Family Magazine

Living With Psoriasis And Dermatitis

By Therealsupermum @TheRealSupermum

Since my son was 4 months old he has suffered with eczema, it wasn’t until last year when his hand completely scabbed over and he couldn’t use them properly that he was diagnosed with psoriasis. Its a hard battle to keep it under control. I have tried every cream going for it from E45 and Double Base to the strongest steroid based emollient. It all worked for a little while but then we were back to square one and his hands got worse again.

Living With Psoriasis And Dermatitis

 

Back to the doctors we would go every 6 – 8 weeks ugh!!
Since my son was 4 months old he has suffered with eczema, it wasn’t until last year when his hand completely scabbed over and he couldn’t use them properly that he was diagnosed with psoriasis. Its a hard battle to keep it under control. I have tried every cream going for it from E45 and Double Base to the strongest steroid based emollient. It all worked for a little while but then we were back to square one and his hands got worse again. Back to the doctors we would go every 6 – 8 weeks ugh!!

On the day he got diagnosed with Psoriasis I walked out of the doctors with a new steroid based emollient to try, one that would probably only work for about a month to 6 weeks before we would be back at the doctors looking for something else to try. So as per usual I got started with the cream along with the cream I also used oilatum bath, infaderm shampoo and Asda’s little angels top-to-toe wash. Absolutely anything to stop my poor little mans skin from being so itchy.

So again 8 weeks after finishing the tub of cream and the psoriasis clearing up, it was back with a vengeance. My sons poor hand has swollen up and scabbed over badly, he could barely move his hands let alone use them much and they always looked dirty. I was seriously at my wits end!! Fed up of constantly being at the doctors and using creams that didn’t work for long never mind were any good for his skin in the long run. After all using steroid based emollients over and over again repeatedly damages the skin more than helps it, as it weakens the skin after a while. I still didn’t get offered an alternative method to treat the psoriasis instead I ended up with 3 different creams AGAIN!! This time I was to use all 3 creams 3 times a day.

This time they actually worked YIPPEE. My son went from October 2011 to March 2012 with very minimal flare ups I was relieved as it meant I only had to use the bath stuff to keep it at bay. When it started to come back in March this year just before his 4th birthday I decided not to go the doctors this time but to just go straight to the chemist to see if I could just grab a bottle with out waiting to see a doctor but, instead of coming out with a steroid cream I ended up buying Tea Tree Oil cream. I used this straight away and within 4 days it had settled down again thankfully. I also swapped my washing powder which was Tesco’s own Non-Bio powder to Fairy Non-Bio gel. It has majorly helped his skin, as well as still using the oilatum, infaderm shampoo and Asda’s Little Angels Top-to-Toe wash.

Four months later I am still using the Tea Tree Oil cream and his hands are so much better. I have used the steroid cream twice in 4 months to back up the Tea Tree Oil cream both times for only 3 days each. So for eczema and psoriasis I highly recommend these items go in to your basket whilst out shopping

1. Tea Tree Oil Cream
2. Infaderm Shampoo
3. Asda’s Little Angels Top-to-Toe wash
4. Oilatum Bath
5. Fairy Liquid non-bio gel

Dermatitis

I suffer from a form of Dermatitis known as Seborrheic Dermatitis, which can affect the face, scalp and torso. Mine only affects my scalp, so as for shampoos and conditioners go well erm ….. there is a long list of ones I cant use so it is easier to list ones that I can use. I can use Pantene, Herbal Essence, Alberto Balsm shampoo’s + conditioners and Tea Tree conditioners. So again Asda becomes one of my best friends especially when there is a baby and toddler event on as the shampoos and conditioners go on offer too.

When it gets really bad the doctor prescribes a medicated shampoo, which covers me for 3 washes (yes its a tiny bottle ) and luckily I only need to use it once every 4 months. One thing I am glad of as all parents will know, when it comes to having a 4 year old running around and all different appointments to attend with that 4 year old, you kind of put yourself on the back burner until you are desperately in need of some tlc. Especially if you dont get two mins to yourself.

