Eczema

What is Eczema?

Eczema is a dry, itchy skin rash that worries moms and irritates babies. But despite the alarm, eczema isn’t harmful. In fact, many babies outgrow it.

Atopic eczema is the most common type of eczema that affects infants. While the cause of it’s not fully understood, eczema seems to run in families with a history of allergies and skin disorders.

What are the common triggers?

Environmental factors can trigger eczema, including heat, scratchy fabrics, common house dust, animal dander, or detergents. Sometimes, eczema can be an allergic reaction to baby’s food or milk. It used to be believed that even food in a nursing mother’s diet could trigger eczema. However, a more recent study found that there was no association between breastfeeding and eczema.

How can you tell if it’s eczema?

The first signs are red, scaly, itchy patches that typically appear on baby’s cheeks and forehead, but can also appear just about anywhere. The scaly or thickened dry skin may feel a bit like sandpaper. In some cases, reddened bumps may become filled with fluid.

Eczema usually first appears between two to six months. It usually disappears or improves from two to three years of age.

How is eczema treated?

Pediatricians say the best remedy for eczema is frequent bathing to hydrate the skin, followed by a moisturizer. That’s why Gentle Naturals^® Eczema Baby Wash and Baby Eczema Cream make a perfect duo for bathtime—specially formulated to soothe and keep the skin moisturized.

Gently cleansing, gently moisturizing

Gentle Naturals^® Eczema Baby Wash has gentle cleansers that won’t irritate sensitive skin and natural moisturizers to soothe the itching. After bath, applying Gentle Natural Baby Eczema Cream forms a barrier on the skin to lock in moisture and prevent moisture loss.

Both bath products contain a special formulation with aloe vera, calendula, jojoba oil, apricot oil, and soybean oil to nurture skin and help it heal.

Other tips for treating eczema:

• Make baths brief and use lukewarm water. Avoid longer, warmer baths, which can be drying.
• Try washing baby’s clothes in a laundry detergent made for sensitive skin.
• Watch for food triggers in baby’s diet, and avoid common culprits such as cows’ milk, eggs, citrus fruits, and peanut products.
• Keep your baby from sweating—for example, don’t pile on blankets
• Avoid topical prescription medications that are used to treat eczema, as they are not generally recommended for children under two years of age.