How we managed my niece’s eczema naturally. Small changes for a big transformation.

How we managed my niece’s eczema naturally.  Small changes for a big transformation.

 Apart from the fact that in my family I have 2 of my loved ones with both psoriasis and eczema, we also get a lot of customers who want to understand what they can do for atopic dermatitis or more commonly known as eczema in babies. It’s incredible how common skin allergies have become in last 25-30 years.

 I have to wonder if it has to do with us moving away from nature, simple, unprocessed, and uncomplicated food, and skin care. Thirty to forty years ago, both our skin care and our food were simpler, unprocessed, and healthier.

 I really feel we have ourselves to blame for consuming and applying products we can’t even read the ingredients for! I know, I can’t prove this, but it’s some part instinct and some part logic that gives me this conviction. A lot of you may mirror the same feeling, too. If you do, please comment below!

 Anyway, coming back to the core point, I have compiled the regimen that we followed to address my niece’s eczema. At the time, she was a 6-month-old baby, and a dermatologist advised us to use uncomplicated single-ingredient skin care products for her.

 Please note: This is not in any way medical advice or a prescription. I am simply sharing some best practices on how to treat baby eczema naturally that we followed, saw results and hope that another baby out there may benefit too.

Consult your doctor before you change your baby’s skin care regime

Our Journey

So, around mid of 2010, it was a little over 2 months now, since my niece was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis or pediatric eczema. And in those 2 months, many prescription products (including steroidal creams) and ‘sensitive skin’ products were tried in vain. 

 In hindsight, what we were not doing was that we were not able to get to the root cause of her allergic triggers. Most products just subsided the irritation temporarily (especially steroidal cream), but we had not really figured out what the factors / products or an activity were that caused her skin to react.

This is where an expert dermatologist’s advice was godsent. We were asked to use the elimination strategy. (commonly used by allergy experts by way of an elimination diet)

 n this case we had to stop using whatever skin care product that we were previously using on her. 

 We had to come down to the basics and use single-ingredient and time-tested products like Virgin Coconut oil and neem. These ingredients have been used in ayurveda and for centuries and used traditionally in households in India.

 The basic idea was that now if the single ingredient triggers an allergy, then you have potentially identified an allergen, and you can isolate that.

 As the allergy subsided and her skin calmed down we introduced new products but observed closely for any reactions. This became a cyclical and iterative process.

Here is a step-by-step table documenting my niece's changed skin care regime

Week 1 – Week 4 

We observed for any reactions for the 2 weeks.

You must be convinced that your child is not reacting to the products you are using. It is therefore critical to keep it to basic and minimal products

 Week 4 – Week 8 

We always did a patch test on ourselves and on the baby 24 hours prior to applying anything new.

 We also constantly monitored her for any reactions for during these crucial 6-8 weeks

 We slowly introduced products like a mild Hypoallergenic baby wash and shampoo after 2 months (no added fragrance), and a mild soap (no added fragrance), one at a time and always observed for reaction.

If you have been searching for special eczema products for baby or organic baby eczema products then it's time you start that search in your kitchen and garden.

 Note: If your little one is just 2-6 months old, you can try a neem leaf decoction diluted in bath water to bathe the child

 If the child is not crawling, then soap/baby wash may be just sparingly used between nappy changes and can avoid using soap on the baby’s whole body. The natural anti-microbial properties of neem leaf and virgin coconut oil are quite sufficient to keep a little one clean and protected for a few weeks.

 Quick tip: To create neem leaf bath, simply take clean and washed neem leaves (a mug full of small stem and leaves). Take a 4 litre pan with water and boil the leaves for at least 7-10 minutes or till the water in the pan is reduced to half. Boiling starts from the time the water is fully bubbling. Let the water cool and use it for baby’s bath.

 Caution: Please do not try and use aloe vera gel straight from the plant as it contains aloin which is poisonous and must be removed before using it on skin. It is, in fact, preferred that you instead buy a purified cold stabilised aloe vera gel – Paraben free, Fragrance Free, no added colour and preserved with safe preservatives. 

 (If you must use your own grown aloe vera then ensure you learn how to remove aloin from it. )

 Observations:  We noticed that about 6 weeks into this regimen, there were some remarkable changes in my niece’s skin. Her eczema eruptions had reduced significantly. The dry skin patches and the minor eruptions that would sometimes trigger, would calm down quicker than before with regular application of the above products (without using steroidal cream)

In about 2 months the change was so significant that our friends, family and neighbours were amazed. They wanted us to make these products for them and/or their loved ones too.

 I must add here, my niece who was then an infant, is now a teenager and still has eczema. But 99% of the time it is under control with just using these natural products.

We don’t claim to reverse or cure anything, just trying to manage it with as natural products as possible

 All the above natural formulations were tested over a 5-year period and introduced as Prakrta-branded products. Click here if you would like to explore or buy Prakrta’s  products.  

1. Tender Skin Baby Oil – Virgin Coconut oil from coconut milk | 100% natural, edible & nourishing
2. Tender Skin Baby Wash – Head to toe, tear-free, pH balanced, gentle cleanser | Rose Chamomile flower water base
3. Tender skin baby butter - extra gentle, multitasking body butter | infused calendula
4. Pure Aloe Vera Gel - Multipurpose soothing aloe gel for sensitive skin | Fragrance free