I may have mentioned in the past that Gus suffers from terrible eczema all summer long. Our recent brief heat wave caused a lovely, bumpy red flareup and he has been itchy ever since. I think I have tried about everything possible over the years: steroid creams and ointments, petroleum jelly, pure aloe vera gel, sesame oil, diet, oatmeal baths... You name it; we've tried it. We've typically had the best results with a combination of Aveeno lotion and petroleum jelly over it, but for a number of reasons I've kept searching for something to relieve the eczema that isn't petroleum based. I believe I may have found just the thing.
At one of the natural markets in our area, I had a conversation with a couple of the clerks about the situation. Initially I went in looking for Vitamin E oil. The problem we usually have with oil formulations is that many of them contain some sort of almond or other nut oils, which Gus's skin reacts to (he can eat nuts, just can't wear them). So I was leery about the Vitamin E (with almond oil). The clerk suggested Burt's Bees Apricot Oil and said that it worked wonders for her grandchild's eczema. It was pricey, but I thought it worth a shot.
I've used it only a couple of times on Gus - right after his bath at night and I've been amazed. Both times his skin was almost completely clear by the next morning. But since the weather also cooled off, I didn't want to get too excited. Then I tried it on MM last night. Because it cooled down, her rashes suddenly flared to the point that she had broken the skin on her wrist from scratching at school yesterday (yeah - the flareups come that fast). I rubbed her down with the apricot oil last night and the spot she'd scratched raw was not completely healed, but it was much, much better. The rash on the backs of her hands - almost completely gone. I'm convinced!
The only minor downside, and this is only for Gus, is that the oil is quite sweet smelling. Pretty is an appropriate description. The smell isn't bothering him; he just smells...pretty. But I'm confident that my 8 year old is secure enough in his boyhood to handle it, especially if it stops that darned itching without the greasy feeling of the other stuff!
Have you tried this oil for eczema? How has it worked for you?
Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.
I'm sorry to hear that Gus has eczema. Here in Hawaii, one of my niece's and one nephew have that. I will pass this information on to them. Thank you for the tip. One thing that helps them a great deal is the ocean water. When they go in it seems to really help them. Smells pretty...LOL too funny and whatever way Gus decides to be secure in his boyhood I hope that his family supports him :)
ReplyDeleteJilly has eczema too. . . mostly on her elbows. We can usually clear it up with some a&d ointment overnight.
ReplyDeleteI can't use Burts Bees because they use lanolin in some of their products and that is not good for those with e, and I am allergic to it and avoid it at all costs. I have been free of flareups on my face since late Dec. Crrying around personal fans helps a lot and the humidifier in kitchen near computer area.
ReplyDeleteThom: I seem to remember ocean water being good for Gus's eczema when he was much younger, but we are unfortunately too far from the ocean now. Bummer on so many levels :-) And as for supporting, him, we will always support whatever he chooses (well, not serial murder, but you get the point).
ReplyDeleteKoe: We tried A&D, but my daughter reacts badly to lanolin, so we gave up on it. My preference is to find something without petroleum, but in a pinch it's been okay for Gus. Thanks for sharing the tip! It may help someone else!
Bonnie: My daughter reacts badly to lanolin as well, so I can sympathize. The apricot oil doesn't have any, nor does Burt's hand salve. But you seem to have a system that's working. I have a very amusing image of Gus with a personal fan. Oh the mischief I can see him getting into! :-) Thanks for commenting!
I wish I could bottle some ocean water up for you and send it your way all the time :) And I knew you would and I didn't want that part of the comment to come off wrong at all. I just didn't know how to express it correctly....sometimes I know what I want to say but it doesn't come out correctly when it hits the fingertips LOL...Aloha my friend
ReplyDeleteNo worries, Thom! I didn't take it in a negative way at all!
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you've found something that works for your son, even if it does smell pretty! I'll have to mention it to a couple of friends who get eczema. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteChun: Better pretty than the alternative! :-D I hope it works out for your friends if they try it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
Does the disclosure mean that you get some sort of commision when someone buys the product you suggest?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's what it means.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, thanks for your blog, and thanks for sharing. My little ones (just 3, and just 5 months) both got their fairer share of Irish genes (of course it is the husband! :) ) and have blanket allergies. My older one has been suffering since she was a little girl and I feel like I have gotten a PhD in eczema control given that she reacts to everything. Docs think I am joking when I say it, but honestly, she reacts to EVERYTHING. Somewhere along the way with all the sleep deprivation I have forgotten the patterns and common denominators in the lotions, oils, salves, concoctions I have used on her that she has reacted to, but lo and behold, I have not tried BB's Apricot oil! I have done everything from grapeseed to hemp. I am going to run and get some for my baby - poor thing is a constant experimental subject. She is the best!
ReplyDeleteWill revert with my findings...
Thanks again.