Also people think that just because you have dermatitis you cant dye your hair, this peeps is false because believe me you can I have done for the last 11 years. I found nice and easy, live color and garnier nutriese work the best for me and dont irritate my scalp. so I can safely dye my hair

My shopping list must haves for my dermatitis

1. pantene/ herbal essences/ Alberto balsam shampoo and conditioner
2. tea tree conditioner
3. pantene / herbal essences balms for blow drying and straightening

So no matter if you suffer from Psoriasis, Dermatitis, or Eczema, it dont have to rule your life there are things out there other than what doctors prescribed to help you. My few ‘shopping list must haves’ are all highly recommended, if they have been proven to work why not give them a try. It might surprise you and save you endless trips to the doctors and/or health visitor
On the day he got diagnoed with Psoriasis I walked out of the doctors with a new steroid based emollient to try, one that would probably only work for about a month to 6 weeks before we would be back at the doctors looking for something else to try. So as per usual I got started with the cream along with the cream I also used oilatum bath, infaderm shampoo and Asda’s little angels top-to-toe wash. Absolutely anything to stop my poor little mans skin from being so itchy.

So again 8 weeks after finishing the tub of cream and the psoriasis clearing up, it was back with a vengeance. My sons poor hand has swollen up and scabbed over badly, he could barely move his hands let alone use them much and they always looked dirty. I was seriously at my wits end!! Fed up of constantly being at the doctors and using creams that didn’t work for long never mind were any good for his skin in the long run. After all using steroid based emollients over and over again repeatedly damages the skin more than helps it, as it weakens the skin after a while. I still didn’t get offered an alternative method to treat the psoriasis instead I ended up with 3 different creams AGAIN!! This time I was to use all 3 creams 3 times a day.

This time they actually worked YIPPEE. My son went from October 2011 to March 2012 with very minimal flare ups I was relieved as it meant I only had to use the bath stuff to keep it at bay. When it started to come back in March this year just before his 4th birthday I decided not to go the doctors this time but to just go straight to the chemist to see if I could just grab a bottle with out waiting to see a doctor but, instead of coming out with a steroid cream I ended up buying Tea Tree Oil cream. I used this straight away and within 4 days it had settled down again thankfully. I also swapped my washing powder which was Tesco’s own Non-Bio powder to Fairy Non-Bio gel. It has majorly helped his skin, as well as still using the oilatum, infaderm shampoo and Asda’s Little Angels Top-to-Toe wash.

Four months later I am still using the Tea Tree Oil cream and his hands are so much better. I have used the steroid cream twice in 4 months to back up the Tea Tree Oil cream both times for only 3 days each. So for eczema and psoriasis I highly recommend these items go in to your basket whilst out shopping

1. Tea Tree Oil Cream
2. Infaderm Shampoo
3. Asda’s Little Angels Top-to-Toe wash
4. Oilatum Bath
5. Fairy Liquid non-bio gel

Dermatitis

I suffer from a form of Dermatitis known as Seborrheic Dermatitis, which can affect the face, scalp and torso. Mine only affects my scalp, so as for shampoos and conditioners go well erm ….. there is a long list of ones i cant use so it is easier to list ones that I can use. I can use Pantene, Herbal Essence, Alberto Balsm shampoo’s + conditioners and Tea Tree conditioners. So again Asda becomes one of my best friends especially when there is a baby and toddler event on as the shampoos and conditioners go on offer too.

When it gets really bad the doctor prescribes a medicated shampoo, which covers me for 3 washes (yes its a tiny bottle) and luckily I only need to use it once every 4 months. One thing I am glad of as all parents will know, when it comes to having a 4 year old running around and all different appointments to attend with that 4 year old, you kind of put yourself on the back burner until you are desperately in need of some tender lobing care. Especially if you dont get two mins to yourself.

Also people think that just because you have dermatitis you cant dye your hair, this peeps is false because believe me you can I have done for the last 11 years. I found nice and easy, live color and garnier nutriese work the best for me and dont irritate my scalp. so I can safely dye my hair

My shopping list must haves for my dermatitis

1. pantene/ herbal essences/ alberto balsm shampoo and conditioner
2. tea tree conditioner
3. pantene / herbal essences balms for blow drying and straightening

So no matter if you suffer from Psoriasis, Dermatitis, or Eczema, it dont have to rule your life there are things out there other than what doctors prescribed to help you. My few ‘shopping list must haves’ are all highly recommended, if they have been proven to work why not give them a try. It might surprise you and save you endless trips to the doctors and/or health visitor


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