NOW CLOSED Do you have a child with eczema? Do you/does your dp/h have eczema? Share your top tips on managing eczema and you could win a sample of Cetraben® lotion!

[AnnMumsnet]

We have been asked by the team at Genus Pharmaceuticals (Genus) to find out how you currently manage your child's eczema on a daily basis. Or if you have or your dp/h has eczema, how you/they cope with it. Please share on this thread advice you might give to other parents/people to help manage the condition effectively and keep skin free from eczema.

Genus says "we have recently launched our new Cetraben® lotion, which offers an effective and cosmetically acceptable leave-on emollient for everyday use to manage dry skin or eczema and prevent redness or flares".

Share your thoughts and advice on this discussion thread and 50 MNers will receive FREE samples of Cetraben® lotion, worth £9.64 (RRP).

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?

~ For example, how to and how often to apply, how much treatment to use, when to increase/decrease amount of treatment, how to recognise and treat bacterial infection/flare-ups

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?

Find out more about Genus's full Cetraben® range at www.cetraben.co.uk.

Add your comment to this thread and MN will select 50 posters at random to receive a free 500ml and 200ml pump dispenser of Cetraben® lotion. If you are selected you will be messaged by MNHQ and asked to provide your details.

Thanks for getting involved!

MNHQ

DD who is 4 has eczema. We control it well. We use Hydromol every day at night, and Doublebase gel after baths. I use Betnovate on patches of eczema- usually lower back (where she can scratch), elbows, knees and random patches. Fucidin on her face.
We see a dermatologist every 6 months at the hospital to review treatment.

Advice would be: no bubble bath (fill Matey bottle with Oilatum and pretend). Porridge oats squeezed through a bag into the bath. Dry skin properly.
Keep an eye on washing powder. Watch out for the season's changing, most of our flare ups happen then. And sunlight is the best healer of all.

Just to add, our derm (who is Dr Crema, yes really) emphasises that we should use emollient every day and not just when skin is bad. We put a liberal coating all over, she is getting good at doing this herself now.

My daughter is currenlty using Cetraben lotion after an array of other creams, the inital use is more postive, in results, than others we have used, it is our first week but we are both please with the results. Less scaling and less scratching all help with the healing of her skins as it is kept moist.

My DS (2) has eczema and I have had it it all my life.

I use emulsifying ointment several times a day and steroids / fucidin as required to manage flare ups.

For DS we use Cetraben ointment many, many times through the day and night as his skin dries out quickly and goes scaly. He scratches a lot so wears scratchsleeves at night and we keep his nails as short as possible. For bathing, we have cetraben oil but have also found that he can tolerate Earth Friendly Baby body wash, which means he can have bubbles now and then. We swim once a week and so ling as he showers thoroughly afterwards followed by lashings of cream, we find the chlorine helps to decolonise any sore bits and keep flare ups to a minimum.

We have really struggled with advice and have been waiting to go back to the dermatologist for months and months, with no sign of even an idea of the length of the waiting list! We have bitten the bullet and are going private to get some help in managing his skin. I have read about wet wrapping and would like to understand more. DS's face tends to be badly affected though and he rubs this in his sleep :-(

I also feel as if I spend half my life at the GP or chemist for repeat prescriptions of cream, oil, milk substitutes etc etc. I have been questioned by the GP about why DS needs so much emollient cream (he goes through a 1050g tub every month) but we are reapplying throughout the day and night so do get through a lot.

I had some success with Silver Sense baby clothes and sheets when DS was little, but now he can get his clothes off it's harder to control the scratching. Sun and warmer weather generally do help, although exposed skin can be hazardous.

DS is on a dairy and fish free diet due to allergies. The dietician and allergy consultant have been great, but have to refer to dermatology for the eczema and unfortunately, the long wait!

We stick with tried and tested washing solutions and have noticed reactions in the past if we have swapped (like a PP, down to needing to buy what the shop had on the shelf!) I would like to try washing 'eggs' or balls so we could potentially go powder free completely.

