Eczema/nappy rash....help, I'm so lost.

[stellarella]

Ginger started getting a nasty nappy rash about a month ago. Our GP suggested using zinc cream on it which worked for the nappy rash but now in the last week or so the rash has come back and is looking more like eczema. It's like a combination of both and it looks very red and sore

I don't know what to do, I have no experience with eczema or nappy rash. There are so many lotions and postions out there....so much conflicting advice.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[~Carolyn~]

ok, first of all what sort of nappies are you using?

are you eating anything specifically acidic (assuming you are just bfing)

there is a lot that you can do.

Excema looks really dry and raised. Doesnt realyl appear only on the bottom

Thrush is different again.

Nappy rash looks like a red rash, sore and can be open etc...

you can have a look at my previous thread in this section for a few ideas.

ie nappy off time
dry bottom witha cool hairdryer
use cloth wipes
chang nappy often
minimal synthetics

if its excem you have to keep the area moisturised (like as many times per day as you can handle) and natural fibres.
Some can react to wool, but that is where it touches the skin,

HTH

[~LoriMum~]

DD2 gets eczema in her nappy area occasionally and it gets worse when she wears nappies with synthetic inners. I just use plain calendula cream and line her napies with other fabrics. This works for us.

[~Carolyn~]

forgot to mention silk liners.

[sabrehunter]

my DS gets eczema and has sensitive skin. the Burts Bees range is excellent - you can get a sample pack of the diaper cream and baby lotion and its all natural. just google them and see. I love them and I've noticed heaps more stockists around too. its awesome stuff! also have you tried changing washing liquid recently ? I can only use 1 type and have to double wash even then cuz DS is sooo sensitive otherwise cloth wipes and water is all I use to wipe little bottoms. Also try an oatmeal bath (oats in a tied up stocking) it really soothes sensitive skin and itching - cheap too. My DD also had a really bad case of nappy rash (bleeding etc) and my Doc told me to use canestan on it as it was thrush. cleared up straight away so I'd probably start there... I guess its just a process of finding out what works...hope i've helped

[stellarella]

Thanks for replying

GP already said it's not thrush....and the reason why I think it's got something to do with eczema is because now she has a teeny bit behind her knees and a few teeny patches on her tummy. Obviously those not being in her nappy area leads me to believe it is eczema.

I'm just baffled because the rash was almost gone then it came back with a vengence along with this "eczema."

I have been using commercial wipes...out they go.
Also I've been using commercial liners to protect the nappy against the zinc cream. I thought maybe the zinc cream caused the eczema, but maybe it's the liners.

I might make some flannel liners to line her nappies instead.

[Pheebs]

The wipes might be the problem....I havent used wipes on Marlie for 3 weeks now and have noticed a huge difference! (I think also because i wasnt drying him after i used the wet wipe, so it leaves the skin wet??) Im using bamboo cloth wipes (water only) then using a dry one to pat dry him with after...

Excema is different though, so you might need to get some seperate cream for that....Levi has severe excema till he was 2 (back of legs, corner where the foot meets the legs was the worst place, head, just everywhere) I used dermaveen cream which worked wonders and a dermaveen powder in his bath....i also had to look at my diet and his...he was allergic to diary...

Have you changed washing powders?? That always messed things up too!

[The_Source]

Okay, so I am totally biased from a business perspective but based on the fact that most of my customers are MCN users who care about their child's skin I would also add 'chimicals' to the list of culprits for it possibly being worse.

My boys have chemical sensitivities and my second reacts to zinc oxide (in nappy rash creams ) and also laundry powders. I would agree that, from your description, it could be excema but it would pay to have it looked at again, if not by your doctor, then by someone who knows their stuff. I say this because it could be chemical sensitivities, a food related reaction, or even roseolla or another live mild virus.

My suggestion, if we were discussing this in person, would also be to try soap nuts so I hope that this is not interpreted as blatant advertising as that would be wrong... ...but I hope that you find things that either stop the rash or at least reduce the symptoms whilst they run their course. When I was in your situation with DS2 nearly 3 years ago now I was at my wits end and the following small changes made a world of difference:

• using soap nuts for a chemical free wash (discovered this about 2 years ago)
• making my own cloth wipes and using only water
• drying bottoms after wiping
• lots of nappy free time
• adding natural moisture using fragrance free (no pure essential oils added) products like aloe vera gel and sorbolene
• removing skin contact with synthetics and clothing that doesn't breathe (incluging some nappy covers)
• begi very selective about bath time chemical exposures
• keeping a food diary for both the boys and me (to cover off BFing also)

Um, I think that's all off the top of my head - I hope it helps. I remember when DS2 went from rash to blistering welts and it had me in tears watching his sufffer. When it got so bad that the welts would pop and weep, then become infected I was at my wits end. I am really glad that I had some really great friends who were MCN users to point me in the right direction since all the doctors would do is prescribe course after course of antibiotics which would in turn add thrush to the problem too. For that reason I hope you sort it out soon as I know the parental pain that comes with seeing a little person deal with rashes. Take care and please let us know how you go.

[Pheebs]

I must say as well since using Soap in a nut, its been 100% better and nearly gone!

[stellarella]

Some good ideas to try
We already have chemical free bath products but I only bathe Ginger in water with a bit of Apricot Kernel Oil anyway.

I have been using Aware powder for years now, nothing has changed in that department. But I am going to get some soap nuts now to try. I will try anything natural.

Do you think a naturopath could help? I'm ready to start cutting things out of my diet but have no idea where to start. Is dairy the main culprit?

My suspicion is that the zinc or commercial liners have caused the eczema. Only because they are the only things which have been introduced in line with the eczema flare up.

She has such sensitive skin. Oscar never had a nappy rash.