Suggest Treatment For Dry Skin On Child

Posted on Fri, 9 Jan 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 9 Jan 2015 Answered on

Fri, 6 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : My neighbour's son six years old has extremely dry skin, his limbs look rough and white and also regions around his mouth. His mother applies sesame oil twice a week, and almond oil on hair daily. And ghee before going to bed in the night. His paediatrician advised cream cetaphil for daily application. They still want alternative solutions.

Answered by Dr. Johny Chacko (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Could be atopic eczema

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome to healthcare magic.

I understand from your query that you are concerned about extreme dry skin in your neighbour's child.

From your description, the child may be having a mild eczema co-existing with dry skin.

You can suggest them the following-
1. Use a soap free cleanser for bathing. They can use Cetaphil cleansing lotion.
2. Use very little cleanser and inform them not to scrub the body to get more lather. Lather will take away the natural oils from the skin.
3. Use XXXXXXX warm water for bathing. Hot water will again remove oils from the skin.
4. Apply moisturizer within 3 minutes of bath. This will seal in the moisture. Repeat moisturizer again at bedtime or as and when the mother feels the skin is dry. Cetaphil Restoraderm moisturizing lotion is a good moisturizer.
5. She can continue applying oils / ghee. However, she must not use too much soap to remove the oils.
6. The child may need a mild steroid like desonide on the white / eczematous areas. Please ask them to consult a dermatologist who will rule out eczema and prescribe a mild steroid cream if required.

Please ask them to follow these measures and I hope it helps them.

Warm regards,
Dr. Johny Chacko

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar