Tips for Managing Pregnancy-Induced Eczema |
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Tips for Managing Pregnancy-Induced Eczema

guest February 21, 2014

Pregnancy can affect the body in many ways. Many are expected, while some are more complicated. Pregnancy-induced eczema is not very common but can be difficult to deal with. We have tips to help soothe the itch and provide relief.

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Diana at Saving by Making.

Eczema, which someone has dubbed “the itch that rashes,” is terrible. The itch-scratch cycle seems never ending, it can interrupt sleep, scratching leads to broken skin which is more prone to infection, and it looks horrendous.

If you’re pregnant and are dealing with eczema for the first time, please know I completely sympathize with you! I’m currently pregnant with little #2, and I’ve been unfortunate enough to experience moderate to severe pregnancy-induced eczema both times.

I don’t have any answers about what is causing my flare-ups, but I do have a whole arsenal of tricks that sometimes help to soothe the itch, heal the skin, provide some relief, and prevent serious skin damage.

Pregnancy-induced eczema (“atopic eruption of pregnancy“) is common enough that there is some online information, but uncommon enough that I don’t know anyone else personally who has struggled with it. I would love, love it if you would share any tips or tricks you have found to help keep yours under control. Or if you’ve found another cause besides crazy pregnancy hormones, please share that too. Most forums are filled with “Help! I itch. I don’t want to use steroids,” but rarely does anyone provide answers.

What is Eczema?

Before I list the things I’ve tried that work for me (sometimes), I want to mention causes for eczema. Eczema is not like the flu, where you know (approximately) which virus is causing your fever and chills. It’s not like a common cold where some nasty germ multiplied and filled your head with mucus. It’s not like a broken bone where you can fix it and you’re good as new. Eczema is as individual as the person who has it, and it can be a long and involved process to find out exactly what your triggers are and eliminate them.

Types of Eczema

Some people have contact dermatitis–soaps, fragrances, synthetic fabrics, dyes, dust, or other things irritate the skin when contact is made. Others have atopic dermatitis–something irritates your skin, but it’s not as easy as changing laundry detergents or using unscented soap. People with atopic dermatitis may have a sensitivity to a food, an environmental allergen, or a change in the weather; or perhaps the crazy hormones of pregnancy just cause their skin to rebel and retaliate with inflammation and itching.

Causes

Seeing a regular doctor is not likely to help you much as far as curing your eczema. I’ve never had a doctor do anything more than say, “Oh, yep, you’ve got eczema. Here’s a steroid. See ya!” If you’re interested in more than treating the surface symptoms, you’ll have to start doing your own research and making notes of things that work for you.

If you’ve done much reading about auto-immune disorders, healthy eating, a natural lifestyle, food sensitivities, or allergies, you’ve probably come across many, many people linking certain foods to skin issues (often gluten; sometimes dairy, tomatoes, citrus, or any number of less-common offenders). Food very well may be the culprit in most cases of eczema. (If my child was prone to eczema rashes, I would immediately cut out gluten and dairy and see what happened.)

For pregnancy-induced eczema, though, it seems like food intolerances are less likely–if dairy didn’t bother you before pregnancy, why should it bother you during pregnancy? (That’s my current thought; if you know differently, please share!)

Help for Pregnancy-Induced Eczema

If you can’t figure out a cause for pregnancy-induced eczema, you’ll have to do your best to manage your symptoms. It’s best if you can manage them without steroid creams or pills–those have many detrimental side effects and should not be used long-term. Most of them should not be used in pregnancy at all.

Avoiding Irritants

  • It’s worth a try to see if laundry soap, bath soap, lotion, a cleaner, or a food is causing your eczema.
  • Even if you’re pretty sure that an irritant isn’t the sole cause of your eczema, one of those may be exacerbating it and you may get partial relief from a change of soap or diet.

Curbing the Itch

  • Rub: instead of scratching, try deeply massaging the itchy area with your fingertips. Sometimes the pressure is enough to soothe the itch.
  • Use a washcloth: if rubbing isn’t quite enough, try using a rough washcloth for scratching–you’ll get some relief, but you won’t break the skin.
  • Wet pajamas (or gloves, if it’s your hands): dampen a pair of cotton pajama pants and wring out completely. Put a second pair of pants on top. The cool wetness can help calm the itch and inflammation and lock in some moisture to your skin. Sounds terrible but it feels like a dream if your itching is severe!
  • Peppermint essential oil: the cooling, chilling effects of peppermint oil are amazing for taking away the itchy sensation! Make sure to apply coconut or olive oil liberally first, and then spread a drop of the oil over as wide an area as you can. This will dilute the peppermint oil which is better for you and your skin. Don’t use on severely broken skin–it will sting. And be careful in your third trimester or while nursing since peppermint can decrease milk supply. (And you should probably check with your doc too.)
  • Baking soda bath: soak in a bath with a few scoops of baking soda thrown in. Moisturize as soon as possible after the bath.
  • Oatmeal bath: I’ve never tried this, but some people find relief from the Aveeno oatmeal baths.
  • Coconut oil: a light moisturizer that’s unlikely to sting but does provide some itch relief. It may also help prevent infection in broken skin.
  • Smooth fabrics: fleece or flannel blankets, pajamas, or sheets can be painful to irritated skin. Look for 100% cotton, woven (not knit like a t-shirt) pajamas and sheets–the smoothness will be less abrasive.
  • Socks: if your legs are affected, wearing knee socks can keep your clothes from accidentally setting off an itch-fest. Again, look for 100% cotton socks, and choose ones that are fairly loose and won’t bind tightly around your knees. Tights or hose also work well sometimes. Long sleeves or gloves may help if your arms or hands are itchiest.
  • Sunshine: the sun can actually go a long way in helping to curb itching and heal skin. Don’t stay out so long you get burned, but long enough that you’d get a very light tan. Unfortunately, this only works well in the summer when the sun is very direct. I’m anxiously awaiting summer this year–it was the only thing that really helped in my first pregnancy!

Rebuilding Your Skin

When you scratch an area of skin repeatedly, the lipid barrier can be broken down so that your skin can’t hold in the moisture it needs. This leads to dry skin, which leads to more itching, and you already know the end of that story! (By the way, that link is to a fascinating article about skin and eczema. I’m not endorsing it 100% but it definitely presents some interesting points.)

There are a few things you can do to help rebuild healthy skin. These things don’t really remove the itching sensation, but they do help your skin stay intact when you end up scratching.

  • Drink enough water: water is important for healthy skin, but too much can be a bad thing. Water doesn’t directly hydrate your skin, either–dry skin is not necessarily a sign you’re dehydrated. Drink an amount that keeps you well hydrated (some recommend half your body weight in ounces; you may need more during pregnancy) and then move on to other moisturizing efforts.
  • Moisturize: since the skin’s lipid barrier may be damaged (which lets its natural moisture escape), using a gentle, natural moisturizer can really help keep your skin soft and non-itchy. Most commercial lotions include some form of alcohol, and those are likely to sting like fire when applied to broken skin. (If that happens, wash off with soap and water immediately–don’t think you’ll just wait it out!) Homemade lotions are easy to make, or you can buy their equivalents if you’re not into DIY–look for ones that include pure oils (olive, coconut, etc.), shea butter, beeswax, and no preservatives.
  • Pumpkin seed oil: although controversial among some because of the type of fats pumpkin seeds contain (a high concentration of omega-6 fatty acids, which can contribute to inflammation and which most people already eat plenty of), supplementing with pumpkin seed oil may help your skin rebuild its natural lipid barrier. You’ll have to do your own research and make your own decision if this is something you’d like to try.ย  For non-pregnant women, borage oil or flaxseed oil can provide similar benefits. Please check with your doctor before beginning a supplement.
  • Low shower time: hot water will dry your skin out like nothing else. Consider taking warm, short showers. Always moisturize immediately afterwards before your skin has a chance to dry out.
  • Use an electric razor: this will help you achieve shorter showers, and you’ll also get to avoid soap which can be drying and irritating.

