Dry Skin That Hurts.

My pediatrician recommended Cetaphil, Aquaphor or Eucerin. I didn't like the Aquaphor (it had the same consistency as Neosporin...so everything was just sticky), but the Eucerin worked really well. My aunt, who is a nurse, also recommended just putting some vaseline on the specific areas. She said that since its petroleum jelly it doesn't have any additives that can upset the area, and any moisture that hits the area will just slide right off. I didn't have to use it for his dry areas on his head (doggone cradle cap!!) but it worked really well for dry areas in his diaper.

Any of the Eucerin and Aquaphor products should help. I have 4 children and all at one some time or another has had skin issues and their pediatrician has always recommended these products. The Aquaphor is a healing ointment and really works wonders. Eucerin has different kinds of lotions and ointments for dry skin. I have used both for the past almost 10 years on my kids my oldest is 9. I also used for myself before I had my babies. Oh! and I always got the unscented kind if I could find because I still used the baby lotion on top for the "baby smell". If the baby lotion is not irritating her you could do the same.

Both of my boys had the same problem. I used Aveeno soothing lotion. It has a little bit of a menthol effect and made them very cold, but it really works and didn't burn like the others. To solve the cold problem, I would put a space heater in their bedroom while they were bathing...then spread a folded sheet in the floor in front of the heater. When they got out of the bath, I would pat them dry, then go straight into their room, turn the heater off and lay them down on the warmed sheet on the floor. I would put the lotion all over their legs, arms, butt, torso, behind their ears, etc., then cover them loosely with the warm blanket until the lotion dries. While that was drying, that is when i would read their bedtime story. By the time all that was done, they were very relaxed and warm and ready to sleep.

I would bet that any hypo-allergenic lotion would work...anything without dyes and perfumes. When I was doing this, I had few options other than Aveeno. I also would bathe them in the a warm, not hot, Aveeno bath at least 2 or 3 times a week. I didn't know at the time, but baking soda in the bath will also help.

One of my daughters has eczema--not a terribly bad case, but it gets pretty dry. The doctor suggested we use Eucerin. It's a little more expensive, but it's a nice, thick, medicinal lotion. If the condition persists, I'd take your child to the doctor because it may be something more. Good luck!

Aveeno Baby: Soothing Relief Moisture Cream; soothes and relieves dry skin, even dry skin from eczema. My boys love this.

Use Cetaphil cream in the tub or Vaseline intensive rescue (unscented). Put Aveeno oatmeal powder or Burt's Bees Buttermilk bath powder in her bathwater. Works on both my girls with eczema, even worked when we lived in Alaska!
Good luck.
PS - A little plain old olive oil rubbed into the rough patches works wonders!

Hi M., my daughter is 9 & she has that problem too! I can't stand dirty hands, so it is ALWAYS WASH, WASH, WASH! At school they use that hand sanitizer stuff & it REALLY hurts her skin! So I tell her when she washs at home or school to wash very gently & pat her hands with the paper towls,(at school it is a very hard paper), then put on this Jergens Ultra Healing lotion, it dosen't wash off as much! It seems to help. She doesn't bath every day neither! explicitly in the winter. Being a girl she well use baby cloths at night to clean up! But I hope that helps!

Lots of good advice already given. I will also say that switching to a fragrance free and chlorine free helped my daughter. Many of the big name brands found in walmart, tide etc, still have harsh chemicals, even those labeled hypo-allergenic. I use one made by Biokleen (there are many choices and brands). It is slightly more expensive so frequently I will wash her clothes by seperately.
Do not bath her daily, it will remove the oils her body produces. And use only lukewarm water when you do. Plain, mild soap only.
As for lotions, like previous advice, stay away from those with fragrance and harsh chemicals. Vaseline is a petroleum. I chose not to use it or any products with it. You can do some research and make the descion best for you. I like to use coconut oil for my daughter, DAILY. Or other natural products, such as olive oil and lanolin.
Also, keep her nails trimmed. If I don't my daugther will scratch through her skin. That is when it tends to sting.
Try to say away from clothes made from other than cotton. Many synthetic fabrics contribute to the itchiness. During the winter, my daughter will frequently wear a cotton t-shirt under her winter clothes as they are usually made of polyester or wool.

I have learned that I can not be lazy about any steps. Even one day or the wrong detergent and she is scratching again. Hope I have helped and good luck finding what works for you.

Try Aveeno products - my son and I both have eczema and we both use the body wash, soaps and moisturizers expecially in the winter.

I have dry skin and so does my hubby we have found that Avon oatmeal lotion does great.

