My daughter Lucie has had eczema since she was small. When she was a baby, I remember her sitting outside on the front walkway and scratching the tops of her feet on the sidewalk until they bled.
I’ve tried everything from baby lotions to super hydrating sticky creams and hydrocortisone to prescription ointments. As a baby, Lucie hated baby massage, so greasing her up was a challenge. Now that she’s almost seven, she still doesn’t like putting cream on her body and face since if she’s scratched up, many creams burn. She doesn’t like the stickiness of thick creams like Eucerin either.
During our visit this month to Lucie’s new allergist, the doctor recommended using products with no fragrances or dyes (free and clear) and finding a lotion that was less sticky than Eucerin. Luckily, I had just received the complete children's line of products from Exederm: Baby Eczema Cream, Baby Eczema Lotion, Baby Eczema Oil, Baby Eczema Wash, Baby Eczema Shampoo and their Flare Control Cream to try out and review. Even though Lucie’s not a baby, I knew some of these product would be worth trying out for her since Exederm claims its products are made from the mildest ingredients and are specially formulated so they don’t trigger eczema.
Exederm’s Baby Eczema Cream review
Lucie has liked using the Baby Eczema Cream since it’s not too greasy or heavy. In fact, she’s been applying it herself after she showers, which is remarkable for a kid who hates cream.
I have noticed an improvement in her skin mostly because she has stopped being itchy and scratching herself. However, I’ve also started using free and clear (no fragrances or dyes) laundry detergents. Plus Lucie is using free and clear bar soap in the shower, and she’s been taking an antihistamine twice a day. Any or all of these actions could have decreased her itching and scratching and improved the appearance of her skin.
Besides being free and clear, I like that the Baby Eczema Cream doesn’t contain parabens, lanolin, SLS (sodium laurel sulfate) or SLES, propylene glycol, formaldehyde or phthalates. Lucie’s doctor recommended Vanicream products. (We’ve been using their sunscreen for years after Lucie broke out in hives using regular baby sunscreen.) However, Vanicream has propylene glycol and some other scary stuff according to the Cosmetics Database.
Unfortunately, Exederm’s products aren’t listed. Instead, I ran the ingredients (water, petroleum, capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, stearic acid, palmitic acid, glycerin, ceteareth-20, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, citric acid) for Exederm’s Baby Eczema Cream through cosmeticsdatabase.com. Most were in the low to low/moderate range, except for ceteareth-20 which was higher but still moderate. (You can find short description of the product ingredients in Exederm’s FAQ.)
We haven’t needed to use the Flare Control Cream yet, but I love that it’s America's only paraben-free hydrocortisone cream and free and clear, too. The stuff I buy at Costco always burns Lucie’s skin when she flares up.
I also like that Exederm's products were awarded the National Eczema Association 'Seal of Acceptance' in March 2009. Read their 5 out of 5 star review of Exederm's products here (towards the bottom of the post).
The only thing I don't like about Exederm is the price - $14.95 for a small jar (4 ounces) about twice the price of Vanicream. However, Exederm offers a special discount of 20% on orders of three or more items (use code "save20" at checkout). Also, shipping is free on orders over $50 (US & Canada Only). Or use free shipping code “FSH908A” for smaller orders. All their products carry a full "No Quibble" money-back guarantee.
If you eczema or sensitive skin in your family, you may want to consider trying out Exederm’s products. I’ve already ordered four more jars for Lucie, that's how much I like their products.
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Disclosure: This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Exederm, who provided products for this review.
Please note that our results are not typical but rather are from personal experience.There is no scientific proof that Exederm controls or cures eczema. Folks, my opinion is also scientifically unsubstantiated, meaning there is not adequate research to support the claim that this product will help eczema.