Medicine

  • Supplementing with Vitamin D has been beneficial in some cases. (Ask your doctor–Vitamin D is something you don’t want to overdose on!)
  • If the benefits outweigh the risks (i.e., the rash is reeeeeealllly bad), you may decide to use some type of steroid cream to help jump-start the healing process. Do not do this without consulting your doctor–steroids and pregnancy really should not go together.
  • Stretch the cortisone by moisturizing with coconut oil or other natural lotion first–you’ll use less of the cortisone.
  • Use the smallest amount possible.
  • Try not to use it too many days in a row. As your skin heals, try itch relief to let the healing process continue rather than a continued steroid boost.
  • Do everything you can to keep the itching and scratching under control to let your skin heal itself.

As you can see, pregnancy-induced eczema can be overwhelming, especially when it’s your first time encountering it. Best wishes to all you pregnant mamas out there, and especially those who are trying so hard not to scratch anymore!

Have you dealt with pregnancy-induced eczema or other itching during pregnancy?

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43 Comments

  1. I first had eczema during my third pregnancy. Unfortunately, it didn’t go away after the birth of my child, but I was able to trace the source to certain soaps. So now I don’t typically have to deal with it unless I happen to use different soap. Interestingly, my third child has struggled a lot with eczema as well. His primary irritant is soaps as well, although he has another trigger as well that I haven’t yet figured out. I have found Aveeno lotions (they have a specific eczema lotion, but their regular lotion works, too) to really work well at soothing and healing eczema. I know they’re not completely natural, but I’m willing to make a bit of a compromise since they don’t contain steroids, and eczema is so miserable. I like to use Kiss my Face olive oil soaps, since they are so gentle, one of the few that won’t bother our skin, but I’m currently looking for a really gentle shampoo. I think Aveeno has one geared toward those with eczema – maybe I should try that. But if anyone has any suggestions for a good gentle shampoo, preferably natural and not extremely expensive, I’d appreciate it! I’m hoping to find one that the whole family can use, since just getting in the bathtub that has had other soaps in it can cause my son to break out.

    Reply

    • Thanks for your comment! You could check out J. R. Liggett’s bar shampoo–on their site it’s about $7 a bar (which would probably last quite awhile) but you could probably find a discount on Amazon or Lucky Vitamin or something.

      Funny that Kiss My Face soaps work well for you–they usually work great for me, but are drying to my skin when the eczema gets bad (and the sodium chloride stings if there are any scratched places). I will check into the Aveeno eczema lotion though–thanks!

      Reply

  2. […] More: Tips for Managing Pregnancy-Induced Eczema | Modern Alternative … […]

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  3. I just wanted to thank you for writing this! I am 32 weeks with my second pregnancy and have developed eczema for the first time about 6-8 weeks ago. It has been miserable at times, but it is so helpful to know that I’m not alone and that it may go away again. Things that I have done are to increase cod liver oil and gelatin from bone broth or powder from a grass fed source. I’m still not sure whether it’s helping, though.

    Reply

    • Oh, I hate that when you think it might be helping but you’re not sure–you’re hesitant to stop, but it’s kind of a pain to keep going! I’m that way right now with dairy and coffee-free ๐Ÿ™‚ I hope for your sake it resolves soon after baby’s birth!

      Reply

  4. […] I compiled a bunch of thoughts and tips for Modern Alternative Mama’s pregnancy channel. If you or someone you know is struggling with eczema (pregnancy-induce or not!), I’d be […]

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  5. Hey Diana,
    I followed you over here, and I’m so sorry to hear you are dealing with this again. It wasn’t caused by pregnancy, but I did develop eczema last summer. It was/is only on my hands but did become infected at one point. You are so right! It is miserable and can interrupt sleep. The biggest triggers I have found for me are refined flour/sugar (not sure if it is really the sugar as these two seem to go together most of the time when I had a flare up). Also eating essentially no processed food and including bone broths (usually in soup) seems to help a bit too.
    Oh, and what the doctors say – spot on. And although it wasn’t an issue when I first started dealing with the eczema I really don’t want the steroids extra now that I’m expecting again.

