Eczema - under diaper help?

[hillaree]

Hiya - Not really sure where else to turn for help on this one...

My DS is almost a year old.  He's had eczema flare-ups on and off for a few months.  We haven't done any allergy testing and I'm very careful about what he eats.  The doctor prescribed hydrocortisone and also suggested paraffin/emolliant creams.  We use Eucerin Aquaphor bath wash (non-soap).  Those work well on patches on his...well, everywhere but under his diaper.  I feel horrible for him.  I don't know what to do.  The info sheets that come with the hydrocortisone say not to use it under a diaper so he's basically just getting lots of moisturizing with the paraffin/emolliant cream.  There HAS to be something else I can do for him...?  We use Seventh Generation chlorine-free diapers and I try to let him have some "air time".

Does anybody have any other suggestions?? 

[Ennypen]

I had terrible trouble with my sons excema under his nappy last year.. and I have to be honest I used nappy rash cream on it instead of excema cream...

I used metanium cream (from here in the UK) which is fantastic... did lots of nappy changes so urine was not next to the skin for long.. changed poopy nappies immediately.. and I bathed his bottom regularly so I knew it was clean.

Like you say.. plenty of air helped a lot.

Big hugs to you xxxxx

H xx

[JennŠ]

What about Aquaphor ointment or A&D?  Plaster at bedtime, should help.   

[Jimbob]

We also used nappy rash cream instead of eczema cream in this area. We found that sudocrem worked quite well and we also used metanium. I think that frequent nappy changes are also very important and we washed my sons bottom at each change and reapplied the cream.

Kelly

[Giorgina]

I've got a silly question regarding the bottom washing.  I've been using wipes all along.  Do you wipe your LOs bottom with wipes first (to remove the solids) and then wipe it down with a wet cloth? Do you change your LO in the washroom so that running water is there or do you simply bring a wet cloth with you to your diaper station?  My LO has keratosis pilaris (OK, that's my diagnosis) and I'm not sure if the wipes I was using or the introduction of oatmeal caused a flareup.

[momtonb&ab]

Hi!

We always use a warm cloth, and find that frequent use of the wet wipes makes them more prone to redness and dryness. 

I have an excellent 'do it yourself' recipe for bum cream that should help a lot - it's used in the Children's hospital here as the only bum cream.   Hope it helps!

(I make this x 4 or 5 and save it - it keeps well, just have to mix it up with a popsicle stick or something because the friar's separates.  You can get all these things from the pharmacy.  They will order the friar's balsam for you if they don't stock it on the shelf, and they have unscented cold cream which is what you want to use.  Be sure to use a non-stainable bowl and your electric mixer to mix, first softening the cold cream with the beaters, then adding the paraffin, then adding zinc, and finally a little bit of friars at a time.)

This is great for bum rash and regular bum cream.  It's the best one we have used. 

friar's balsam  5ml
cold cream 33gm
zinc cream  33gm
soft parrafin 29gm

[ratfly]

my dermatologist said that when hc cream is used under an enclosed area like a nappy, it's strength increased tenfold. ds had eczema in his groin area - in the folds on his thighs. she said to use 0.5% very lightly and leave the nappy off for about 30 mins. I had tried loads of things, and always washed his bum rather than using wipes, but it is gone now!

[Shdef]

The 0.5% is a good idea, also try nappy off time and if you can't use the very breathable pullups and change all the time.

Hugs

[Jimbob]

Great advice

[hillaree]

Thanks for all of the advice.  We've quit using wipes and that in itself seems to help a great deal.  We're also using Mustela Stelactiv (sp?) diaper cream now which also seems to help, more than the Sudocream.  Diaper free time is something I hadn't done as much of since he started walking because well, the mess potential is greater but we've started doing it again.  Will have to get some pullups.  I was thinking about using just regular training pants (thicker underwear kind)  because I figured they'd be more breathable than diapers.  There also seemed to be a bit of yeast going on.  Dr said that it was because once the eczema started acting up it created a great environment for the yeast.  I don't know...sometimes it feels like we're just guessing and grabbing at the various potions and lotions that now litter the top of his dresser.  Still, at the moment things are looking a little better...  sorry this post is so disorganized.  Just rushing to type it while LO finishes his snack.

[Jimbob]

I am glad things are going a little better. If you use pull ups I would not use pampers ad they seem to be the worse for reactions.

Kelly

[hillaree]

Thanks!  We found that Pampers generally seemed to make things worse.  We use only Seventh Generation diapers during the day and Huggies Overnight diapers at night.