Marie131 Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 What do you use to treat your eczema and is it effective? I am having a horrible reaction that I can't get rid of despite my usual remedies. I need some relief! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Once Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I had minor skin irritaion on my arms that cleared up with a vegan like diet.....no dairy and no meat. It comes back even if I fudge a little for a special treat but goes away quickly when I get back to it. I have heard many similar stories online. Maybe a cleansing diet with lots of veggies and fruit would be helpful for the acute reaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Flaxseed oil helps me. I take the oil if I have active excema, and I take the pills as a preventative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Hard lotion bars have done wonders for our skin! They are like the ones on this site, but I make them myself without ordering the DIY kit. http://www.hardlotion.com/diy-hard-lotion-kit/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Avoid dairy, wash with a mild soap (dove/cetaphil), use a thick cream (eucerin, aquaphor). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 My dh use to get it till he cut back on dairy. Now he has no problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 My boys both have it during the colder months. They get it in odd places like the backs of their legs. I slather on a lot of Aquaphor regularly and that really helps. Same here. Both my boys suffer from it and we had tried everything, we think plain vaseline works best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butterflymommy Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 My kids have severe eczema-- it looks like 2nd degree burns. OTC remedies we use are noxema (once a upon a time it actually was an eczema remedy-- "Knocks Eczema"-- and it is mostly herbal-- don't wash it off), vaseline, zinc oxide paste (desitin), and bleach baths. When it's absolutely horrible we use prolactin, elidel, and prescription hydrocortisone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianmomtofour Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I have chronic eczema on my hands. It does get worse in the winter months. I went to a dermatologist and got a concoction from him that treats the flare ups. I try to keep my hands dry, (wear gloves when cleaning, make dh bath kids, etc.), whenever possible and I use Hemp Hand Protector from The Body Shop constantly. It's the only cream that has given me any relief. It's really important to have something to treat the flare up though, because I have had blisters and infection which was just so painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsH Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I have also had success with some extra virgin coconut oil applied directly to the area. BUT for some flare-ups that seems to make it worse, so test only a small patch first! I use shea butter as well, and when I'm really thinking of it apply it to my hands at night, then cover with cotton gloves. If it's very persistent (or very bad) I will use the topical steroids. They work quickly, allowing me to then use all the natural remedies to keep the skin healthy. I also found that there are definite environmental and dietary components to it. I cut out all scented stuff (laundry detergent, soap, etc) and also anything with sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates. For years that kept it under control. Then I started getting it again and found out that I'm reacting to yeast, since cutting it out the patches on my face and hands are gone, only reappearing when I consume yeast (I MISS my glass of wine in the evening!). I'm seeing an allergist next week, because new patches have popped up. My dermatologist only gives me topical steroids, which I don't want to use consistently! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I have it in patches on my face (lovely!) and one arm, and one leg. The newer Aveeno lotion for babies, that says Eczema Therapy, is AMAZING. If I get it on really fast out of the shower I don't turn bright red, my skin doesn't hurt, etc. LOVE IT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesmere Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I would try getting rid of food allergens, then of environmental allergens. If you need a prescription to heal it up, talk to a doctor. But if you don't discover the cause--most people's eczema has some causer (but not everyone's)--the precription stuff can do only so much. For softening the skin so it can heal, I use California Baby Calendula Cream, because it is petro-chemical free. Good luck. :iagree: Mine is caused by both food and environmental allergens, but the food allergies set it off the worst for me. I could have dairy all day long and my skin would be crystal clear. But give me oatmeal (in any form, including Aveeno :sad: ) and I am in eczema misery. I rarely do food prep (even with gloves) because so many raw foods set off an instant reaction. For one of my kids, whole wheat caused eczema problems. A lot of natural products actually make it worse because of my allergies. I used to be in constant pain from severe eczema, to the point of going on prednisone a couple of times. Once I figured out my food allergen triggers and learned how to avoid them, I had great success in clearing up without needing any steroid meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Per my dermatologist, I use Cetaphil (store brand) and it keeps it under control :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 My kids get eczema when they have dairy. DS has a couple of spots on his arm right now and I know it's because he's had cheese in the last week or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Cerave is also good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Avoid dairy, wash with a mild soap (dove/cetaphil), use a thick cream (eucerin, aquaphor). This helps my dd along with extra zinc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 My eczema morphed into psoriasis 10 years ago. The cream that used to work started to burn like acid and the 2cm patch became 5 inches across of open ooziness that was just beyond horrible. My family feared I was getting flesh eating disease... I had to tape a plastic tuna can strainer over it just to protect it from my pants (it was on my shin.) When I did finally see the derm, she confirmed I no longer had the eczema that plagued me for 20 years. Perhaps your monster has morphed too, if the previous treatments aren't working anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon37127 Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 We use sween cream. google it. it is actually a lotion for wound care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I react to fragrance in a lot