    Reply

    • Beth, Thanks for the tips! I think I’ve narrowed my triggers to dairy and coffee (although I was ready to try gluten next, but I’m not sure I need to). We’re definitely low on processed foods in general, but I should do more with bone broths. I got out of the habit of cooking bone-in chicken after one too many episodes of not being able to eat it during the beginning weeks of pregnancy, so my broth stash is sadly depleted!

      Reply

  6. Hi,

    sure, you may use a few quotes with a link back. Thanks for asking.

    Reply

  7. I’m 24 weeks pregnant w/ my third and developed eczema for the first time on my hands. It has been so horrible it woke me up most nights wanting to scratch my hands right off. I tried over the counter steroid cream first per my OB suggestion- it didn’t do much. Then my OB put me on the prescription strength which helped some w/ the itch, but I could not get the red raised rash or all the itch to go away- My hands seriously looked like they had been through a meat grinder. A friend suggested the Medline Remedy CALAZIME skin protectant w/ zinc oxide. It has worked better than anything I have tried (i.e. Essential oils, steroids, Vaseline, and other lotions.) It is a medical grade skin protectant used in many hospitals for various conditions. Within 24 hours there was a HUGE improvement for me- night and day. This stuff worked 100 times better than the prescription steroid cream. It can be ordered on amazon. I also get the medline Remedy Skin Repair Cream with Olivamine. It is a lotion that I use regularly for moisturizing as the Calazime

    Reply

  8. …as the CALAZIME cream is a thicker whitish pink cream that goes on white and stays white. I usually put socks over my hands after applying the CALAZIME. The other lotion works fabulously to keep moisture in on a regular basis. I use it every time after washing hands etc. It works for maintenance and the CALAZIME is for the flare ups for me. They have both been a God send after dealing with my eczema for 3 months w/ very little luck. It will be interesting to see if everything resolves after delivery.

    Reply

    • That’s great! I found that using a heavy-duty moisturizer also helped. I didn’t need one quite as strong as the calazime sounds, but it’s good to know it exists! Thanks ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

  9. Both my kids have eczema and I’ve tried so many medications, creams, lotions, baths, etc. Nothing helps. The eczema comes and goes as it likes; no correlation with what I do/try. Their skin always feels so dry, rough, and bumpy–so sad for little babies/toddlers when they should have soft supple skin! I tried the Citrus Clear Skin Repair Moisturizer – This works for my kids!! (I understand every individual with eczema has varying degrees and types, so different treatments/lotions works differently on everyone–but Citrus Clear may be the one that helps your skin/child’s skin!)

    For the first time in their lives, their skin feels “normal”–actually soft! With this Citrus Clear Repair Moisturizer, their skin feels as close to normal as I think it possibly can. Even Eucerin cream and Vasoline doesn’t make their skin feel this normal.

    Reply

  10. I am 18 wks pregnant. I’ve never suffered ezcema in the past. I first noticed itching at 12 weeks. It lead to inflammation, red bumps, dryness… I have it almost everywhere on my body. It got so bad that I ended up seeing a dermatologist. I am using a cortisone cream & UV light treatment. It’s still early days of my treatment but I have noticed a difference on my chest and hips. Problem is that it clears up in one spot then starts in another! Haven’t had a restful night for weeks now! Really hoping the UV light treatment and cortisone work soon!

