My Son's Skin Troubles....

My sons cheeks do the same thing through the winter months. I put cortaid on them three times a day and it clears it up for the most part. It doesn't completely go away, but it is enough so it is not noticeable unless you are really close to him. It takes about two days of three times a day to bring it down.

I used a cream with calendula on my son when he was a baby. I got it at the local Whole Foods. He is now 10 and still has sensitive skin, but that helped a lot when he was little.

My 6-year-old daughter also has dry skin, and we've tried a lot of things. The latest is Johnson's baby oil gel, which you put on while still wet from the bath. It seems to be working well for us. Good luck.

My sister's baby has eczema, and I saw on another post on here once about the melaleuca lotion renew being a great product for it. I am a melaleuca member so I bought her some and she said it did really well with it. A couple of other great products are Aveeno products, and Sarna senstive skin lotion. I have used aveeno in the past for redness and dryness, I have extremely dry skin, and it did great. My sister used Sarna for her PUPPS (a pregnancy rash) and it did great, but I have no idea whether it is recommended for eczema.

Now about the melaleuca. I have seen a million moms on her who sign people up so you will have no shortage of contacts for that if you want to become a member, but I wanted to make sure you knew you didn't have to join. You can order from melaleuca.com as a guest. You will pay a much higher price, but if all you want is some lotion every few months, you are better off doing that than making a monthly commitment. I can recommend the products, I love them. But I have to share my membership with my mom because there is no way I can order enough stuff for the monthly minumum by myself. I also order stuff for my sister to help make my points. I do highly recommend the Renew though.

My son broke out in a rash when he was 6 months old. He had a rash on his body for 4 months before we got anything resolved about it. They sent him for allergy tests, but his was not allergy related. It was thought to be an intolerence to foods causing severe excema. They perscribed him derma smooth, an oil that you put on the skin after baths when skin is still wet, for the intensive treatment. Then, desnoide cream after it was somewhat under control. Then, recommeded after it cleared to us aquaphor daily to try and keep skin from getting so dry again. It worked for him. You might want to ask your dr. about that. Hopefully you find something that works, even if not this, because I know how hard it is to see your child uncomfortable.

Just thought of this yesterday - have you changed anything lately? my thoughts are with clothing detergents or softners - i have broken out in hives from chemical laden detergents and softners all with scents which are basically phalates - which are not a good thing for sensitive skin or kids (people) in general - just try to think if you have changed ANYthing at all in terms of your food, house, cleaning, etc....

Hi J. - don't put those things on his cheeks anymore - they are preventing his skin from breathing - I have used Jojoba oil on my son with great effect - you just have to put it on all the time - and once it gets better - you have to continue use each and every morning and night -
also, try installing some sort of water filter for your bath - it will remove chlorine which causes the skin to dry out.
Your doctor could be correct with the food allergies - so you may want to try to correct it in that way as well.
You can also try going to a Homeopathic or Naturopathic doctor who would take all things into consideration and go with one remedy herbally.
perhaps you can find one near you on this site:
http://www.naturopathic.org/findannd.php
Most skin problems can be relieved through diet change -
I get my jojoba oil from trader joes it's around 7.99 a bottle - just make sure it is pure oil with no preservatives or scents as those can also interfere with your son's skin healing.
hope this helps you - I tried many different things before finally going back to the roots and a totally natural approach. the steroids and creams only cover the underlying problem - which could be the food allergy or other chemical sensitivity - be sure to clean with chemical free cleaners around you house as that can also create skin disorders - after all, your skin is your largest organ and children as young as your son touch things and then put hands in the mouth all the time.

Hi J.! Both of my children suffered from eczema when they were younger. They have grown out of it, but we still struggle with dry skin during the winter. With the eczema, I used Gentle Naturals - Baby Eczema Wash and Baby Eczema Cream - http://www.gentlenaturals.com/. These worked wonders on my kids!! You can find the Gentle Naturals products at both Walmart and Target. Good Luck!

I have a friend who has a child with eczema and she swore by Aveeno products. I think the doctor suggested the oatmeal baths and such. Also Melaleuca has a lotion called Renew that may help as it has helped others with similar issues. You might want to get your son checked for specific allergies so you can get him off whatever is causing the problems.
Best of luck!

