By Henna on Thursday, January 12, 2012 - 04:29 am:

Hi ,my two nd half year old daughter suffer from eczema with dusimite and peanut allergy,we been struggling from last one nd half years,nothing works,don't know what to do anymore,read all of yours suggestions ,so confused,tried everything except home made creams,I ll try that,thanks a lot

By Jaydee on Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 03:32 pm:

Your answer lifts the intelligecne of the debate.

By ElizabethJoe on Sunday, December 18, 2011 - 04:01 pm:

Camille great to see you are making your own creams and they are helping. I'm not as adventurous as you so I purchased a ready made cream from ebay called proskin eczema. It is by a company called mama nature and i find it is really good. I apply it to my lads skin face and body twice a day and it has certainly made a vast improvement to his skin. It is natural and contains calendula. lavender and other natural ingredients. It stops him from itching and causing a flare up. I have recently bought another one and I have also tried their salveation for really bad areas on his back. Salveation is too greasy to put on his face but it is definitely getting the job done on his back. Your right Camille it is all about trial and error I hope your daughter's eczema gets better.

Elizabeth

By Audel on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - 06:02 am:

You saved me a lot of halsse just now.

By Camille on Sunday, October 23, 2011 - 08:53 am:

Hello, my daugther is 5 and has suffered from eczema since she was about 2. We have tried everything from aqueous cream, double base, salcura, aveeno, olive oil, aquaphor, vaseline, coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, eucerin to name just a few. My poor daugther was becoming an experiment and as it worsened in desperation we resorted to using steriods prescribed by the doctor.

I have always hated using steriods and continued to search for a natural solution. Whilst searching the internet and trying to discount the usual miracle claims that don't work I finally found a site that looked interesting. It is a site that sells ingredients for natural products with lots of information on how to make your own. They offered courses and one was specifically for eczema. I joined up for a course in a last desperate attempt to find a natural alternative.

The course was great beyond just making eczema cream we made eye gels, conditioner, vitamin A cream and the course taught a lot about natural products. Anyway we made our own excema cream with natural ingredients and I was skeptical that it would work but at least I knew it was completely natural and so there was no harm in trying it. Anyway they advised if you have been using steriods for a while wean of them don't just drop steriods immediately. So I started alternating between steriods and this cream for a few days but by day 3 I dropped steriods and unbelievebly this cream seems to work. It has natural anti-flammatory ingredients and whilst I don't think alone it could solve a flare-up but as the skin has calmed down it is very preventative.

The truth is I think with eczema it is a bit of trial and error to find out what works for your child but if you are wanting a natural alternative I would recommend this cream. It doesn't smell particularly nice but it isn't unpleasant. You don't have to go on the course to get the cream as they sell it on the site. It is called Active 1 cream. The website is Aromantic.co.uk. I have now taken up a hobby of making my own natural products from this course and site so it has had benefits for the whole family however the main goal was to find a solution for my daughter. I know how distressing eczema can be so I hope this might be of some help in finding your own solution.

By Gerrie on Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 09:11 pm:

Gosh, I wish I would have had that information eairelr!

By Rose on Saturday, April 30, 2011 - 11:53 am:

That's not just the best ansewr. It's the bestest answer!

By Gem on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 11:05 am:

Hello my name is Gemma and I make a cream which has, I am pleased to say, had a huge amount of success with eczema sufferers. It is made with all natural ingredients and essential oils targeted at combating dry skin & eczema. All their feedback has said it is soothing on application, lasts a long time (as it’s a waxy cream) and clears up the eczema within 2 weeks! Please have a look at my new website (due to increased demand) which has a few of the testimonials on. I really hope you fancy trying some and it helps you as much too!! please have a look at gems-cream.co.uk

By lindsey on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 05:46 pm:

my daughter and I suffered with eczema for years but after 4 weeks of using this new shampoo and cream there is a remarkable improvement,you see we found half the problem was in the products we were using as they contain parabens, we are now using a product made by Avena which is a natural herbal product which they have designed and blended themselves specially for psoriasis and are parabens free aparrently alot of hairdressers are now selling this psoriasis shampoo for about £9.99 for a 250ml bottle but after much searching i have found it for £5.99 at littlerosies.co.uk its working for me, However for children you are recommended to use their childrens eczema oil even in their hair but when ordering you MUST state the childs age as it comes in different strengths for each age group. Their e.c.z. cream is also doing great they dont say it will cure it like some do which we know is untrue but will radically improve your condition which in my mind makes it more believable, there is even a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the results,this is adults only at littlerosieleas the childrens eczema oil is only £5.99 for a 100ml bottle and as it is natural there will be no side effects we are very pleased wish we had found it long ago

By Mandy on Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 08:43 am:

I have read a lot of helpful advice regarding eczema in children and how best to help them. You can check it out here - relieveeczema.com/caring-for-your-child-with-eczema-review.php
I hope you find something to ease the suffering of your litte one. Best wishes.

By jeremygriffin on Sunday, March 14, 2010 - 11:18 pm:

I have had eczema from the age of 6 and have tried nearly every cream and treatment over the counter and prescriptiona and it never got better and on some occasions worse! I have recently been taking 3 daily dosages of colloidal silver and after a few weeks it is now almost non-existant. There is a company based in London who were excellent, I don't have their address off hand but you can find them on Google, just google London Colloidal Silver. Really worth a shot!

By Jessie on Wednesday, August 05, 2009 - 05:51 pm:

I have a daughter who suffered with eczema for years and then my grandson started at a few months old. Eventually, I tried Dermaguard. It is a simple barrier cream. You can buy it from Lakeland. It worked for my daughter and it worked for my grandson. I think it worked by protecting the skin from irritants and giving it a chance for the sensitivity or allergy to recede. The secret to use it on its own with no other creams. It will start working within a day or so. Rub it on the affected skin about 3 times a day. I have been so impressed that I bought a big box of it from the distributor. It has worked for other people I have given it too.

By loulou on Sunday, September 07, 2008 - 10:38 am:

Hello thank you to everyone who contributes to the amazing site, its been a god send to us. To those trying to sell things please be honest you probably would still get customers, but at least you're not taking advantage of our babies.

My son is 14 months old and has had eczema all over his body, luckily his face cleared up by the time he was 6 months old, but his body was really bad.

We've made a few changes, and although he still has it, its really nowhere near as bad, he now only wakes up once or twice at night, at one point it was 7 or 8 times!

Steroid creams definitely aggravated his skin.

We have found the following good for his skin:
only bath once a week in allergenics bath cream
use chlorine free nappies (we use seventh generation baby)
epaderm to keep skin moisturised

This did not get rid of his eczema just helped a little.

The changes that made the biggest difference was to stop using baby grows with nickel poppers (the majority of high street clothing does) I have also started giving him half a teaspoon of olive oil to drink a day and sure enough we saw a dramatic difference in three days!

Not sure which has made the difference as I did them at the same time, but not taking any chances in changing plans.Its not gone obviously as we all know its not as simple as that, but honestly its an amazing difference.

Good luck to everyone, I can totally empathise with you all as when you're losing so much sleep, you think you're going to go crazy, and watching your child suffer and u can't explain why or feel you can;t do anything is totally heartbreaking, but I hope there is a light at the end of the tunnell for many sufferers, just got to take time. Good luck, much love x

By wilk on Sunday, July 06, 2008 - 02:26 pm:

Our son developed eczema when he was about two months old, it started on his folds then spread to the rest of his body, the only area that was spared was his nappy region.

I can only tell you what worked for our son, it’s not a cure but the treatment we have discovered has improved his skin 99.9% to the point where we don’t consider he has eczema anymore just very sensitive skin.
As with any treatment you should patch test first as every baby is different.

We tried all the creams and ointments the doctors could prescribe but his skin just seemed to be getting worse, we were just putting 50/50 on him in the end and he was screaming when it was applied. So I decided to investigate if there was any alternative treatment, using the internet I discovered all these ointments are mineral oil based and mineral oil can be very drying for the skin they also they contain some very worrying chemicals one being SLS (sodium laurel sulphate) which started life as an industrial degreaser. SLS is also hidden in emulsifying wax.
I just couldn’t believe that they were asking us to put this stuff on our baby!!


