Healthcare Professionals

Topical Steroids for 5 Year Old?

Q: My son is 5 years old and has been on a variety of eczema treatments, such as Elidel and Derma-Smoothe. What are the recommendations for Derma-Smoothe? His skin improved initially after using this for four weeks, then he went right back to breaking out. I also have tried over-the-counter hydrocortisone (1 percent) and hydrocortisone oil (.5 percent). Any other suggestions?

Itch more at night?

Q: Do people really itch more at night or are they just letting down after a stressful day?

Ambien (zolpidem) or Lunesta (eszpiclone) to sleep?

Q: I’m kind of curious why I’ve never had anyone here mention that they take Ambien (zolpidem) or Lunesta (eszpiclone) to sleep as opposed to an Atarax (hydroxyzine)?

A: The problem with some of these sleeping drugs is that they have their own side-effect issues. Particularly in children, the chronic use of Ambien, Lunesta, etc., is clearly not approved. When I do have kids with really significant eczema, I do call a sleep expert in. I like to document what’s happening at night, and I use some of these experts’ advice regarding how can we help the child get good sleep.

Prolonged Cellcept usage?

Q: Are there any long-term studies of the affects of prolonged CellCept usage?

CellCept and Protopic Together?

Q: What about CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) and Protopic—is it safe to use them together?

Bleach Alternative?

Q: I’ve had an adverse reaction to bleach. Is vinegar or chlorine a substitute?

Bleach Baths

Can you give me practical advice about bleach baths—how much bleach goes in the tub, do you rinse it off, etc.?

Daughter's Eczema: Combination of Products

My daughter, Madeline, has had eczema since she was 3 months old. She is now 8 and only recently did we find a combination of products that has helped. She started doing UVB light therapy in June and that brought moderate improvement, but the real change came when I switched her from the wash and ointment she had been using to a natural olive oil soap and TriDerma’s Eczema Fast Healing Cream.

Adult Hand Eczema - Mr. Clean Nyplex Gloves

I have found great gloves for my hand eczema. I use Mr. Clean Nyplex Gloves.

Adult Eczema - Pollen & Dust Mites Allergy

I just wanted to pass this information on. I suddenly began to have episodes of eczema about four years ago. I had never experienced it before in my life, and I am 71.

Vitamin D & Eczema

I’ve bumped up my daily intake of vitamin D3 to 5000 I.U. This is the first time in over a decade that I haven’t had an eczema flare-up at this time of year.

Cider Vinegar Warm Bath

I have found that adding two cups of apple cider vinegar to a warm bath does wonders for my skin! After adding the vinegar to my bath water recently, I just sat in the tub for about 15 minutes. I did not use any soaps, etcetera, while in the tub to prevent any of the products from mixing in the water. After sitting for 15 minutes I got out and my skin felt great! In fact, my skin felt so good that for the first time in a long time I didn’t even moisturize and was able to go straight to bed. I am not in the middle of a flare-up, but no matter what, I always have dry skin.

Eczema Herpeticum?

Q: What causes eczema herpeticum, how can flare-ups be prevented, and is there a vaccine?

Molluscum?

Q: What is the most effective way to treat molluscum and why does it take so long to clear up?

DNA

Q: Does DNA or genetics have anything to do with asthma and eczema in children? And why does it skip generations?

A: The simplest answer is that DNA has everything to do with what we’re talking about, and it doesn’t really skip generations. When we talk about allergic disease ranging from eczema to hay fever and allergies and asthma, there really is a genetic predisposition to what families will carry. The true risk is actually any history of atopic disease. We are seeing fewer generations of people who didn’t have histories of hay fever or allergies in the past develop these diseases.

Triamcinolone Cream

One year in November, I worked for a week in Chicago, and my skin resembled maps: my scars from scratching looked like latitudinal and longitudinal lines! For some reason, after about two days without the use of Triamcinolone cream, the scars faded immediately. Since that time, I use paraben-free and phthalate-free lotions on my skin, and lock in moisture as soon as I get out of the shower.

Children Eczema - Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant

I have a daughter that is 3½ years old and a son that is 2, and they have both had severe eczema since they were born. I am passing on this information in the hopes that it may help some other people: the product is Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant.

Salt Baths, Petroleum Jelly and Probiotics for Daughter

My daughter was diagnosed with eczema when she was six months old and the battle began. My daughter has what is considered a “mild” case, which has always been disturbingly humorous to me because although her skin usually looks pretty good, her demon is the excessive, no mercy, never-ending “itch.”

Diet Helps

As a dietician, I was surprised that there was not more information about how proper nutrition can help control flare-ups.

Vegetarian Diet

About two years ago I cut all meats out of my diet and now only eat fish, veggies, pastas, basically anything without meat or meat products.

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