Eczema help?

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Feisty_Red
Feisty_Red Posts: 982 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I didnt know the proper place to put this question...but thought I would try at least somewhere!

7 year old has terrible eczema...arms/ back of legs...back of ears..Docs and Dermo just throw creams at me left and right..nothing seems to help her..


Just thought someone out there might have seen something that works? It doesn't appear to be food related..unless we start at the beginning with wheat...etc..I have never pulled food intake like that severe.....but have watched the common triggers...strawberries...peanuts..etc..


any tips??
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Replies

  • dontgiveupjustdoit
    dontgiveupjustdoit Posts: 13
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    I've heard that salt is good for eczema - perhaps get her to have salt baths? Other than that, apparently oatmeal lotion is good too... I personally just use the ointment prescribed to me by the doctor (celestone) and when I use it properly I have visible results after a few days. Other than that I personally have no idea, I hate having it too :s
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    Coconut oil.

    http://www.nationaleczema.org/living-with-eczema/ask-the-doctor/coconut-oil
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    Coconut oil.

    http://www.nationaleczema.org/living-with-eczema/ask-the-doctor/coconut-oil

    I use coconut oil on some dry patches of skin that flare up occasionally, works great.
  • Feisty_Red
    Feisty_Red Posts: 982 Member
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    I've never tried Coconut oil! I'm getting some!!!!!! Thank you!!!

    I dont know about the salt though...she normally(the poor little lamb) has open cuts from scratching and I fear that would burn..most lotions burn when I apply :sad:
  • Mceastes
    Mceastes Posts: 303 Member
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    My son had terrible eczema and I finally found a website that mentioned food dyes, specifically yellow #5. When we completely eliminated yellow #5 from his diet it totally stopped. The other food colors don't do it, it's just the yellow (known as tartrazine) He suffered for years before I figured it out. Eczema is medically called atopic dermatitis and it specifically mentions the link between that and yellow #5 in many articles I've read. Even small amounts set off a flare. Good luck - I know how hard it is to watch them suffer!

    http://allergies.about.com/od/specifceliminationdiets/a/tartrazine.htm
  • Feisty_Red
    Feisty_Red Posts: 982 Member
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    I've never heard about watching out for that...I tried to keep them clean eaters..but some stuff slips! more to be aware of...thank you!!
  • emilymjones
    emilymjones Posts: 1
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    Hi! I've had eczema my entire life and this is what generally works for me: keep skin hydrated meaning use loation everyday and especially after shower/baths. Never use loation/soap/laundry degetergent/anything/etc with dyes, perfumes or scents (it irritates skin). Do not use fabric sofener. If skin is irritated/itchy anti-itch creams like cortizone tend to help alot. Also if skin is super itchy, icing it actually helps (it numbs the skin and then you don't feel the itch.)
    Don't use super hot water on skin but just warm water. Things that tend to irritate my skin alot: salt water (basically any water thats not fresh including pool or ocean water), any grasses/plants/etc on bare skin, fur (cats, dogs, etc). Taking a shower after coming into contact with these things helps it alot.
    Avoid certain foods like strawberries or tomattoes. I personally try and use steriod cream as little as possible but they certainly do help alot when needed. I tend to use them when I have a flair-up and try to lower the dosage/stop them when it gets better (with the blessing of my doctor.) Also, I at least scratch alot when I'm asleep (you cant really help it) so wearing gloves to bed helps (if it doesnt bother you). I also don't know what doctor you go to or whether you have access to one but I go to a doctor who specializes in asthma and allergies (those go hand in hand with eczema) so she is very knowlegable about it. Hopefully this helps you a little bit. :)
  • johnsnana
    johnsnana Posts: 63
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    My dermatologist prescribed Ultravate years back & it was the only cream that ever worked. It is strong though & can cause wrinkles in the skin so it is not for the face. (I had it on my hands in between my fingers) from stress.
  • LiviLou2011
    LiviLou2011 Posts: 437 Member
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    I've never heard about watching out for that...I tried to keep them clean eaters..but some stuff slips! more to be aware of...thank you!!

