Eczema Update

What is going with the symptoms of your eczema? Well Lina<3, let Mommy tell you:

Lina<3, symptoms of the eczema has been very minimal. The dryness on your body is well maintained, and managed with daily moisturizing for few times a day (three to four times a day). Mommy is trying a different moisturizers to see which one last the longest on your skin in term of moisture. The Aquaphor Baby healing ointment was not good for your skin. It made you even itchier, which made you scratch even more. You tried it for a few days, and Mommy figure out that this ointment had to be culprit. After eliminating it, it was definite that ointment was making your scratch more. You were having an allergic reaction to Aquaphor ointment. The Weleda calendula ointment was not effective enough on your skin. Mommy only put the calendula ointment on your red cheeks (when you have redness cheeks due to a reaction to too much wheat or change in temperature), but it did clear it up a little bit and then the redness would come back worst later in the day. This calendula ointment needed to be constantly applied to the cheeks. Mommy concluded that we do not need this calendula ointment anymore. We had tried this last summer, (and it was not effective), and tried it again about a few weeks ago for a few days, and still is not effective enough for you to continue using it.
The dermatologist suggested that we used a drop of baby oil (Johnson's brand used) on your scalp to control the cradle caps on your head, after washing your hair. After using the baby oil on your head a few times (after shampooing your head with Cetaphil Restoraderm body wash), it made your scratched your head intensely. Although the baby oil seemed to have kept your scalp less flaky and moist, it was not something we should continue using. Mommy used a tiny drop of extra virgin olive oil instead on your head (after washing it), and it kept your head moist. We do not use too much of the oil as oil does clogged up the skin, and we do not want that to happen. Mommy brushes your hair daily (three times a day) to keep your scalp from drying up to much, and helps with the massages your head so you do not feel the need to scratch.

Food elimination was tricky, and not so fun for you. From your recent blood work, you have allergies to peanuts, cow's milk, and egg whites. There are some allergens to wheat and soybean products as well. It was easy to eliminate cow's milk, and peanuts all together from your diet since you never had it in the first place. When Mommy was still breastfeeding you, Mommy eliminated these things from my diet as well, and had good results. The tricky part is how much soybean products and wheat products to give you. You are on organic soy milk (regular, not formula), and you can not have any other soybean products with it. When it comes to wheat products, you can not take more than two slices of whole wheat bread, or too much of your organic puff snacks (which contains wheat). If you have too much wheat products, it makes your cheeks bright red, warm, and scaly.

Lina<3, you will continue to use Cetaphil Restoraderm body moisturizer, and Alba unpetroleum jelly on your skin. As needed, we use hydrocortisone ointment, and antihistamine to control itchiness. As your pediatrician said "you have to control the itch to control the scratching". There is still minimal scratching but it has been managed. Mommy does remind not to scratch when you are scratchy and directed you to do something else. With less scratching, your skin healing up, and there are less dry, and dark skin patches on your neck, arms, and legs. Your left ear has been healed and the skin no longer opens up. Your ankles are better looking since you stop scratching them so much, and the skin on your ankles does not get red or open  up.

Lina<3, your skin has come a long (since three months old) and it is looking better and better with less dryness and scaly skin. We are on the right path to being eczema-free...


Feel to share one's eczema update as well, and what works.