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My 4 yr old niece has eczema which will erupt now that the weather is cold. Doc gives her a foam (steroid?). What otc product can I use to keep her skin moist?
What would you suggest to use in bath & moisturizer for a 4 yr old with eczema? Doc gives her foam (steroid?). She gets very patchy in winter & scratches til she bleeds :(
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member87 (Survivor (10 - 20 years)) - 11 / 09 / 2011
Thanks for your question. The winter season tends to be tough on skin, no matter who you are. However, for the first time last winter, my skin reacted worse than usual: I got my first case of eczema on all the knuckles of my right hand, so I understand first hand how uncomfortable this can be.
There are all types of eczema: atopic dermatitis, contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, nummular eczema, hand dermatitis, and more. The most common type is atopic dermatitis—a chronic skin disease that causes itchy, inflamed skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 10-20 percent of children and 1-3 percent of adults have atopic dermatitis. The majority of sufferers get it in childhood before the age of five, but it can appear at puberty or later, like mine did last winter. Fortunately for those who get it as children, the disease usually lessens in severity with age.
As far as what causes eczema, we still don’t know. It seems to run in families, and to occur more often in people who suffer from hay fever and/or asthma. Many types of eczema are connected to allergies. Irritant contact dermatitis, for example, occurs after a sensitive person is exposed to harsh detergents, fragrances and dyes, or other irritants. Allergic contact dermatitis can develop when the person is exposed to something to which they’re allergic.
Considering this strong connection to allergies, we can see why researchers believe that having an overactive immune system can be a factor in the condition. In most cases, the inflammation in the skin is caused by the immune cells overreacting to something—be it an irritant or an allergen—and launching an assault that results in inflammation. Compromised skin can also be at greater risk. When skin is dry, flaky, or fragile, the outer layer is not as strong and protective as it should be, so it tends to allow microscopic irritants and allergens to enter the body and cause trouble. That’s one reason why the winter season can bring on cases of eczema, because winter skin is often compromised.
Here are some natural solutions you can try on your niece that may help her skin to heal without steroids:
1) Make sure she uses lukewarm, not hot, water when she washes.
2)Choose gentle, non-toxic cleansers and have her moisturize immediately after every cleansing. California Baby has some great non-dehydrating and safe products.
3) Add oatmeal to her bath and have her soak—it’s a natural anti-inflammatory and will help calm and soothe her skin.
4) Try natural vitamin E on the affected areas—it can help moisturize and heal.
5) Look for creams that contain calendula and yarrow—these herbs naturally help relieve itchiness. California baby and Weleda both have baby products with Calendula.
6) Try moisturizing her skin with natural, virgin oils like coconut—which is highly recommended for many skin conditions—rosemary, and sesame.
7) Above all—find out if her eczema is triggered by allergies, then try to reduce her exposure to the allergen. If allergies are involved, her doctor may advise you to get her a patch test to help identify those things that she's allergic to. Here is a post I did on allergy patch testing that might be helpfulhttp://cincovidas.com/allergic-skin-patch-testing-may-help-pinpoint-allergens/
I also wanted to give you a link to 2 blog posts I wrote about our diets and eczema. One is about glutenhttp://cincovidas.com/dry-itchy-skin-you-may-be-sensitive-to-gluten/ and the other is about dairyhttp://cincovidas.com/is-the-dairy-in-your-diet-compromising-your-skin/. Just a little more info to give you something else to think about when finding more natural and holistic ways to treat her eczema.
I hope this helps!
Thanks
There are all types of eczema: atopic dermatitis, contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, nummular eczema, hand dermatitis, and more. The most common type is atopic dermatitis—a chronic skin disease that causes itchy, inflamed skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 10-20 percent of children and 1-3 percent of adults have atopic dermatitis. The majority of sufferers get it in childhood before the age of five, but it can appear at puberty or later, like mine did last winter. Fortunately for those who get it as children, the disease usually lessens in severity with age.
As far as what causes eczema, we still don’t know. It seems to run in families, and to occur more often in people who suffer from hay fever and/or asthma. Many types of eczema are connected to allergies. Irritant contact dermatitis, for example, occurs after a sensitive person is exposed to harsh detergents, fragrances and dyes, or other irritants. Allergic contact dermatitis can develop when the person is exposed to something to which they’re allergic.
Considering this strong connection to allergies, we can see why researchers believe that having an overactive immune system can be a factor in the condition. In most cases, the inflammation in the skin is caused by the immune cells overreacting to something—be it an irritant or an allergen—and launching an assault that results in inflammation. Compromised skin can also be at greater risk. When skin is dry, flaky, or fragile, the outer layer is not as strong and protective as it should be, so it tends to allow microscopic irritants and allergens to enter the body and cause trouble. That’s one reason why the winter season can bring on cases of eczema, because winter skin is often compromised.
Here are some natural solutions you can try on your niece that may help her skin to heal without steroids:
1) Make sure she uses lukewarm, not hot, water when she washes.
2)Choose gentle, non-toxic cleansers and have her moisturize immediately after every cleansing. California Baby has some great non-dehydrating and safe products.
3) Add oatmeal to her bath and have her soak—it’s a natural anti-inflammatory and will help calm and soothe her skin.
4) Try natural vitamin E on the affected areas—it can help moisturize and heal.
5) Look for creams that contain calendula and yarrow—these herbs naturally help relieve itchiness. California baby and Weleda both have baby products with Calendula.
6) Try moisturizing her skin with natural, virgin oils like coconut—which is highly recommended for many skin conditions—rosemary, and sesame.
7) Above all—find out if her eczema is triggered by allergies, then try to reduce her exposure to the allergen. If allergies are involved, her doctor may advise you to get her a patch test to help identify those things that she's allergic to. Here is a post I did on allergy patch testing that might be helpfulhttp://cincovidas.com/allergic-skin-patch-testing-may-help-pinpoint-allergens/
I also wanted to give you a link to 2 blog posts I wrote about our diets and eczema. One is about glutenhttp://cincovidas.com/dry-itchy-skin-you-may-be-sensitive-to-gluten/ and the other is about dairyhttp://cincovidas.com/is-the-dairy-in-your-diet-compromising-your-skin/. Just a little more info to give you something else to think about when finding more natural and holistic ways to treat her eczema.
I hope this helps!
Thanks
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