Warning on using 'baby' creams and lotions, etc

Hi all

I have a gf who's little baby (now 11 mths) was diagnosed with severe allergies at about 3 mths after having eczema since birth. He was diagnosed by an allergy specialist using both skin test and blood test as having life-threatening allergies to nuts and egg white and also has an intolerance for dairy, wool, dust mites and cat fur. We've all had to learn how to use the epi-pen for anaphylactic shock. His eczema has mostly cleared up after addressing the allergies.

He's been having severe nappy rash off and on. When I had him last week he fussed when I put the nappy cream on (supplied by Mum). Thinking it was just because he had a sore bottom, it didn't click until the next dirty nappy when he had a bright red patch where I'd put the cream the first time and screamed blue murder when I reapplied it. I noticed in the ingredients list that it contained almond oil. I told his Mum and she asked the allergy specialist about it (how lucky they had an appointment the following week!).

His response was that it would be likely that the almond oil would be affecting his skin and, in his opinion, creams and lotions containing almond oil should carry the same 'nut' warning that foods are required to. Children with allergies could react. He speculated that using these kinds of products on babies, whose immune systems are immature, is possibly increasing the occurence of allergy.

At the very least, I would say if you have any family history of allergies, read the labels before using lotions or creams on your baby. Altho, in my gf's case, they had no family history at all.

thanks for info.. its interesting,., all the best for your friends son

Wow, thanks for the advice. I find DD reacts to Amolin

Great advice Jen, I am intolerant to most nuts & if I use skin products with almond oil in them I tend to break out or get a rash depending on where it is. I got a facial once & forgot to mention it and it was awful.... I don't use anything for Jovie except vitamen e oil.

Christy, I had eczema very badly as a teenager (thankfully grew out of the intolerance to dairy, etc) so I was super-careful with Lucy, only using sorbolene/glycerin and paw paw ointment. I used to react to some brands of sorbolene/glycerin cream and wondered why - now I think they must have come into contact with whatever I am allergic to in the process somehow (in my case I think it's certain perfumes). The brand I use a friend of mine who's a nurse in NICU says is the only one they use on newborn bubs at the hospital, so I'm guessing a lot of medical ppl are aware of the issue.

Yep - definitely. Even wheatgerm oil should be avoided if you have wheat intolerance. I've learnt HEAPS in doing research for our new products, so even with 'natural' products and oils you have to be very careful. Macadamia nut oil is one nut oil that is considered 'non-allergenic' as it very rarely causes allergic reaction, unlike other nut oils.

Apparently a few excema creams appear to be based on some sort of nut oil. I'm not sure how far an allergy can go but alot of foaming agents are also based on palm oil - which in fact is better than a petroeum based one, but can still cause flare ups.

I still think Hemp cream is the best for that sort of thing...

I swore by zinc and castor oil cream when my DS was a baby. I used to ensure though, that after I wiped him clean with a wipe, I patted him dry with a tissue then applied the zinc and castor oil cream. We didn't have a single occurrence of nappy rash.

My sister found that because she didn't dry her DS off and just used a wipe then slapped cream on, her daughter suffered from nappy rash as the environment was basically warm and wet the entire time. I think at least when you're dry and a barrier is put on, you have less chance of irritation occurring.

Thanks so much for the heads up about those products containing nut oils....it's very handy to know.