Bleach in the Baby's Bath Water?!? (Part 2)

A while back I blogged about bleach in the baby's bath water as a treatment for itchy skin related to eczema.  Since then, we've tried many potions, lotions and oils to relieve the itching, some with more success than others and we are still not doing the bleach thing.  As I wrote in the prior blog post, we know we are only treating the symptom when applying things on the skin.  We know the root cause for both kids is dairy and for our youngest, we are counting the days until we can get her off formula.  Yes, there are alternative formulas but we choose dairy induced eczema over soy based formula.  Her eczema is moderate - not awful - so we're comfortable with this choice, as is our pediatrician.  She agrees that a little itching is better than an overload of soy.  Our toddler is off dairy completely with the exception of the occasional cheese treat (she LOVES it), which she pays for with skin flare ups. 

After much trial and error, these are the things we have found work best to relieve flare ups:

 

"Animal Scents™ Ointment is blended with Melaleuca alternifolia and myrrh, two of nature's most powerful essential oils. It is a protective and soothing salve formulated for external use on animals. Typically used for minor skin irritations, cuts, and abrasions, the rich blend of ingredients is effective yet gentle and safe, so you can soothe your pets without using harmful chemicals or synthetic products." - from the YL website

You read that right - this was originally  formulated for animals.  But it is AMAZING and totally safe for people.  There are 11 different essential oils in this ointment along with mink oil and beeswax. I'll be honest, the smell takes some getting used it.  I think it's the mink oil.  It reminds me of when my dad used to oil my softball glove as a kid.  I use this on the really bad, rough, raw spots.   It already has Melaleuca alternifolia (also known as Tea Tree Oil), but sometimes I'll dab a little of that or Lavender on the skin and then "seal" it with the Animal Scents.  I rub it on thick and then cover with clothes.  Make sure to use clothes you don't care about as the mink oil may leave an oily stain. 

Homemade Oily Lotion:

For daily (sometimes several times a day) moisturizing, I made up a little concoction in a recycled baby food jar (you can use any glass jar) with a base of Organic Coconut Oil (a couple of tablespoons), a drizzle of Vitamin E oil (get from Amazon) and about 10-15 drops each of Frankincense, Lavender, Melaleuca A. and Palmarosa.  I actually made this as my daily face cream and was loving the results but had not considered using it on the kids until I was mid-diaper change one day with Lucy and noticed how dry her skin was.  My Animal Scents was upstairs so I grabbed by face cream and it made a huge difference.  If you are allergic to coconut oil, you can use any oil as a base (grapeseed, sweet almond, olive, etc.).  I just like the lotion-like consistency of coconut oil. If using a more liquid base, you could use a roller bottle or spray bottle for ease of application .

 

 To read more about these or order them, click here.


DISCLAIMER: This page promotes ONLY Young Living brand essential oils. I am not a doctor and I am not diagnosing, recommending treatment or offering cures for ailments or illnesses. These are my personal experiences in using Young Living Essential Oils with my family. YLEO are pure, therapeutic grade oils and the only oils I would use in the ways that I discuss.