Ds had eczema when very young around his mouth (the same colour as the red share on Google!) so I cut out all citrus or acidic fruits and drinks and also yoghurt. It cleared up within days!
I used Aqueous cream and Oilatum on him when/if necessary.
He grew out of the allergies and eats anything at all now.

Dd gets it now (age 7) in patches on her arms and I've cut out the same things as with Ds, but I've also had to cut out lactose. It's not gone completely, but is much less itchy and sore. If I put any type of emollient on it, it goes instantly red, sore and itchy so now I put nothing on it. It's currently dry, but flesh coloured and not bothersome.

I get eczema in smallish patches if I get really stressed. I put Aqueous on. It doesn't tend to last too long.

I use E45 but recently sampled Eucerin and iloved it. Hated diprobase, it's hard to spread and stinks.

Showering every day and using in shower emollient as well as post shower

I use betnovate-RD, works better on me than betnovate. Its part of my daily regimen (once a day)very thin film, I've never been given advice to lessen it

I use nipple cream on broken skin and it works wonders!

Avoid Lycra tights and wool, I find oils generate heat and make me flare up

I take antihistamines daily too- I'm allergic to dust, pets, weather and pollen

My 16 year old dd has eczema, she is quite good at managing it herself now but it has taken years of prompting and encouragement from me to get her to this point.

Routine is key, showering daily is important, keeping scented lotions and potions is vital. Using non-bio powder helps minimise flare ups.

When dd's skin does flare up it is important to act quickly so it can be nipped in the bud. At the first sign of red, cracked, sore skin I get my dd to moisturise lots, this tends to keep itchiness to a minimum and stops her scratching.

I encourage her to look out for the signs that her skin is about to flare up, as she gets older she needs to know how to manage her own condition, what makes it worse and how to keep it at bay.
One day she won't be living with me anymore and will not have me there to nag her and remind her to moisturise

Giving up cows milk ended eczema for all my kids.

What has helped my family, is take I give my washing an extra rinse.
I also don't ever use a fabric conditioner.
Doing both of these have really helped

At the age of 46, I suddenly started with eczema about 4 months ago and have no idea why, and its driving me nuts. I'm in the process of now switching to non-bio washing powder, and stopping using fabric conditioner.

The doctor prescribed eumovate and zerobase, which seemed to work quite well initially, but struggling again now and its not getting any better. The worst part is that I have it on my nipples, as well as my hands, neck, shoulders, upper arms and behind the knees.
I don't think I'm disciplined enough at moisturising often enough so will need to make more of an effort.
When I went to the gp and got the presription, I naively thought that would cure it. 4 months later and reading this thread is so depressing to realise that maybe the best I can hope for is to control is a bit.

Between me and my 2 dds we have 3 different types of eczema

I have Pompholyx eczema which flares up in warm weather and during periods of ill health or stress (and also wearing non cotton socks)

Dd1 has atopic which follows the same pattern as her hayfever so worse in spring and late summer

Dd2 has discoid eczema which gets better in strong sunlight but unfortunately she doesn't like exposing her skin due to the amount of scaring she has

My doctors have been fantastic with prescriptions for emollients -if I ask I get
Dd2 uses dermol lotion as maintenance and a 500ml bottle lasts 6-8 weeks
Dd1 uses aveeno as and when

We all use steroids as required

The best piece of advice I can give anyone with a child with moderate-severe eczema is ask for a dermatology referral

They were fantastic as showing how to apply creams as its amazing how much cream you do need, dd2 was prescribed light therapy which was amazingly effective

We've been really lucky with avoiding infections with only a couple of instances and the hospital have again been really good at advising what to look for

The biggest problem we had with dd2 was getting a diagnosis in the first place as the GPs were so unfamiliar with her type of eczema

No treatment works for everyone so if the treatment you have been prescribed doesn't work for you, go back and get something different

Oh and aqueous cream is not an eczema treatment!

I have eczema and so does dd2.

My triggers are heat and stress. I have had light treatment in the past and now manage it day to day with diprobase and dermalol bath oil. I use Elocon for flares up. My scars cover my body.

If you have bad eczema you need to see a demotoloigst. GP's are not really up to date with the latest treatment and they can't prescribe the strong creams.

