How We Beat Eczema

“Eczema…Atopic dermatitis…a life-time disease”…what the heck am I reading? This is terrifying! Like most parents, we go down the rabbit-hole of information when trying to diagnose ANYTHING that has to do with our children. We forget is that conditions that are “manageable” for adults, are usually very dramatic and serious for a child, but that most things can either be treated or cured. BREATHE! It’s going to be ok.

Understanding Eczema.
I'm not a medical expert but I can tell you what I know as a mother of a daughter with eczema. For sciences sake, according to Mayo Clinic, “atopic dermatitis is long lasting (chronic) and tends to flare periodically. It may be accompanied by asthma or hay fever. No cure has been found for atopic dermatitis but treatments and self-care measures can relieve itching and prevent new outbreaks…It helps to avoid harsh soaps, moisturize your skin regularly, and apply medicated creams or ointments.”

When Timi was was only a couple months old, she developed very rough red patches behind her knees and elbows. I didn’t think much of it, applied some store-bought baby lotion (which is filled with fragrances, parabens and other irritants) and naturally, her condition got worse. Her skin was always itchy, bright red, and started to get small bumps and scales that peeled off. My poor baby girls was always crying from pain :(

If you go to a doctor, they will immediately prescribe you with a steroid-based cream that helps calm down the inflammation and pain. But it doesn’t actually GET RID OF the eczema…it just treats the symptoms. After doing my won research, I learnt that you can’t “heal” eczema, but there are ways to manage it daily and prevent flare-ups. I talked to my doctor about a natural option; I don’t want to put chemicals on my baby every day. He recommend natural eczema creams that are emollients. An emollient is a soothing or softening agent in the product you use. But emollients work better the more occlusive they are. Think about it this way: If you coat your skin with a layer that seals moisture in for a longer time, the softer your skin will be. When the top layer of your skin doesn’t contain enough water, it dries out, leading it to crack which leaves spaces in your cells. Emollients fill those spaces with fatty substances, called lipids, which make your skin smoother and softer.

This led me to the search for the best natural fatty ingredients I could use on my baby. What I found was magic! I made my own simple eczema cream from all-natural ingredients like oils, extracts, and vitamins that was the perfect blend and consistency I needed. Introducing our Rescue Balm! Now…how I use it:

How to sooth my baby’s eczema?

1. If possible, start from day 1 - don’t rush your baby’s first bath. I know they come out gross and gooey, but trust me, there is no better moisturizer in the world than the vernix. Research has shown that vernix has immune properties, giving your baby a natural protective layer. It also helps with regulating your baby’s body temperature and helps in keeping them de-stressed. So don’t rush that first bath. Let’s them soak in all of the nutrients and moisture from the vernix!
2. When you finally decide to give your baby a bath, keep them nice and short. Too much exposure to water - especially hot water - will do more harm than good to your little one’s skin.
3. Don’t use harsh soaps – rather find soap alternatives or natural soft cleansers like Timi & Mila’s Bubble Bath.
4. When you are done bathing your baby, always pat your baby’s body dry with a soft cotton towel or bamboo towel, and don’t forget the eczema cream! Applying the eczema cream or Rescue Balm when the body is still slightly damp traps more moisture in the skin and helps make the skin soft and smooth. Just make sure that the area around their diaper is completely dry to avoid a diaper rash!
5. Always follow-up with you pediatrician about the internal causes of their Eczema. Although there is isn’t one exact cause, we do know that the reasons for eczema are usually immune system related. Doctors believe that many different things can lead to it, such as history of asthma and food allergies.

Always remember that prevention is better than treatment! Including natural eczema creams like our Rescue Balm in your baby’s daily skin care routine is a great way to keep their skin protected and hydrated. Check out Timi & Mila’s Rescue Balm below and let us know what you think!