Shea butter. Bath and Body Works makes an excellent thick and creamy that can be used all over. It's called "lay it on thick".

Hi M.,

Try Aquafor or eucerin cream. that seems to work best on my son's drier spots on his body. Cetaphil is also a nice one to try--get the cream, not the lotion. dermatologists recommend it... Good luck. Lubriderm will burn. vitamin e oil works good too!!!!

To start off, congrats to you for being able to successfully bring your little girl into the world. That is fantastic news and such an accomplishment!! This is somewhat lengthy but worth the read. My husband and I both come from families with severely dry skin, eczema and dermatitis so needless to say...our son has it too and it was bad! I mean like his skin cracks so bad around his mouth and crevice of his arms and behind his ears that it was bleeding. Since he is still young, we can't use our prescription strength ointment. We tried everything from Aveeno Wash/Bath Oatmeal, Cetaphil, Eucerine, Aquaphor, Vaseline, Cornmeal Baths, Cortizone Cream and Ointment and even prescription cream from a Pediatric Dermatologist. Of course, I have always had to use Scent-Free Laundry detergent for myself too. Nothing worked until I was looking online and found Organic D'Organiques Original Sprout http://www.originalsprout.com/. They have everything from Shampoo to Hair Gel specifically designed for babies/kids/adults with eczema. I am very impressed with the product and we've been using it for about two weeks. It smells a little strong from the ingredients like organic rosemary and chamomile BUT it healed his skin within 2 days and it's not greasy!!! You can order online but we just decided to drive to Nashville, TN to buy it from a local retailer called The Cosmetic Market and there is another retailer in Birmingham, AL I think. I got the Baby Wash and Baby Cream for about $35. The Nashville store even honored the online prices for me. Amazing! I hope you find something that works.

Have you tried Eucerin? It's pretty good, also Aquaphor but it's really thick. I know both of those can help with mild eczema.
Good luck!

It helps to not bathe them every day, every other day or even third sometimes, because warm baths really dry out your skin, esp. in winter.

Also, I use oil on my daughter after every bath, we've used Burt's Bees Almond Oil, some kind of soy oil, and right now
the organic massage oil from Avalon Organics Baby line. You can get all these at Whole Foods, and though they are a bit pricey, usually $8-10 each, they last forever. We've had our bottle for 4-6 months now, and its still got a third of the bottle left. We only use a little at a time, and only bathe every couple days, so it lasts a long time! It's a nice ritual to rub her down with oil after a bath, and does wonders for her skin!

Good Luck!

You have a lot of good suggestions, and I agree, its sounds like exzema. Both my son and I have it. What I found worked was cutting back baths to twice a week, and then every night whether bath or not, I lotioned him with Eucerin Calming Cream and then put cortizone on. When its bad I put the cortizone on all of the skin, but when its just a few spots I focus on those areas. We also use the Aveeno baby wash for his bath, and absolutely no bubble baths. And I agree with a lot talk to your ped dr. He can even prescribe you something. The last thing I found that helped, is when he had really bad raw spots, I put a little neosporin on them and it seemed to help it heal a lot quicker.

HI M.,
I have a 5 year old son and a 1.5 year old daughter who both have really dry skin. I have dry skin as well and like your situation it gets really bad in the winter. Use gentle soap (like J&J baby bath) when washing her. Try to bathe her every other day if you can (I know sometimes its hard, but washing them every single day drys their skin out bad--do this temporarily until her skin gets better). Baby lotion is not very moisturizing. You can mix baby lotion with vaseline to moisturize her skin. I do this and it helps tremendously. Fitrst I would try using Palmer's cocoa butter with shea butter and mixing that with a little bit of vaseline. This is what I use most of the time. Be sure to always apply lotion afer baths and twice a day if possible. Eucerin lotion is also good, but it didn't help my kids as much as the cocoa butter/vaseline. Since she said it hurts when you applied lotion, she may have scratched tiny sores (which you can put antibiotic ointment on them until healed). She could possibly have exema. Try what I have suggested and if you still have problems, take her to her DR. HOpe this helps and good luck!