After a lot of research I now make my own cream using unrefined shea butter, karanja oil, jojoba oil and coconut oil. I fill a beaba 300ml jar with the shea butter melt this submerged up to the lid in hot water (you have to keep refilling the hot water till the shea butter is melted) then add 50ml of karanja oil and 50 ml of jojoba oil two tea spoons of coconut oil stir well. This can all be brought from Shea butter cottage. I have been using this since January 2008 and his skin has improved beyond belief. You need to try this for at least a month to see improvement.

For bathing I use porridge oats wrapped in a muslin cloth secured with elastic band, run this under the hot tap and squeeze in the bath water, this helps soothe itching skin.


If you are using hydrocortisone we have found you have to wean the skin off of it by appling it for two weeks then every other day for one week then every third day and so on, otherwise you get a rebound affect where the skin just flares up worse again.

Other useful tips:
Don’t use Johnsons top and tail on a new born babies skin.
Make sure the baths not too hot no more than 36.4 degrees.
Use 100% cotton clothing. Keep them on the cool side of warm.
Use cotton wool and plain water when changing nappies.
Cut and file nails as short as possible.
Use a baby sleeping bag if age and temperature appropriate to stop them itching their body while asleep.
Use an anti-allergen mattress cover.




Good luck I hope this will/has helped someone else with this terrible curse.


Useful links.

Raw materials for cream ww.akuawood.co.uk/
Body wash ww.essential-care.co.uk
Sun cream ww.greenpeople.co.uk/no-scent-childrens-sun-lotion-spf25-150ml.aspx
Coping with eczema ww.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068730/

By lizardwoman on Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 01:10 am:

Dear Tiredmum,

I just read your post and wanted to tell you that I have used pretty much all of the antihistamines available for as long as i can remember, especially piriton. No-one has ever suggested that I don't as they can be really useful for decreasing the itchiness at night as well as causing drowsiness which can be a welcome side effect when used at night. As for developmental problems, without knowing specifically what your dermatologist means i can assure you that antihistamines have not affected my mental development (I'm currently studying a masters in neuroscience) although I am rather short, but i expect that is more likely to be a side effect from years of topical and inhaled (for asthma) steroid use. I hope this reassures you. As long as people are aware that no drug is completely free from side effects but that with antihistamines they are mostly short term and we scratchy people have to weigh up the benefits of using a drug versus the possible drawbacks. If you want more information on studies done on the long-term effects of antihistamines I could look this up for you...

By the way, I have found acupuncture really, and surprisingly, beneficial.

x

By Helen on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 09:32 am:

Sorry, but Exe derm is not a site: it is a Snake Oil (at best): smart marketing for a crappy product. It's a shame that people use children's disease to promote their do-nothing product.

By caitmin on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 03:47 am:

We found an interest resource for parents of children with eczema. This site discusses the ingredients in many well known brands and points out which may have potential irritants worth avoiding. The site is American but most of the brands the review are also available over here so its still worth a look

The site is called exederm.com

By Tiredmum on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 04:24 pm:

Re anti-histamines: Can anyone help???Our 7yr old has severe eczema which has gradually got worse over the past 2 yrs. We have tried almost all medications prescribeable. I have just very recently been told by the consultant dermatologist (we see weekly)that routine use of anti-histamines (we use them at night to aid sleep) is to be avoided at all costs- she was very vague- something about damages long term development..sounds so scary yet if we don't give our daughter the Vallergen,Piriton or which ever, she can't stop itching, can't get to sleep and the itch-scratch cycle persists. She has had to miss loads of school just through sheer exhaustion. We do the anti-dust-mite thing, diet etc..And yes- we have tried almost everything except herbalist/acupuncture to lessen flare ups...trying now to minimise routine usage of anti-histamines, but without them she just wakes up 4-5 times a night. I can't find anything about the actual risks of routine use on the net. Can anyone shed light on this?

By aeromint on Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 11:32 pm:

Cont/... 2 red raised patches appeared on his back, which did not bother him. I was asked to take him to the GP's & he prescribed a mild steriod cream, which I only applied for the stated time (7 days max)against my better judgement . Red, itchy, rough patches appeared all over his back. I found relief cream by HOPE helpful in not aggravating his skin,& now he seeing the reg. homeopath again, & back on the no diary diet. Improvement has been gradually, hope it continues. Fingers crossed!

By aeromint on Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 11:22 pm:

My son is now 19 months, his 1st eczema flare up appeared after his 1st vaccination, his scalp was covered in lesions and he lost all of his baby hair. Big patches of eczema were visible on the right side of his fore head & down the right side of his face. I took him to a reg homeopath I knew and luckily the remedies she prescribed worked. She recommended that he not be given any diary products, which was advice I followed. When he was 12 months, we went away on holiday, diary intro & eczema re-appeared.

By Piebondy on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - 10:55 am:

I tried coconut oil to relieve my eczema and was amazed at the results. Having grown up with eczema and tried the usual paraffin ointments and prescribed steroid creams, it happened by chance from reading a book recommending coconut oil. It is quite upsetting now having reached the age of 38, that the doctors never suggested coconut oil at any time, when this is the only thing that has worked for me. Now whenever I get a flare-up I just rub coconut oil in morning and night for a couple of days, and it just vanishes. What I like is that you can use it as often as you like without worrying about side effects, as it’s pure and natural. There are loads of places selling it on the internet. Also I have recommended it to other eczema sufferers and it has worked for everyone so far. I’ve heard that Indian Neem oil is also effective, but doesn’t smell as nice as coconut!

By wheatfreecured on Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 01:39 pm:

Darscan...........

Does it look like this ?

csaceliacs.org/dh_symptoms.php

copy and paste this site..

j

By DARSHAN on Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 02:45 am:

I HAVE TRIED MOST EVERYTHING FOR ECZEMA, DERMATOLOGIST (HYDROCORTISONE CREAMS) GP MANY MEDICATIONS, EVERY OVER THE COUNTER MEDICINES. NOTHING HAS HELPED. I AM AT MY WIT END, AS I ITCH ALL OVER, IT HAS EVEN GOTTEN ON THE SCALP. RIGHT NOW, I FEEL REALLY BAD, SO MUCH ITCHING AND IT LEAVES DARK MARKS AND THEY LOOK LIKE PIMPLES. YOU CANT HELP BUT SCRATCH. NEED HELP REAL BAD. USED EVERYTHING.

By molands81 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 08:32 pm:

I have found a solution to my daughter's eczema problem. It is called renew lotion. E-mail me at molands81@yahoo.com and I will give the you information on where to get it.

By Bethan on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 08:44 pm:

To nus, in reply to a post from may 2006/ We've used Medihoney on our daughter with good results. we use it instead of a steroid on really sore patches and then use epaderm over the top. It seems to a have a good effect and helps heal the skin quickly. You can buy it in Holland and Barret.

By tracy on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - 09:45 am:

Hi My name is Tracy
I am mother of two young children with eczema. My first-born has had severe eczema from the age of three months. We have used all the different creams, lotions and bath products recommended by our GP and skins specialists. However, I felt that I wanted to treat my children myself, using natural products. So I developed an interest in herbs and flowers with a view to making an ointment that could soothe and heal gently, for use on children and adults alike. Hours and days went by mixing, blending, measuring and stirring until finally, I felt I had reached the right blend.
“Now for the big test.” I applied it morning and night to my three year old sons feet, and sure enough after day two I could see an improvement, and by day five it had nearly all cleared up, and was gone within ten days. With constant use it was kept at bay. After having this good result with my son I was determined to try it on my daughter who was the one with bad eczema. So I used it morning and night and sure enough her skin has improved drastically. We do not use steroid creams any more and she is a much happier, healthier child as a result. I’ve called it my marigold and chickweed healing ointment.
I hope you have enjoyed my story

Best Wishes

Tracy Wood
PO Box 130
Newhaven
BN9 0EA

By wheatfreecured on Friday, December 15, 2006 - 04:53 pm:

Dear Pia,

With reference to your comment regarding people in your Scandinavian town with skin problems...

