Eczema-Free
Have I mentioned that all 3 of "my boys" are eczema-prone? Thankfully, none of them require medication, and I've found a method to keep their itchy patches at bay. You actually would never know now by looking at them that they have all suffered itchy red patches. A lot of my friends have asked for tips - apparently the hard water in the area can contribute to eczema - so here they are. It seems like a lot, but you can try one thing at a time and add others as you go. You may only need to make one or two changes.
1. Laundry detergent matters. It might take some doing to find the right soap for your family, but Charlie's Soap Powder works for us. At the very least, try going scent-free and see if that makes a difference. Optical brighteners sometimes seem to cause a flare-up too. On that note, try pulling your fabric softener too. The detergent was really the key to getting the Nugget's breakouts under control.
2. Lotion 2x/day, no matter what. And sunscreen doesn't count. We have had good luck with Aveeno Extra Care Moisture Cream. I used to use California Baby Calendula Cream for a breakout, but since they've changed their formula, that doesn't work on the Nugget anymore. The lotion was the key for Hubby and Spork.
3. Limit baths. If you have an eczema-prone kid, you don't want to bathe them daily. Go every other day or every 3 days.
4. Use a mild body wash like Earth Mama Angel Baby, Mustela, Burt's Bees, or Aveeno. Bubble bath can be ok, but not every time. Make sure you slather that lotion on right after a bath to lock in the moisture.
5. Humidifier in the room at night, especially when you run the heat or A/C.
6. Keep 'em hydrated. The Nugget has access to a water bottle on the bottom shelf of the fridge and helps himself liberally.
7. Omega-3 in the diet. The Nugget flat-out refuses fish, so we give him those gummy vitamins.
1. Laundry detergent matters. It might take some doing to find the right soap for your family, but Charlie's Soap Powder works for us. At the very least, try going scent-free and see if that makes a difference. Optical brighteners sometimes seem to cause a flare-up too. On that note, try pulling your fabric softener too. The detergent was really the key to getting the Nugget's breakouts under control.
2. Lotion 2x/day, no matter what. And sunscreen doesn't count. We have had good luck with Aveeno Extra Care Moisture Cream. I used to use California Baby Calendula Cream for a breakout, but since they've changed their formula, that doesn't work on the Nugget anymore. The lotion was the key for Hubby and Spork.
3. Limit baths. If you have an eczema-prone kid, you don't want to bathe them daily. Go every other day or every 3 days.
4. Use a mild body wash like Earth Mama Angel Baby, Mustela, Burt's Bees, or Aveeno. Bubble bath can be ok, but not every time. Make sure you slather that lotion on right after a bath to lock in the moisture.
5. Humidifier in the room at night, especially when you run the heat or A/C.
6. Keep 'em hydrated. The Nugget has access to a water bottle on the bottom shelf of the fridge and helps himself liberally.
7. Omega-3 in the diet. The Nugget flat-out refuses fish, so we give him those gummy vitamins.
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