My 2 year old has had eczema since he was an infant. We took him to Dr. Wanderman, a different kind of allergist, and he recommended cutting sugar, citrus foods and vinegar from Lucas' diet. We did and 5 days later no eczema.

I think it was the sugar that did it. It was a little difficult to do, but it worked and we're not going back to sneaky scratching ever again!

And we have found coconut oil, food grade unrefined, to be the absolute best moisturizer/lotion. Sounds weird, but it works!

A.

I don't know if this has been mentioned or not but one thing that you might not have considered is the SOAP that you are using on him... also nothing with perfumes as this can irritate the skin that is already inflamed. Something like Aveeno oatmeal bath (or store brand comparable) The soap you are using might be making the skin more dried out... have they considered it being rosacea?

Here is a link to learn more.
http://www.medicinenet.com/rosacea/article.htm

Just a few things to consider.. you may have to consider taking him to a dermatologist as they specialize in skin.

With that being said, always do what is best for you and your family.

try using aveeno baby soap and lotion it should help

Just wondering if it is possible he is still eating something else he is allergic to. A friend of mine watched a little girl who had terrible problems with her skin because she was still getting milk which was causing her to have huge issues.

If not I recommend the Aveeno Soothing Relief Moisture Cream or their excema cream. They work pretty well on the little boy I watch if you use them at least a couple of times a day. Also I would recommend not bathing him very often because that causes the skin to dry out even more and causes more pain for him.

My daughter has this it is eczema. We are using elidel. It seems to work pretty well for us. We have battled with it as well. I have to say the elidel is the best. It is a non steroidal perscription medication. They also have creams with steroids, that help. My daughter uses the elidel twice a day it does wonders. Hope you get it straightened out. I will say that it will never go away. It just has to be controlled with meds. I also have it. So I definately know how it can affect things.... Good luck....

My daughter has a bad habit of licking her lips... all the time. When the weather gets colder she ends up with a red upper lip that starts to hurt and cracks. We were putting chap stick on it all the time, and drying it whenever possible, but nothing was helping clear it up. One night, we couldn't find the lip stuff and she was complaining that it hurt, so I used what I could find. Which was a hydrating oil that I used on my cuticles and as an additive to my moisturizer in the winter. The brand is Artistry, and you have to get it online. It comes in a little bottle with a dropper thingy. It doesn't take much at all, but when we use it at night now before she goes to bed the redness and soreness is gone by morning. Worth a try! You can get it here:
www.kdickerson.qhealthbeauty.com

Hope it works.

Hi J.,
My son also has food allergies and eczema (and sensitive skin on top of it all). It is so tough to control, esp in the winter where he is going from varying temperatures and dry humidity. We use it all too, hydrocortisone, aquafor, etc. We have had decent results with Aveeno eczema cream and also California Baby lotion. The latter isn't very heavy and has no preservatives or chemicals, which helps. But we have to keep applying. The only thing I can tell you is to keep his fingernails as short as possible. We have to literally trim my son's nails every other day to keep the scratching to a mimimum. Also, make sure you are using free and clear everything- detergents and drier sheets, and no bleach in the wash. No bubble baths, and a baby wash with not a lot of chemicals- California Baby is pretty good also (but a little pricey). Also, running a humidifier in the house can help. GOod luck!

I use Eucerin on my daughter's hands, cheeks..everywhere during the day and if it gets really bad I rub Neosporin into her cheeks before bed.

Without myyour son, could it be eczema? My daughter has it, but it tends to break out seasonally. She is on meds daily not only for asthma control, but also for her allergies. I slather her in Eucerin after showers (which I only give her once a week). She only gets a shower, as baths are very drying (and you are sitting in your own dirt. Also, they don't like it ver much, but the water is pretty tepid. No hot or warm water as it is too drying. Daily, I do bathe her with a washcloth all over .

Hope this helps.

I had the exact same experience with my son (now nine) when he was a toddler. We joked he had a red beard and I cringe at his old pictures. I felt like I was a child-abuser when I put the prescription cream on his face as he'd scream from the stinging... I'd literally have to hold him down. His skin would crack as soon as my son smiled every morning and then peel all day... followed by more steriodal cream at night.

