Best For Hands: Exederm Flare Control Cream
Courtesy of Walgreens
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Contains hydrocortisone to heal irritated skin
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Relieves itching, inflammation, and rashes quickly
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Works on hands and face
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Not suitable for those sensitive to hydrocortisone
Specially formulated for very sensitive skin, Exederm Flare Control Cream contains 1 percent hydrocortisone, an ingredient that can help heal inflammatory skin conditions. It has no fragrance, parabens, color or dyes, and it is also accepted by the National Eczema Association.
While not suitable for those sensitive to hydrocortisone, it can provide fast, soothing relief for eczema flare-ups, which are typically characterized by dry skin, inflamed patches, serious itching, and small raised bumps.
Price at time of publish: $14
Active Ingredients: Hydrocortisone | Scent: Fragrance-free | Usage: Apply to the affected area not more than three to four times daily
What Causes Babys Skin To Dry Out
Skin works hard to protect the body: to keep external irritants out and to support skins natural balance of moisture. A babys skin is thinner than adult skin so its more delicate and its natural barrier function is not fully developed. As well as being more sensitive and susceptible to irritation, it loses moisture more easily and so is prone to dryness.
A babys skin is particularly sensitive to changes in external temperature which can further exacerbate dryness causing skin to progress quickly from dry to very dry. You can read more in understanding skin at different ages and baby and childrens skin.
When dryness is accompanied by intense itchiness your baby may have Atopic Dermatitis. Often known as Eczema, its the most common skin disease in children and you can read more about it in Atopic Dermatitis in babies and children.
Patches of irritated skin often appear on babys bottom and are commonly known as diaper rash. Diaper rash isnt related to Atopic Dermatitis and can have a few different causes:
- The diaper rubbing and chafing babys skin
- Fungal or bacterial infection: babys skin reacting to the contents of their diaper
- Babys skin reacting to the material their diaper is made of or the ingredients in their baby wipes or cleanser
Many babies also experience Cradle Cap in the first few weeks after birth. This is typified by crusty and scaly patches on their scalp or eyebrows but theyre normally greasy rather than dry.
Test For Food Allergies
Topical irritants aren’t the only allergic reactions that can cause eczema. As mother-of-two Sarah P. shares, “My son had really bad eczema before he turned 1. We had a doctor recommend he be tested for food allergies. Turns out he was allergic to several things, and as soon as they were removed from his diet, the eczema went away completely.” Keep a food journal to see if certain foods trigger flare-ups, or ask your pediatrician to recommend an allergist.
Read Also: How To Help Eczema On Feet
Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion Vs Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Although both of these products treat dry skin, Eucerin Lotion and Aquaphor Ointment both have some significant differences.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment is more like petroleum jelly, which contains many different ingredients. In comparison, Eucerin is more like a moisturizer, which is also not like any ordinary moisturizer. We will discuss it in detail.
Nevertheless, both have their differences so lets dig deep into it and understand the differences and similarities. Also, youll understand the purpose and which one is superior amongst these.
Beyonc Uses It Every Nightenough Said
Theres one part of my beauty routine I never forget to do, and thats staying moisturized. I was born with severely dry skin and a chronic case of eczema. So when I was a little girl, the first beauty lesson my mom taught me was to lather every single part of my skin with hydrating moisturizers and prescription creams to replenish my dehydrated skin. To this day, I dont shower without moisturizing directly afterwardits truly second nature for me. With that being said, one of the beauty products Ive been using for the absolute longest is Aquaphor. I honestly cant think of a time before I found Aquaphor, which is a tell-tale sign of how many years this healing ointment has been within arms reach.
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Vaseline 100% Petroleum Jelly
Why Doctors Love It:
Vaseline 100% Petroleum Jelly is a perennial favorite of pediatricians because of its simple ingredients and the thick coat it places over compromised areas of skin. Vaseline is used to heal dry, damaged, or cracked skin and can also provide cover for minor cuts and burns.
Vaseline is also recommended by the National Eczema Association as suitable for use all over including hands, feet, elbows and heels. Almost nothing beats petroleum jelly to lock in moisture after a bath, and parents love that applying it never causes a stinging sensation on baby’s skin. A key to using 100% pure petroleum jelly to treat baby eczema is to spread a thin layer over the skin. Make sure to work into exposed skin on hands and feet. Using too much or not working it into the skin can create a sticky mess that gets onto clothing
Ingredients:
100% pure petrolatum.
Selected Review:
“I have eczema and always keep Vaseline around to protect my skin. This is a large container that’s perfect to keep in the bathroom for everyday use. It protects my skin better than anything else I’ve found and never irritates it.” – Bobby on Amazon
Should Anyone Avoid Vaseline Or Aquaphor
For some people, Aquaphor may cause an adverse reaction due to lanolin. If anyone has a known sensitivity to lanolin, then yes, please avoid it. With that said, purified lanolin is not supposed to cause skin reaction . In general, most people seem to tolerate Vaseline and Aqupahor. There are not too many reasons for avoiding these products, unless for the reasons states above.
