Eczema Appearing! Help Me To Try Every Possible Prevention Method!

[studymum]

I know you say you want to avoid moisturing, but its part of the recommended treatment/prevention program. If you don't want to, and you are doing basically everything else there is to do, then I would suggest using a hydrocortisone cream on the patches immediately. It helps the skin retain its own moisture content and can be weakened if you wish by applying with a little moisturiser. I have found dermaveen or aveeno to be the best in the way of moisturisers.

Think about joining the Eczema Association, they send you all the latest information and samples about once a year, and you can always contact them for advice.Eczema Association of Australasia Inc

[desperatemom]

Hi Turtleschell,
I have 2 daughter 7 & 3 who are suffering from Eczema since age 3 & 2 respectively.Both very mild so I've have managed to keep it under control just applying cortisone cream (Dermaid,Advantan,Elocon) when neccessary, fragrance free Vitamin E cream the rest of the time and using baby shampoo for hair & body. None of my kids have food allergies so the only triggers are environmental. About 3 months ago as I was packing to move house. I came across a patch of mouldy carpet in a hidden corner of my closet. Miss 3 was hanging around me as I was trying to clean the mould stain on the wall & carpet. A few days after Miss 3 Eczema has gone from just a few rashes on her arms to full blown Eczema covering from her neck down to her thighs. It has gotten worser by the day even now that we've moved into the new house. Miss 3 also made it worse by clawing at the rashes breaking the already thinned out skin due to steroid cream. So I took her to a dermatologist & he prescribed a stronger cream called Celestone M ointment, QV Moisturising Ointment & QV Bath oil. He also prescribed Phenegan to sedate Miss 3 at night so she wouldn't scratch. I religiously followed his regime for both of my girls for more than a month but BOTH reacted badly to the bath oil and the moisturising ointment only made their skins oily rather than hydrate. Miss 7 now has rashes appearing on her tummy & the rest of her arms. Miss 3 just looked like she's got 3rd degree burns from her scalp right down to her ankles. I got scared so I switch to T-gel for shampoo & Goat Milk soap for body. Both with terrible results. I also used Sudocrem which reduced the redness but caused the rash to dry out. This then in turn cause Miss 3 to scratch even more.Then last week I was talking to my grocer lady & she recommended her daughter's GP in Inala who treated her daughter of the same condition. The Doctor prescribed for both my girls a course of antibiotic called Ialex to get rid of the skin infection, Advantan ointment once at night after shower for 1 week and she rang up the chemist and asked them to make a special blend of 20% soft white parafin in an aqeous cream base.I have to apply the moisturising cream every chance I've got. I also bought Dove Beauty Bar and Zyrtec for kids that treats skin hives. I give them the zyrtec in the morning. Just 2 days after commencing this regime the redness started to disappear by the 4th day their skins are as smooth as a babies bottom. I am done with the antibiotic & the advantan ointment. I noticed miss3 is starting to get some rashes appearing on her arms and legs so I really dont want to keep using the Advantan unless as a last resort so My regime now for Miss 3 is:

Zyrtec morning. Hopefully when summer comes around I can drop this too.

Rashes & itchiness- Thursday plantation tea tree ointment (becareful not to apply on broken skin as it will sting). Some kids might not like the smell. I also have tried a natural lotion from Sharainne called (What A) Skin RElief which works quite well to ease their itch. It cost about $9 for 50 mL but I found that it was not really 50mL in the bottle.

Moisturising - 20% WSP in Aqueous cream apply when ever I can.
I've moved her bed into my bedroom so if she starts scratching in the middle of the night, I will apply the moisturising cream then the Tea Tree

Hair & Body - Dove Moisture Beauty Bar

shower- short shower only no bath. I found that if they shower for more than 10 mins they start to itch.

Clothing- loose cotton clothings only.

washing - I use normal laundry powder & fabric softener but I programmed my washing machine to add 2 extra rinse cycles to ensure all detergent residues are removed.

For Miss 7 I do all above but only morning & cream after shower.
So I will keep you posted as to wether these will keep the Eczema under control.

regards
ps I also found Sorbolene cream caused them to itch & Graham's natural Eczema Cream to be non effective and has such an overpowering odour.