My hate for my baby's severe eczema sparked my love for natural remedies. He suffered from eczema as early as when he was 3 weeks old. The poor thing learned 1001 ways to scratch his face, until it bled, then he'd scratch some more.
Eczema, also commonly known as Atopic Dermatitis or Atopic eczema, is a chronic skin condition that makes skin cracked, dry, red, and very itchy. Majority of atopic dermatitis develop within a baby's first year. It mainly affects kids and most outgrow it. The not-so-lucky ones carry it until adulthood.
Atopic means it's inherited, usually from a parent with asthma, hay fever or a sensitive immune system. (Parents take note: many kids who suffer from atopic dermatitis may develop asthma later in life. So monitor your kids' cough, colds, and allergic rhinitis with an eagle eye.)
Another common type of eczema is Contact Dermatis. It means you're allergic to something that touched your skin. Such as dust mites or nickel or air pollution.
"There is no cure for eczema. The good news is, you can prevent triggering it by keeping skin moisturized," adviced Dr. Jesusa Barcelona-Tan. She's an International Fellow in Dermatology, and a former Chair of the Dermatology Department of the Department of Health's flagship hospital, Dr. Jose T Reyes Medical Center, Philippines. "You need a very rich and good moisturizer to manage skin properly. So you can lessen your baby's dependence on steroids."
One such moisturizer is Bebebalm. Actually, this super hydrating balm was created specifically for a newborn's eczema. I've got vast experience in beauty, skin & hair care, and natural remedies. Together with Dr. Tan, and my medical doctor and biochemist husband Dr. Michael Ong, we developed Bebebalm as a natural rescue for our baby's skin.
Apply Bebebalm at least 2-3x a day. Reapply as soon as skin feels dry. For very dry skin, this could mean every 2-3 hours. (During active flares, my baby kept rubbing his skin so I needed to apply more frequently.) Frequency is key. Do NOT sptop when skin seems clear.
On raw skin, even water will be painful. Gently dab (do NOT rub) a generous amount of balm on affected area. On active flares, you'd need medical treatment, go see a dermatologist before applying any skin product.
Personally, during severe active flare ups, I use medicine as prescribed by the doctor. The rest of the day, I'd slather the baby with Bebebalm as soon as skin feels dry. This regimen helps his skin get healthy quicker. When his skin improves after one or two days, I discontinue the meds and just use Bebebalm for maintenance. I am not comfortable putting steroids on my baby unless necessary. Because I've seen how it thinned out his skin until it bled; it also gave his skin a glassy, weird appearance when used often. I'm also worried about cortisone steroids going to his bloodstream and accumulating in his body. So I reserve this option for severe flares.
For maximum itch relief and moisture retention (the natural way), I bather my baby in colloidal oatmeal and warm water (NOT hot) for 10 to 15 minutes. Don't keep eczema-prone people in the bathtub too long, it will strip natural oils from the body. I apply Bebebalm within 3 minutes after getting out of the bath, on still damp skin.
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