Need help for a friend... what can she do to help relieve dc's very dry skin?

[Dianne-TX]

She's need short term relief mainly. I know Aquaphor is good and I've told her to NOT (there, that's better...) make them shower/bathe every day. I also mentioned omega 3/fish oil supplements every day, but that's long term rather than short term. Any other tips?

Edited December 23, 2009 by Dianne-TX
missing word, kind of important for meaning

[cdrumm4448]

Actually, our dermatologist recommended bathing every other day. Daily bathing is too drying to the skin, particularly if you live in a cold-weather climate. Keeping the skin hydrated is the number one best thing you can do for your skin. Try organic jojoba oil. That's what I use on my kids.

[Caitilin]

Coconut oil is good too. :) Agree with limit bathing, especially if her dc are younger--maybe even every 3rd day, with daily applications of moisturizer. Avoid "lotions," and most "creams" as they are almost all water-based, and will make the problem worse. Best to them!

[HappyGrace]

Also, flaxseed oil every day! Coconut oil is excellent too.

 

And she should actually NOT bathe/shower every day!! It washes away the natural oils.

[4kiddies]

Cortaid works best for my dd.

[specialmama]

Agree, no bathing every day. In fact, go as long without a bath as possible: when my kids have bad eczema (sp?) I only bathe them once a week and it helps so much. Only use lukewarm water, the cooler they can stand it, the better. Avoid bubblebath and drying soaps... in fact, try to use only a natural olive oil or oatmeal soap on obviously dirty parts and the undie region. Even sitting in bath water with shampoo and soap in the water is drying on the skin. So rinse hair using a bucket and fresh water, then drain the bath water. Have the child stand in the empty bath and rinse the whole body with fresh lukewarm water to get rid of soap residue. Hop out of the tub, and do not use a towel! Apply any thick cream or lotion (I use Body Shoppe Body Butter or Neutrogena's Swiss Formula anti-itch cream for very dry skin) or one of the oils mentioned above to wet skin. Let dry naturally, without a towel. Of course, keeping the bathroom door closed until dry will help the munchkin to stay warmer. If they must use a towel, then gently blot, do not rub. You're trying to lock the moisture in, not rub it off.

[Peek a Boo]

Interesting. My ds's skin is actually helped by daily baths. The key is to make them fairly quick, not too hot, and to follow up with the blotting described by a pp and then liberal amounts of moisturizer.

If he goes a day without showering, his skin seems worse.

 

 

dh is like this. He uses Neutrogena and it works great for him.

 

I was gonna suggest Lansinoh [or the generic equivalent]. I use it for severely chapped lips and dh loves it for his hands :) We sometimes use it on cuts and stuff too, but I prefer a triple antibiotic.

 

good luck!

[Desert Rat]

We use Eucerin Calming lotion with great results.

[coffeefreak]

1. No liquid soaps - Ivory, Cetaphil, or a bar soap from a natural foods store

2. Bathe every 3 days (if they're stinky, sponge bath the stinky parts).

3. We used Eucerin until we found Renew by Melaluca. Renew is AMAZING! I have 3 bottles in the house at all times. Eucerin is good, but very greasy.

4. At night, Vaseline. My Derm told me to use this on my face, hands and feet. At first I was appalled, but it actually works wonders. I think it's a bonus if you can find it with Vit E in it. I have trouble with fragrances though and the only one I've found without fragrance is minus the vit e

 

HTH!

Dorinda

[Corraleno]

I don't like to use Aquaphor, or most other OTC "intensive care" type moisturizers because they're petroleum-based.* Ick. My daughter had severe excema when she was a baby, but the combination of coconut oil as a regular moisturizer and Burt's Bees products when her skin gets extra dry, has totally solved the problem.

 

You can get virgin coconut oil from Whole Foods or any health food store. It's solid below about 75 degrees, but liquifies when you rub a little between your hands. It absorbs very quickly, doesn't leave a greasy film, and it "feeds" your skin as well as moisturizing it.

 

Burt's Bees Almond Milk Hand Creme is an AWESOME moisturizer for really dry skin. It's 100% natural, very rich, smells wonderful, absorbs quickly, and seals in moisture like nothing else! Pricier than plain coconut oil, but it will heal up super-dry skin in nothing flat.

http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/body-hands-feet-hand-moisturizers/almond-milk-beeswax-hand-creme.html

 

Burt's has many many other moisturizers as well, all of them at least 98% natural, with no petroleum, parabens, or other junk you wouldn't want to be slathering on your kids (or yourself, for that matter).

 

Jackie

*Petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline), mineral oil, and paraffin are all distilled from crude oil. Mineral oil is actually a by-product of gasoline production! I don't need an extra helping of hydrocarbons with my moisturizer. :ack2:

Edited December 23, 2009 by Corraleno

[KatieJ]

Interesting. My ds's skin is actually helped by daily baths. The key is to make them fairly quick, not too hot, and to follow up with the blotting described by a pp and then liberal amounts of moisturizer.

 

If he goes a day without showering, his skin seems worse.

 

Go figure.

 

This is how my

DD handles her son's severe eczema..the Dr's are split. Half of them say to avoid baths, the other say to soak every day for 20 mins..tepid water. When he is soaking in the tub, he is soaking in plain water, no soap, no shampoo, just toys and tepid water. That rehydrates him..he is then patted down with a towel very briefly and then slathered in lotion.

[Dana]

I teach nights using a chalkboard. In the winter, my hands get really dried out. Lately, I've been using CeraVe (sold at my dermatologist's office) and if I use it daily, my skin doesn't get to the cracked & bleeding stage.

 

If I wait too long and the skin gets really bad, I've had great success using Lansinoh overnight. I figured if it worked for cracked nipples, it should work great for cracked hands - and it does!

[zaichiki]

I recently started using Palmer's Cocoa butter and it does MAGICAL things -- magical, I tell ya, even DAYS later!

[Oak Knoll Mom]

Do you know why they have dry skin? I ask because there's not a one size fits all answer. My boys have ichthyosis and much of the advice here would not be helpful for them.

[Dianne-TX]

Do you know why they have dry skin? I ask because there's not a one size fits all answer. My boys have ichthyosis and much of the advice here would not be helpful for them.

 

I think it's just eczema.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

She's need short term relief mainly. I know Aquaphor is good and I've told her to NOT (there, that's better...) make them shower/bathe every day. I also mentioned omega 3/fish oil supplements every day, but that's long term rather than short term. Any other tips?

 

 

Tell her to use the lotion (whatever kind) immediately after bathing, when the skin is still damp. This will lock in the moisture from the bath.

[Jan in SC]

I haven't used it myself, but I've heard good things about this:

 

http://www.kerrysherbals.com/herbalsalves.shtml