3rd September 2010 , Posted by Jaime Teo
Good baby. Bad eczema.
Two weeks ago, Renee had an eczema outbreak. Being the Google parent, my first resource was of course the internet. I learnt that eczema is a general term for a range of skin conditions which include redness/ itching/dryness/flaking. For babies, it is usually a dry skin condition that becomes itchy and flaky. Often, a trigger will bring about an outbreak.
We thought about what’s changed in her regime lately and fingered her new detergent as the culprit. Immediately, we headed out to get her old brand of detergent to rewash all her clothes. Unfortunately, rewashed laundry didn’t make her skin better.
I went back to look for more online help in hope of a good, natural home remedy.
Many parents say that doctors will invariably prescribe steroid creams which will help with the inflammation but it will come back once we stop applying it. Many studies talk about how bad steroid creams are for infants because they will thin out the skin. Many articles share ways to manage eczema outbreaks. Dan thinks that steroid creams aren’t that bad but respected my wishes to want to use only natural remedies.
With her skin deteriorating everyday, I was rather desperate to try anything (sans steroid creams), and I did.
One word in my defense – I thought what I was doing was the main thing that Everybody said. MOISTURIZE. I tried the bath oil, and then Vaseline to “seal in the moisture”, and then I slathered moisturizer on her, was careful to pat her skin dry after baths instead of rubbing her skin with a towel. Her bath water is always on the cooler side of lukewarm because warm water isn’t good for her skin too.
After two days of intensive moisturizing, I began to suspect that her moisturizer(Physiogel cream) may not be suitable for her because it was looking worse. But I kept at it because it has worked wonders for so many other people. And I watched as her skin became more and more inflamed over a larger and larger area.
By this time, I was beside myself with worry. Other than that it looked terrible, we were sure it was causing her extreme discomfort (itchiness). Her little hands would be grabbing at her torso although whether it’s intentional or not can be debated cause surely she doesn’t know how to bring her hand to wherever she wants to at 4 months.
Dan told me again (gently) that steroid creams can control the situation and that she would be in less discomfort if her skin wasn’t so inflamed. I finally caved in and used a hydrocortisone cream on her but it was too late to be of much help.
I asked around for a good child dermatologist and was referred to someone at the National Skin Centre. Unfortunately, the earliest appointment I could get was for the 4th of Oct. Thinking her skin would be rotting by then, we decided to go to her PD after 4 days of ineffective self medicating.
As expected, she was prescribed a stronger steroid cream. We used it for 5days and it cleared up the inflammation. There are white patches where the inflammation used to be but Dan says it will fade within a year (he is obviously quite experienced).
It has been two days since we stopped using the steroid cream and I cannot stop touching her soft and smooth skin. I wondered what possessed me to follow the “No steroids” stand without regard to how bad her skin got. Watching how quickly the steroids calmed her angry skin made me glad and at the same time, guilty for not allowing that relief earlier. I was also immensely thankful for Dan’s support – he did not once say “I told you so” play the blame game or pointed a finger at me for not following his advice right from the start.
Every day, I discover something new about parenting.
Every (other) day, I discover something new about my partner.
PS: I also discovered that using a different moisturizer (Cetaphil cream) is working better for her skin. Why do I need reminding that one man’s meat is another man’s poison? Keeping my fingers crossed that her eczema doesn’t return.
14 Comments
miss ene
September 3rd, 2010 at 6:54 am
Poor Renee. I hope she’s ok now! Cetaphil’s awesome (and cheap!). I get random rashes all the time (apparently food-related) and was advised to use Cetaphil too.
vfrois
September 3rd, 2010 at 2:10 pm
hey srry to hear that. I hope she’s fine. yea cetaphil is good for eczema. i think physiogel cream is too harsh for her.
what abt aqueous cream? and elomet? is very effective for sensitive skin but pls get doc’s or pharmacist’s advice before using it. I don’t recommend aloe vera gel. It’s all about moisturizing and home cleanliness
list of skin specialist:
new skin – expensive and not very effective
dr loke – not attentive!
my fav doctor! – dr chan yuin chew
@ gleneagles. he’s very patient, super attentive, caring and concern
http://www.dermassoc.com.sg/our_dermatologists/ChanYuinChew/
hope this helps
jacobian
September 3rd, 2010 at 3:58 pm
well glad your baby is allright now.always trust the doctor I reckon.
alyna
September 4th, 2010 at 9:31 am
been an eczema sufferer myself since young, i’m an adult now! the steroid cream brings down the inflammation fast, but it’s best to reduce reliance on it. use it only for the first 3-4 days when the skin flares and switch to religious moisturizing once the inflammation subsides. it takes a bit of experimenting around to find a suitable moisturizer, but once you do, do maintain the routine of applying it after every bath – does wonder in locking in the moisture and reducing skin sensitivity. hope Renee will be spared from the eczema woes!