I am from the United States and have a very mixed heritage. I was tested genectically for markers for Iga Defientency and was asked if I had any relatives from Scandinavia. I am not sure of that, anyway to make a long story short.
I wonder if you too have this problem of Iga Defienctency and if you have Celiac. If you have the Iga problem, and you are tested for Celiac it will result to a false negative.
That is what had happened to me. I was tested and was told that I din not have Celiac... but, I did go on the diet and my skin responded and began to clear and stop itching. I researched Iga and discovered this situation with Celiac testing.
This could be what is going on with you and your baby.
If you are breast feeding and you are eating wheat flour products or if you child is eating wheat flour. Please google these conditions and research Celiac and the skin. This maybe an answer.
Jeannine

By happy mother on Friday, December 15, 2006 - 09:51 am:

My daughter started getting eczema when she was 1 1/2, it started firstly just in the joints, and progressively got to the point where there was not a patch of clear skin on her 3 yr old body. She was waking all night with the itch. We tried every sort of cream, but they just made her worse. One month ago I got in touch with natrapath in Melbourne. She told me to take her off dairy and wheat (which I had previously done, without result), and also put her onto a dose of 5mls x 2 times a day of fish oil and 1/2 cap zinc once a day. Within 2 weeks the change is amazing. It is now 4 weeks later and she hardly has any eczema on her body. I have been so excited with the result, I can't stop looking at her skin.

By pia on Sunday, December 03, 2006 - 10:14 am:

I live in Scandinavia and for some reason a very large number of people suffer from very bad skin problems here. Hydrocortisone is avaiable between 1% and 10% in the shops. Many people use it, but of course it doesn't cure the condition and nothing will. This said, as we all know hydrocortisone is not the best solution. It reminds me of anti-biotics - a one size fits all solution. Eczema seems to be a personal matter and has thousands of possible causes. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. It has taken me years to identify the factors that cause my eczema to flare up and unfortunately there so many of them... and now my 8 month old daughter has the same problem! I do not use hydocortisone on my babies skin. Some products that claim to be "natural" can also cause problems. This is becuase they contain products that can cause irritation. Even essential oils are known to cause allergic reactions... but then most things can. I have found that the new no fragrance NATRADERM works well for my baby. It does not contain anything that I know causes flare ups on my skin. It's not available here, but I usually buy a few when I'm in the United Kingdom.

By sarah on Saturday, December 02, 2006 - 09:28 pm:

Alternative to hydrocortisone -
My son had terrible eczema - head to toe - for the first 18 months of life. He was a very miserable, colicy baby and later diagnosed with food allergies. A mixture of homeopathy, herbs, mineral supplements and a very careful wholefood diet, I believe, has contributed to the increadible turnaround we now have. But the real transfomation in all our lives was when we finally had a visit from the eczema nurse. I explained that hydrocortisone did little except cause a severe flare up after cessation and that we were managing our best with wet wraps. She suggested icthammoll paste and bandages. I should stress that this can be initially distressing to apply - (think of putting greasy clay the thickness of icing on a cake all over a screaming baby and then bandaging)but if you persevere it is well worth it. I was very fortunate to have the continued encouragement of the nurse and by the end of a week of twice daily applications my son was no longer waking every hour itching his arms and grinding his ankles (okay he was still waking but not itching and screaming in desperation!) My son had red hot dry eczema (not weeping)and I believe this ointment (zinc ozxide and icthammol - a cooling antiseptic)was ideal. We continued with its use gradually using less and and less often - now he has lovely skin and at the slightest hint of a red patch I put a dollop on and it is gone.
I thought perhaps he had just outgrown the eczema but it also worked for a friends' teenage daughter who had little joy with hydrocortisone.
As the consultant at our hospital had not heard of it I do not expect your GP will have. I believe it is an 'old fashioned' treatment. You need to apply it very thick - it will wreck clothes etc but it is available from your GP.
My son now thinks putting his cream on is a game - so it is worth persevering with the bandaging. I am so thankful - especially in the knopwledge that there are no steroids involved.
feel free to email for any more info. Sarah

By Mel on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 01:58 pm:

Our two year old daughter has suffered with eczema since she was four months old. We have tried tons of creams and emollients, but nothing helped. We've also resorted to steroids but they don't really help her, not long term, they just seem to make her skin flare up worse than before. This winter we read a magazine article about a product called purepotions Skin Salvation. We were very sceptical but we were desperate. Almost as soon as we started using the salve her skin improved! We are thrilled to have finally found something that actually works. It moisturises her parched skin, soothes the itching and heals any scratches - and its 100% natural too! Since using purepotions we have not used steroids and have had no infections. We cannot recommend Skin Salvation highly enough. It has been like a miracle.

By nus on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 09:51 pm:

my daughter is 7 years old. she was immunised at birth with BCG (done routinely at our local hospital). it took about 6 weeks for her to show a response to the vaccine on her arm (blistering at injection site). at the same time she developed a red spotty rash across her face. i was convinced it was linked but doctors etc all said that it was just a coincidence and that it was probably eczema. it took about 5 weeks for the rash to go. she had no symptoms of eczema then till she was 3 when she developed very mild eczema on the creases of arms which responded well to hydrocortisone.

this last year (she is now 7)has been truly awful. her skin has been so dry. her eyelids were like crocodile skin- really thickened and sore. many many trips to gp were fruitless- yet more hydrocortisone and moisturisers. she started to react to quite a few of the moisturisers.

in desperation i consulted a dermatologist privately. she prescribed eumovate for her face and betnovate for her body using vaseline as an all over moisturiser.. the first time we used it it was like a miracle. i had my worries of course about the steroids but to try and regain some normality for my daughter i followed the course.

in the last few months though the eczema has been very difficult to settle. i just don't know what to do now. i have heard about this new zealand honey stuff. has anyone used it / or know about it? how long does it take to work/ do you continue the steroid medication at the same time?? etc etc.

anything else i can try?

By Teresa on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 10:27 pm:

Hi Jane

I have got the bandages but summing up the courage to hold her down to get them on!

I guess if your son has coeliac it will give you something to work on. I've had children I've looked after at my work (childcare) with it before.
I dont know what protopic is? I'll go on line to get some info.

Will talk to you soon
Teresa

By jane on Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 07:24 am:

Hi, Actually went to allergy clinic yesterday morning. Got on fine. One of the results he had was a positive test to coeliac disease. So we are now awaiting an appointment for an endoscopy (camera in tummy) to be preformed so they can have a look and do a biopsy. They said they want to address this before they action any of the other results. My mum has coeliac disease so it would not really be a surprise if he has got atleast we will have some knowledge of it already.

Are you doctors very helpful with Jess? Have you tried Protopic?

Take care and really good to hear from you

By Teresa on Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 03:33 am:

Hi Jane
How did you get on at the allergy clinic?

Jess doesnt seem to be improving at all with her minerals, multivitimins and oil supplements.
I have got hold of some tubifast wraps and will try soon.
Teresa

By jane on Thursday, November 03, 2005 - 12:06 pm:

Hi, Tom has Omega 3-6 fatty acid supplements.We actually got the results of his blood tests today. We are now being refered to allergy clinic as "he shows lots of positive results at various levels" as quoted by hospital.

When we use to do wet wraps we had to cut the bandages to fit his arms and legs etc. Now you can get garments instead. They are made by Tubifast. They have just opened up a website www.skincareworld.co.uk which should help you.

