Baby Eczema - Keller,TX

Updated on February 12, 2010
K.F. asks from Roanoke, TX
30 answers

My five week-old has turned into an alligator! His face started breaking out last week, and I assumed it was baby acne. However, the rash on his face has made the skin on his cheeks feel leathery, and he has some scaly/flaky patches near his eyebrows. Also, the rash started spreading over the weekend, and he now has patches on his tummy, arms, and back. Our family has a history of allergies/asthma, so eczema is no surprise. The pediatrician saw it last week, and said not to worry. Their advice was to limit bathing and keep him moisturized. My oldest daughter developed eczema when she began crawling, so I've dealt with it before. Since it was only on her legs, I just used Eucerin (pedi recommended). It worked, but I'm a little concerned about using an adult lotion on my little guy's face where the rash is the worst. Have any of you used Eucerin on newborn? Any other suggestions for lotions/creams that might do the trick? Thanks!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thank you all so much for the great information. We went to the pediatrician yesterday, and it looks like my little guy is developing a sensitivity to soy! We switched to a new formula, and his skin already looks better. He still has the bumps and patches everywhere, but the redness has improved! I'm going to continue with the Eucerin, and hopefully my little guy will be better soon. Thanks again!

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.T.

answers from York on

Aquaphor and they do make Baby Eucerin. After taking baths etc, you need to get the lotion on within the first 5 minutes to get the best results. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

S.M.

answers from Dallas on

My youngest had problems with this also, the lady at out health food store recommended the Flax oil, we got the strawberry flavor, two spoonfulls a day and it made a noticable difference after the first day, no diet changes or anything else, just flax oil, no side affects, no problems, easy fix, pretty much took care of it! he rarely has any flare ups but if he does I give him the Flax soon as I notice him itching and it is gone! Works wonders!!!!

S.G.

answers from Dallas on

my daughter also had eczema on her face and chest and tummy. Her pediatrician advised me to use cetaphil soap or basis soap and use the eucerin or aquaphor. I did try what he advised me to use and it cleared up.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.T.

answers from Dallas on

I use Aveeno baby eczema cream, and I've found that it works best if I apply it 2 or 3 times a day. I also found that using a humidifier in the babies room helped. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

F.W.

answers from Dallas on

Have you tried ABC Arbonne Baby line that is formulated with out harsh chemicals, dyes, fragrances, nut oils and all botanical, vegan & swiss formulated? many pediatricians recommend it. you can rest knowing that it is so pure. safe. beneficial that if he ate it; nothing would happen to him. There are several different ways to use the baby line to help minimize eczema; some people even apply the diaper rash cream from the baby line on direct spots. You can also in addition use the skin conditioning oil and rejuevanating cream. It all works wonders! Contact me when you would like more details! Thank you! Bless his heart...poor baby. I feel for him.:(

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.W.

answers from Dallas on

If you are nursing consider your diet. Eczema is an allergic reaction. You can get igE and IgG testing done on yourself (it'd be difficult on baby). But milk, soy, and wheat are usually the top offenders. Accroding to my nutrition book, milk is the most common allergen.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.D.

answers from Dallas on

My son too has severe allergies/asthma/eczema. Since birth the eczema progressed, and once a toddler turned into several staph infections from scratching. Eucerin makes him scream, we have tried every prescription steroid cream / ointment known. The only thing I have found that works is Renew lotion from Melaleuca, (natural / safe / top quality ingredients) it's exclusive from them. There there is a membership involved but it works and has saved so much money on harmful prescriptions that didn't even maintain it well. There is a workshop that I know of every Thursday night at a McKinney restraunt that can help you get more info and possibly a sample.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.G.

answers from Amarillo on

I have eczema and so does my son. His first appeared when he was a month old. His pediatrician initially told us to use Head and Shoulders shampoo which helped and then it reappeared. He gave us Locoid Lipocream, it's a prescription cream, but it works! I use Cetaphil first then apply the cream. It makes a difference so quickly. Hope your little one gets better.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

Hey K.! I know how frustrating eczema can be! I have found the best lotion for it - it's great for newborns on up (even on the face)... very gentle and it works GREAT! It's called Renew Intensive Skin Therapy... works much better than Eucerin and not oily feeling at all. I can bring you a sample to try on your little one to see if it helps. Just email me at ____@____.com if you want me to bring you a sample.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.J.

answers from Dallas on

I used Lubiderm for my son and Eucerin is just as good.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.J.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter also had very dry, sensitive skin as an infant that developed into eczema. My pediatrician wrote a prescription for Triamcinolone 0.1% cream & I put it on the infected areas 2x/day. It cleared up very quickly and to keep the eczema from returning I used Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture lotion 2x/day. My pedi told me to treat the eczema quickly because if left untreated could develop into a staff infection. Hope this helps, K..

