Baby eczema products review
Baby eczema (aka atopic dermatitis): the red, scaly beast that creeps up on your baby, explodes all over his body, and keeps him scratching day and night.
(Image credit: Mayo Clinic)
It showed up out of nowhere when Lil’ Cub was around 3 months old in the form of thick, scaly, red circles. Thankfully, after trying multiple skincare products and moisturizing his skin religiously, my husband and I have been able to manage it so that it went from looking like he had burn marks all over his body (including his armpits!) to occasional ashy patches here and there.
So which products worked for us, and which didn’t? I'll organize this review according to three categories: thick ointments, lighter creams, and steroids. To skip the commentary and read about the ones I recommend the most, click here.
(Disclaimer: This article is a review on skincare products and not a guide on how to treat eczema overall. For more info on the latter, click here.)
Thick Ointments
We found that applying thick ointments 3-6 times a day were most effective in countering scaly eczema. The active ingredient in the following ointments is petrolatum, but something about their formulas makes them distinct from each other and from regular old Vaseline.
1) CeraVe Healing Ointment
This product is my favorite. Although it’s very thick, it absorbs well so that the skin feels smooth and non-sticky after application. It also contains ceramides, which is particularly effective in strengthening the skin's barrier. I love everything about it except it’s so EXPENSIVE (currently $33.68 for 12 oz. on Amazon)!
Oh, and it has an even more expensive formula for babies, though I’ve tried both and don’t think that there is much difference between the two.
2) Aquaphor Healing Ointment
This is a more affordable alternative to the CeraVe (currently $12.09 for 14 oz. on Amazon). Like CeraVe, the active ingredient is petrolatum, and it does well in keeping the skin “lubed up,” as my dermatologist put it. The downside is that it’s much stickier than the CeraVe. Sometimes, Lil’ Cubs clothes get a bit greasy after we apply it on him, which makes me wonder if the ointment is getting absorbed by his skin or by the clothing. Regardless, it works better than the lighter creams that I’ll discuss below.
Lighter creams
Although lighter creams are not as moisturizing as thick ointments, they can be a good option for warmer, humid weather. Here are some that we tried, starting from most effective to least effective:
3) Mustela’s Stelatopia & Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief (it's a tie between the two!)
These two products are light but leave a slightly waxy layer which helps protect and moisturize the skin. The Eucerin is slightly thicker and includes ceramides. They work well for general moisturizing but are not strong enough to counter flare ups.
4) Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy
I’ve used this for general moisturizing on humid days, but my main complaint is that it’s not heavy enough. Five minutes after application, the skin feels as dry as it was before. The colloidal oatmeal is supposed to help soothe the itching, but it didn't make a difference in our case. It probably works well for normal skin but not for super dry eczema itchers.
5) Johnson’s Baby Lotion
This might work for babies with regular skin, but it was completely ineffective in treating my son’s eczema. It also has a strong scent, which doesn’t go well with sensitive skin.
Steroids
Ugh, I feel so bad every time I put steroids on my son’s body because too much will lead to negative side effects like skin thinning; however, they provide the most relief when he can’t sleep because he’s digging his nails into his chest. They’re also effective in clearing the eczema so that it doesn’t come back again (at least not for a while). I’ve spoken to two pediatricians and two dermatologists who all said it’s safe to use them as long as you don’t overdose. The key is to use them only when there are inflamed patches and together with the thick healing ointments. Stop using if the condition doesn't show improvement in 3 days. And always ask your doctor before use! Here are the ones we've tried:
6) Hydrocortisone Cream 2.5%
This is a mild steroid that usually completely clears the eczema in 3-5 days.
7) Triamcinolone Acetonide 0.1%
This is slightly stronger than the Hydrocortisone and clears the eczema in about 1-3 days. Our dermatologist recommended us not to use it on the face though.
Conclusion
Based on our experience, this is what we recommend for kids who are like Lil’ Cub:
Apply CeraVe 3-5 times/day regardless of whether or not they have eczema.
If the weather is humid and they do not have any eczema symptoms, substitute CeraVe for Mustela’s Stelatopia or Eucerin’s Baby Eczema Relief 3-5 times/day.
If they have flare ups, apply Hydrocortisone Cream twice/day and continue to apply CeraVe 3-5 times/day.
In the meantime, cut their nails really short and get them one of these onesies!
