Eczema & Food Intolerance part 3

It has been around 4 weeks since we started the skin specialist's advice, using the products we were given (pictured).  Bath gel, moisturiser, low steroid base cream, steroid cream and antihistamine.

virtual chemist

I have to concede that my son's skin has never looked better.  He is so happy with his "new skin" (as he calls it) and I can see the relief and joy on his face.  It never occurred to me that he might also be frustrated and upset with his skin.  He has always been so amicable and quiet about it.

Hubby did the steroid cream for three days to get the flare up under control (then I hid the tube from him).  He also did the bleach in the bath which I hadn't known about (I've also hidden the bleach). We moisturise twice daily, morning and night, with the petroleum based moisturisers (hubby) and Soothing Salve (me- when hubby's not looking).  This stops his skin from drying out, keeps him moisturised and protects his skin from elements, sweat, wind etc.

my son's new skin ~ JOLI NSC

As you know I'm not a fan of petroleum based anything!  However we have the product here and hubby will know if I throw it out or hide it. When the products are finished we will move back to the Soothing Slave we were using on my son before the doctors intervention.

We are still sticking to a food safe eating regime for the most part mainly because he doesn't need all those additive/preservative filled foods.  Though we have noticed very little difference in his skin when he consumes a bad additive.  At most he's gotten one or two small spot rashes on his buttocks of all places.  What mostly makes a difference, food wise, is limiting his dairy intake.

Admittedly, we had never been diligent with the moisturising of his skin (too busy/lazy). As written in Part 1, I was moisturising with Soothing Salve which worked a treat, yet application was sporadic at best, while hubby was opting for constant use of the steroid cream (much to my agitation). Now that we are both ensuring he's moisturised often it's making a difference.

It is strange because we already used these types of products already, a safe bath liquid, daily moisturisation, hubby and his over excited use of steroid creams.

my son's new skin ~ JOLI NSC

The thing that is making the biggest difference however, is the antihistamine!!!

As I had often suspected, though couldn't pin point why, his eczema seemed allergy related and the antihistamine is containing that allergic reaction.  For example when he had the spot rash on his bottom he was given antihistamine for three nights in a row (then we stop) and his rash settled down.  I did also apply JOLI's aloe vera gel to the rash.  Bleach kills off the bacteria on the surface of the skin which helps kill the germs causing the rash... aloe vera gel does the same thing naturally.

After years and years of trying to get our son's eczema under control it turns out that working together to moisturise him regularly, morning and night, and giving him antihistamine when his eczema flares up (which is less and less these days) has made all the difference.

UPDATE: months later we rarely need to give our son antihistamine, those other creams have run out except for Elidel which we rarely use and it's back to keeping his skin moisturised with good old trusty Soothing Salve, twice a day, and baths with natural products. He rarely has flareups these days and he is still happy in his 'new skin'.

[You can read Part 1 and Part 2 here]