Childhood eczema is not as bad as it looks. Children with eczema are perpetually living through a vicious cycle of itching and scratching and flare-ups, thus explaining why their skin looks perpetually red and inflamed. Thankfully, while it can be frustrating and uncomfortable, there is hope yet.
As a mum who’s seen her fair share of child eczema flare ups, I’m here to share with you all about how about how Cetaphil PRO AD Derma Skin Restoring Range provided my child with the proper skincare much needed to relieve and control the condition.
Understanding Childhood Eczema
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is the most common skin condition in infants, children and adults. 85% of people affected have an onset before the age of 5! It is a skin condition marked by itchy, dry, rough, flaky, inflamed and irritated skin1. It can flare up, subside, and then flare-up again.
Childhood eczema flare-ups cause children to get into a vicious itch-scratch cycle, which exacerbates the condition.
While there is no definite single cause for eczema, it does have a genetic basis in some cases. People with eczema-prone skin genetically lack flaggrin, a protein that maintains skin barrier integrity and is essential for the production of Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF), a group of substances that maintains skin barrier integrity and adequate skin hydration.
The lack of flaggrin and NMF causes skin to be more susceptible to loss of moisture and irritation by external allergens, leading in turn to dry, eczema-prone skin that is prone to skin inflammation and constant itching. Scratching only further damages the skin barrier, thus worsening the skin inflammation and triggering the infamous “itch-scratch cycle.”
Trigger factors for eczema flare-ups
We can’t prevent child eczema from occurring but having a better understanding of what it is, what triggers flareups and most importantly, what we can do to keep eczema-prone skin under control definitely goes a long way. Here are some of the things that trigger child eczema flare-ups:
- Environmental and lifestyle conditions – air-conditioned rooms, exposure to pollution, active lifestyle, excessive perspiration
- Contact with harsh soaps / detergents / uncomfortable clothing materials
- Dry skin
- Low humidity
- Sweating
- Emotional stress
- Exposure to allergens – dust, pollen, moulds, certain foods
Effects of childhood eczema flare-ups
Child eczema flare-ups caused my child’s skin to appear red, itchy and inflamed. In addition, there were breaks and wounds everywhere. It was truly heart-breaking for me to see my child’s soft skin turn into a sea of red patches. The more he scratched, his skin started to weep, develop cracks and even bleed.
In worse cases, bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus and viral infections such as herpes can enter the skin through these cracks.
In addition to these visible effects, it also caused my child to be constantly moody and self-conscious. It led to him not participating in certain school activities or feeling low when people made fun of his skin appearance.
How To Control Childhood Eczema Flare-Ups
Thankfully, I managed to find some ways to help keep child eczema flare-up under control. Adhering to prescribed treatments is still the key to bringing down the inflammation, while moisturising remained the cornerstone of skincare management to help control the skin from flaring up.
Besides appropriate treatment and skincare, other lifestyle management measures such as reducing exposure to triggers, wearing clothing made of 100% cotton, keeping the skin cool and using a humidifier3 at home definitely helped.
One of the most important ways to keep child eczema under control is also cultivating good skincare habits such as cleansing with a suitable wash and frequent moisturising. I had to constantly emphasise this to my child. Having said that, finding the right product is also important, for anything that is harsh, drying or containing heavy fragrances can worsen eczema flare-ups.
Cetaphil PROAD Derma Skin Restoring Range – The Holy Grail for Keeping Eczema Flare Ups Under Control
After much trial and error, thankfully I found the perfect skincare regimen that has brought about great change in my son’s condition and kept his eczema flare-up under control.
The Cetaphil Pro AD Derma range is clinically proven and formulated for use in eczema-prone skin. Cetaphil is a dermatologist-trusted and recommended brand. It is also the No. 1 dermatological skincare brand in Singapore4 and more than 8 in 10 consumers agree that this product relieves dry and itchy skin, regardless of the severity. You can count me as one of the 8!
Here are the must-haves for my eczema-prone child:
Cetaphil Pro AD Derma Skin Restoring Body Wash
This is a gentle and soap-free daily foam body wash clinically (and mum) proven to cleanse and moisturise to soothe dry and itchy skin. The filaggrin technology helps to increase and retain moisture in the skin while the Miracare® technology delivers nourishing oils and long-lasting moisture in a rich foam.
Cetaphil Pro AD Derma Skin Restoring Body Moisturiser
This is a perfect, lightweight, non-greasy daily moisturiser that rapidly soothes and alleviates dryness and itching. My son has this with him all the time! The filaggrin and ceramide technology help to increase and retain moisture in the skin, providing intensive hydration to restore the skin’s natural barrier.
Both of these products are hypoallergenic, fragrance and paraben free. They are also priced affordably!
Mums, while child eczema flare-ups are something we cannot get rid of, we can learn to manage it. Keeping it under control is the best way to go and I’m glad I’ve managed to prevent my child’s eczema flare-up from getting worse. You can visit the Cetaphil website to learn more about their products or request for samples from Cetaphil Friends. Do what it takes to provide your child the relief he/she deserves! Or visit their e-commerce stores,
Watsons: CETAPHIL (watsons.com.sg)
Guardian: Shop Cetaphil | Guardian Singapore
FairPrice: Results For cetaphil | FairPrice
Qoo10: Qoo10 Shop 「Cetaphil Official Store」
Shopee: Cetaphil Official Store, Online Shop | Shopee Singapore
Lazada: Shop at Cetaphil | lazada.sg
References
- www.healthline.com/health/eczema#types
- www.babybonus.msf.gov.sg/parentingresources/web/Young-Children/YoungChildrenIllness/YoungChildrenEczema/Young_Children_Eczema?_afrLoop=58097619787898610&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=3pcq8a8gv_1#%40%3F_afrWindowId%3D3pcq8a8gv_1%26_afrLoop%3D58097619787898610%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3D601c79gq2_4
- www.brunet.ca/en/health/health-tips/9-tips-how-prevent-eczema-outbreaks/
- *IQVIA NSA for D02A Emollients and Protectives Market. Total Singapore, MAT Dec 2020 – Sales Value
