About a week ago this rash appeared on Tayrien's forehead. I thought it was baby acne or cradle cap related since it was right on his hair line, so I didn't think much of it until it started getting worse and spreading. So I asked my mom what she thought and she said to ask my sister in law Aliona. Her little girl Alexa had it during her first year. She said it looked exactly like it and to go to the doctor as soon as possible because it will only get worse. So I made an appointment promptly and we went to the doctor. He told me some really interesting things that I thought I would share.
My doctor is phenomenal and I LOVE him. He is very sweet and observant as well as informational. Ok so back to problem...when the doctor came in I showed him all the places where I thought he had it and he concurred.
He told me his degree is in Chemistry and so he knew a lot about soap. He said that soap is a wetting agent, this means soap makes water wetter, and doesn't remove all the bacteria from our skin, but leaves a film behind. The example he gave was that doctors scrub for 5 minuets for surgery. If soap removed all bacteria then they would preform surgery with their bare hands. Of course they don't, they use gloves.
He also said that models who have flawless skin NEVER use soap on their face and that is why their skin is fabulous. They use petroleum jelly or noxema to wash their faces. So last night I washed my face with noxema and it felt fantastic afterwards and I didn't have to apply lotion either! It is also awesome on sun burns.
So anyway, he said that blue eyed people have more sensitive skin than brown eyed people, that is true with my family. So when I use soap to clean my baby it leaves that film and it cracks and causes irritation. He said that if a person were to take a shower and only use water and a wash rag, they would be the same amount of clean as if they used soap, but they wouldn't have a film left over.
So I am on strict orders to wash my baby with just water. I found all of this so interesting. Don't get me wrong, I am still going to use soap and most important anti-bacterial soap, it just makes me feel good for the end of the world when I can't make any!
He gave me a prescription for when it gets bad- which is now- and gave me some lotion brands that I can use: Eucerin or Nivea. The prescription is working really well so far and as soon as it is under control I will start using one of the other lotions.
P.S. Don't Google image eczema- very gross.
5 comments:
It's true about soap (my husband Daniel is a Chemist). He tells me that whether you wash your hands with soap or just hot water, you'll be clean either way (and equally). I'm glad you have a good doctor!
Both my boys have it too. I've never been told about the soap thing. Cetaphil is a lotion my Dr told me about and I get the equate brand at Walmart. I just apply it to their bodies twice a day and it normally keeps the break outs from being so bad. If they do get spots that pop up (and now is the time that it gets worse - in the winter) I spot treat with the steroid creams she prescribed. I don't know what the Dr gave you, but my doc said to not use triamcinolone on their face because it's too harsh of a steroid for such a sensitive area. She prescribed a stronger hydrrocortisone cream (the mild one is what you get over the counter for insect bites) to use on their faces.
That's a bit disturbing about the soap. That seems really bizarre. In all the study with nursing, hand washing is the #1 to stop the spread of infections and that is what is taught over and over in nursing school, so there must be something that is still being effective with hand washing.
My boys' eczema looks a bit different than the picture you posted. Theirs is normally in circles, red, raised, and a bit scaly. I'm glad you found the cause and a way to treat it.
Marlie has mild exema in the winter time. She's been telling me that her tummy and bottom hurt and they are red and really dry. I stopped using Johnson's soap on Marlie as a baby because the fragrance made it worse. I just got an Aveno bath soap that is "free and clear"- no fragrance or color. We'll see if that helps. Also, free and clear laundry soap will help. Darn dry winter weather! Makes me wish for summer! :)
P.S. LOVE the Christmas photo!!!!
I love your Christmas photo too. I get really crazy eczema- mostly when I am pregnant. I wash my face/skin with Cetaphil and it makes a world of difference. I also used this on my babies when they were tiny- cause it's just so gentle. It's all very good info!
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