safe replacement for eucerin?

[neeleymartin]

took ds2 for his 4mos appt. and asked about a rash on his back. turns out it is eczema. doc gave us eucerin original moisturizing lotion. it has looked better the last few days, but this stuff scored 5 on cosmetic database.

i can easily find a lower scoring one, but i want one that IS greasy, contrary to what most want. the greasiness has really helped the eczema, i think.

anyone researched and found a good substitute to eucerin that i can buy locally? tia.

[wellyes]

I'm watching this thread too since DD has sensitive skin.

But I will say this.... I use Eucrerin & I'll continue to do so until I find an equally effective alternative. I trust my ped as much as I trust that web site.

I've gotten some very solid advice from cosmetics database - it is a useful resource - helped me find much better sunscreens, for example. But I don't think a product has to be blessed by them or be considered "safe". I think their numbering system is a little alarmist IMO.

[LMPC]

We use Alba's UnPetroleum Jelly for DD's dry skin. It's greasy and I love it! It gets a 10 for a health rating on goodguide.com
HTH!

[purpleeyes]

We use Alba's UnPetroleum Jelly for DD's dry skin. It's greasy and I love it! It gets a 10 for a health rating on goodguide.com
HTH!


We used to use this as well, it was great, but then DD's allergist gave us this brand: "Vanicream"
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=17162&catid=391&brand=9079&trx=PLST-0-BRAND&trxp1=391&trxp2=17162&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-BRAND

and it is great! As soon as she starts to get a little dry, or bumpy I use it and it often clears up in a day! I put some on her arms yesterday and tonight at bedtime I noticed how much smoother and less raw they seemed.

[lil_acorn]

another vote for vanicream. my ped. recommended it and we buy that instead of eucerin now.

[wellyes]

Vanicream is great, but more expensive than Eucrerin and chemically very very similar.

[purpleeyes]

Vanicream is great, but more expensive than Eucrerin and chemically very very similar.

Yikes! I thought it was better... it doesn't have a fragrance, parabens, formaldehyde...
How is it similar?

[Clarity]

I don't think I'd use either. I remember this from last year and it was enough to make me certain I wasn't going to risk either on my eczema baby, there are other alternatives. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/14/health/webmd/main4351459.shtml

[gatorsmom]

I don't think I'd use either. I remember this from last year and it was enough to make me certain I wasn't going to risk either on my eczema baby, there are other alternatives. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/14/health/webmd/main4351459.shtml

Wow. I had no idea. I usually use plain old vaseline on our eczema cases around here and it works wonders. I'd use unvaseline but I haven't found any locally.

What do you use?

[Clarity]

My dermatologist actually recommends Aquaphor *made by Eucerin*. But right now, vaseline is great at night, I apply borage oil to her skin in the a.m. and I use some calendula cream from California Baby.

I was just trying to remember what cream was suggested in last month's Parents mag. I wanted to google it.

[ett]

I don't think I'd use either. I remember this from last year and it was enough to make me certain I wasn't going to risk either on my eczema baby, there are other alternatives. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/14/health/webmd/main4351459.shtml

I remember there was a thread on this when the story came out last year. I think the conclusion from several posters that were more knowledgeable in this area was that it was a very weak study.

We use vanicream here. One difference between that and Eucerin is that Eucerin (and I think also aquaphor) contains Lanolin. Our ped. dermatologist told us not to use moisturizers containing Lanolin because overuse can lead to a wool allergy.

Both the derm. and ped. suggested Hydrolatum, which we used for a while, but then I switched to vanicream because Hydrolatum contains methylparaben, which I am not comfortable with. If you're okay with parabens, Hydrolatum worked well and has a very short ingredient list.
http://www.hydrolatum.com/index.html
If it wasn't for the parabens, we definitely would have continued to use it.

[Clarity]

I don't recall the thread, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case, I guess. We did just get done talking a bit about sensationalistic reporting. I think I'd like to see that study too.

[gatorsmom]

I remember there was a thread on this when the story came out last year. I think the conclusion from several posters that were more knowledgeable in this area was that it was a very weak study.