FINALLY, my best friend read an article in Natural Health magazine and suggested I try Ginkgo Leaf tincture because she read it could be beneficial. I inwardly rolled my eyes because I had tried everything, but I figured it was worth a shot. In TWO WEEKS my son had NORMAL skin! It was a miracle cure for us! I looked up everything I could before giving it to him and the only side-effect I found was that it could make you a little restless- it increases circulation and I was afraid he might have a hard time getting to bed. I gave him a dropperful in his juice first thing in the morning- it's bitter, so apple juice hides the taste best. No kidding... two weeks and he had new skin. Just a note... do not eat the leaves directly off the plant ever!

Go to a health food store (not GNC) or order from a reputable place online. We bought it at Whole Foods. Google search about the benefits... its an amazing herb. For whatever reason, I couldn't find anything that said it was good for eczema, but I am so glad my friend came across an article about it!

By the way, I shared the story with my doctor and she just shrugged and asked us if we wanted another hydrocortisone prescription! Not very open to non-prescription drug remedies! Don't expect your doctor to be either!

Good luck!

I have a couple of random ideas.

We got a showerhead that removes chlorene from the water, and my skin itches a lot less. It was $30 on Amazon.com and the maker was Culligan. Lots of people on the reviews said it cleared up their eczema, so it might help.

I have also heard of some great results with virgin coconut oil applied directly to the skin, you can get it at Whole Foods or another natural store. I use it when I get cracks on my hands and it seems to help.

I would suggest that you be very very careful with what he eats. As a Celiac myself, I know that even a little bit of gluten makes me sick. If he's cheating on his diet even a tiny bit then the rash won't go away. It sounds like you've tried every cream available so obviously that's not what's going to help.

My facial rash was red and flaky too. It was a photo-sensitive rash that got worse in daylight. It was an immune response to my Celiac's disease. That is a immunological disease that is caused by eating gluten. It sometimes looks like eczema and doctor's are generally very ignorant about it but awareness is increasing.

If your son is small in size and has stomach upset you might consider taking him off wheat, rye, and barley. There is a lot of information on the web about this condition. Also, please be aware that the blood test is not accurate. The only way to get a diagnosis is with a small intestine biopsy or getting better by going off gluten. Find a doctor who knows something about this disease who can help you determine if it's what your son has.

I've discovered the wonders of naturopathic medicine this year. My ND recommends fish oil for a number of ailments, and we have been giving it to my 6-year-old son who has had some eczema lately (trying to figure out if it's related to milk), and it helps, although I have to wonder if there is another food that your son is allergic to that you're not yet aware of. My son is old enough to swallow the horse-pill size softgels (we buy them in the big bottles at Sam's Club), but for your little guy there are chewables (they think they are candy) of Omega 3s in the stores. It might be worth a shot, and definitely wouldn't hurt anything (it's brain food). It is anti-inflammatory. Although, not a good idea if he's allergic to fish. There are other sources of omega 3s (flax seed, I think). Also, if you're not getting enough help with MDs, you might look into Naturopathic Doctors. Legitimate ones have been to four years of Naturopathic Medical School after college. A useful website I've found is www.kitchentablemedicine.com. You can do a search there for eczema. My hubby, a main-stream veterinarian, recommends fish oils sometimes for certain skin issues in dogs as well. Good luck!

My daughter had terrible eczema when she was younger where her skin would crack and bleed on her cheeks. It was terrible to try to put anything on it because it just hurt her poor little face. She doesn't have any food allergies and it seems to be much, much worse in the winter. This winter it started to come back and all I did was put a cold mist humidifier in her room, turn it on when she goes to bed at night and we've had almost no problems. I grease her up when she gets out of the bath but I don't have to do any touch ups during the day. Again she doesn't have food allergies but maybe if you combine this with some of the other suggestions you can help your little guy. Good luck.

