how often do you bathe your babe with eczema?

[Joshuasmom16]

Went to allergist today for DS's severe eczema. He was shocked that we only bathe him once a week, which is what our pedi said to do! So, he suggested bathing him every day! and to let him sit in lukewarm water for 20 minutes and only use soap in diaper area. Doesn't every day seem like a lot? or does that actually help the eczema????

[Chinese Pistache]

Everyday. Our allergist said that the once-a-week thing was the advice they used to give. Now they recommend daily (or twice daily) baths with lots of lotion. It's worked really well with our dd.

[Wugmama]

When we had our 5 month old dd into an allergist specialist for her severe eczema, I was also told to bathe her twice per day for 20 minutes each time. The dermatologist she saw also said to bathe daily.

We did it for my dd, and I can't say I saw an improvement. I bathe her by taking a bath with her. I also had severe eczema on my hands and arms, but it seems different than hers. I had a dramatic improvement of my eczema. Mine is super dry and cracking and red and sore, but it is covering a huge area. My dd's is more spotty, with the spots getting quite large and very red. They seem more inflamed. I believe that hers are from an allergy, and that mine is not, but I'm not sure.

So my current belief is that maybe it depends on the eczema? You could give it a try. For both of us, we put vanicreme on right away after getting out of the bath, before even drying off really.

Good luck!
Tracy

[matey]

Dr. Sears says daily in luke warm water and lots o lotion.

[kimnt]

yes, you should experiment. I found it much better to do only 1/week. Everyday baths didn't help (seemed worse actually), and then you had to slather them up with chemical lotions. Way better to let them protect their own skin with their own oils.

[jadekat]

I usually only bath DC 2-3x a week. I might have to try doing it more often.

[dandilion44]

Interesting. I've been doing 2x/week but maybe I'll try daily as well.

[Joshuasmom16]

interesting is right. I've actually found that bathing daily (in 85 degree water, what the allergist recommended) works great! before he's really dry I lather him up in vanicream and his back has cleared within a few days!! we're still working on the face, but we think the daily bath thing is helping. I know 85 sounds cold, and it is tepid, but he does fine. We don't keep him in as long as they recommend though...

[rhiasmum]

My ped recommended every day. I was doing it every day but now do it every other. It doesn't seem to make a difference either way with my dd. I think you have to see how your dc does with it.

[wombatclay]

Every day (she loved baths too so that helped).

It took a while to find the right temp though... the water is a lot cooler than I had initially thought "luke warm" would be, but she likes it and her skin really improved after a week or so of the daily bath routine. So you may need to eperiment a bit to find the "right" temp. We let dd1 sit/play for about 15 minutes, pat dry, and rub her down with a homemade blend of beeswax and viatmin e (no funky chemicals!).

Hot water and soaps do dry out the skin and should still be avoided, but luke warm water actually helps the skin plump up and stay hydrated (especially when a barrier type oil or cream is applied after the bath to keep in that moisture) so that's why the change in the medical community concerning eczema & bathing.