as was suggested, try to be careful of perfumed laundry soaps. Try to stick to 100% cotton clothes...less likely to irritate the skin. Hope this helps a little.

Thanks again, bought some ecover yesterday and will also give Simple soap a try.

I would avoid soap altogether, as it is really too alkaline for skin. Products which are ph balanced are supposed to be much better - there is a boby wash called PH5.5 which is the same ph as skin. I never use any products at all on my ds, who is 2 - no soap or shampoo, as I don't find he needs either.

Aqueous cream and diprobase are both soap substitutes and you can use them as soap or as cream afterwards. DS gets covered in the stuff before swimming because of the terrible effects of the chlorine. I have read that most of our skin problems are due to overuse of detergents on our skins.

Fairy non-bio powder is terribly high in phosphates, we have used the pink swiss stuff which is pricey and persil aloe-vera non-bio. I do think the recommended doses are far too high, |I use half the amount with same results.

Surcare is the washing liquid we use for sensitive skin. Its been brilliant, but we have just noticed that it is very high in phosphates - I think we'll try Ecover when we're next shopping.

The thing that annoys me most about surcare is the tiny boxes it comes in - I want to buy a "normal" amount of tablets for washing... like 32 or 48! Not a paltry 16.

GeorginaA - we use the liquid version. Not a huge container either, actually.

have any of you tried elidel cream ? apparently it works miracles on eczema but I dont know if it is suitable for under 2s

i am very desperate now. my 8 year old girl has bad excema. it seemed to have gotten worse just recently. i am using aqeous cream for her bath i am tired of hearing about the steroid creams. please someone tell me if this elidel cream does work or simple e45 because her skin is always dry and frankly its hard and looking dreadful.
desperate poopsy.

E45 is not always good to use as it contains lanolin and many children with eczema react badly to lanolin.

Aqueous cream is OK and particularly as a soap substitute but it is not the most effective moisturiser in the world.

Creams I have been recommended are doublebase, diprobabse and 50/50.

All are expensive but should be available on prescription.

I am lucky enough to live in an area where there is a pilot scheme on excema anda specialist trained nurse at the hospital so I was abe to get lots of samples for dd.

You also need to use some sort of emollient oil in the bath, plain water even can aggravate the skin. Ones to try are balneum or oilatum.

As a soap yo can use the aqueous cream or E45 wash (it doesn't have the lanolin in unlike the cream)

TWO OF MY THREE CHILDREN HAVE ECZEMA. I FOUND USING OILATUM BATH OIL (NO SOAP) AND OILATUM CREAM VERY GOOD. CUTTING OUT COWS MILK AND GIVING GOATS MILK INSTEAD MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. ALSO AT MY LOCAL HEALTH SHOP THEY RECOMMENDED GOATS MILK CREAM OR ALOE VERA GEL AS A GOOD MOISTURISER.