Alasdair's Post Bath Eczema Treatment

Tonight, I thought I'd give you all a little glimpse into my sweet little bug's skin care routine. He doesn't need this full bandaged malarky every night of the week but I would say that, roughly, an average of 4 nights out of 7 he does. When he doesn't have the works done, he is smothered in greasy moisturiser instead.

I've mentioned before how his eczema on his face was a lot worse when he was smaller. Although he still gets patches on his face, his legs, wrists and torso are now the worst areas.

Here are his little leggies before bath. This is an average look for them. They can be better. They can be worse.

We don't put anything in the bath (except water obviously!) and use Epaderm ointment as a soap substitute. It is great stuff but makes the bath treacherously slippy!

Once he is dried off, it is time to apply whichever strength of hydrocortisone (if any) is needed. 

Then it's on to the stinky stuff. Icthamol and Zinc Oxide paste. 

Which you mix up with some 50/50 moisturiser......

......and apply.

If his legs/arms are particularly sore we can also add a layer of Icthamol bandages, which are basically gauze bandages that are already steeped in the stinky stuff. This is quite cold when it goes on, and Alasdair is not a big fan of it, but we didn't need that tonight. 

Although it is horrible stuff (think of the smell of Creosote), the Icthamol does heal up his skin very well. Ironically, it also dries the skin too so the trick seems to be a few days of that then a few days of intensive moisturising.

His little Tubifast tights go on top of the creams to (a) keep them on and help them work and (b) protect everything else in the house from the mess!

Then it's the same routine on the top half of his body.

This is his new Dermasilk garment he is wearing on top, made of silk which is supposed to be an anti-microbial. The dermatologist prescribed this for him last time we saw her but I've only just picked it up from the GP. I'm assuming they are more expensive as we were only given the one! 

This garment, and the Tubifast ones, have fold-over mitts to pop over his hands if (when) he wakes up during the night scratching.

His jammies go on top of the bandages, then pop the lids on the creams and it's off for a wee play before supper.

Thanks to my very skilled cameraman, Calum (8), for tonight's photos. It was a bit too messy a job for me to take them!

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