I"m glad to hear that because we love Vanicream in our house. We love the thick lotion and have gone through a ton of their sunscreen this summer. However, I try not to use vanicream on the eczema because I"ve been told that lotion tends to burn (Sisi can't talk yet but Cha Cha told me that as well as the ped derm).

[wellyes]

That skin-cancer-mice story does not get a lot of respect: http://www.paulabegoun.com/tag/vanicream/ Basically, the mice were deliberately exposed to radiation to give them cancer, then various skin creams were spread on them to see if the cancer developed slower or faster. The mouse with Eucrerin & the mouse with Vanicream develped cancer faster. Maybe due to regular statistical variance for the kind of radiation they were exposed to. Maybe not. If you are a mouse who's been exposed to radiation, it might be a bad idea to use Vanicream or Eucerin. Otherwise, I would not let that study influence my life at all.

It angers me that we get so little info about any kind of science but these mini-studies of dubious quality get headlines.

Anyway:
Yikes! I thought it was better... it doesn't have a fragrance, parabens, formaldehyde...
How is it similar?

I personally think Eucrein or Vanicream are both perfectly fine for babies, but the cosmetics database does point out that the products contain ingredients that are not as innocuous as plain water:

Vanicream Skin Cream: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/4739/Vanicream_Skin_Cream/

Eucerin Dry Skin Original Mousituring Lotion: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/49429/Eucerin_Dry_Skin_Therapy_Original_Moisturizing_Lot ion/

[purpleeyes]

Vanicream Skin Cream: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/4739/Vanicream_Skin_Cream/

Eucerin Dry Skin Original Mousituring Lotion: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/49429/Eucerin_Dry_Skin_Therapy_Original_Moisturizing_Lot ion/

I've been trying to get to the database since last night and I can't get through! Anyone else have this problem?

But, back to the OP, I think it is interesting the different perspectives from drs. Our allergiest specifically told us that Vanicream is for excema/dry skin issues, and now I hear that other drs. said no! Hmmm...

[ThreeofUs]

We use olive oil, which seems to work very well, but we don't have eczema cases that require dermatologist intervention.

[AnnieW625]

I tried replacing DH's Eucerin once with Avon's Moisture Therapy (the one in the tub) and DH wanted his Eucerin (the one in the tub) back immediately. There is really nothing that works as well.

[twowhat?]

We swear by Cerave cream. When our babies were first diagnosed with eczema, we thought it was baby acne...bumps ALL over the face and chest. One application of Cerave cream and the next day it was nearly gone! We slather up after baths. It is NOT greasy though, which I love. But it works like crazy. It was recommended to me by a friend who is a dermatologist. I use it in the winter too...it's like a pot of gold. Not cheap though - $13-$14 for the tub. But it's about a doller cheaper if you ask the Costco pharmacy to order it for you.

Cerave also makes a lotion which is much thinner, but great for adults for summer. For the babies, I only use the cream.

[Andi98989]

My derm recommended Eucerin, Aveeno Advanced Care (used to be marketed as Eczema Care), and Cerave to me for my eczema. For patches of super dry skin which aren't eczema, I use Vaseline.


I've been trying to get to the database since last night and I can't get through! Anyone else have this problem?

Yup, looks like they're having a problem.

[wellyes]

I've had a problem with getting to some pages on the site, but if you go to the homepage and do a direct search, what you want may pop up. It's just being finnicky, it's not broken.

[neeleymartin]

i think i feel more confused than when i started. seems like the products that do such a great job are often not considered to be very safe.

i'm off the research kiss my face. something tells me that they are quite low. we shall see.

[purpleeyes]

i think i feel more confused than when i started. seems like the products that do such a great job are often not considered to be very safe.

.

:yeahthat:!!!

[ett]

i think i feel more confused than when i started. seems like the products that do such a great job are often not considered to be very safe.

i'm off the research kiss my face. something tells me that they are quite low. we shall see.

I haven't researched Kiss My Face in detail, but I don't think they are very low on the cosmetic database, at least for the products that I've looked at.

I do agree that all this research is very confusing. I try to use the most natural and safest products on my kids, but it's just not possible (and economically feasible) to do so in every single area. I do the best I can and try not to worry it.