    Epsom salts in the bath water wont hurt her scrapes and stuff, it can actually help heal them, and prevent infection...and i also suffer from eczema on my hands and legs, its not fun at all im suffering from it as we speak it itches horrible..im gonna try the coconut oil also.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Do you use natural laundry detergents and soaps? I like stuff from The Honest Company and BabyGanics. My baby has eczema and I use the healing balm from The Honest Company and the eczema lotion from BabyGanics.
  • Feisty_Red
    Feisty_Red Posts: 982 Member
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    Always use natural..no fabric softeners..etc...I try to stay away from steroid stuff because she is sooo young..and it's bound to get into her eyes or somewhere it shouldn't..

    I'll try espoms salt though as well...

    I've also heard about bleach baths...which sounds off to me..but its a bacteria thing that snaps it off ya..(or some have suggested) She just wont let me get it under control to make anything closed! :( last night was up putting cold washcloths on her :(

    I put lotion on her...thick..and I barely even rub it in at night before bed.. She is just having a horrible break out that no matter how much hydrating I do...it is useless at night when she gets at it :(


    Thank you everyone xoxo!
  • xdieselx
    xdieselx Posts: 64 Member
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    I did have ezcema when i was a teenager. I was drinking around 10 liters of orange juice per week. When i stopped drinking orange juice like a madman, my ezcema disappeared forever. Could be something like this for you too, we never know!
  • Jain
    Jain Posts: 861 Member
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    Bleach bath!:noway:

    I suffer from eczema, stress related. I've found cutting dairy when I'm having an outbreak help. And I use organic Argon oil on my skin, not as oily as coconut oil and works just as well. I use it every day, even on my face.
  • amanda_ataraxia
    amanda_ataraxia Posts: 400 Member
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    I have eczema and rosacea. One month of using this $2.79 bar of soap and my symptoms are 99% cleared.

    http://www.amazon.com/GRISI-Sulfur-Soap-with-Lanolin/dp/B001LP64D0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344198832&sr=8-2&keywords=sulfur+soap

    I used to get prescription sulfur wipes through my insurance ($500 for 3 boxes!) and then my new insurance would not cover them. This bar of soap works just as well for less than $3.
  • shannonkk
    shannonkk Posts: 192 Member
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    I started taking fish oil and using kyocera lotion after trying everything else and for the last year, my hands are clear and free. I used to not be able to do alot with my hands because the skin looked like oil burns and felt like it too. If I even try to use household cleaners without gloves, it will flare up for a few days but always clears up. They have childrens chewable fish oil at the stores and I ordered the kyocera from the pharmacy for $15.00.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Malki dead sea soap works wonders for my daughter - she only gets small patches behind her knees etc and this clears it up in a few days.

    My brother's is much more extreme - he cannot eat any dairy or he breaks out, so if you haven't tried cutting out dairy you could mabey give that a go.

    oh, and non-bio soap powder.
  • tourettte
    tourettte Posts: 142 Member
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    St John's wort oil really helps (i think that's how it's called in english). My mom makes a home made oil - half 1l bottle of St John's wort and rest olive oil (fresh), leave it in the sun for 40 days filter it and it's ready to use.

    If you're buying it it has to be dark red in color.
    I had some sort of eczema on my face, nothing from conventional medicine helped then my mom gave me that oil and in two weeks I got huge improvement.

    edit: I've googled other names for it - Tipton's weed, chase-devil, or Klamath weed
  • haylz247
    haylz247 Posts: 435
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    used to have it really bad as a child. i was given steroid creams and aqueous cream.
    that used to go in the bath to soften the water as well as applied directly to my skin.

    i sometimes get flare ups, so get the steroid cream from the Dr. sorry i don't know the name of it!

    when i have a lot of dairy, that can make it come back.
    get it at least once a year but it's so much better. don't really do much. just use gentle products :)

    good luck. i know how irritating it is!
  • paulaviki
    paulaviki Posts: 678 Member
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    I've read loads of places that a lot of people with eczema find avoiding dairy helps. I know that's not ideal for a child but it could bf worth trying dairy substitutes and seeing if it helps?
  • easycure
    easycure Posts: 152 Member
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    my 7 year old daughter has it horribly too. i won't use steriod creams on her anymore b/c of the side effects. I have hunted and researched for years! I did finally find something that works miracles on her! Its --Neosporin Eczema Essentials Daily Moisturizing Cream-- i put this on her legs and inside of elbows every night before bed. her legs are soft in a couple days of using it, and thats from cracked and bleeding. Its about 20 bucks per tube, but if you've struggled with it like i have and watched her cry, I know that the cost is nothing <3

    i hope this helps! <3

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