Jessia
September 4th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
I totally understand how u feel…I had eczema since young…and it get worst as time goes by…my parents always try to find ways to treat it be it skin centre or Chinese doctor…we spend a lot of money…but now the condition is better…i still have to put tons of moisturizer.,,hahha…
Glad ur daughter’s eczema is alright!!!!
Elaine
September 5th, 2010 at 3:40 am
My grandson has out breaks on his arms and legs, my mother gave me some aloe vera cream she bought from the dollar store and it worked wonders. Cleared him right up.
cel
September 9th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
hi jamie, maybe you can try using organic moisturiser, such as akin’s baby friendly moisturiser… or http://www.puretincture.com, or http://www.budcosmetics.com/index.php?cPath=45_239
organic definitely helps in long run, since what was absorbed by our skin, goes into the blood stream
random
September 12th, 2010 at 11:02 am
don’t worry too much. breast milk is the best solution possible to a healthy baby.
Jaime Teo
September 13th, 2010 at 6:57 am
miss ene: food related? dairy? Cetaphil’s not working anymore for her…. Just started on another cream. *fingers crossed
vfrois: thanks for your recommendations. We’re still waiting for her 4th Oct apptmt at National Skin Center
Her eczema is under control for now….
jacobian: i guess.. :p
alyna/jessia: sorry to hear about ur
eczema. Glad it’s under control!
elaine: aloe vera cream is next on the to try list if her current cream doesn’t work… Thanks for sharing!
cel: thanks! I’m trying the calendula cream now… Day 2. Will see how it goes…
random: but she Is on BM… Consolation – her skin may be worse if she isn’t?
Sofia
September 28th, 2010 at 4:53 am
Hi Jamie,
Same thing happened to us with our 6-month-old. He had nasty rash on both cheeks at 2 months when we were in Germany visiting relatives. When we returned, I went to see his PD and was prescribed hydrocortisone. It helped.
Almost 2 weeks ago, his cheeks started to have red spots again. And this time, his left got really bad that the skin broke. It was red and oozing of fluid. The PD prescribed a steroid cream, but at the pharmacy, the pharmacist was not too sure if it is good for my baby.
So I waited till the wound dried up, and for 1-2 days contemplated whether I should or not. And I did and the rash almost immediately went away. But my husband, unlike Dan, was not happy that I applied the steroid cream…. despite the stark improvement.. sigh!
Jaime Teo
October 26th, 2010 at 3:07 am
Sofia: sorry for the late late reply! I hope the situation with your boy is better? It’s really tough when both parents have got different approaches…
Other than keeping a watch on his diet, you may wanna try a dead sea salts bath (just a tsp in his bath water), and getting a good moisturiser(i use california baby’s calendula cream)… That worked for me!
In addition, the child skin specialist i went to said that managing a child’s skin with a little steroids is ok. Excessive use isn’t, and excessive is like going thru a tube in a week. Maybe you wanna share that with your hubby =p
Tony
October 30th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
I think every person reacts differently to different creams. Try and error. I have rashes from food allergy and physiogel cream on my face makes it go very flaky (like a lizard) but its fine for my body. I find california baby “calendula cream” outlet in United square helps for my face though. Careful about steroid creams – effective but use too much it dries up the skin. Various types of steroid creams which you need to get from a skin specialist which paeds may not know the difference. There is the standard 1% cream and there is efficort which is 0.127% but of a different class of steroid and desicort which is 0.05% which again is of another steroid class. Not all in the %.
Trina
November 18th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Hi Jamie,
same thing happen to my son,Timothy.He is 3 now. Since birth, he has eczema. I did try physiogel and elomet. At first,physiogel works but now no. So now I try coconut oil. From internet, it says coconut oil helps. Now I am trying coconut oil. And also a cream called Atopalm.It’s from Korea. It seems working. Well, I just keeping trying to find solutions. Every night, I need to scratch him to sleep. But the funny thing is during afternoon nap, he is not itchy only night time. I did ask the PD , she says the itch comes during the night time and when he is hot.When I see him itch, feel heart pain. Well, so now have to moisture him more frequently.
You take care and have fun with Renee.
God Bless.
Wendy
February 16th, 2011 at 5:18 am
Steroids cream are useless and Cetaphill is not good either. For eczema moisturizing do not work either. You should use Protopic cream as it does not contain steroids and it can control the eczema
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