Good luck

By Teresa on Thursday, November 03, 2005 - 11:32 am:

Dear Jane,
Thanks for the reply.
The chiropractor has suggested she take supplements- feroxin(minerals) and essential fatty acids- and he'll see her again in three weeks. Its supposed to help her skin from the inside out. Who knows?
Jess has been wearing bodysuits (tops that button at the crotch) to stop her from getting to her back and tummy, the worst areas. But in Australia here, they dont sell them in any larger sizes, nor anything in pyjamas so its going to be really hard soon to stop her at night.
Can you tell me how to do a wet wrap?
T

By jane on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 01:26 pm:

Good Luck Teresa. We go to a Cranial Osteopath it has helped with the sleeping no end. We use to give him Vallergan Forte from the hospital which didn't really do much apart from make him a nightmare the next morning. We started Osteopathy when Tom was 5 yrs. In the first five years of live he had probably only slept thru the night about a dozen times and 5 of those were when he was on Steroid tablets. Now he has improved loads. I cannot express how pleased we were with the results. It hasn't really had much of an impact on the eczema but every one is coping better because of getting a better nights sleep.

We went to a Kinesologist (sorry about spelling) in September. We were told to cut out dairy products etc. That was approx 6 weeks ago to be honest we haven't seen a massive improvement yet but we are sticking with it for the time being.

Like you we have spent loads on magic creams, homeopaths etc. We are awaiting blood test results from the hospital at the moment. We used to use wet wrapping a lot when he was younger which did help alot. I highly recommend buying Pyjamas/sleepsuits with the feet and hands covered so they cannot itch so much in the night. We have found them a God send. Also we found gloves helped alot during the day.

Sorry I could go on for ages........Good luck

Please let us know how you get on.

By Teresa on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 11:52 am:

This eczema voice site is incredible- real people with this terrible affliction...
My daughter has had ezcema since about 3 mths (now 2 yrs old)and just today I have sought out help from a chirpractor trying kinesiology. Wish me luck! I have tried so many things already-creams, allergy testing etc. She's so bad I cant stand to see blood stained sheets after a bad nights sleep. Love to hear from anyone whos gone down this path before...

By Kiana on Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 01:53 pm:

Hi - I suffered from eczema as a child and teenager. I was on cortizone with little success. When my son was born he also had eczema and I refused to go down the same road as I had. I met with a Holistic Nurtrionalist and have had some good results. He is an infant and there are two things that have made a difference. Primose oil, one capusle per day rubbed into his thighs and a natural cream for psorisis, which I used initially for the flare ups. Both are safe for infants. So far he is eczema free.

By lydia on Monday, August 15, 2005 - 05:34 am:

I've tried the MediHoney which my mom got for me from Australia. It's made from m a n u k a honey.
I have to say that it didn't really help with my eczema. Not sure why, probably due to the stickiness, I end up itching more after a while.

By Tracy on Friday, August 12, 2005 - 10:29 am:

Has anyone heard of using UMF Honey?? I am on the hydrocortisone/antibiotic roller coaster with my 4 month old. I tried natural remedies first including probiotics but the infection has been too strong. Antibiotics can't get it under control - But I heard UMF Honey is the new alternative to antibiotics. Please note the Honey is call M a n u k a - thought it was a profanity so had to break it down.

By beevital on Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 12:11 pm:

Just writing here to try and raise awareness about Propolis, its made by Bee's and has got some impressive properties. Its been shown in research to have anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, anti-fungal/bacterial/viral/allergic properties. If you or your family suffer from eczema, psoriasis irritable bowel syndrome, Propolis and pollen may be products that can help in your treatment. Any questions on it just reply.
Also heres a link for more information and some products
http://www.beevitalpropolis.com/pages/book.html

By kim on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 08:52 pm:

Twana- I don't know about that. I know it does work for me (atopic dermatitis/eczema). You can go to www.dermadoctor.com and as her. Click the 'doctor is in' on the left side and you can ask Dr. Kunin.

By twana on Monday, July 18, 2005 - 04:00 pm:

To Kim thanks so much for your help,i will go try the Triceram will it also work on the rash patches on the face and stomach?
Thanks Twana

By kim on Sunday, July 17, 2005 - 09:13 am:

Twana- I am sorry to hear about your son's condition. It's always difficult to watch our little ones suffer and we can't make them feel better. For the patch on his head, have you looked into Triceram? It rebuilds your skin's ability to self hydrate and it is safe for children to use (nonsteroidal)

I just found this topical and love it. You can buy it from almost any of the skin Rx websites.

By twana on Sunday, July 17, 2005 - 07:02 am:

I live in Swaziland(Southern Africa) and my son of now 9 months developed eczema a few weeks after birth.Im so ashamed of myself coz all i was doing is putting creams on him,which some of them made his skin lighter.Finding this site is a great relief to me i have now found out safer treatment for his eczema which is worse in summer (Our summers are extemely hot!).At the moment im using tea tree oil soap and lotion..is it safe? The one problem at this time(its winter) is the flaky patch on his head which he scratches until its raw, when his eczema breaks out its usually on the face,behind the ears and on the neck.Please help with a remedy that i can use on him in a place with such a high temperatures.

By clare on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 08:02 pm:

thank you vic from clare

By Vic on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 01:39 am:

Sudocreme is supposed to be for eczema but I wouldn't use it. Aqueous cream is really a soap substitute (see many many other threads on this), and isn't very good at all. I can recommend Epaderm, or plain Vaseline, and Doublebase gel. If you are UK based get your GP to prescribe you Epaderm and see how you get on.

By CLARE on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 05:58 pm:

please help my son is 5 mouths and his face is very sore and red. i want to know if sudocrem is a good idea to help get rid of the eczema. i've tried aqueous cream and its not working thanks clare

By kath on Monday, June 13, 2005 - 09:56 pm:

my daughter is 4 yrs old, we tried the chinese herbal remedy which worked wonders for her excema but very expensive.

By mona on Sunday, April 10, 2005 - 10:46 pm:

He jo
Im 23 and have had this horrible thing since the age of 2. And just like you, it was ok till the age of about 19 then I started getting it everywhere, such as my face and my eyes. I too at times have not left my house and felt that noone quite understood the pain, both mentally and physically, not even my family! But something I have noticed is that when I start to tell myself mentally that im getting better and drink so much water, and im talking around 3litres a day, and stop using steroids, things start to improve. The problem is that it’s a vicious circle in that stress worsens it, yet eczema worriers are known to think more than other people, and especially at night. Also, its so much more difficult to come to terms with at this age where you feel you should be your fittest and going out enjoying life. But please believ me when I say it can get better, honestly. I know it sounds really corny, but it is all in the mind, and your will power is the key. Also, when I go on holiday its an enormous help to swim in the sea. Take flaxseed oil capsules, eat as much raw fruit and veg as you can. I really hope things improve for you….. take care mona x

By Debbi on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 02:56 am:

Has anyone used skin zinc for their child? My son is 10 years old and suffers from eczema all over his body. The main places are where he sweats from playing hockey. We have used protopic, ellidel, westcort, dovonex, fluocinolone acetonide ointment, and clobetasol propionate to name a few, but nothing seems to make it go away. Someone mentioned skinzinc but I don't know much about it for kids. Help!!!!

By Jack on Thursday, November 11, 2004 - 04:45 pm:

My son had eczema in between the creases in his arms, creams from the docs used to irritate my sister so looked for an alternative. I used a product called "gentle" from salcura (salcuraonline.com), was expensive (over £10), but well worth it. It had reduced the red marks in just over a week and now has gone completely. We continue using it to keep it at bay. The great thing is that the contents are natural and did not irritate him

By autismmama on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 09:45 am:

Yes, Yes, yes, I finally got my son ethan's eczema to be gone with no flareups so far (he has new therapy for 8 weeks) yeah. This was such a horrible condition due to the fact he is autistic and didn't understand not scratching.... 8 weeks no flareups and counting...wish us luck!!

Heather Russell
khsesrussell@yahoo.com )

By jane on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 05:51 pm:

Has anyone tried fish oils (omega 3)? Our Osteopath mentioned it to us. I have bought some from Holland and Barret. They are for our son who is five. i just wondered if anyone else has had any success with them. Thanks

By my niece on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 12:23 am:

To Suzyc,

My niece suffered a severe (total body) excema breakout at 3 months old. The severity of the breakout was increased by the use of the doctor prescribed Eucerin lotion. Steroid creams and lotions suppress the symptoms, and in so doing, suppress the body's immune system as well. Because of our years of experiencing our mother's suffering with excema and steroid medications, we knew of the damage that it causes and didn't want this same suffering for our niece. My sister and I purchased a natural, steroid free lotion that cleared up my nieces severe excema breakout in two weeks. She has no scarring and remains eczema free two years later.

Because this is a natural lotion it is safe to use longterm, and we still use it as a daily moisturizer for her skin (which is beautiful). We purchased the Burt's Bees Baby Bee Buttermilk lotion (for sensitive skin) at our local Whole Foods grocery store. The 7oz. bottle costs $9.00. The Burt's Bees line of products also carries a complete skin care packet (soaps, shampoos, talc-free powders, and lotions) targeting babies and young children. Try a sample pack of the lotion on a small area of your child to test its effectiveness before purchasing the product.

We've experienced immediate, long term, and continuous success with this skin care regimen and I hope that your child will as well.

By suzyc on Sunday, September 07, 2003 - 11:14 am:

just puting the feelers out to see if anyone out there knows of a subsitute for hydrocortizone. The reason I'm asking is besause my little boy has very dry eczema patches on his arms and ankles. My hubby is Latin American and hence my son has quite dark skin. I'm finding that the cream bleaches his skin and I hope to god I'm not making things worse for him as he gets older.

Great if anyone knows of something effective.

By Fennie on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 07:52 pm:

I am so amazing after I have read the information about the "microwater machine"(which introduced by Sadae in May). My Japanese good friend may buy this for me. Can Sadae tell me more about the "machine"? What is the full name of it? What kind of shop can we buy it? What is the address? What is its price? Does anyone buy it also?

By Emma on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 10:12 pm:

Has anyone heard of sea kelp helping eczema. I spoke to someone today who suggested I try it on my 4yr old son. She used it for 3 months on her son and it cleared the eczema up, she continued using it and it never came back. I have looked on web sites and it says not to give sea kelp to children. I have tried most things and nothing seems to work. His eczema is always much worse in the summer months but if we go abroad to the sea and sun, it clears up within days and when getting home its back within days!
If anyone has heard or tried sea kelp, please could you let me know.
Many thanks

By anon on Monday, June 23, 2003 - 01:31 pm:

hi sadea.

any information would be great!, and dont worry about going on and on.. If it helps then its all worth it.

I will email you my address, and would be greatful if you could post some info..

thanks for your help.

By Sadae on Sunday, June 22, 2003 - 04:45 pm:

Hi Annon,
I'm sorry to say that the machine is not available in England yet.The machine is only available in Japan now and will be available in the US in July.Pls. wait till then!! I will try to post the info. here as brief as possible though I can get easily carried away and become long-winded! But for those who want detailed info. to be sent to them, they may send me their address.

By anon on Wednesday, June 18, 2003 - 03:41 pm:

hi sadae.

I live in england and have always considered that the water was effecting my eczema.

Can you tell me where i could get more information about this miracle water machine.

any info would be great.

Thanks in advance

By Sadae on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 - 05:04 pm:

iitch2,
'Miracle water' machine will be available in US after the grand opening on the 29th. June. Accurate information and details in English translation will only be available after that so pls. wait a while more.My mum-in-law will keep me up-dated.

I wish that I can send this 'water' to all eczema sufferers esp. children as it breaks my heart to know that they are suffering so much. It is so difficult for them to control the urge to scratch. Even I as an adult couldn't stop myself from scratching before but I dont need to anymore. As long as the scratching continues the skin will never heal, in fact it will get worst.Eczema sufferers should not only think of eliminating the problem on the outside.Eliminating the problem from the inside is also as important and this 'water' can do both. One lady who has been taking water from me told me that she had also completely stopped using the steroids on her litle girl. She thanked me for the water and told me that she is pleased that her daughter does not need the steroids anymore and she doesn't need to worry about the skin thinning and damage to the kidneys from prolonged use of steroids. This is the first time that I've heard of prolonged use of steroids can effect the kidneys.Has anyone here ever heard of it? Please comment. Thanks.

By Sadae on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 05:13 am:

iitch2,
Pls. come back to check on and off. I'll post again once I get the address.I have to warn you, it's expensive but worth it.

By iitch2 on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 02:04 am:

sadae,

It would be wonderful if you could check with your mum-in-law for the address! If I can afford the machine, I will certainly try it & post results on this bulletin board. Could it be that water is the miracle cure everyone is looking for?

By Sadae on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 03:52 pm:

iitch2,
You're welcome! I have 2 American friends here taking water from me, one whose baby had been suffering from eczema ( scratching and bleeding skin). Now she doesn't scratch anymore and the skin has improved tremendously after 3 weeks of applying the water I gave her. Before, the skin was like sand paper to the touch,patchy,very red but now it's smooth to touch and the red patchy areas are gone.If you want to know where to find for this machine in the US I can ask my mum-in-law to check out the address for you. Right now I have no idea.Anyway,good luck!

By iitch2 on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 09:51 pm:

Sadae,

Thank you so much for the info. I live in the US and will watch for this machine to be available in June.

By Sadae on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 03:30 pm:

iitch2,
It is tap water which has been filtered and treated by a water electrolysis machine.My machine produces few types of water. One is superoxide water which has a pH value of 2.5 (my favourite) which is known to kill bacteria,viruses and improve skin quality. I also use this to disinfect & sterilize surfaces, skin, wounds and etc.. I even mop my floor with it! This is the water that people with eczema and skin problems keep coming to my house with bottles to fill. The other type of water that the machine makes is alkaline mineral ionized antioxidant water which my whole family drinks.I drink this water to maintain my health and skin and etc.. Everytime my skin itches even a little bit, all I do is just spray the area with the superoxide water and the itch stops immediately. I carry my spray everywhere I go.It is really difficult for a person to believe that 'water' can promote natural healing. All I can tell you is try it to believe. No worries of side effects and etc..like worrying what is in a tube of cream,lotion and etc. Afer all it is just water. Not just any water but water which has been filtered & treated by a water electrolysis machine. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that it also produces ionized water at a pH value of 5.5, which is a natural astringent and is wonderful for hair and skin too. I also use this for mouthwash and on my fruits, veges,fish and meats in order to fight against bacterial growth. I really hope that everyone has a chance to try. It works!! If there's anyone living in Japan, you're welcome to get some from me to try but pls. don't forget to bring your own bottles as I've already ran out of it.

By iitch2 on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 11:01 pm:

Sadae,

Please explain this superoxide water. Is it tap water that is run through some filter? Do you drink this water or use it for bathing? Certainly sounds interesting.

Thank you.

By Sadae on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 08:26 am:

I have had aczema suddenly on my face and arms and I started applying this superoxide water processed from a microwater machine which my mum-in-law kindly bought for me. She had told me how this water had cured many kids and adults with skin problems, so after a week my skin started improving and no traces of eczema after 3 months of using this water. Now I have people and friends come to my home with bottles to fill and take back home. They tell me that their babies are able to sleep soundly the whole night and the itching had stopped. They have abandoned the steroids and etc. which they have been using for so many years.I really wish that those suffering from eczema or any skin disease try this method of healing.It works.No side effects, after all it is only water. Unfortunately, this machine is now only available in Japan but it will be available in US after June. So anyone in US interested can mail me for more info.

By jess on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 12:18 pm:

I am 13 and have had eczema my whole life. at the moment I have it reasonably well under control, this is due to a couple of things.

- a couple of weeks ago I ripped up my bedroom carpet and replaced it with a wood floor, it has been great.( the reason it works is because carpet gathers dust and therefore dust mites which will aggravate eczema. wood, for obvious reasons does not get the dust)

- I have started covering my hands in petroleum jelly followed buy cotton gloves while in bed . this stops me from itching in my sleep, before I used to wake up covered in blood and in a lot of pain.