My mother (a "natural healing" expert) makes a salve for baby's skin - which is really great! I watch other children in my home along with my own son, and it has helped them when they've had difficult skin issues. My mother taught me how to make it (it's herbs and olive oil and an emulsifier). I'd be happy to give you the "recipe" and instructions on how to make it yourself if you're interested in that. Just send me a "private message." God bless you and your family.

Hi there J.-
Your son's condition is really common and most often begins with an imbalance in his gastro-intestinal sustem. The connection between allergis and GI imbalances is immense. Begin by purchasing a good probiotic from the health food store or nutritional store (not GNC, Walmart or Sam's Club) ... you want one with many strains ... PB8 by Nutrition Now is a good brand. Open the capsule and put half of it at a time in your son's food ... apple sauce works great ... it does not have a taste to it so it is very easily added to things. Then begin him on a high quality Omega-3 fish oil supplement (that is the building block for all his cells). If you are still nursing, you could take 4000-6000mg/day and he will just get it from your milk ... otherwise a good source would be Coromega --- google it and you'll find it on line ... it's in a tasty gel form. I like the lime! :) Hope that helps. Those both will strengthen his own natural immune system from the inside. Wishing your family wellness, Dr. Kaz

Believe it or not it could be an allergy to milk. My daughter used to have the same problem. We found a great doctor that discovered she had a milk allergy. She gave us a terrfic perscription called Triamcinolone Acetonide. It comes with strict warnings about overuse. It worked wonders on her cracked skin and she was healed up in no time. As for the milk intake....she had to go to a soy based formula of course and even now has to watch how much milk she drinks. She can have about 6oz of milk or milk products before it starts to mess with her skin.

My daughter had similar issues with her cheeks and nose/chin, especially when teething. I tried everything and the best thing I found was Johnson's Soothing Naturals soothing balm. The only place I could find it at locally was Babies 'r' Us and would buy every stick they had when I was there. It goes on light but must have something in it that soothes as well as heals. I would highly recommend it. I've even used it on me when I had a cold on a raw nose and it seemed to work over night. Good luck!!

Please look at www.feingold.org. Feingold is a 30yr old non-profit organization whose purpose is to inform the public about petroleum-based artificial ingredients in our food supply. These harmful additives cause ADD, ADHD, OCD and many other emotional, behavioral and PHYSICAL side effects. One of the side effects is skin allergies and yellow #5 and #6 are especially bad for allergies of all types. Feingold is a leading authority on this subject and has helped thousands of families over the years. It will be well worth your time to learn about all-natural nutrition.

My friend went through this with her son. It seems that food allergies and excema go hand in hand. His was worse when he was sucking his thumb or teething (extra moisture and saliva irritated it).

He is now 6, still has most of the food allergies, but his excema is under control. She kept him moisturized with a lotion that did not clog pores or had perfumes or dyes. She also had a prescription cream for the bad breakouts. She also took him to a pediatric dermatologist (a regular dermatologist was not very helpful to her) and that was when things began to improve.

Hang in there, it should get better.

Hi J.,

My nephew had eczema when he was a baby too. I know what you mean about the red, flaky cheeks. His got so bad sometimes that they almost had a greenish look to them. It just hurt my heart to see him that way. My sister would get so mad when she was out and about because people would stare at him and ask her what was wrong with him. It's a very frustrating situation! Anyway, my sister gave him blueberries, which really helped. Apparently they are antioxidants and they really made the difference. She tried all kinds of things too, which only made it worse. My advice would be to try the blueberries. If it doesn't work for him, at least he's eating something healthy. :)

Good luck! And just know that he should grow out of it. My nephew's went away by the time he was 2 and he never had a problem since. He's now 9 years old with a beautiful complexion.

-K.