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.C.

answers from Dallas on

We used Aquaphor for DD (including her face) when she had eczema as a newborn--recommended both by our pedi, and my best friend, who is herself a pedi in Maryland. It make her look a little shiny, but definitely helped, and it cleared up within a couple of weeks. GL!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

Our daughter developed eczema a little before her first birthday.

We had 2 recommendations from the dermatologist (our pediatrician does not like to deal with derm issues until he's confirmed what the diagnosis is):

1. Aquaphor
2. Vanicream

You can get Vanicream at just about any pharmacy, but you'll likely have to ask the pharmacist where it is (they may have to order it for you). A big tub costs ~ $10 and is well worth it. It is a good, thick lotion with no fragrances/additives that can exacerbate the eczema.

We use it every day following her her bath (including the areas on her mouth/face).

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.C.

answers from Dallas on

I am a nicu nure and we use aquaphor and eucerin on the infants.

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

Hi K.,
You may want to check out Shaklee's baby products--the lotion and cleanser. These products have helped babies and adults with eczema. Switching to their nontoxic laundry products may also help. Everything has a money back guarantee.
You can find them at http://www.shaklee.net/healthforlife
Good luck and God bless.
Victoria

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.H.

answers from Dallas on

100% pure coconut oil should help. :-) For places not on his face... there is a company out of Utah - M'lis. They make an all natural cream called Repair. It is aloe vera based and is AMAZING!!. The only reason I dont reccommend it for the face is that it has menthol in it and may burn your little ones eyes if you get it too close,,,, I have used it on everything from diaper rash to a grease burn. It helps heal the skin and leaves no scar. It works wonders with just about any type of skin issue as it is also antibacterial and anti fungal! :-)

Good luck! :-)
A. ( Mother, grandmother and licensed esthetician)

C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

they do recommend eucerin for infants. however, this didn't work for my son. we ended up using dermarest. just another option. hope it gets better!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Meluleuca has a product called Renew™ Intensive Skin Therapy that works really well with excema. $9.99 for 8 oz. All Melaleuca products are safe and natural, without harsh chemicals and bi-products that I use on my little ones. Check out www.melaleuca.com You have to be a member to order the products yourself, but I could place an order for you if you want to try it out. Let me know if you are interested.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.H.

answers from Dallas on

I have had this problem with all three of my children and I am actually going through it right now with my 7 week old son. The only thing that I have found works for their skin and even now is olive oil because of its purity. Eucerin breaks my children out but it works for my Eczema (that I did not know I even had until my first pregnancy). My children have very sensitive skin, and the only thing I have found to work other than the olive oil is Aquaphor, but it can be a little pricey for the little you get. Aveeno has also worked in the past for their skin without any irritation. My doctor told me not to use those baby products (even though we all love those smells on our kids) Ivory soap and sometimes a baking soda bath was suggested and it has also worked. If you have any suggestions or hear of anything else please let me know, because the winter weather makes it so much worse. Good luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.M.

answers from Dallas on

I forgot to add that the Renew lotion is toxin free and completely safe for babies.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.A.

answers from Chicago on

I used Eucerin for my baby..What helped him most was applying vaselin 5-6 times a day, it was too messy & needed a lot of patience..

I bathed him with citaphil lotion but not everyday as doc said it would dry his skin further..

Things will be better in spring & summer..
Take care

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.J.

answers from Dallas on

My now two-year old son has had eczema ever since we moved to Ohio from Texas when he was six weeks old. We have tried dozens of creams, and I even made a chart to track the effectiveness of the ones we tried. So far the best has been "Triple Cream". We find it in the baby lotion aisle at our Walmart- it's a white tube with a baby on it- the same folks that make "Triple Paste". Also good is Aveeno's Baby lotion (surprisingly, the Aveeno Baby Eczema cream-specifically for eczema, made it worse) though it doesn't perform as consistently as the Triple Cream. Both of these creams are non-greasy, so I would imagine they would work well on the face. Interestingly, we were told by one pediatrician to use Desitin (the regular white kind) when our sons skin got really bad. We put it on at night, and by the morning his redness is gone. Though you wouldn't really be able to use this on your baby's face, maybe that will be helpful for rash in other areas. Hope this helps!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.