- my room is the coldest in my house ( I have 2 out walls, 1 north, 1 east ) this along with the fact that I never tern on my radiator makes my room like an ice box. great 4 calming eczema.

- every morning I take 2 evening primrose oil cap.
so far it works.


these are just a few things that have helped me ( along with a long doctors prescription) . I hope this helps and feel free 2 email me if you want more information, or, I know how it is when you feel alone when trying 2 fight it, it helps 2 talk, so i9 am here 2 listen. ( especially to people my own age, it may be easier 2 talk 2 me than an adult). jess Bowden.

By Barry on Sunday, April 13, 2003 - 03:07 pm:

Hi Goo,

I'd wondered about using cocoa butter or hard coconut oil instead of petroleum jelly with my beeswax, but I've not been able to find any. Where did you get yours?

Barry

By goo on Sunday, April 13, 2003 - 07:50 am:

an AMAZING solution is "Palmer's Cocoa Butter"--get the stuff a jar. It's thick and waxy, but will protect your skin better than anything. Also, it contains vitmin E and will thus HEAL scars. I had really terrible-looking scars onthe backs of my legs, but now they're disappearing slowly...it's worked great for me.

By Barry on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 07:16 pm:

Hi Anon,

After a web search I found two places. I ended up buying on the web from a candle making supplier called Fullmoons Cauldron . They do various packs of pure, natural beeswax. There’s also a pharmaceutical supplier called Poth Hille who do BP products.

I melt it in a heatproof jug, in a bath of simmering water in a saucepan (watch that steam) to get about the right amount compared to the ratio of petroleum jelly . Then I spoon in the PJ to melt, give it a stir & poor it back into the tub (might need more than one if there’s not enough room) to cool. To soften it, particularly when using more than 1 part wax to 3 of PJ, stir the mix as it starts to cool to blend air into it.

Hope it works for you.

Barry

By Anonymous on Monday, March 31, 2003 - 12:41 pm:

Barry
Where do you get the beeswax from?
Thanks

By Barry on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 05:27 pm:

Hi Everyone,

I've posted a message on this board about a beeswax treatment I came up with, but mis-clicked into here. I'm pretty cynical, but it does tug on my heart to hear the troubles that your children have with eczema. I hope you'll excuse me posting again in the hope that it might be of help to someone.

I was diagnosed with eczema on my shins & given steroid cream & greasy gunks to try. These stained everything that I touched. For some unknown reason I decided to try a mixture of petroleum jelly & yellow beeswax. The best proportions seem to be between 1 part beeswax to 4 parts PJ & 1:1. The more wax the stiffer the result & harder it is to apply, but the better it seems to work. It seems to work much better than any of the greases, doesn’t come off onto clothes as much & persists even after a bath or shower. After a couple of month’s use, I haven’t had to use it for the past week or so because I have no sign of eczema.

If anyone wants to try it, feel free to e-mail me for more details of how to mix it up.

Barry

By Molly on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 01:08 pm:

My daughter has had eczema since she was only a couple of months old and the older she gets the more severe it gets(she is now nearly 5). Her skin is nearly always infected somewhere on her face and body. Hardly any of the creams are any good as they all sting and cause her a lot of dicomfort. But only this week I have tried a new cream and it seems to be making a difference. It's called Evening Primrose high potency hand and body lotion, and it's made by Health Aid. You can buy it direct from them or if you contact them they can tell you a local stockist (ours luckily was in the next village). I don't quite know how to explain how her skin looks other than to say it looks normal!! The patches of skin that are nearly always very scratched have started to heal up. I am now looking into evening primrose suppliments and I think it goes to show that you just have to keep looking and never give up and you will eventually find something that works for you.

By Julie on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 05:10 pm:

Patches appeared on my son when he was about 5 months old. As he got older (and able to reach!), he began to scratch at his legs in particular until the backs of his knees were raw. It was especially bad during the next summer, when he was 18 months old - he couldn't wear shorts and I had to keep him covered up or he would tear his legs to ribbons. Nothing seemed to help except steroids, but they made his skin so thin that he would break it all over again afterwards. I didn't want to keep him on steriods as I'd heard so many negative reports about them.

Eventually I took him to a homeopath who specialised in childrens' ailments. She had been highly recommended, so I was optimistic. We spent some months trying different remedies and, if she hadn't completely cured it, at least it was no worse than he'd been with the steriods. I also did the following:
1. Stopped all creams, oils and moisturisers after my son SCREAMED when I put them on. I concluded that they were making him worse. The ONLY cream I have found to help is Sudocream (ordinary nappy cream).
2. Stopped washing his hair. I was afraid of letting anything on his skin that might make things worse and, to my surprise, I haven't had to wash it since.
3. Dropped dairy and gluten products from his diet for 2 weeks, then gradually introduced them. I found that he is allergic to cows milk, but can tolerate goats milk. He's also allergic to non-organic tomatoes - don't ask me why! I just observe!
I also used the porridge oats in a sock to swish around in the bath and it did help.

The result of all this is that, this year (he is now 2) there are no signs of the eczema. He can wear shorts! He falls and grazes his knees, but that's another, happier, story!

To conclude, I don't know what caused it, though I suspect that either his vaccinations, or the fact that the hospital where he was born pressured me into feeding him cows formula by telling me he was starving may have had something to do with it. In my ignorance, I started him on formula myself when he was 5 months old - about the time that the eczema kicked in.
I don't really know what stopped it, but I do know that the homeopathy helped without relying on steriods, that he is allergic to certain foods, and that I have saved a small fortune by not buying bath additives, oils or shampoos!
I have learnt to trust my instincts.

By Philippa on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 10:01 am:

My daughter is 8 and since returning to school in September has developed eczema on her arms, face and back. When she was a baby she had the occasional patch, and I have always been careful with Non Bio Powder etc, but she has never had it like this before.

People have asked if she is stressed (??) - probably only because her mum is constantly attacking her with cream! Swimming has been dreadful - I dread Thursday night when she comes home from school because I know her face will look awful. I get her straight in the bath and cream her up but it doesn't stop it. She doesn't want to miss out on the weekly trip though, and I don't want to make her feel different to her friends.

I am desperate to figure out what mught be triggering this, and can't think of anything that has changed in Lauren's environment or diet. We are at the end of the school holidays now, and she has not been clear whilst she has been at home so I know now it's not linked to school. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced a sudden onset around this age - I have even wondered if it could be linked to hormonal changes.

I asked the doctor if we could have allergy tests, as she also has a persistent sniff which he said is allergic rhinitis, but he said there is no point as it won't show what specifically is the trigger. I am waiting for a referral to the dermatologist at the hospital but have just had a letter saying it could be 18 weeks!!

I have two other children neither of whom have ever had eczema. Initially the doctor prescribed hydrocortisone cream and diprobase, but the diprobase made it much worse, so now we use acqueous, 1% hydrocortisone on body and 0.5% on face. At the moment the biggest problem is really dry skin on her face, especially her eyelids - can anyone recommend something gentle and "oily" which might help?

I know that this is a long ramble, but it is good to get it off my chest - having read through many of the messages on this site, I can see that Lauren's condition is very mild compared with the suffering of many children, but at the end of the day she is my beautiful little girl (and my baby!!) and if I can do anything differently to make things better, then I would like to know.

Hope to hear back form anyone in a similar position.

Thanks

By tracey on Thursday, January 02, 2003 - 03:57 pm:

My daughter (19 months)has always had mild eczema and we have not really had to do anything.However it seems to be worsening.I have taken her off dairy products and onto goats(not that she is happy about it)I thought i would try calendula cream first and i read in susan clarks "what really works for kids" that sk cream is meant to be fantastic, has anyone heard of it?Also there are a couple of little wart type things in the creases of her arms in the middle of all the eczema, is this normal?
Many thanks

By Star on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 - 03:43 am:

I can't believe after 4 years of desparately trying to explain my frustrations of caring for my son to other people, I finally find this site! It is encouraging to know, I am not alone. I am still crying every night that my son does not sleep. I am very interested in finding out more about homepathy and herbal remedies. Never considered it before. Any suggestion on where to start?

