Our Experience with Allergies, Eczema, Red Skin Syndrome & Topical Steroid Withdrawal

I wanted to have a single page linking to all of my posts on these topics, so here we go...

My Four-Year-Old's Experience with Allergies and Eczema 

This is how we got started on this bumpy ride. 

My Four-Year-Old Is Addicted to Topical Steroids  

We used Hydrocortisone cream for my son's eczema, as directed by our doctor, and it gave him a red, itchy, burning, horrible skin condition called Red Skin Syndrome.  

Two Weeks into Topical Steroid Withdrawal 

One Month into Topical Steroid Withdrawal 

Two Months into Topical Steroid Withdrawal 

Our turning point!!! I haven't written an update since then but my son is finally free from the grip of topical steroids. We now manage his eczema without them entirely and his skin is so much healthier because of it!

RSS Healing Butter and RSS Zinc Butter Recipes 

This is what I used on my son's red skin during topical steroid withdrawal.

RSS Healing Butter & RSS Zinc Butter Recipes

In honor of Independence Day, today I'll share a recipe with you that we used along the road to gaining independence from topical steroids for my son's eczema! 

As you know, he went through the brutal process of topical steroid withdrawal. After using topical steroids (over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream) on his eczema as directed by his doctor, he developed a worse condition known as Red Skin Syndrome. You can see my posts about it here, but today what I want to share is the natural body butter recipe I formulated to help him through TSW. 

Two Months TSW

Since my last TSW update, my son's symptoms peaked and then have shown improvement! 

Week 5 TSW...

Sunday was pretty rough... His face and neck were visibly broken out with red splotches and he was super itchy. It was a struggle to make it through worship services and we decided he had reached the point of needing to stay home in the future. Monday night he had a terrible time sleeping and was thrashing all over the place, flailing about and whimpering. He was absolutely miserable and incredibly itchy. It was a long, rough night. 

One Month TSW

We are one month into topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). 

If you missed it, you can read my original post here about how my four year old began this awful journey because of using over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream, as directed, for his eczema. Instead of helping his eczema, the steroid cream gave him a new condition that's much worse, called Red Skin Syndrome.

Two Weeks TSW

In my last post I shared how I discovered that my son (age 4) is addicted to hydrocortisone cream. If you missed it, click here. He's been through about two weeks of TSW (topical steroid withdrawal). People go through it for weeks, months, or even years, and there's no way to know how long or how severe his healing journey will be. All that's guaranteed is that his skin will get worse than it ever has before, and unfortunately we are already to that point. 

What started as a somewhat regular eczema flare in appearance got worse.  

 

A lot worse. 

My Four-Year-Old Is Addicted to Topical Steroids

How in the world did this happen? 

We used over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream behind my son's knees to treat eczema flares, as our doctor instructed us to do. We emptied a grand total of about two tubes worth of cream over the course of a year.

Now he has a red, itchy, burning, debilitating skin condition known Red Skin Syndrome, which was caused by the hydrocortisone. It is NOT eczema, but it can sometimes be mistaken for worsening eczema, resulting in stronger steroids, leading to worsened symptoms and withdrawal, creating a vicious cycle that's horrendously painful to break. 

My Four-Year-Old's Experience with Allergies & Eczema

Almost a year ago our pediatrician referred my son (three-years-old at the time) to an allergist, and since then we've been on a bit of a ride. He tested positive to all sorts of allergies (dust, mold, cat, dog, lots of types of grasses, weeds and trees, and a couple foods). She said those allergies were the cause of his nearly-constant diarrhea, as well as allergic rhinitis (runny nose, watery eyes, itchiness, etc.), and eczema. 

For the sake of his eczema, she had us change over to 100% cotton in everything that touches his skin. This took us some time, as that process was much harder than I thought... no more gym shorts, no fleece (jackets or blankets), no quick-dry material including swim suits, etc. Coats and socks were a challenge too.  

Raw Honey to the Rescue!!!

Did you know that raw honey is full of health benefits and surprising uses? I'm not talking about the cute little bears full of processed product. When you leave it in its natural state (i.e. RAW, not processed or pasteurized), honey has some amazing properties, and you can use it in a variety of ways.

In fact, we recently started buying honey directly from a bee keeper located a couple towns away from us... By the GALLON! Did you know that raw honey never spoils? Archaeologists have found it in Egyptian tombs, and it's still edible!

Here are a few ways to use it...

I Wash My Face With Honey!

If you told me a few years ago that I'd prefer washing my face with raw honey over Arbonne's face wash I'd think you were nuts. But it turns out that honey is an amazing skin and hair treatment... that's why it's no surprise to find it listed as a nourishing ingredient in many natural skincare products. Why???

Raw honey's full of anti-oxidants, which can combat free-radical damage, promote cellular repair and healing. This is a strong defense against wrinkles, skin discoloration and dullness. It also has incredible antibacterial properties, which aid in both acne treatment and prevention. It's a great anti-inflammatory, which helps combat redness and swelling. It can even naturally tighten the pores.

