Are you looking for the best moisturizer for your baby with eczema? It can be overwhelming because there are many choices. There are so many things to consider and especially more daunting if your child has eczema. There are many things that can worsen or flare up eczema so it’s important to know what to watch out for. I also talk about various types of moisturizers because they can be manufactured as lotions, creams, ointments.
As always, test a small sample of on a patch of skin to make sure there is no skin sensitivity or allergic reaction. Every child is unique and different and while some kids may have a reaction to one thing, it may work perfectly for another.
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YoRo Naturals Organic Manuka Ointment
This is an ointment that contains manuka honey. It helps lock in moisture to keep your skin hydrated. This was created by the founder of Eczema Company, Jennifer Roberge. She was inspired by her children with eczema and she went to great length to seek out quality ingredients when creating her line of moisturizers. It contains natural ingredients.
Wild Naturals Eczema Psoriasis Cream
This product is made with manuka honey, shea butter. The pH for this product is 5.5, which is the optimal pH for human skin.(1) Aloe is used instead of water since it can dry out the skin. Many people have stated that this product has a pleasant smell, works well for improving eczema in children and adults. Also, it is not greasy and does not sting or burn when applying.
Honeyskin Organics- Face and Body Cream Moisturizer
This product is an unscented and non-greasy cream. It is made with manuka honey from New Zealand but manufactured in the USA. Honeyskin Organics also contains aloe vera, shea butter. It is100% vegan and cruelty free. Many people report that it helped improve children’s eczema within a few days and some reported that it completely improved eczema.
Era Organics: Eczema, Psoriasis & Rash Cream
This cream contains Organic Chamomile, Beeswax, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Calendula, Avocado Oil. It is free of paraben, alcohol, and fragrances. It does not contain phthalates, petrolatum, mineral oil. Also, it is cruelty free. Many have stated it works well for baby eczema and cradle cap. Many parents are happy with this product because it does help with baby eczema, cradle cap and childhood eczema. People have said there is a pleasant cocoa butter smell.
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
This cream contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Ceramide is a natural skin barrier. (1) Hyaluronic acid helps retain the skin’s natural moisture. It doesn’t feel greasy. it was awarded the National Eczema Association (NEA) Seal of Acceptance. People have stated this product helps eczema skin to be smooth and control skin irritation. Some have reported that it improved after using it for 7 days. It has also helped some children’s cradle cap.
Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream
This cream is free of dyes, fragrance, fragrance, lanolin, parabens, formaldehyde, gluten. It also was awarded the NEA seal of acceptance. It comes with a convenient pump dispenser to make it easier to apply on your child. Also, Vanicream is non-comedogenic. A few people have stated that the cream comes out thick but dissolves quickly after rubbing it on skin. It does a good job of trapping moisture under the cream to keep it hydrated.
How to Use Eczema Creams
In addition to finding the best baby moisturizer for eczema, you should also know how to use these creams. The best time to use a moisturizer is after bath time as soon as they come out of the water. Some people refer to having a moisturizer applied within 3 minutes. In the end, it’s important to apply it as soon as possible while the skin is still moist to lock in the hydration. Pat drying is recommended, no need to completely dry the skin as this will not help keep the skin hydrated. For more information about washing your child, click here.
Afterward, continue to apply the moisturizer throughout the day as it can wear off from daily activities.
Is there prescription strength topical creams?
There are two prescription creams: EpiCeram and Atopiclair. Both are for eczema which require a prescription. EpiCeram is a cream that has controlled released technology to provide 24 hours coverage. It contains cholesterol, fatty acid and ceramide which are normally found on the skin, so it is basically an extra layer of your natural skin components.
Atopiclair is the first FDA approved medical device for relief of symptoms such as itching, burning, pain for atopic dermatitis and contact allergic dermatitis. It’s a cream that helps maintain a healthy epidermal barrier. A key feature is that there are no steroids. Ingredients include glycyrrhetinic acid 2%, hyaluronic acid, Vitis Vinifera extract (grapevine), telmesteine, and Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter).
If you are interested, talk to your doctor about these medications.
There are several over the counter creams that qualify as one of the best baby moisturizer for eczema, but if these don’t work, consider a prescription cream.
What should I look for in a moisturizer?
- Avoid products that contain alcohol fragrance and dry as it can dry out the skin and irritate skin
- It is advised to continue using moisturizer several times a day even if your child’s eczema is not flared.
- Lotions tend to be thinner than cream so they don’t create a good barrier to maintain moisture and hydration
How long should I wait before I give up on a moisturizer?
Sometimes it takes time, up to 2 weeks before you realize if a moisturizer is right for your child or not. It is very difficult to find the best moisturizer for your baby with eczema. I would try one product at a time so you can keep track of whether there is any benefit. It can take time for the skin to look better so don’t lose hope after one day. Like many things in life, this is a trial and error and things that work for one person may not for another person.
What are ointments, lotions, creams?