answers from Dallas on

Aquaphor (made by the same folks as Eucerin) worked well for me, they have it for babies. My son is three and still has issues. There is also a prescription cream that my pedi gave us called Licoid Lypocreme that works wonders (not sure on the spelling) Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.L.

answers from Dallas on

My 10 month old also developed Ezcema at around 6-8 weeks of age. What has worked really well for us is the Aveeno Baby Wash/Shampoo or Cetaphil. They are both very gentle and do not dry out his skin. I also use a hydrocortisone cream (Aveeno makes one too) for his hot spots that might pop up, and I lather him up with Aveeno Soothing Relief Moisture cream twice a day. It moisturizes great and does not irritate his skin. Every now and then, I will apply Aquaphor on top of certain areas after the Aveeno cream. The Aquaphor acts as a protective barrier. He does not have too many breakouts now, except on his legs which are usually from crawling.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.C.

answers from Detroit on

You've gotten lots of great advice so far. I second the use the use of Aveeno products and making sure to moisturize the skin after bathtime with natural products such as Aveeno. Another poster suggested Vannicream, which we use in combo with a hydrocortizone cream 0.5 when our son breaks out (milk allergy) per our Pediatrician. I'd suggest speaking with your Dr to help determine the cause of your son's rashes.Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.C.

answers from Tampa on

My son developed eczema at 5 weeks too. We used Aveeno baby wash and moisturizer. I used the moisturizer daily and the wash when I bathed him, and it helped. However, you need to find out what's causing the eczema... otherwise it'll keep coming back. Just wanted to tell you that right around 5-6 weeks is usually when babies start developing an allergy to the protein found in milk or soy (if they have that of course) and the first sign is eczema. My son has this allergy, so this is from experience :) There are a couple of other signs, but it's something you may want to ask your pediatrician about. If you're interested in the other signs, send me a message! But my pediatrician told me that baby acne is common and nothing to worry about, but eczema is usually a sign of an allergy.

Good luck and contact me if you'd like!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.H.

answers from Dallas on

My little girl had the same problem. Her poor skin was like leather! We used Eucerin cream like it was going out of style when she was very little. I am also a nurse and we order it on all of our bone marrow transplant patients, 2 times a day to keep them moisturized. As sad as it is, there are often very tiny babies, and it works great!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.A.

answers from Dallas on

When my best friend had a similar situation (flaky skin spreading on her baby's head, face and ears) this is what I had her do and it worked like a charm. I had her use a cradle cap therapy ointment from www.littlebugbotanicals.com, let it soak into the skin for at least 30 minutes. Then bath your child or at least use a warm, wet wash clothe on his face and head, and rub. However, what would work the BEST is a surgical brush from the hospital. It is what medical staff uses to scrub in for surgery. It is spongy on one side and has fine, plastic bristles on the other. The bristles are gentle to the babies skin but still do the job of sloughing off bad skin. Just rinse the iodine off of it really well before the first use on your baby. See if you can get one, it is amazing. Last, apply lotion to face and head. You mentioned Eucerin but we have had wonderful results on my own daughter's eczema and my other daughter's itchy winter skin by using AVEENO Skin Relief moisturizing lotion with soothing oat essence. It will also say "dimethicone skin protectant". I have used it on their faces as well with no trouble. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.P.

answers from Dallas on

Our little one (now 2) also suffers from eczema...but only when he has eaten something that he's allergic to. We know for sure that he has dairy and egg allergies, but every now and then something else triggers the eczema outbreak (like too much applesauce). His whole first year of life, we never bathed him daily and his skin did much better because of it. We use California Baby (available at Target) bath products and lotions as well as Aveeno Baby lotion. However, the biggest control agent is his diet.

One word of caution on acidophilus - it's generally grown in a dairy culture, so if your child has a dairy allergy then you're introducing an allergen back into his body.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.C.

answers from Dallas on

My 7 year old also had eczema as a baby and toddler and I was also hesitant about what lotions would be safe for him to use. We read in a book about the many ways Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil can be used for (besides cooking, eczema was also on the list). We went to our local health food store (ex:Sunflower Shoppe) and started applying it on him. It worked wonders. It might take a few days or even a week for you to see the difference but don't give up and just continue to use it. I felt safe using it as well because it's organic, just make sure that you purchase the one that says organic. Good luck to you and your baby!

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions