Ask our La Roche-Posay expert your questions about eczema in babies and children - £200 voucher to be won

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Created for La Roche Posay

Baby and childhood eczema can cause distress to both children and parents, especially in winter. Whether you have questions on how often to bathe a child with eczema, or how to deal with the condition during the colder months, Dr Catherine Borysiewicz, Consultant Dermatologist, is on hand to answer all of your questions.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw.
• One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher.
• Dr Catherine Borysiewicz will be back online to answer a selection of your questions.

About Dr Catherine Borysiewicz:

“Dr Catherine Borysiewicz studied medicine at Cambridge University and clinical medicine at University College London. She carried out medical and surgical training at a number of prestigious central London teaching hospitals. Today, she consults privately in central London and Surrey where she specialises in inflammatory skin diseases including eczema, acne and psoriasis and sun damage and skin cancers. Dr Catherine has been working with La Roche Posay to support children with eczema - a condition she reflects with personal experience of managing with her two children”

Here’s what La Roche Posay has to say:

“Eczema is quite a common skin condition in the UK, with 1 out of 5 children suffering from it. At La Roche-Posay, we understand how it can impact the quality of life of your little ones and thus, of the whole family. That's why we're delighted to give Mumsnet users the opportunity to ask all their questions about eczema to Consultant Dermatologist Dr Catherine. As the mother of children who suffered from eczema, Dr Catherine will be able to provide you with expert advice as well as practical tips on how to keep your little one’s skin under control, for the whole family to enjoy a happier life.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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@TheDeckchairGardener

I read somewhere that probiotics (taken orally) can help to alleviate eczema. Do you know whether there is any truth in that?

Thanks.

We have become increasingly aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy balanced skin microbiome, and the role this plays in supporting and maintaining healthy skin barrier function. Skin care products can help support a healthy microbiome by being respectful of this population and not affecting it adversely. Be gentle in your approach and respect the skin microbiome by avoiding the use of oil stripping soaps, detergents and antiseptics.

We have been aware of the potential benefits of probiotics for gut health for many years, and many probiotics can be found in health food shops and supermarkets. However, it can be challenging to develop skincare products containing probiotics as this creates storage challenges - think about your live yogurts in the fridge! Skin care products containing prebiotics such as the Lipikar AP+ range by La Roche Posay can effectively provide ‘food’ for ‘good’ microbes. This can be particularly important for patients with eczema prone skin, as many treatments such as antibiotics will disrupt this healthy balance.

My daughter suffered from eczema. What sort of skincare would you recommend as she gets older and what should she avoid?

@PigeonLittle

My son licks his lips a lot in winter and the skin around his mouth can get red raw. Do you have any recommendations?

Hi @PigeonLittle. Colder weather can cause irritation and chapping on lips and face. This can cause discomfort and lead to a lip-licking habit. Use regular moisturisers and try colourless barrier creams such as Cicaplast Baume to protect the lips and surrounding skin.

@Hexagonmum

My 8 year old has eczema on her eyelids, in winter this area goes red and dry, and her skin around her eyes swell up. Once the hot weather comes around her skin goes back to normal.

Every cream under the sun that I have tried doesn't work. I would be so grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks

Hello @Hexagonmum - eyelid eczema can be incredibly challenging as the skin is very thin and sensitive as well as the obvious difficulties applying products close to the eye itself. This is an exposed site pattern of eczema so it may be triggered by things within the environment - make sure you have dust mite protectors on her bedding especially her pillowcases. Soothe the skin with a preservative free product- a layer of liquid paraffin-white soft paraffin at night time on the affected skin would help. Also if things are severe, do speak with your GP or dermatologist about using an appropriate anti-inflammatory cream to calm down the skin. Once settled, keep the area well moisturised and avoid rubbing at the eyes.

@FluffMagnet

I've been using coconut oil on my 16 week old - he has rough skin all over his body that gets red on torso and behind his knees and a very flaky and red scalp. So far it is the only thing that has had an effect (health visitor said only see GP if I couldn't get it under control with creams or oils - is this right?) but is it ok to use and how often should I be applying? Should I be washing it off before applying fresh oil each time? As it covers his whole body, this pretty much means a bath.

@FluffMagnet coconut oil has become a very popular product, however, I do not recommend using nut oils in children. Although coconut oil can be hydrating it can also be comedogenic - and block pores causing an acne like reaction. At 16 weeks and with your description it is important to rule out a seborrehic dermatitis - your GP or dermatologist will be able to assess this. Stop the coconut oil, switch to a soap substitute for bathing, then apply regular moisturisers - choose one that is fragrance free and safe to use in babies. To red areas, your specialist will prescribe a suitable anti-inflammatory cream for a week or two. Once the skin has settled, keep going with a regular moisturiser to support the skin barrier and prevent future flares.

@Montydoo

My DS 2 has eczema on the backs of his knees and arms, I use creams, but it's worse in the winter because of the dry heat, does intensive treatment work, cream and dressings overnight ?

Hello @Montydoo - intensive night time treatment can be a very effective way to clear up eczema patches. At night time we are not exposing our skin to as many challenges - frequent hand washing, exposure to things in the environment, so it is the perfect time to get the treatment creams on. In dermatology we often use dressings or wraps on the skin to improve the absorption of the treatment creams and moisturisers into the skin. Dressings can also be helpful at preventing scratching at the skin.

Thank you for all of your questions, I hope you found this Q&A useful.

Thank you!

Somehow this has fallen out of my "threads you're on" page but it gave me a notification. Thank you (and I love La Roche Posay! Although I can't spell it, or say it )

I get confused as it's said unperfumed products are best BUT some essential oils are OK (which have a natural scent). Can you advise please.

My daughter's hands are worse in winter, in summer she doesn't really have any signs of eczema. Is this common? Does wearing gloves help? Should she put cream on when she goes out?

Thanks so much for all of your questions! Congratulations to @Apple40 who is the winner of the prize draw!