The difference between these types of moisturizers is the content of oil and water. Dr. Michael McDonald, a dermatology professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, states that ointment has about 80% oil-20% water, cream is 50/50, a lotion is less oil and more water.
These are called vehicles as they help transport the active ingredient through a medium.
What type of moisturizer is best?
Ointment is a good place to start since they have more oil and thus help retain the moisture in the skin and provide hydration this way. Some people may not like the greasy feel so they might want to consider a cream product.
Creams are also very good at providing hydration and moisturizing the skin. They also have a less greasy feel so they might be better tolerated.
Lotion is a third alternative, which is more watery and thus dries faster than the other types. They also contain preservatives so this may be irritating and cause burning for some if the skin is dry and broken.
How common is baby eczema?
This is an interesting question. Finding the exact number is a challenge. A paper in 2013 in Poland looked at children from 2003-2009. They looked at children up to 6 months of age and found about 17% of those children were diagnosed with eczema. (2) Unfortunately, it is common.
How can I cure eczema permanently?
Up until now, there is not a cure for eczema. Rather, there are ways to manage it, more or less. For myself, my two older children who are now 6 and 7 years old have nearly flawless skin. When I talk about my eczema experiences with other people, they look at my children and say they couldn’t tell they had eczema. While I’m happy to hear this, sometimes I feel like they diminish my experience and the severity of eczema. It’s ok, they never saw what my children went through when they were younger. They only see what they see now.
Anyway, my youngest, who is 9 months old as of September 2019, his eczema has improved since 3 months of age. He still has patches of skin, but this is my 3rd go on this rodeo and so I’m less prone to freaking out and more calm, cool and collected. The previous experience does help and I think it does make a difference in managing his eczema now.
A study in 2014 found that 40-70% of atopic dermatitis in Korean children resolve by age of 7 years old. (3)
Why is eczema worse at night?
There are many theories about why eczema is worse at night from increased histamine to decreased cortisol (the body’s natural anti-inflammatory hormone).
With all this mind, the most important thing to find ways to get a good night of rest. Some things that help including a bath/shower and then moisturizing before bedtime. A cool temperature in the room. Wet wraps can also help keep itching at bay. If worse comes to worst, anti-histamines may be helpful, but discuss with your doctor before you do so.
Click here for more information on how to control itching!
What is the best thing to use for baby eczema?
There is no one best thing for helping or curing baby eczema. Rather, the better question is “what is an effective treatment strategy for eczema”. Because eczema is a chronic condition like diabetes or hypertension, it is managed. Perhaps one day there will be a cure but until then, we need to figure out how to manage our child’s eczema effectively. The upside is that most baby eczema go away as children outgrow them, usually at 2 years of age.
What is the best moisturizer for eczema?
There is no best moisturizer for eczema in my opinion. Rather, we should try to find the moisturizer that works best for our individual and unique child. I have reviewed and listed a few products that may be beneficial and why it is. I would try one product first and dab some product on the skin and see if there are any negative reactions. If not, it’s probably safe to use it on the rest of the body.
Is coconut oil good for eczema in babies?
There are some studies that do talk about whether coconut oil is beneficial for eczema. There also may be some anti-microbial properties as well. The study does mention that you should consider using virgin coconut oil as active components of fatty acid may be lost during harsh processing. (4), (5)
How can I moisturize my baby’s face?
Use warm water to bath (avoid hot water as it can dry skin out and cause more irritation). After bathing, apply a moisturizer as soon as possible to keep the moisture locked in. Pat dry the skin and avoid drying the skin completely before applying a moisturizer.
What the seal of acceptance from National Eczema Association
The National Eczema Association (NEA) has a directory of products that are suitable for people with eczema or sensitive skin. This can be helpful as you find the best baby moisturizer for eczema. Those products that are considered acceptable are awarded the Seal of Acceptance. It’s based on a list of ingredients to avoid which are known irritants to sensitive skin or eczema.
Image courtesy of National Eczema Association
Are there natural alternative treatment options?
Good question. Nowadays, people are looking for products that are “natural” or not manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. I don’t blame ya. We are bombarded with news about another recall for this and that pharmaceutical drug. It’s hard not to get jaded or cynical by big pharma. Anyway, if this is of concern to you, you’re not alone.
Some natural oils can be used as a non-pharmaceutical emollient such as sunflower seed oil. It can restore the natural barrier on the skin and has anti-inflammatory properties
Another oil is virgin coconut oil. It has anti-bacterial properties against Staphylococcus Aureus and is an excellent emollient. (6)
Conclusion
I hope this article helps you find the best moisturizer for your baby with eczema. It can be overwhelming to find the best cream, especially with so many choices. The creams all listed can be helpful but always speak with your physician first before using these products. For eczema, the key is to apply the moisturizer within 3 minutes after bathing to lock in the moisture. Remember to try a skin patch test before starting a new product to see if your child will have a reaction. If there are other products you are interested in, leave a message or contact me and I will try to review it.