DIY Natural Body Sprays

Besides smelling good, essential oils are chock full of healing properties. So, when you make a body spray using therapeutic-grade essential oils, then besides smelling good you get the added bonus of those oils' healing and aroma-therapeutic qualities. It's a win-win! 

Today I'm sharing the recipes for a couple body sprays I tried at a Make-n-Take party. They both smell scrumptious.

Here's the base recipe (found here)...

• 8 oz distilled water in a spray bottle
• 1 TBSP witch hazel
• 20-30 drops essential oils (see examples below!)

To make it, just combine ingredients, seal the bottle tightly and give it a good shake. Remember to shake it before each use.

Lavender-Melrose for Eczema and More!

Today I'm sharing two recipes (one in cream form and the other in an oil roll-on form) that serve multiple purposes, but I originally made them for my son's eczema. They are made using the Lavender and Melrose essential oils, which are good not only for eczema, but also cradle cap, contact dermatitis, and ring worm.  This blend was also effective on a pesky spot on his arm that we believe was a irritation to wearing a watch.

Lavender-Melrose Cream For Eczema and More!

• 1 oz whipped coconut oil*
• 10 drops Lavender essential oil**
• 10 drops Melrose essential oil blend**

Whip to combine. Apply to skin for eczema, contact dermatitis or ringworm. For cradle cap, rub it into the scalp and then after a while gently use a soft baby brush or fine-tooth baby comb to work it through and gently slough off dead skin. Then rub baby's head with a warm wash cloth (and/or wash with a mild soap like Dr. Bronner's) to remove excess oil.

Gentle Baby Diaper Rash Cream Recipe

Today's recipe comes from the book Gentle Babies" by Debra Raybern. It's an excellent diaper-rash cream, and completely organic! And did I mention that it WORKS?!

Gentle Baby Diaper Rash Cream

• 2 oz herbal base of your choice
• 4 drops Gentle Baby essential oil blend
• 2 drops Lavender
• 2 drops German Chamomile
• 1 drop Melrose
• 1 drop Cypress (I omitted this because I didn't have it.) 

Mango Whipped Body Butter Recipe

If you read my post "What Are You Putting On Your Skin?" then you already know why you'd want to consider making your own body butter to use in place of commercial lotions. I already shared a simple recipe for Shea Butter Balm & Shea Butter Cream which requires no heat and very little prep time. Today I'm sharing the my current favorite body butter recipe, which is the result of testing a lot of different concoctions over the past few months. It takes a little longer to make, but it's my favorite finished butter so far for both face and body. I really like the consistency of it and what it does for our skin. I like to whip up a big batch and keep the extra on hand for later. Ready?

Make Your Own Shea Butter Balm & Shea Butter Cream

Today I'll share my two quickest, easiest recipes for both face and body moisturizers. They are organic, toxin-free, and made with only two ingredients: shea butter and coconut oil. (If you missed my post "What Are You Putting On Your Skin?" then click here!!)

Shea butter is a natural fat extracted from the nut of the karate tree. It naturally carries high amounts of both Vitamins A & E, which are great for the skin, so many studies site shea butter for its ability to fight wrinkles. Although it's not absorbed super-quickly, it provides great protection and moisture. 

Coconut oil is super-versatile, as its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties make it great for a variety of skin irritations from rashes and yeast infections to eczema and psoriasis. It makes a very gentle and effective skin conditioner, increasing the moisture and lipid content of the skin and even providing a very light level of sun protection. It can easily be used on the skin alone as well.

Recipe for Shea Butter Balm:

• 4 parts Shea Butter*
• 1 part Coconut Oil*
• Optionally, add essential oils of choice

Combine using an emulsion blender or electric mixer with whip attachment. 

What Are You Putting On Your Skin???

Have you heard that it's bad to use parabens on your skin? Parabens, petroleum byproducts, and mineral oil derivatives coat your skin, making it feel great for the moment but actually drying it out over time. This means that you must use more and more of the product. I would venture to guess that most, if not all, of the bath and body products in your bathroom are guilty of having these ingredients in them!

When I was in school for skin care I did quite a bit of research on the ingredients used in cosmetics, and what I found was pretty grim. At that time I went to WalMart and read the ingredient label of literally every hand lotion they had, looking for ONE that was paraben-free, and there wasn't one to be found. I hate to break it to you, but Bath and Body Works was the same. Pretty much anywhere I looked, I was unable to find bath or body products without BAD ingredients in them.

Eventually I found Arbonne, which was the first big company I came across that is not only paraben-free but truly has quality products I'd trust to put on my skin. (My babies have never bathed in Johnson and Johnson in their life! Only Arbonne's Baby Care!)

Lately I've been getting back to the basics. As in, I clean my house with vinegar and baking soda and lemon oil instead of toxic cleaners that I have to hide from my kids. I've also been experimenting with making my own skin care products... so far I've made facial cleanser, facial moisturizer, body butter, lotion bars, chap stick, lip gloss, eczema relief oil and balms, and diaper rash ointments. Although it's taking some experimenting and tweaking to get my recipes JUST RIGHT, I'm enjoying the process and have been enjoying happier, healthier skin in the process.

In my upcoming posts I'll be sharing some of my "keeper" recipes, so stay tuned!