Eczema and soaps/shampoos

[bethben]

I have eczema on my hands and my neck.  I'm currently doing an elimination diet to figure out the internal cause and it is clearing up.  Now, after my shower, it gets really aggravated and I think I need to clean up which shampoos and soaps I use.  Any suggestions for clean shampoos and soaps that won't break the bank?

[bluemongoose]

Well....to start, hot showers aren't the best for eczema, so there is that. If you, like me, love a hot hot shower, you probably need to cool it down.

As for soaps and shampoos... A big one for us is sodium laurel sulphates. It is in so many soaps, shampoos, toothpaste etc etc.  And finding sls free often is more expensive.  Trader Joe's toothpaste is also free. Jason brand makes SLS free  shampoos, soaps, deodorant, and toothpaste. They are definitely more expensive.

As for food aggravators, diary is highest on the list for common causes. If it isn't that, then hopefully you find what it is. In my case, it is mostly stress induced or dry air or grass allergy. It isn't food induced.

 

 

 

[JennyD]

My oldest son had persistent eczema for years that finally went away when he switched to Cetaphil Eczema Wash.  No shampoo, no soap, just the wash (he uses it on his hair too).  His eczema completely disappeared!  It was amazing.  

[Laurie]

I've had eczema on my neck recently, too.  The scented shampoo/conditioner that I was using made my skin sting.   If you have a Whole Foods Market nearby you might like to try these:  

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/365-everyday-value®-fragrance-free-shampoo-and-conditioner

If you haven't tried Vaseline, it worked wonders for me as a neck cream!     But sadly I had to stop eating my favorite chocolate/hazelnut spread to keep my neck clear!   (For some reason, my neck cleared up when I stopped eating it but the eczema on my hands, etc. still remains.)

Good luck!

[HS Mom in NC]

My daughter's dermatologist recommended Vanicream wash and lotion for her eczema.

[alisoncooks]

2 hours ago, JennyD said:

My oldest son had persistent eczema for years that finally went away when he switched to Cetaphil Eczema Wash.  No shampoo, no soap, just the wash (he uses it on his hair too).  His eczema completely disappeared!  It was amazing.  

I may have to try this. My youngest has eczema, and she's been using Cetaphil's gentle bar soap with good results. She might prefer a body wash. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

My brother has had eczema around his ankles for years.  He finally got relief by using sulfur soap, made especially for eczema.

[2_girls_mommy]

We eliminated dairy and eggs to try to see if it made a difference in my dd's pretty bad exzema. It did. Within a month it had cleared up after years of terrible exzema in huge patches inside of her arms and stretching up into her neck and even face and eyelids. So even now, a year later, it is gone. She occasionally has had dairy, but cutting it out in her daily meals and switching to vegan cheese, butters, mayo, and milks and baking with those and with applesauce vs. eggs has made all of the difference. She has always been ok with the super cheap body wash, White Rain, the one for kids that is clear and has no colors or scents. She is ok with regular shampoos, but the body wash is so much better for her than any soaps. 

[alisoncooks]

Vaseline has been helpful here. My eczema girl also gets irritated at the corners of her mouth. We initially used Aquafor there and it helped, but then she developed  low-grade redness/irritation. The dermatologist said that some people with eczema/allergies/sensative skin are allergic to the lanolin in Aquafor. Who knew?!

[BooksandBoys]

We had success using lanolin as a cream for eczema before we fully identified the foods that were causing it (gluten and dairy for youngest, peanuts for me). We have not had trouble with soaps in general here (though we always use the dye free versions of things because we avoid all artificial dyes for behavioral reasons). Sorry I can’t help more. Keep looking for those foods! It can take a full month for things to completely clear your body, but it’s worth it to feel better (at least it’s been worth it to me). 

[rrevenger]

Thank you, everybody, for the answers!