Best laundry detergent for baby with bad eczema

Chayalle

Tue, Jun 14 2022, 9:34 am

anonymrs wrote:

We find Rockin Green to be the best for eczema here.
Really, eczema is an internal problem that shows up on the outside so your best bet at fixing it is to figure out what you can do to heal the inside or what's irritation the inside to help the eczema get better. Refua shelaima!

According to my DD's pediatrician (Dr Shanik of Lakewood) this is true in a high percentage of cases of eczema, but not all.

My DD had eczema in her early years, and never on her face, so he thought that in her case it might not be internal. I had tremendous success controlling her eczema and keeping it at bay once I cut out laundry detergents, lotions, etc...that had dyes in them. (the only time she got a little eczema on her chin was when I started brushing her teeth. Immediately switched to Toms of Maine toothpaste and no more issues there.)

When she was young I used to use Melaleuca detergents, shampoos, bodywash, toothpase, lotion, etc.... for her, but as she got older (and they became available) I've switched to Tide free and clear and it's been fine. She has mostly outgrown it anyway and can use regular shampoos and soaps by now.

OP when she was a baby I found that keeping her skin moist was very important. I little baby oil spilled into the bathwater.....lotion up (with something dye free of course! Aquafor, Eucerin, Melaleuca Renew....all good choices) after the bath or any water exposure.

2cents

Tue, Jun 14 2022, 9:41 am

Chayalle wrote:

Thanks! This is very helpful. I've BH not had this with any of my kids and just trying to learn about it.

She doesn't have on her face at all, and she flares up after baths.

I don't bathe her daily (I didn't with any of my newborns, I just wash the diaper area daily, and believe their skin doesn't need it).

I also don't think it's internal because she's exclusively breastfed and (as long as I avoid dairy) is not fussy or gassy after she eats, plus the best cure I've found so far to calm her eczema down is expressed fresh breastmilk applied multiple times a day. I don't think it would be so calming and curing if the breastmilk had whatever component was causing the eczema in the first place.

What is Melaleuca?

Chayalle

Tue, Jun 14 2022, 9:50 am

Melaleuca is a company like Shaklee, they manufacture products with natural ingredients. I liked their products but in order to get from them at a reasonable price, they require membership and you have to order a minimum amount every month. I stopped doing it because I found alternate products I could use, and I found myself getting stuff I didn't need in order to meet my commitment. (sometimes a friend of mine wanted stuff and I ordered for her, which relieved the pressure of ordering for me.) It's been quite a few years so I don't know if they still work the same way, etc....

But they did have some great products. Their detergent and softeners were great, as were their kid shampoo, bodywash, etc....but I'm sure there are other brands in your local supermarket that can work as well.

sky

Tue, Jun 14 2022, 10:27 am

What soaps are you using in the bath.
Interestingly 2 of my kids with eczema reacted horribly to the eczema soaps with oatmeal.

Use thick layer of moisturizer immediately after bath and cotton pajamas.

We never figured out what caused my kids.

One kid had on face had as baby. Everyone told me to eliminate food - they drove me crazy. My dr said not to. She grew out of it on her own.

My teen son has eczema still. It has gotten better over the years. I believe it’s connected to seasonal allergies, stress, and externals - soap, detergent.