Hi M.. My three kids all had very dry skin (from their dad). I used Eucerin from head to toe. Even the wal-mart brand is good. A little goes a long way, so you don't need much. At first it looks very oily but the dry skin will easily absorb it. Good luck.

i realize you have received many responses, but i had to let you know this. the best advice my pediatrician has ever given me is to not bathe my children every day. about every 3rd day works for us. unless they are playing outside and get grungy. try this, it works. also, run a cool mist humidifier, my kids have the most beautiful skin and lips and do not "need" lotion. i use it on them just to smell pretty :-)

Get an extra sensitive lotion that has no extra ingredients or alcohols. You can usually find them around the make-up area in most stores. If you need help understanding the ingredients, you can always ask the pharmacist. :}

It sounds like you and your daughter have Eczema. I'm not a doctor but it is a condition that my son (almost two) and I both suffer from. We had some mild success on our own with Aveeno products. However, our doctor recommended Cetaphil lotion (non-prescription) and also that we bathe my son daily in brief tepid baths, washing him with only Dove Sensitive. We also have to wash his clothes with a mild fabric softener. Our doctor also put my son on an anti-histamine medicine and gave us a prescription for two different creams for flare-ups. So, in addition to the Cetaphil and the Dove Sensitive, I'd recommend that you see your daughter's doctor. The difference between what we were doing by ourselves and the results we got with the prescription medicine was like night and day.

You could try some organic lotions that don't have chemicals in them that may not burn.That's what I use my kids and me have eczema real bad and very very sensitive skin. They have burt's bees babies or you could google organic baby lotions. Good luck hun :)

I'm going through that with my 3 year old right now. Usually for the red dry spots we put Corizone 10 for a couple of days and it clears up but with the dry weather lately it's gotten worse and that wasn't working. The doctor prescribed Locoid for a week and then said to use Eucerin. I've also heard that Aquafor is good. Someone suggested to me the Aveeno bath and Aveeno Eczema Cream which I'm going to try next.

My youngest daughter has really dry skin. My doctor recommended that we try Cetaphil Cream (be sure it's the cream, not the lotion), which you can buy at Wal-Mart or Target, etc.. It's a very gentle cream. I don't believe it has any perfumes or dyes in it, which can be very irritating. It works great! I've also had good luck with Aquaphor lotion, but it's a lot greasier, so I don't use it as much.

I hope you find something that works for you!

A.

good old fashion vaseline

You could try aquaphor- that is used on burn patients, diaper rashes, eczema, etc. It's very mild, and works wonders. It's got a vaseline like consistancy, and is very moisturizing.

Also, if you don't have any on hand and need something to use until you go buy some, try A&D ointment on dry skin areas. That's what we recommend to patients with very dry lips/skin, as well.

There is a line of products called ABC..Arbonne Baby Care that is amazing and has worked wonders for people both young and old with eczema, psoriasis, and sensitive skin. These products soothe, nourish and protect the skin. I am a consultant with Arbonne and would love to help you if you are interested. My e-mail is ____@____.com.

...C.

Hi M..

I have three children and two of them suffer with eczema and very dry skin. In the winter when the air is dry the condition is much worse, as I am sure you already know! My pediatrician advised me about possibly cutting back on baths, and when she does take a bath, make sure that the water is not too warm, as this dries the skin out even more.

The thing with most baby lotions is that they are scented and that can irritate raw or dry skin. I have tried several different lotions and we like Eucerin. It is very rich and no scents or ingredients that might irritate sensitive skin. You might want to mention the condition to your pediatrician if you haven't already. If eczema is the case, he or she might prescribe a topical oinment like Elidel. We have had good outcome with that as well.

Good luck with your daughter. Spring is just around the corner, perhaps the end of dry winter air will help the situation!

J.

M.,
I would recommend taking her in to your family physician so he can take a look at this and possibly prescribe some cream that will help your daughter's skin problem. I had a similar issue with my daughter and that is how we approached it. Our doctor also recommended Eucerin lotion (not the cream, it was too thick) and that worked very well long term.

Aquaphor is a great suggestion, but like she said the baby version is quite pricey and hard to find. Since I moved to OK my skin has been awful. I develop a pretty nasty case of eczema on my legs when the weather gets particularly dry. I have tried everything. Eucerin, Aveeno...Burt's Bee's and other organic products(natural plant oils)you name it and they worked OK, but they never helped with the pain I experienced during and after a shower(even cool water burned). I just thought it was something I would have to live with. My sister in law told me that St. Ives had come out with a new lotion for dry skin and that she really liked it. She brought it over for me to try after a shower and I tell you my skin has not been the same since. It's called St.Ives Intensive Healing Advanced Body Moisturizer. It's unscented but it doesn't have that weird smell that some unscented lotions have. It is very inexpensive($3.99) and has worked better for me that the products that I have spent loads of cash on. I would stop using any kind of scented soap or lotion on her skin as this is probably just making it worse. Aveeno has a baby soap that is unscented that works quite well and I wouldn't use a cloth or puff on her as that can really irritate her problem areas. I know how sweet all the baby stuff makes her smell but I think it's probably just making it worse. If you life her to have that sweet powder fresh smell there is a really lovely perfume made for babies and mama's by Bvlgari called Petites et MaMans.You can find it on lots of discount perfume websites for as low as 23 dollars. My parents bought it for my daughter for her 1st birthday and it always made her smell so sweet and never bothered her skin. I hope this helps!