DD2 was refered to a demotoloist when she was 2yo. She was also presicbed Elocon and dermalo.

My biggest tips are:

*Use cotton bedding and keep the room cool at all times. Night time scratching is the worst as you don't even know you are doing it.
*Avoid stress if at all possible.
Be aware of your dc environment - never have a hot house (a warm house will feel like a hot house to someone with ezcema), and if you have no choice but to be in a hot house then strip your dc as much as possible. We live in a 'cold house' and everyone else just has to deal with this and layer up. I can't risk dd2 and I overheating.
*Teach your dc not to get too hot so they know to take off a layer (eg school jumper) if getting hot.
*There is nothing more annoying than being told to 'stop scratching' so I am trying to teach dd2 to stroke the irritated area and apply moisturiser asap. A gentle stroke is almost as satisfying as a good old itch but it won't rip the skin apart.
*Accept that perfumed/nice smelling lotions and potions are not a part of your life. We use nothing in this house except prescribed bath oil and baby shampoo.
*Treat everything that touches your skin as an irritant - dd2 is only 3yo but knows she cannot wear face paint. Even if it says its allergy tested or whatever - don't trust it. Unless you've done a 24hr skin test you really don't know if it will cause a flare up.
*Keep a pot of moisturiser on the top of the stairs and try and train your dc to moisturise every time they go up upstairs.
*Sun is a healer but overheating can cause scratching so its a delicate balance.
*Moisturise every morning and night but don't over rub the skin.
*Moisturising is prevention as much as cure so cream even when the eczema is not there.

My biggest tip is to bath everyday. I was always told not to bath daily but the dermatologist told me this is old news and the recommendation is now to bath everyday to avoid infection. This is a revelation to me. DD2 and I now bath everyday using demalol and we rarely have flare ups let alone infections. After the bath moisturise straight away, do not dry completely. Cream and rub the water into the skin to trap the moisture.

I use Diprobase and Dermol500 on a daily basis. Also use E45 and Sudocream when on offer in the supermarket.

I use Averno products but also fucidin fucidin h and fucibet,a anti fungal cream and have some tablets for when things get really bad. I also have double base and another emmolient. I rotate through various combinations of all of the above in an attempt to keep my skin comfortable, what works one day may irritate the next wat southes my legs will quite often make my arms feel like I'm on fire.

I would love to see a dermatologist and get some real advice but the gp is very reluctant to refer.

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes? We use a product called aquaphor which was advised for us to use when we lived in the USA, it tricky to get here in the UK but you can still get it. We tried lots of different creams that were water based and none worked so the aquaphor is a oil based lotion and it works for both myself and my two children. As for soaps and shampoos we are careful about what we use and use products that are natural and free from things. One of the products that both of my children react to is Johnsons bath products so we avoid those.

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need? I only use emollients when they and I need it as I find since we have been picky and careful with the products we choose we haven't had as many flare ups.

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here? We don't get anything from the doctor as they are all water based and that doesn't help so I buy the oil based aquaphor as it works best.

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy? No and I don't see it as being that relevant.

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment? We were offered more when we lived in the USA. I have had excema for a long time and been offered very little advice. I on my own have narrowed done the triggers and I manage myself and my boys usually unless one of us has a really bad reaction which is rarely now.

~ For example, how to and how often to apply, how much treatment to use, when to increase/decrease amount of treatment, how to recognise and treat bacterial infection/flare-ups. Only when needed but in bad times of flare up morning and night. If it doesn't clear up quickly then I seek medical advice.

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema? Be pro-active and figure out triggers. Be careful and look at ingredients on kids products you would be surprised about what well known brands put in them. Don't be frightened to try a few products out before you find the one that suits you. Trust your instincts.

My 4 year old has eczema and has since she was a week old. She previously had it over 80% of her body with recurring infections, it's now down to about 15% on her latest flareup of what for us is minor patches, though the back of her neck was quite bad today (really badly cracked).

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?

• Dermol 500 lotion, plus prescription steroids. She used to have one strong, one moderate, and one mild, and it down to just one mild on repeat. We use a soap substitute in the bath.