By Vanita on Friday, September 13, 2002 - 07:46 pm:

My daugther, 5, had eczema since 6 months of age. I am of Indian descent and while visiting my aunt in India, she suggested I have my daughter spit her own saliva onto the rashes. We did this first thing every morning for about two weeks. Using the saliva that was in her mouth all night and not diluted by rinse water Since it sounded a bit crazy to me, we just tried it on one patch of skin. It has worked like a miracle. That particular wrist is completely free of rash while the other affected areas are the same. I am currently working on other areas just a few at a time.

By David on Sunday, June 02, 2002 - 11:06 pm:

Dee, probably the most helpful book you could read is "Eczema In Childhood, The Facts" by Dr David Atherton. Oxford University Press.

By Dee on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 11:08 pm:

My third child, now 16mths has had eczema since xmas, having tried allsorts, homeopathy, herbal and doctors, I am now looking at internal ways of treating him. Does anyone know a good web site or book that may help. Having found out recently that he is allergic to nuts I have also been looking very closely at food. The contradictions are ridiculous, dairy products are a no but soya may cause problems with younger children, we now use goat products. Does anyone know of a good book or site that deals with the internal problems that can cause eczema? Glad I sat browzing tonight, being a single mom it helps to know there are others sharing and helping. A good site to check for books on the medical profession and the real in's and out's of medication is 'What Doctors Don't Tell You'.

By Rose on Thursday, October 18, 2001 - 10:19 pm:

Both my daughters have suffered from eczema, my eldest daughter's eczema was quite mild and after using oats in the bath (putting a handful of oats in an old tight and swishing it around in the water until it turned milky) and E45 for two weeks it disappeared never yet to return.

However, my youngest daughter is a completely different story. It is highly likely that her eczema was caused by the course of injections received as a baby (consequently she had separate MMR jabs). Soon after, eczema appeared all over her face and green scabs hung off her head, her wrists, knees and ankles were raw. The doctor only prescribed steroid creams and was not really very helpful.

We went to a homeopath when Laura was 8 months old and we immediately noticed that she went from being an extremely grumpy baby to a happy one. This treatment is by no means an overnight thing but it makes them feel better inside. The eczema does get worse to get better as it is not being suppressed by steroids and antibiotics. Once it starts to get better it progresses slowly but surely. Laura was discharged from the Homeopath in January of this year. She has the odd flair up but on the whole she is totally clear of ezcema.

I do however bath her in salt water (I got this idea when we went to Malta on holiday and within a matter of days the eczema was clear and I attribute this to the sea water. Since we have come back from holiday she has been totally clear with no flair ups whatsoever (touch wood).

By Clair on Friday, September 21, 2001 - 10:27 am:

When Efiah was 3 months her eczema became worse and there was no sight of our hospital appointment because of waiting lists! We began homeopathy, initially a 'detox' treatment because she seemed to have started eczema with the DTP injections and worsened at the 3 and 4 months boosters. Then we used an ongoing treatment to help her eczema which was partly prescribed because of details of her 'temperament' - as she is a lively alert child, and has always had bright eyes interested in everything, since she was born. I found it strange that such disparate elements can aid the decision to prescribe certain remedies, but also encouraging that she was considering the 'whole' of my child. I would say we saw an initial improvement of 50-60% when we started the remedies and I was very encouraged by them. Unfortunately when we started soilds, Efiah began to lose weight and became an emergency referral and subsequently got eczema herpeticum and was admitted to hospital. In the light of all the panic and worry I dropped the homeopathy, but I would still say we had a positive experience with it. It was just because it was in the face of such adversity, we didn't continue. I wonder if now is the time to restart it because she is stable and gaining weight again.

By Jennifer on Thursday, September 20, 2001 - 10:23 am:

Hi Marie,

We have been using homeopathy for our daughter for three years now. We started seeing a lay homeopath whom we didn't get on too well with, and Kira had a bout of incredibly bad infections. After a few months (should have been sooner) we started seeing a G.P. who was a homeopath, who worked alongside conventional medicine. The first lady we saw got angry at us if we took Kira to the doctor, and told me I was a bad mother for studying for a PhD.

The G.P. gave Kira staph. and strep. to innoculise her against the bugs that caused the infections, and over the last two years has prescribed sulphur (for scratching till she bleeds), urtica (for general itchiness and hives), copaiva (for when she flushes up after eating), rhus tox (very good for chicken pox, spots with heads and restlessness at nighttime) petroleum (for intense scratching behind the ears), coffea (for hyperactivity at bedtime) chamomila ( to relax). These were prescribed as Kira developed the symptoms and we treat her symptomatically. We give her house dust and urtica fairly regularly, but the others as she needs them.

We were also told to cut out all sugar from her diet as it makes the skin itchier, and to use non-perfumed washing powder, washing-up liquid and to ban all perfumes from the house, along with other chemicals in cleaning products etc, as well as on us.

Kira has now not used steroids for three years and in that time has not had an infection needing antibiotics. She is dry wrapped when she needs it (she had a very bad reaction to wet wraps) and uses balneum plus bath oil.

I'm not recommending that you go out and use the remedies we do - as Kira's eczema may be entirly different from your childs. Kira has very red, scratchy skin, that comes out in hives when she scratches. She has never had oozy eczema.

We also use herbal immune bolsters -wild indigo for two weeks, rotated with a week of echinacea and calendula. These seem to help immensly as when they are stopped for a few days, her skin seems a lot more prone to infections.

Overall homeopathy has worked wonders for Kira and I would recommend it (froma G.P. ideally). Although the price of it means that we don't go as often as we would like to.

Good Luck!

By Marie on Wednesday, September 19, 2001 - 10:36 am:

Hello, Please could any one let me know what experiences they have had with homeopathy good or bad. We are trying one at present. Although they say it sometimes gets worse before it gets better we are still not sure if we are doing the right thing. Thank you.

By Marie on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 08:51 pm:

Susanne

We have been seeing a homeopath for two and a half months and things now seem to be getting better. (fingers crossed) We were told that a general rule is approx one month for each year that the person has had the problem. Our son is three and has had it since approx 3 months of age. We did try homeopathy last year but it didn't really seem to help. Hence we gave the eczema chance to settle down and are now trying a different homeopath. I hope it all works out for you and us. Keep us posted. Marie

By suzanne on Sunday, July 15, 2001 - 11:36 am:

3 and a half weeks into the treatment there is only a very marginal improvement in her skin but its not as good yet as before she started homeopathy. we're going back to the GP this week and i think we'll decide then where we go from there.

By Davinder on Monday, July 09, 2001 - 11:31 pm:

Suzanne - they often say that the skin gets worst before it gets better under homeopathy.
how are things now?

By Suzanne on Saturday, July 07, 2001 - 03:31 pm:

My 2 year old daughter started with a homeopathy treatment 2 weeks ago. She is taking sulphur granules prescribed by a registered and qualified GP. The problem is her eczema has flared up terribly - the worse its ever been. She's scratching more than ever. Has anyone else been through this and got any advice on when its starts to get better and what we can do in the meantime to help her stop scratching as much. We are still using moisturisers.

By ph on Tuesday, July 03, 2001 - 12:19 am:

My daughter is 13 and has had eczema since she was about 6 weeks old. She is completely covered. She just finished a study through a large hospital with Tacrilimus (Protopic). It's been wonderful but all of a sudden she is broken out in hives all over. We've been through every kind of treatment--steroids, you name it. Has anyone else tried this medicine? It has been used for liver transplant patients and now developed into a topical medicine. I think the sun has made her worse with this medicine. Thanks!

By axa on Monday, July 02, 2001 - 10:04 am:

You can see an email address by pacing your mouse over ther person's name (the orange text). If you have an email program integrated with your web browser, then clicking on a name will start up your emailer.
This only works if the person has given their emal address -I haven't!