My daughter goes through those phases, too. Sometimes she just feels like she has scales! Eucerin is a very good lotion to use for extremely dry skin. It tends to feel a little greasy so I save it for after bath at bedtime. Gold Bond is good, as is Aveeno. Aveeno has lotions formulated for babies and they also have baby washes to help moisturize during the bath. Hope this helps!

You are going to spend some money, but Lubriderm or Euchern (sp?) and similiare products designed to heal sensitive dry skin will make a big difference.

When my skin is dry and cracking I use Avon Moisture Therapy Oatmeal Body Lotion after hand washing and any time I need a lotion during the day.

On my feet and hands I use Avon Moisture Therapy Extra Strength Cream, it's really thick, almost paste like. It comes in a tub.

The best for overnight use is Avon Moisture Therapy Intensive Hand Cream, it is like a thick Vaseline. I put it on, then put gloves and socks on so it won't get on the sheets. I also use it after using my Ped Egg, it just works wonders. I never let myself run out of it.

Mary Kay also sells a night cream that works wonders on very dry skin too but I find it too greasy for daytime use.

When I worked with people with Developmental Disabilities many of the Doctors wrote prescriptions for a Eucerin product that was very much like the Avon in the tub. We would rub it on morning and night and it seemed to really prevent much of the problem.

Does she go to Child Care during the day? You said when she gets home? How many hours is she going without lotion? I know in Oklahoma it is hard to get a provider to administer lotion because DHS is cracking down on "meds" for children, even prescribed meds. So many children are having more and more allergy's and reactions to things that have new chemicals in them. Ask your care provider if they would use lotion on her after hand washing and after lunch before she falls asleep for nap. They might say no but they might say okay.

are you sure it's not eczema?

Omega-3s, in either case, will help. i mean, taken internally. Have her eat more avocado, and add ground-up flax seed (just small amounts!) and walnuts to her foods. You might want to get a supplement, too.

Try using even just olive oil on her skin, and use only the most natural, chemical-free products for your and her body-care products (shampoo, soap...don't use bubble bath) and laundry detergent. Avoid using fabric softeners/sheets. You can just add 1/8 or 1/4 cup vinegar toward the end of the cycle to soften your clothes just as effectively!

Even if you and she aren't actually experiencing an allergic reaction or chemical sensitivity and it's just plain dry skin (which I kind of doubt), taking these steps will really help that dry/sensitive skin to feel a lot better.

Also, make sure she's drinking plenty of water. The best hydration comes from the inside out.

L.

Sounds like eczema which is a allergic reaction to chemicals which are found in alot of over the counter soaps, lotions, etc. I suggest getting a natural wash and lotions. Arbonne has wonderful baby line. Ck out web at www,successfromtheheart.myarbonne.com go to shop online.

You should try (Baby) Aquaphor. Comes in a small tube at any drugstore, walmart etc. Smooth it on before bed, it's kind of greasy, in the morning the redness and burning should be gone. I use it on my son for multiple things.. it works as an alternative to neosporin as well.

The company I work for has a product that is all natural, and has been clinically proven to work better than anything else on the market and it's very reasonably priced. It's called Renew Lotion. It has helped so many people with similar problems you and your daughter have.

I would be happy to get you more information, just give me a call or email me.

Hello! I just discovered CeraVe. It is a cream (they have lotion too, but the cream was recommended)and it is fantastic! I hate the feel of sticky things, and this just blends right into your skin, no mess, no scent no letting it dry on you for 5 minutes. It lasts for hours and then seemed to reactivate if you get wet, like washing your hands. I have seen a tremendous improvement in my funky dry upper arms since using it.

I found it at Walgreens, it was $14 a jar, but completely worth it as you use so little. It was recommended by a Nurse and I love it.

Good luck!

My daughter sometimes has mild eczema, and her pediatrician told us to use a 1% Hydrocortizone cream (it's over the counter). This should help with the dry skin. Not sure if it hurts, but my daughter never put up a fuss when I used it.