Also Check: What Helps Eczema On Hands
Diagnosing Food Allergy And Eczema Flare
- Your child’s doctor may suggest the steps listed below:
- Remove the suspected food or foods from your child’s diet for 2 weeks. The eczema should greatly improve.
- Then give your child that food when the eczema is under good control. This is called a “challenge.”
- If the food is causing flare-ups, the eczema should become itchy and red. The flare-up should occur quickly within 2 hours of eating the food.
- If this occurs, avoid giving this food to your child. Talk to your child’s doctor about the need for any food substitutes.
- If the eczema does not flare-up, your child isn’t allergic to that food.
Aquaphor Vs Eucerin: For Lips
Aquaphors texture is thicker, richer, and greasier than Eucerin, making it a better product for the lips. Aquaphor even provides a bit of shine, as it protects dry lips against the elements.
Eucerin has the texture of a rich moisturizer which is not ideal for lips. Eucerin also offers lip products like their Lip Active lip balm.
Related Post: Lip Balm vs ChapStick
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What Ive Learned From Treating My Severe Eczema
Its been six years of costly, frustrating trial and error. At the end of it, the one thing I know about living with eczema is that its still a total mystery to me. No matter how many precautions I take, I cant always predict what will happen. The cause and location of a flare-up can be just as elusive as what causes it to subside: Even with all my remedies, I still get flareups, agrees Venetsky.
Alas, no single lotion, ointment, pill, or lifestyle change completely fixes things. Personal trial and error is key to finding the most effective products and identifying triggers. Ive put in a few years worth of itchy work to find what really works for me and what hasnt helped, which has resulted in this guide I hope will be helpful to others. Researching products, being aware of my surroundings, and keeping my sense of self is how I continue navigating a life withbut never dominated bymy eczema.
My skin now, after six years of trial and error
Trusty Treatments For Baby Eczema
When a baby’s silky smooth skin develops red, dry, itchy patches, the culprit is often eczema. Commonly appearing around 2 to 6 months of age, eczema affects some 20 percent of infants and young children. If your baby is itchy and irritated, these six trusty eczema treatments from readers are sure to help soothe his skin.
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How To Tell If Your Baby Has Eczema
Before you can begin treating your babys eczema, you need to know for a fact that you are dealing with eczema. The skin condition will usually show up as patches of red or dry skin. If you run your hand over the skin, it will almost always give off a rough texture. Unfortunately, eczema can show up just about anywhere on the skin so there will be no way to narrow it down to a single location. That being said, some of the most common places that you will find the skin condition is on the cheeks or joints of your babys arms and legs. Its extremely common for many new parents to confuse eczema with cradle cap and this is because they are somewhat similar. However, there are some key differences that you will need to be aware of to help you differentiate between the two. Cradle cap is a condition that will be much less red and scaly. It will not have the dry or flaky skin that is oftentimes common with eczema. Cradle cap is a condition that will generally clear up in eight months or less. Another major distinction is that cradle cap will commonly appear on the scalp, sides of the nose, eyelids, eyebrows, or behind the ears.
No Matter Where You Have Eczema
Theres a universal rule for atopic dermatitis in any location: Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! When you have eczema, your skin barrier is damaged, leaving skin drier and more vulnerable to baddies like allergens and irritants. Frequent hydrating can reinforce the barrier, helping to prevent moisture loss and decrease itchiness, says Marisa Garshick, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.
A thick ointment can help repair skin on any body part and also protect against external factors, says Dr. Garshick. Slick it on right after showering, when skin is slightly damp, so it will penetrate deeply. And dont skimp! More = smoother skin and, ideally, fewer future flares. Hence, feel free to use such an ointment anytime, even when youre not in the middle of an episode.
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Aquaphor Is Not Vaseline
Most new users of Aquaphor oftentimes mistake it as Vaseline. They both do feel somewhat slick and have a gel consistency, but the two products couldnt be more different. Theyre, however, both petroleum-based, but its Vaseline thats 100 percent petroleum. This means that when Vaseline is applied to the skin it works by both blocking moistures in and out of the skin. You can find out more about how vaseline treats eczema in an article I wrote here.
Aquaphor, on the other hand, works in a completely different manner. Its only 41 percent petroleum-based and this allows it to create a semi-occlusive barrier when applied to the skin. What this means is that the moisture in the air can still reach passed the ointments and be drawn into the skin. Due to the fact that it doesnt contain as much petroleum, it also gives water and oxygen the ability to circulate into the skin. This pretty much means that when Aquaphor is applied to the skin it actually helps heal the wound by providing a protective, moist healing barrier.