    Reply

    • Hello Lia,
      I was wandering if you manage to solve your problem with the cortisone? How long have you been using it? I am scared to use it too much. sinse the beginning have used 1 tube of 30 G and half.

      cheers, Denise

      Reply

  11. I developed eczema during my pregnancy at around 4 months. This is my first pregnancy. It was so severe that nothing worked in controlling it. I already use dye free soaps due to my skin sensitivity. I also had to cut out dairy, as it made me sick throughout my entire pregnancy so far. I’m not convinced it’s a good allergy, especially since I had to cut out a lot of food during my entire pregnancy because of morning sickness (still continuing). My doctor told me to take an OTC allergy medicine, like Allegra or Zyrtec. My doctor said Zyrtec is a little stronger, so I’ve been taking that one. Since taking it, I haven’t had an outbreak and it’s completely cleared up. I’m now at 36 weeks. I’m just hoping that it’ll go away after birth. Hope this helps!

    Reply

    • hello Shilo

      Could you let me know if you have been taking the Zirtec till the end of your pregnancy? Any side effects for the baby? How long should I take it?

      Thanks for your reply and advice.

      regards, Denise

      Reply

  12. I developed severe itching randomly late in my third trimester. The more I scratched an itch, the worse the itch got and a rash would break out. I told my OBGYN about this… and he just blamed it on pregnancy hormones and said it would go away after having my baby. I am now 5 weeks postpartum, and the itching as not stopped. Sometimes its worse. Thanks so much for posting this! I had a sneaking suspicion that it could be eczema but didn’t know if the pregnancy could have caused it or how common it was. Ive only been able to narrow my triggers down to getting hot and sweaty.

    Reply

  13. Hello Diana,

    You have mentioned that you have had the ekzema during your 2 pregnancies. Could you share with us how often you have used the cortisone, any side effects to your children? Does any of your children have the same symptoms of Ekzema.
    I have ekzema in general but I could have control it. It got worst after I got pregnant. I have used all the type of moisturizing cream we have here in France and unfortunately I had to use the cortisone. I have not used a lot. lets say One tube and half for 3 months but I have to use it very often. When I manage to calm one part of the body, it starts in another one. The last 2-3 weeks the situation is really bad and the worst is that I have now on the belly where I as trying not to put and it is really bad, red allover. I am scared to harm my baby so I really dont know what more I can do.

    Reply

  14. In my experience healing my kids’ eczema (we did GAPS and it was a long, 2-year process) and finally now getting around to dealing with my own eczema outbreaks, I have found a very direct link to yeast. I’m not saying this is the issue for everyone–it often happens to be food sensitivity; however, the foods I notice I am reacting to during my current pregnancy are ones that also feed yeast. It’s worth considering. Especially if you also have kids who suffer from this problem, because they get your bacterial/yeast passed on to them during birth (side note: breastfeeding and introducing foods properly can overcome this–its amazing what breast milk can do!). Raw apple cider vinegar can help, even though it may sting a little at first, it does calm the itch. I put some in a bath tub and soak for a while. I have applied it directly to a rash before and have seen it clear up, though this hasn’t worked for every rash I’ve had. Coconut oil can also help, as it is antifungal (you can add tea tree or lavender oil to this as well). I also found a lotion called MetaDerm that has helped calm flares for my kids and me.

    Another thing to note is that your liver is filtering a lot of blood during pregnancy, and it can get overburdened. So be sure you are decreasing your toxic load by eating clean and using natural products in your home, as well as taking milk thistle or something to help support your liver. A sluggish liver can show up in your skin.

    Reply

  15. I am pregnant with my first child. I broke out in what I thought was hives but later found out that I had eczema. Which I have never had before. My dermatologist said that it wasn’t pregnancy related but I seem to think my break out has a lot to do with my raging hormones. I am currently using a steroid cream prescribed by dermatologist who said it was 100 % for the baby. I have only been using the cream for 2 days and it has helped tremendously. The dermatologist did say not to use the cream for more than 7 days. Other than the cream I have been taking Aveeno oatmeal baths. They seem to be the only thing that helps. I haven’t quite figured out what my triggers are but I did change my laundry detergent and body wash. I have found that the itching is worse at night. Taking an oatmeal bath before I go to bed helps me get through the night. It is awful.

