On Wed, 12 Nov 1997 19:35:22 -0500 Harvey and Janine McDonald <[log in to unmask]> writes: > Can anything be done to help the Eczema besides Cortaid? One of our biggest problems is eczema also. My daughter had some at her 2 week checkup. By 2 months, she was covered from head to toe. Sometimes it gets so bad that her skin actually cracks and bleeds. Since I also have eczema, the doctor didn't really think much of it. It tends to run in families and genetics plays the biggest part in developing it. It wasn't until about 2 1/2 months and many trips to the doctor with feeding, vomitting, crying problems that anyone even mentioned the possibility of dairy allergies. Keeping dairy and chocolate out of my diet and hers keeps her skin nice and baby soft :-) We actually use her skin condition as the tell-tale for when I've gotten something with diary in it. The main attack on eczema should be hydration of the skin. It's OK to use the cortizone creams on bad spots and for short periods of time, but they shouldn't be the only treatment especially if the eczema is persistant. Don't use corticosteriod on the face - it thins the skin out and can cause problems. This is also the reason that long term use is not good all over either. Usually, the OTC cortisone works just as well as any of the prescription ones. They key is consistancy in putting it on. Avoid hot water. Baths should be in warm water which is less drying. Don't stay in there too long either. Fresh and chlorinated water are very drying. Salt water does not seem to cause problems. Blot dry instead of rubbing also helps. Don't use soaps. Use moisturing cleansing bars such as Dove or Ivory makes one too. What we use is Eucerin Bath Bar. It's expensive, but the only thing that doesn't leave my skin feeling like sandpaper. I find that even Dove leaves my skin dry and flakey. The Eucerin doesn't lather like soap does, but a bar last a long time because it doesn't melt away either. Use moisturizing creams that are oil based. Some of these can be pretty heavy and goopy and leave you feeling slimy. Lubriderm and Keri are good ones. I tried LacHydren (sp?) once and the stuff burned so bad I could hardly stand it. The allergist thought I was nuts and couldn't imagine why I reacted that way. Eucerin is good also and they make a new Light version which is what we use. I try to get it on Alyssa twice a day, but often forget when her skin is not broken out. The most important time is immediately following a bath. Put it on all over, not just the spots that are broken out. Use the cortisone cream first on the bad spots. For myself, I also often use Clinique Moisture Surge Treatment Formula. It's kind of a gel and doesn't feel slippery when I put it on. I have yet to find anything that works well on my hands which also get contact dermititis from dishwashing on top of the normal dry skin and eczema. That's my version of eczema in a nut shell :-) Kathy