Fighting Inflammation Like A Fire
How do we fight a house fire? With water. We also use water when tending to atopic dermatitis. We need to rehydrate that dry skin and no moisturizer is as effective at rehydrating dry skin than plain water.
You need to bathe and soak in lukewarm water for 10 to 15 minutes, which is long enough to rehydrate but not so long as to further weaken the skin barrier significantly. When you add bleach to the water, you have a low-risk treatment that bacteria can never become resistant to.
Another way to fight fire is with a fire extinguisher. Thats how I think of topical steroids and other anti-inflammatory medications. We must learn to use them cautiously but effectively, in pulses, like fire extinguishers.
You also can fight fire by smothering it my analogy for eczema skin occlusion with barrier ointments, clothing, or plastic wrap. Occlusion helps retain moisture, blocks entry of irritants, allergens and microbes, and promotes healing by creating a physical barrier against scratching.
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What Can Aquaphor Healing Ointment Be Used For
Another thing that really makes Aquaphor so popular is itsversatility. Not only can it safely be used on the face, but it can even be appliedto your babys lips without causing irritation or discomfort. In addition tothis, its extremely helpful when applied to the hands and feet. Below, youwill learn about a few examples in which you can use this ointment on yourbaby.
- If your baby is out in the cold and suffers from windburn, chafing, or blistering, you can use Aquaphor to protect his or her skin.
- If for some reason your baby suffers cracked hands or feet, along with minor cuts, scrapes, or burns, Aquaphor will protect the skin and give it time to properly heal.
- suffering from diaper rashes or chaffing of any kind from constant friction, Aquaphor can provide the relief that your baby needs.
- Red, irritated noses and cheeks are not uncommon conditions in babies. And, this is another area where Aquaphor excels. It can provide the relief and protection that your baby needs.
Best Diaper Rash Creams For Babies With Eczema
Diaper Rash and Zinc Oxide:
Try as you might prevent them, your baby is going to experience diaper rashes. Keep in mind that diaper rash can be caused by changing frequency and chafing to rubbing and sensitive skin. There are plenty of effective diaper rash creams that get the job done using one common denominator – zinc oxide.
Zinc Oxide Protects Skin Moisture Calms Irritation Stop Itching Controls Bacteria Growth and is Hypoallergenic. But some can actually irritate your little ones skin, especially if they have a condition such as atopic dermatitis. Keep reading as we look at some of the best diaper rash creams according to Healthline.
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Who Is This Product For
Everyone can and should use Aquaphor Healing Ointment. Those without severe skin issues benefit from its beauty-enhancing properties, while those with sensitive skin, skin allergies, eczema, and rosacea will find it invaluable to relieve unpleasant irritations and smoothen out their skin.
Additionally, those who are healing from superficial injuries can use this ointment to speed up and support recovery of their skin and to prevent scars. Check out this video for more tips on how to care for dry, irritable skin:
How Should I Care For My Babys Dry And Sensitive Skin
A gentle daily routine that supports babys natural skin barrier is the best way to alleviate dry skin and prevent further dryness. Choose products that are clinically and dermatologically proven to be suitable for delicate infant skin:
Eucerin Aquaphor Repairing Ointment has been specially formulated to give babys dry and irritated skin the care it needs. It contains only a few ingredients and is fragrance- and preservative-free making it ideal for sensitive young skin. It forms a gentle semi-occlusive protective barrier on the skin which supports the natural transfer of water vapor and oxygen to and from your babys skin. The formula contains Glycerin an effective moisturizing ingredient that attracts water and helps to keep it in the skin. Glycerin works alongside Panthenol which helps to speed up regeneration and repair whilst also moisturizing skin. The formula is clinically and dermatologically proven to repair very dry, cracked and irritated skin. It cares for your babys fragile skin leaving it soft and smooth.
Easy to use
Eucerin Aquaphor Repairing Ointment is available in a range of formats and sizes so its easy to have a pot by babys changing table and/or to carry a tube around in your changing bag.
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Eczema : The Basics Of Managing Your Child’s Itchy Rashy Skin
The type of moisturizer you select is very important. It is best to use an ointment or a heavy cream . Lotions are undesirable because they contain more water and tend to contain more preservatives and ingredients that can sting on open skin or cause irritation. In general, moisturizer should be applied to the skin at least twice daily, but more often if your child’s skin seems unusually dry or if their eczema is more severe. If you have been given prescription topical medications for your child’s eczema, those products should be applied sparingly to the affected areas prior to the application of moisturizer. I typically recommend application of topical medications twice daily, but you should follow the instructions given by your child’s doctor.