Do you or anyone you know have eczema? Otherwise known as atopic dermatitis? Well, 4 of our 5 kids currently have it or had it at one point. In a nutshell eczema is is a long-term (chronic) skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes. We have spent many hours at Dr. visits both Family Dr.s and Dermatologists, many dollars on bills, we've filled plenty of perscriptions, and recieved a variety of instructions and advice mostly good, some of it wierd. The wierdest thing I've been told is to put Crisco on baby Spencer's skin. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Eczema is usually at it's peak in the winter months due to the intense dryness in the air. That being the case, I've been wanting to write this post in hopes that it may help anyone out there dealing with it. So here goes.
To keep eczema from spreading or worsening, I strongly recommend the following. 1st, preventative care. Make sure the clothes and sheets, blankets, and towels basically anything touching their skin is laundered right. Many laundry detergents and softeners reek havoc on sensitive skin. The main culprits being perfumes and dyes. The two laundry detergents that I recommend are All Free-Clear & Arm and Hammer Free. Fortunately Downy has come out with a laundry softener that is free of perfumes and dyes. It's great.
The second step is direct skin care. Anytime the person with eczema bathes or showers, make sure they use a very mild soap like Cetaphil, again, free of perfumes and dyes. Cetaphil makes liquid soap or bars. Now this part is very important: The second they step out of the shower, have them towel off quickly and then immediately apply salve. The trick is to lubricate the skin before the skin fully dries, trapping in the moisture. My product of choice is Aquaphor. We have gone through SO many tubs of Aquaphor, they should send me a thank you card for keeping them in business ;) No really. It's expensive, the generic version is fine. Vaseline works really well too and is a much more affordable option. Regardless of the brand, salve is the thing to have. Rub it in all over. Legs, arms, waist, back, underarm, the inner elbow creases, the creases behind the knee. Eczema loves to hide there. Rub it in relatively well (otherwise the leftover salve will kind of stain their clothes & sheets by making the fabric look wet). As far as bathing frequency is concerned, I've had some Dr.s recommend bathing everyday while others would say to bathe a little less often. Either way, as long as you follow the tips above, you'll be set.
And that is my advice on eczema treatment. For free. Once again, I must emphasize that this is many Dr. bills, hours and trials and errors in the making. Let me know if you try it and whether or not it helps. I'd seriously love to know.
p.s. Swimming pools are really tough on those with eczema. Shower a.s.a.p. after swimming to rid the skin of chlorine and remember to ALWAYS follow up with salve.
p.s.s. If your kids have eczema, don't lose heart. 3 of my kids have pretty much grown out of it. Hallelujah.
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