of things including hand soaps. Then lots of lotions set me off too. If I have to wash my hands even once away from home I'll nearly always get a horrible case of eczema (bleeding, burning, etc.) and this stuff saves my hands almost overnight. Balsam of Peru allergy can be responsible for eczema. It goes by many names and is in tons of products. Some people react to related foods as well. My son has been struggling as the weather gets cold (he is my allergy kid too) and he's doing well with Vanicream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Hydrocortisone cream (once daily) and Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream (not the eczema one) twice daily works wonders. My son has had eczema since he was a few months old, and this routine keeps it under control. If we skip it for a day or more, it is back with a fiery-red vengeance. FWIW, we have done elimination diets with everything we can think of...he just has the dryest, most sensitive skin on the planet. I get the occasional flare-up myself, but using only fragrance-free products keeps it pretty much under control. If I do get it, I use the above treatment and it goes away pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie131 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 My eczema morphed into psoriasis 10 years ago. The cream that used to work started to burn like acid and the 2cm patch became 5 inches across of open ooziness that was just beyond horrible. My family feared I was getting flesh eating disease... I had to tape a plastic tuna can strainer over it just to protect it from my pants (it was on my shin.) When I did finally see the derm, she confirmed I no longer had the eczema that plagued me for 20 years. Perhaps your monster has morphed too, if the previous treatments aren't working anymore? What is the difference between eczema and psoriasis? I react to fragrance in a lot of things including hand soaps. Then lots of lotions set me off too. If I have to wash my hands even once away from home I'll nearly always get a horrible case of eczema (bleeding, burning, etc.) and this stuff saves my hands almost overnight. Balsam of Peru allergy can be responsible for eczema. It goes by many names and is in tons of products. Some people react to related foods as well. My son has been struggling as the weather gets cold (he is my allergy kid too) and he's doing well with Vanicream. This is the same for me. The reason for my flare up is b/c our baby was in the NICU and the soap I had to use to scrub in set me off. She has been home for a month now but I can't get rid of the rash :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 My son came home from the NICU with terrible eczema. I was reading about a clinical trial they were doing at Duke for people with eczema. Basically they put a little bleach in the bathwater vs using creams and lotions. The trial had to stop early because the kids with bleach in the bathwater did so much better. I tried it and it worked great. Ds has only had one other flare up since. Here is a link that has how much to use: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/eczema-bleach-bath/AN02003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poiema Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 This might be a stupid question, but how do you find out what allergies cause the eczema? Is it a simple allergy test? My son has had eczema since he was a baby. When he broke out in hives at 12 months they did allergy testing on him and he was clear for dairy, eggs, wheat, nuts, and something else I can't remember. So does that mean those things are definitely not the cause of his eczema? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie131 Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Fireproof, a food elimination diet would probably help you solve your ds eczema puzzle. An allergy test will not identify food sensitivities but an elimination diet will. We put our whole family on an elimination diet last winter and were shocked to find out what foods effect us. It was a lot of effort and sacrifice to keep to the diet, but it sure was worth it for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I recently found Seba Med. It's the sensitive baby cream in a tube. I used Aveeno baby cream with the dark blue lid before that. But this stuff is next to a miracle. I don't know what it is, but it's better than anything I've ever tried. Next to that I used the Aveeno and Aquaphor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamblessed Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I like to use lavender essential oil with olive oil. This has cleared up my 5 yo eczema which he gets during the heating season. Hope you find some relief soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesmere Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 This might be a stupid question, but how do you find out what allergies cause the eczema? Is it a simple allergy test? My son has had eczema since he was a baby. When he broke out in hives at 12 months they did allergy testing on him and he was clear for dairy, eggs, wheat, nuts, and something else I can't remember. So does that mean those things are definitely not the cause of his eczema? It depends. That's not terribly helpful, but there are a lot of reasons why it depends. One is that allergies can develop over time. Or someone could be tested but not for the food he or she is actually allergic to. For example, two of the food allergens that give me eczema flare-ups are not in the top 8 so it took some time to figure it out. When I started to have immediate reactions from touching certain foods (raw, during food prep or reacting to oatmeal in Aveeno skin care products), well, that was easier to figure out than sorting out which foods were triggering reactions after consuming them. Or it could be the trigger is not food allergy related. Now, for us, allergy testing was a huge help. One of my kids had (and outgrew) an allergen to one of the top 8 foods. It went away as soon as we took it out of the diet. For me, it took several years and rounds of tests to figure it out. Allergy tests are fairly simple to have done, but a good allergist is a bit of a detective and a counselor, esp. if dealing with severe allergies. And I believe that both testing and elimination diets are useful -- and a good allergist is like gold, if a person is dealing with allergies. As mentioned, elimination diets are especially good if it is a food sensitivity and not an allergy. So allergy tests may help. One cream or remedy will work for some but actually trigger eczema flare-ups in others. It can take a long time to figure it out as it did for me, or it might be an easy fix as it was for one of my kids. Hope you are able to figure things out for your son! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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