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?

Now, it's morning and evening lotion with as needed extra throughout the day, steroids only before bed unless she has a new patch. Previously it was more than that plus special clothes and sleeves on top.

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?

We were prescribed the lotion when she was little, but around three we were only prescribed steroids. We buy her lotion over the counter. I don't know why, it was GP's decision.

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?

Not that I can recall, I think the hospital specialist touched on it a bit by giving her recommendations. Actually, we've had the opposite problem in that the ped. one of her siblings saw was very against the programme the hospital specialist gave us (because it didn't involve bathing daily unless she was infected - and even then briefly, the ped. was very against the concept of not bathing daily as well as against all the clothes she wore).

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?

For example, how to and how often to apply, how much treatment to use, when to increase/decrease amount of treatment, how to recognise and treat bacterial infection/flare-ups

Infections, yes, we've had information on that and signs to look out for other complications (she got an infection under her nails once, it was bad). The rest, no, I got the how to apply best online and the rest had been trial and error - though to be fair the advice of 'as often as possible' was pretty much spot on for her at that stage.

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?

Scratchsleeves, cotton coverall-like outfits, cotton tights, hairties/short hair cuts. Less exposed skin the better and getting hair into a wound is really painful when they pull it out. Get the creams and steroids sooner rather than later and see a doctor at the first sign of infection because it can spread across the skin - and into other places - fast. And most of all, patience, lots and lots of patience.

~ What types of eczema emollients do you use? For example, creams, lotions, bath shower products, soap substitutes?
Double gel, hydrocortisone cream and Epaderm

~ What is your child’s/your treatment regimen and how often do they/you use eczema emollients? How much emollient do they/you tend to use/need?
Treatment is changing all the time, DS has not long been diagnosed and still trying to see what works best

~ Do you feel you are/your child is prescribed enough eczema emollient, in-line with what is needed? If no, why is there a gap here?
Yes GP has been willing to prescribe different emollient to see what suits DS best

~ Has the doctor/nurse/pharmacist spoken with you about the importance of complete emollient therapy?
Not really

~ What guidance/education have you been offered to support the eczema treatment?
None

~ For example, how to and how often to apply, how much treatment to use, when to increase/decrease amount of treatment, how to recognise and treat bacterial infection/flare-ups
No guidance on this

~ If your child has eczema, what advice would you give to other parents with a child with eczema?
As I am so new to this I wouldn't feel confident to offer others advice as yet

My son gets eczema flare ups. He's now 18. For years he had very stubborn patches of eczema behind knees and in elbow creases. The cure for him is sun and if possible sea water, so a beach holiday fits the bill! He's even been known to go to a sunbed occasionally in the winter as nothing clears his eczema like sun. Most creams make his skin worse though Aveeno is his preferred daily moisturiser.

I've found cotton bedding helps. Tight clothing and materials that don't breathe very well always worsens our little ones eczema.

Both my LOs have sensitive skin,as do I,and they suffer from eczema flare ups. I avoid using bio laundry products, and those with heavy perfume, etc and look out for dermatologically approved products and use naturally derived products like Ecover. I steer clear of skin products containing SLS, SLES, Parabens, artificial perfumes and alcohol, using more natural products instead. I don't really like using steroid creams as they are only little, so always use good natural creams to help soothe and heal their skin, when i can. I also keep an eye on their diet as I have read certain foods can trigger flare ups too, as well as help. Goats milk is supposed to help ease eczema! :)

My daughter suffers with mild eczema but occasionally it flares up badly.
When her eczemza is mild, usually Aveeno cream & bathoil is enough. But when it flares up we need to use hydrocortisone ointment. I have no problem getting these from the doctor & they usually supply large amounts to last us.
My advice would be to use non-bio washing powder & softners, also fragrance free soaps.

Salcura Dermaspray www.salcuraskincare.com/product/intensive/
Absolutely fantastic! No petrochemicals. No steroids. No preservatives. Completely natural. Got rid of my son's eczema on arms. I used it 2x daily, but now less frequently just to make sure it's not coming back. They do a version for babies as well.

Yes to porridge oats in an old pop sock.