I don't have any great advice, however, I can totally relate to what you are going through. My daughter, around 7 months, started getting red spots around her eyes and cheek area. The redness got worse and spread, with no diagnosis from several dr.'s (pediatricians & dermatologists), plus a variety of ointments. I felt exactly how you are feeling, upset that people saw the rash, and not the beautiful baby. Some people (strangers) were so rude, and many felt compelled to share their advice. Admittedly, I became very sensitive and emotional over the situation. To make a very long story short, she is now 3yrs old and I believe we have figured out the problem. The sun!! We now daily apply sunscreen and her skin has cleared up. If we become lazy and do not use sunscreen, the red spots come back.
Discovering the cause, was an answered prayer. Just keep praying, and God will comfort you, as well as help your beautiful little boy! S.
P.S. Do you have a humidifier in his room?

just want to let you know I went through this and I sincerely hope you find something that helps. My daughter had this around 5 months, she was allergic to Peanuts and some other things. I know this because we got the blood test and prick test. when I took those out of my diet (I was nursing) she improved but we still had issues for a while. She is 3 now and itches in the winter and it is not her face but her belly and upper thighs. It's so frustrating b/c what works for some kids with ezcema doesn't work for others and you sent sooo much money on so many different creams. When my daughter's ezcema (as they call it) was bad when she was little we lathered her in vaseline after her showers and that helped. Humidity in her room with a humidifier. I wish you so much luck in finding relief.

I want to suggest considering coconut oil on his cheeks or aloe vera gel. Both very healing and natural.

Also, his dry, itchy cheeks could indicate a deficiency in Omega 3s. Maybe a little flaxseed oil in his butter?

J., sorry I just found your message. My son is 4 yrs old and has had eczema since he was 4 months. It shows up on his elbows and knees first then spreads. At first I used baby lotion (OTC) and it helped to keep the itching at bay a little. Then my mother started selling Arbonne skin care products and bought me the entire baby line. Being a nurse and mommy, I'll try anything but NEVER on my children! Not to mention he is a cardiac patient so I'm even more cautious. Changing his diaper was always a challenge for me, he likes to run and wiggle to get away so I had to pin him to the floor. One day I was cleaning him up and he had a very very bad rash due to antibiotic treatment. The closest thing was the ABC diaper rash ointment from Arbonne. It only took 2 diaper changes for the rash to clear! History for me was at least 2 days....I was in love! I then started using the baby lotion and within 3 days of application after his bath, the eczema disappeared. Now I'm not saying it's cured, but as long as I apply the lotion once a week, his skin stays clear. So you don't think I'm trying to make a profit, I'll offer the lotion to you for wholesale cost, to give it a try. Also, we have a 45 day money back guarantee so if it doesn't work for you baby, you can return it for a full refund. I know how hard it is to keep them safe. My son has a pacemaker and any little thing scares me. If you are interested give me a buzz. Hopefully you have found some relief without having to use steriod creams....they just bother me with children. Take care and best of luck.

When my son was younger his cheeks would get chapped and red during the winter. We used something called "Bag Balm". I know it sounds strange but they sell it in the stores now because it works so well. It started as something that farmers would rub on cows utters but somewhere along the way people figured out it was good for people too. We learned about it from my father-in-law who used it for his hands. His hands were so dry and cracked that they would bleed. He told us he would put the Bag Balm on them at night then put socks over his hands to sleep and it was the only thing that worked. So we tried it on my son's cheeks. Most of the time we put it on at night but sometimes during the day too when it was bad. It worked great! It looks a lot like vaseline. It comes in a square tin. I can't remember where we got it but I think most of the chain pharmacy's have it. Walmart may carry it too. It's called Bag Balm. Give it a try. I hope it helps. Good luck.

Both my boys suffer from eczema, one has food allergies, one severe seasonal allergies. I have found a way to vastly improve their daily life. We used to spend over $100 a month on lotions and prescriptions, but now I use Renew lotion and have switched my cleaning and laundry products to more natural ones with no caustic chemicals. You can find this stuff online. Finding this company has also allowed me to be able to work from home and be with my kids more. So yes, I have my own business, but I found it because of my children. I will never use anything else again. We had tried EVERYTHING...If you would like more info, messege me, I'll send you some links.

My son has Eczema.. since 4 months and now he is 20 months old. Buy the brand Mustela(Stelatopia) for Eczema.. I believe Babies R Us sells it now. Use the lotion, bath wash and water based cleanser.. it really works. I have tried everything like you and this is the only product that works. I also found a cream recommended by my allergist that is called Vanicream.. I just started using this and it seems to work and you get alot of bang for your buck.
Hope this helps.
dermstore.com(mustela)
nationalallergy.com(vanicream)