My 12 month twins have dry skin and excema and we use Aquaphor baby body wash and then the healing ointment. They make a kind especially for babies which we use but they also have a regular kind that probably works fine. My ped suggested it. She also made sure to tell us not to use any scented or colored baby wash or lotion because it can make dry or sensitive skin worse. We rub the kids down thoroughly after each bath and then put their jammies on. It makes a HUGE difference. Their skin is soft and not dry. If I forget (or really my husband forgets :) then I can tell a difference the next day. And it even works on my sons really dry excema spots. I have had trouble finding it. Wal Mart sometimes has it. The best place I know to get it Amazon.com. They sell all the kinds and we buy a 3 bottle pack of the body wash and ointment. It's not cheap but I wouldn't give it up!

Hope this helps, D.

M.,
Though I dont have a suggestion for the dry skin and if you find one that works for your daughter I would love to hear about it. My daughter and I too have very dry skin and the lotion does burn when i put it on her too.
I did try using some of the Johnson & Johnson baby oil that is like a gel. I rub it on her before we dry her off after her bath but by the next morning she's dry again.
My husband and I are also proud parents of a beautiful 4yr old girl. I am 39 yrs old and we also had difficulty getting pregnant so I know the joy of it being a surprise. Though I do not have polycistic overian syndrome, I know someone else that does and I know what a joy it is to have a baby.
Just wanted to share alittle about me. Hope someone can give you some good ideas for a lotion.
God Bless!!
D.

My son has had very dry skin since he was a baby....his allergy doctor recommended that we buy a tube of Vaseline and toss it in the bath with him (to soften) and then when he gets out of the tub to put the Vaseline on his wet skin before we dry him. She said it seals the moisture in his skin. This has helped a lot.

Try Cetaphil. My pediatrician recommended it for my son's (whose only 6 months) eczema. Its for all skin types and its fragrance free. You can purchase it at any grocery or drug store. Good Luck!

Hi! Both of my girls had this same type of problem. I took them to the pediatrician and he told me that they just had sensitive skin. He suggested that we use Dove Body Wash and Cetaphil cream or lotion (I bought the generic ones to save some money). I started to use them that night and they helped the first time I used them. I put the lotion on them in the mornings and at night before bed. I only gave them a bath every other day. It helped a lot and the dry skin patches were gone in about a week. He also said to be using laundry detergent and fabric softners that was not harsh on them, like the Tide Free or All Free and Downy Free (the ones that are dye and perfume free). I hope this helps!

Sounds like eczema. Have you seen a doctor about it? Some things that have helped with my sons are oatmeal baths, shea butter lotion (NO fragrance) for dry patches, jojaba oil right after baths for all the skin and if it gets really bad (cracks and bleeds) we have a prescription.

PS - my sons are allergic to grass pollen, cats and seasonal tree pollens and we live in the south so it's a year round problem.

I use Aquaphor and vaseline on my children and myself. We all suffer from allergies and eczema. I have also found some baby eczema lotion by Disney that I have recently used on my baby. Something to remember to is when you bath my dermatologist recommended lubricating the skin with something like the vaseline or aquaphor within 3 minutes of bathing.
Good luck!
Steph

My two sons and I both have this problem during winter. We all use one lotion. It's called GoldBond Ultimate Healing. It doesn't burn my 6 year old or my 3 year old's hands and actually soothes instead of hurting. If you use it every day there shouldn't be a reoccurence. Some lotions contain alcohol and dry you out faster but, this one doesn't. I used to work at a hospital as an assistant and the nurses used this every other time after they washed their hands. It stays on for a long time and actually works. I even tried Arbonne's hand cream and it didn't work at all. The oatmeal baths didn't work either. We tried it all. I even had my mother try it out. She has severely dry legs. I mean severe. Within a week, her legs actually looked healthy and not like the scales of an iguana. She now uses this lotion continually. The bottle is white with a gold spout. It's definitely not your old GoldBond. Also, this was the easiest to do by far instead of all the oatmeal baths and other remedies for ecsema. Hope this helps!

Hey M., hope it's ok for a Dad to chime in on this. Our 9mos old had a rash for almost a week (no other symptons like fever etc..)and we tried some Desitin for babies with no apparent result.

So we went to the Pediatrician and his diagnosis was "Viral Exanthem" which sounds a lot worse than it is. He said NOT to use the Desitin and just use lotion. We put some St. Ives on her and now she is much better.

However, since your 2 year old is sensitive to some products, I wanted to share a link with you to a database of products that ranks baby products by the amount of harmful ingredients. Maybe something rated in the "safe" zone might help your child without causing a reaction.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Good luck with this and let us know if you find something that helps.

I use St Ives chamomile and aloe - I even use it immediately after shaving my legs, armpits, etc. and it doesn't sting.

my daughter has this too...we use eucerin cream. She doesn't say it burns and it really helps clear up those dry patches!