    Reply

  16. So happy to have found this page.

    Two pregnancies, eczema was worst postpartum with the first (everywhere!). Diet restrictions of gluten wheat and dairy resulted in the end of breakouts. Eczema again postpartum #2 and this time in centralized locations. Diet helps but only if I I stick to it. One relapse and I’m a miserable mess again

    Baby #2 has Ravenna. I’d I eat any of those bad things, he breaks out on his cheeks. I stop, I heal shop does he. It’s going to be a lifelong process. Working on me again. It it ch es badly but cool compress usually help…..

    Reply

  17. I developed eczema for the first time in my life at the age of 29 with my second pregnancy. It’s pretty mild and only on the back of my hands. My go to for anything that itches including bug bites is schizandra. It works soooo well!!! I use Herbalife’s brand and I’ve seen other brands in stores just never used any other brand. It works so well that it has even stopped the severe itch from my allergic reaction to bee stings and other bug bites. I LOVE IT! I’ve needed it a few times to stop the eczema itch and it does the trick every time. Plus since its a berry its safe to take while pregnant. I really hope the eczema goes away afterward the baby comes. Hope this helps some of you ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply

  18. I developed eczema in my 2ND trimester and it has been 3 years and my right hand is still bad. My hands have definitely improved. I tried breast milk but it didn’t work. I find that if I wash my hands with cetaphil they don’t hurt as much. But what kills me is having to wash my hands. I haven’t really made any correlation as to what I eat because they itch everyday. I am using steroid creams and Riveting to try to keep it under control. I think this is hormonal.

    Reply

  19. Hello All, my heart goes our to you all! Eczema is such a painful and depressing thing to deal with! I have struggled with eczema since I was 13 years old, popping up in different places, until by 18 when I had severe eczema on my eyes, lips, scalp, neck and arms. I hated being on steroids as my condition just kept getting worse. The second I went off them my eczema came back even worse then when I started the creams. Here is what I have found to be my triggers and some tips that worked for me.

    Triggers:

    1) Dairy (eggs are okay but anything with milk kills me) – this is defiantly my #1 trigger accounting for about 85% – 90% of my symptoms. The first week off dairy my eczema was SIGNIFICANTLY improved. (I had previously tried eliminating gluten, corn, nightshades and citrus with no improvement)

    2) Hormones – That time of the month and my 1st pregnancy (currently 8 weeks…yay :). Hormones can trigger a flair up for me especially when the weather is changing. As long as I am not eating dairy I am able to put on a very light steroid cream and clear up my eczema within a few days. However, during pregnancy I really am trying not to use steroids unless I ABSOLUTELY have to. Other little things that have worked for me are Aquaphor – Advanced Formula Healing ointment (note this also worked really well when I had eczema on my lips). I am still trying to find my magic formula for eczema during pregnancy.

    3) Stress – I often stress about my eczema but I have discovered that stress has a huge impact on my skin. I love yoga to help manage stress.

    I also try to use soothing and non toxic products in my house (dye free laundry detergent, fragrance free moisturizers and body wash, and gentle shampoos and conditioners (I like Clear shampoo and the big sexy curly hair conditioner). For my scalp, Nizoral was my saving grace! I had to use it for almost a year straight to really clear it up but now I just used it 1 or 2 times a year if I need it. I feel like probiotics do help somewhat as well.

    Things that did not work for me but maybe they will for you:

    -Gluten free diet, corn free diet, and eliminating tomato and eggplant were all unhelpful – sugar and caffeine can be very mildly irritating to me but only if I am already experiencing symptoms.

    -Coconut oil and Vitamin E oil – I keep trying these because I feel like they should help me but so far it has never helped me much (I read at some point that coconut and vitamin E oils can be irritating to some peoples skin….maybe i am one of those people).