HTH

axa

By PAULA BANT on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 01:54 pm:

I have just emailed to Jo Clarke but my email address is not visible so here it is

Paula.Bant@GB.ABB.CO.UK

By Paula Bant on Thursday, June 28, 2001 - 01:40 pm:

Please can Jo Clark contct me on my email address she posted the mail on January 01 2001.
I am 23 years old and I have also had eczema all my life - mine also flared up from the age of 18/19 and I have tried many things to help clear it up. Recently I was off work for 5 weeks with an infection which turned into herpes all over my face. I am currently on Cyclosporin and my skin has been fairly good for two months now, but I never become positive its under control because it could flare up tomorrow for all I know and I am helpless to stop it.
But if Jo would like to talk to someone in exaclt the same position I am here - you never know I may be able to give you some tips and vice versa.

Good Luck and hope to hear from you soon

Paula

By Julie on Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 08:28 am:

Please can anyone help.
I have a friend who has a nearly 3 year old boy and has very severe eczema since he was a baby.
His skin is constantly bleeding and weeping and he looks like he has been severly burnt from head to toe. (Poor little chap is very brave)
The consultants in the Hospital have never seen anyone so bad.
He has been on about every cream you could think of.
He has been on Cyclosporin and is off this treatment at the moment and will restart it in a couple of Months.
He was so much better on it and his skin cleared up the best it has been in his 3 years.
But as the sideaffects can be bad long term he only stays on it for so long as some of you will understand.
Does anyone know anything without side affects that have worked that you can buy over the
counter. Hopefully not too expensive.
His Mum is so desperate to help him
If anyone can help can you please email me jegomm@aol.com and I can pass this info onto his Mum.
Thanks
Julie

By Tanya on Monday, January 01, 2001 - 11:51 pm:

Jo.When my youngest was diagnosed with discoid eczema I turned to homeopathy.I had to stop using the steroid creams and I to was told that it would get worse before it gets better.I cannot begin to tell you just how bad it got.Unfortunately she has it on her face really bad but once she started on the homeopathy her face looked like she had been serveley burned.People use to stare and often stop me to ask if she had scolded herself!!!!! After about 2 months I decided to stop using homeopathy and go back to the steroid cream because it started to affect her quite badly.A year later we tried again and we are getting much better results this time!!!!Don't give up and don't let it beat you.

By moderator on Monday, January 01, 2001 - 10:11 pm:

Jo - read Terry's messages under General. I know from our experience of alternative medicine we have been told that things 'ususally go worse before they get better'
What's changed in the last 3/4 years for you?
Do not lose hope you are not alone - have you been in touch with your local support group, is there one ?

By Jo Clark on Monday, January 01, 2001 - 09:20 pm:

I am a 22 year old girl, who has had eczema my whole life, however it only begun to get really severe when I was about 18/19. The last 4 years have been very difficuilt, with my skin being almost impossible to control. When I was 18 I was referred to a dermatologist at my local hospital. She was very heplful and tried many things, none of which worked for very long. At the end of the day all they could really offer me were very strong steriods or immuno-suppressant drugs. Neither of these options were, as far as I could see, a long term solution, so I begun my traul through the world of alternative therapies. In the last 4 years I have tried homeopathy, herbalism and Chinese herbalism all with limited sucess. At the moment I am being treated by the herbalist, Dr. Jan de Vries. The main problem is that whenever I begin a new treatment my skin always breaks out for ages before I see any improvement whatsoever. At the moment my skin is red, extremely dry, intensely itchy and cracked. I also am not able to sleep, concentrate or hold a decemnt conversation - I have been unable to leave the house for 9 weeks. I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this - eg skin getting worse before it gets better and also if anyone could identify with their skin being this bad. This illness has taken over my life and it is very difficuilt to explain to anyone who doesn't have this, just how awful it is. Please, if there is anyone out there who could give me some hope please reply to this. Thanks - Jo

By Kate on Wednesday, December 27, 2000 - 05:14 pm:

to lourdes cosio

there was a letter in the recent edition of Exchange from someone who had successfully used Chinese medicine. Her address is
Samantha Newis
1 Onslow Drive
Kent DA14 4BP
Let us know what you think

By Anonymous on Tuesday, December 26, 2000 - 04:53 am:

I am an adult with extreme eczema, watery eyes, and a nose that drips almost constantly. So far, nothing has given relief. I'm taking allergy shots and several medications. The only relief I get is from a hot shower, which I know I shouldn't take. If anyone has anything that is working and would give relief, please let me know.

By Emma on Tuesday, December 19, 2000 - 12:14 pm:

To everyone. My 15 month old son had terrible eczema on his face and other areas. I have tried everything including seeing a herbalist(which I feel we should use with caution). Anyway, I am now using pure Aloe Vera from my local health food shop in a tube and am applying it liberally throughout the day. In a week his skin is really improving and it has stopped the itching therefore he has stopped scratching. It's amazing. I combine this with Neutrogena Norweigan recipe moisturiser which beats my huge array of emolliants. With the alternation of both of these products his face, hands and ankles are healing. The immediate effect that the Aloe Vera had was a cooling effect on the skin. The inflamed areas on him were always hot to the touch. I am so delighted and I really hope that this helps somebody else.Within a week the one side of his face is almost perfect and the otherside is just a little pinker red. A Miracle after my long fight.

By lourdes cosio on Monday, December 18, 2000 - 03:05 pm:

I would be very interested in hearing from the person who wrote the anonymous message on Monday, October 30, 2000, and who was cured with Chinese herbal tea. Please write me at lcosio@hitware.com if you read this message.

By winnie on Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 11:55 pm:

To anonymous with child who's eczema gets worse between Aug - Oct.

You need to focus on finding out what the flare ups could be caused by (and your halfway there by establishing the time scale). From there, it is easier to choose an alternative remedy - rather than just slapping on more steroids and waiting three months for an appointment with a dermatologist at the hospital which is what the doctors have always wanted me to do.

With the time period that you are indicating there are two possible causes that come to mind -

It could be a specific allergic reaction to a plant (flower, grass or tree) that releases pollen at this time of year that your child is allergic too. Try asking your doctor to organise a skin test for your child, (there are nurses that can come to your local practice to carry this out). The test is simple, quick and not painful. I can testify to this as I had this test as a child and it was definitely worthwhile.

It may be that there is something that you can help prevent your child from coming into contact with - like house plants, or something that you may have in your garden.

The other option to consider is that it is also the start of the school year, could the flare ups be caused by stress?

Let me know if this is of any help..

Best of luck

By val on Tuesday, October 31, 2000 - 06:50 pm:

When you consult any homeopath, make sure he/she is registered. There is no legislation to regulate them and protect the public. Maybe we should lobby for this.
Remember that any treatment may make the child worse before he gets better. They do say that children respond better to treatment than adults.
The NES do produce leaflets to guide potential patients. My child tried electronic acupuncture. This seems to have helped.
Best of luck to you and keep in touch

By Anonymous on Monday, October 30, 2000 - 09:12 pm:

I tried Chinese Herbal medicine as an alternative therapy and to my surprise it worked! I should qualify "worked" to say that it controlled the flare-up that I was experiencing. I still have eczema but its back under control using a skin-care routine, but the chinese tea got it back to that state. The tea is without doubt THE most disgusting thing I have ever tasted. The chinese Dr told me that you cannot rollback eczema in adults with this tea, only control it, but with children you can do a lot more.
I don't know if he is right but I imagine that getting a child to drink this stuff would be a pretty tall order.
Good luck with your child's allergies, I have had them all my life but they can be controlled.

By Cookie on Monday, October 30, 2000 - 01:09 pm:

How old is your child and what are they allergic to? Have you tried acupuncture ?
[by the way you may be the first person to post a message - this is a new site which we want to properly launch next week!]

By Anonymous on Monday, October 30, 2000 - 01:54 am:

Please send any related stories of treatments that have helped your child. Our child has allergy related eczema. It seems to get worse in Aug. - Oct. Please Help!!!