    -Tea Tree oil – wow it was sooooo bad… it made my eczema 100 time worse! Could be because I was not diluting it properly but there is nooo way I am trying that again!

    -Evening Primrose Oil (topically and orally) – nope…not at all.

    -I had some luck with L-lysine (an amino acid) both orally and topically as a cream…I will have to research this for pregnancy eczema and possibly revisit it. I found that cutting out dairy did the trick and I didn’t need the L-lysine anymore.

    -Olive oil – helped a little but nothing earth shattering.

    – Salt water and sun – these can go either way for me. I do see an improvement when I am in the ocean in the summer but that may just be the more humid climate. Sun can help but I think it is temporary and my eczema seemed to come back maybe a little worse after tanning.

    I have also tried a million of those “magic cure eczema creams” with no luck at all. I always just ended up feeling taken advantage of lol

    That’s all I can think of for now, I will update if I think of anything else. I hope this is helpful to someone! I wish clear skin and relief to you all!

    Reply

  20. I am 34 weeks pregnant broke out at 31 weeks in exzema, never had it before this is my 4th pregnancy. Nothing is calming this rash it is so bad all over my legs and arms starts with hives and little heads and then breaks into broken skin looking like insect bites. I have taken every cream including steroids even took 10mg of predisol for a week with no effect. The maternity hospital want me to take 60mg of prendisol which is a steroid table and work then dosage down slowly I am very reluctant to do this with a baby inside of me, can anyone suggest anything that might help please I am desperate.

    Reply

  21. I have struggled with eczema for about 15 years, I am 35 now. This is my 3rd pregnancy and my eczema is out of control. Normally I get eczema in the winter and it just stays on my left hand and wrist & ankles, which I help control with Aveeno oatmeal baths and aveeno hand cream (eczema therapy) I do have the Elidel steroid cream prescribed to me by my dermatologist as well. My 2.5 yr old recently had a bad rash on his bottom and I bought their Honest Company Diaper rash cream for him and when reading the reviews SO many people rave about it helping their eczema. They are right!! It has helped mine as well. This pregnancy my eczema has spread to my entire chest, back, and up my arms. It itches insanely bad and it waking me up at night. Take an oatmeal bath at night to help. I think the hormones have just triggered it and made it worse. Also, I live in OK and it is 100 degrees plus with awful humidity, so perhaps the heat is contributing to my outbreak as well. I am 27 weeks and hope that the eczema will stop after I have the baby. I nursed all my kids for a year and NONE of them have developed eczema so far!! Good luck!

    Reply

  22. Hi, first I would like to send so much love to any mama who is presently going through pregnancy-induced eczema, what a painful experience this can be! I have eczema which was exacerbated during both of my pregnancies. I tried eliminating dairy, soy, eggs, nuts (all but wheat) from my diet which gave no results. I also tried many home remedies, with no luck either. Topical cortisone creams were a go-to during my life, but when my second pregnancy came around I wanted to find something that wasn’t cortisone or chemical, ideally.. so I did lots of research into creams (that would be safe during pregnancy as well). I ended up discovering a cream that became a sort of a miracle cream for me called E-Cream by Skin Essence.. I know that solutions are so personal when it comes to eczema, but I’m sharing in case it can benefit another eczema mum! I also discovered the Salcura combo (Derma spray and Zeoderm) which is now also still part of my regime. These 3 creams are my savior creams!!!! They’re natural and the E-Cream is organic (and green!!.. I feel actual love for this cream, it has helped me so much.) Best of luck, these are all great tips xxx

    Reply

  23. I know something that you can use to cure it. It worked for me.

    Reply

  24. anyone here who gave birth while still severe eczema? how did you handle it? how did the doctors/midwife and nurses handled it?

    I’m just worried because i’m already at my 38th week of pregnancy and my severe eczema just started, which is also making it hard for me to walk because they’re all over my legs and a bit on my belly.

    My husband and I are working hard to at least dry them up before my labor starts. ๐Ÿ™

    Reply

  25. anyone here who gave birth while still severe eczema? how did you handle it? how did the doctors/midwife and nurses handled it?

    Iโ€™m just worried because iโ€™m already at my 38th week of pregnancy and my severe eczema just started, which is also making it hard for me to walk because theyโ€™re all over my legs and a bit on my belly.

    My husband and I are working hard to at least dry them up before my labor starts.

    Reply

  26. […] Mothers with psoriasis or eczema may not be able to use their medications during pregnancy. Coconut oil’s moisturizing and […]

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  27. I am 24 and experienced eczema for the first time a year ago. This year it showed up all over my chest, under my arms, and up my wrist. I’ve been hiding in high-neck sweaters and long sleeves. I’m only a fourth of the way through foderma serum and it’s almost completely cleared up and I could not be happier!

    Reply

  28. So glad I came across this post ๐Ÿ™‚
    I developed severely bad eczema during my 4th week of pregnsncy it’s still here at 10 weeks. It’s on my left leg and left and right arms. I work in the dental field and think it’s flaring up because if the chemicals we use to sterilize the rooms and equipment in between patients. I’ve finally found that wrapping my left leg in a light cotton bandage with aveeno anti itch cream works only in that area. On my arms I use bag balm, it’s for cow udders. It’s greasy but totally stops itching for quite some time.
    Found I’m allergic to cortisone and steroid creams ๐Ÿ™
    Thanks for the helpful tips

    Reply

  29. I think I might have it now but I’m not sure. It start at 16 weeks, I’m 23 weeks and still have it. It’s just on my neck and itches, they’re red bumps that are close together. This is my 4th pregnancy and I’ve never had issues like this before. I’m calling my regular doctor tomorrow for a 2nd opinion. My OB hasn’t said much about the rash. I’m just worried.

    Reply

  30. My son has eczema type skin problems on his face that create a red, scaly area around his nose and onto his cheeks. His doctor told me to put Vaseline on it (?????). We have tried so many creams and washes over the last two years and nothing has helped. I saw foderma serum on google and figured I would give it a try. He put it on the affected area and within TWO days it was almost gone. We were both shocked. The serum itself has a nice, herbal smell….I mainly smell the Lavender. I tried it on my hand and it felt slightly greasy at first, but soaked in pretty quickly. I wish I had taken before and after pictures because the difference is almost unbelievable.

    Reply

  31. Look into Avene its a good face and bodu lotion for moms and babies that suffer from eczema.

    Reply

  32. Thank you for sharing this article. I read it and told one of my friend who is suffering from eczema. Your article and others comments in which some people have discussed the another ways to treat eczema are really helpful.

    Reply

  33. Thank you for sharing! Iโ€™m 8 wks and this hand eczema has flared really badly!! Iโ€™m trying acupunture xx

    Reply

  34. I developed this as well and after not knowing what it was for about 4 weeks (I’ve never had eczema and it was on my eyelids) I was given Eucrisa – a non-steroid ointment and I noticed a significant difference in just one day. All the redness and flakiness was gone. Just some puffiness that is slowly getting better each day. The Dr. gave me a bunch of samples because my insurance did not cover it. I would definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone struggling with eczema!

    Reply

  35. My husband suffers from eczema which is always present but occasionally has major flare-ups. The latest was due to an allergic reaction to a prescription (now fixed). We tried not to use the steroid cream too often due to side effects, and we found that foderma serum really helped decrease the itching. And it helped decrease itching within minutes of application! I strongly recommend this serum.

    Reply

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Hi, Iโ€™m Kate. ย I love medical freedom, sharing natural remedies, developing real food recipes, and gentle parenting. My goal is to teach you how to live your life free from Big Pharma, Big Food, and Big Government by learning about herbs, cooking, and sustainable practices.

I’m the author of Natural Remedies for Kids and the owner and lead herbalist at Earthley.ย I hope you’ll join me on the journey to a free and healthy life!

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