Tag Archives: baby eczema

Announcing a Breakthrough in Eczema Treatment: Chicago Integrative Eczema Center

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema, Natural Living and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Honestly, I am quite beside myself over the launch of this new clinic, the Chicago Integrative Eczema Center. I met the co-founder, the amazing Dr. Peter Lio, at the National Eczema Association Patient Conference last summer, and he mentioned this clinic was in the works. So, I waited patiently for the launch and now that the clinic is open for business, I just want to shout about it from the rooftops!

Just what makes this clinic so special?

It combines the best of western medicine and natural therapies to treat eczema. Can it possibly get any better than that?! I am a firm believer in holistic medicine, but I also understand that western medicine can be essential at times. So, this clinic’s approach is spot on in my opinion. Not to mention the involvement of Dr. Lio, who is a highly qualified and respected dermatologist and happens to be incredibly kind and forward thinking. I have not had the fortune of meeting his partner, Dr. Ryan Lombardo, but if he’s collaborating with Dr. Lio, he must be just as wonderful.

Without further ado, please welcome Dr. Peter Lio for a Q&A about the new Chicago Integrative Eczema Center!

Chicago Integrative Eczema Center

Q: Dr. Lio, please give us a brief background on yourself and why you chose to go into Dermatology, particularly why you chose to specialize in atopic dermatitis.

A: I have been interested in becoming a doctor since I was little, but once I got to medical school, I realized that it wasn’t so simple–there were lots of fascinating specialties to consider! Initially, I thought I was going to be a neurologist.  My research during college was all about learning and memory and I found the study of the brain to be extremely compelling.  However, during the second year of medical school we were exposed to a one-week lecture series on dermatology.  About 15 minutes into the first lecture (given by the great teacher and mentor Dr. Charles Taylor), I was hooked!  Interesting words (where else do you get to use terms like “ostraceous” and “serpiginous”?!), fascinating diseases, and lots of unanswered questions!  While in other areas of medicine there were pathways, cycles and genes that seemed to explain almost everything, dermatology was wide open… there was a lot of mystery!  That drew me to it and still does.  Atopic Dermatitis is perhaps the ultimate dermatologic disease: on one hand, we know so much about it and can do some things to help, but we still don’t fully get it and–try as we might–we can’t seem to get to the root of it to cure it.  YET, hopefully…  I found lots of patients and families struggling with eczema, and I decided to dive in to learn everything I could and try to help out as much as possible.  It’s been an incredible adventure so far: difficult, but deeply satisfying.

Q: How do you feel about alternative and integrative medicine as it relates to eczema? (Do you have any good recent research on treatments you can quote here?)

A: Part of what was frustrating for me was coming to terms with our fairly limited armamentarium of treatments for eczema.  After I finished my Dermatology residency, I decided to study acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine to see if I could gain a new perspective and open the door for new treatments.  I spent a year with Kiiko Matsumoto and David Euler in Boston and completed the wonderful course called Structural Acupuncture for Physicians.  It opened my eyes to many things, most importantly the reality of “energy medicine”, which is what acupuncture is on the most fundamental level.  To that end, a few colleagues and I published a paper last year that was able to show some benefit for the itch of eczema–arguably the root of the disease–by using acupressure.  The study can be viewed here.  This led to looking into other forms of alternative medicine, and I am particularly interested in botanicals that can heal.  Lately, I’ve been very excited about the anti-inflammatory effect and skin-barrier-rebuilding powers of topical sunflower seed oil.  I’ve been recommending this combined with coconut oil, which is known to have some anti-bacterial properties which is also very useful in atopic dermatitis.  I’ve written a few updates on some of these alternative treatments, you can view them here – part one and part two.

Q: From what I understand, you are a pioneer in the world of eczema, founding the first integrative medical clinic specifically for eczema sufferers. What was the inspiration behind this amazing idea? Was it a difficult task to achieve?

A: At the end of the day, my goal is to help patients.  My thinking is that I want to take the best of every tradition to get people better.  In my time of intense focus on acupuncture, I found that the acupuncture approach did some things better than the “pure” Western approach; but for other things, not so much.  There was a part of me that was disappointed when a patient returned to my very talented teacher and was only a little bit better.  I had secretly hoped that this was “the cure”, and that I’d find a powerful technique to zap the eczema and make it go away for everyone… It didn’t quite work out that way.  But, I did see some things that were important and were being overlooked by many Western physicians.  That was almost a decade ago, but the idea was planted then for me: to use some form of integrative care to help eczema patients and families.  The Chicago Integrative Eczema Center is the realization of that dream.  It’s been a lot of work getting things organized.  I was lucky when I met Ryan Lombardo, who is a DAOM (Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine) and also very interested in skin disease.  We shared a number of patients and began to meet to discuss treatment approaches. Before long, we realized that we should probably pool our resources and collaborate… and the Chicago Integrative Eczema Center was born. 

Q: What do you hope to achieve with your clinic? What is the general approach?

A: The Chicago Integrative Eczema Center has 4 main goals: First, to be a trusted source of information and education about eczema that is inclusive of alternative and complementary medicine.  Second, to be a place for holistic care of eczema, offering a range of treatments from a Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to the standard Western approach, and everything in-between.  Third, to be a place for patient support and connections.  We are closely allied with the National Eczema Association and their official Chicago Eczema Support Group, run by Erika Czopkiewicz and Nathan Jetter, two amazingly dedicated individuals. Fourth, to be a place to push the boundaries forward and learn more about eczema through research studies like the acupressure study mentioned above.  To meet these goals, in addition to collaborating on patients that we see in our individual clinics, we will have combined sessions where Ryan and I will see patients simultaneously and have guest speakers with questions and answers, and I will be the medical adviser of the Chicago Eczema Support Group as well.

Q: What services will you offer?

A: We will be seeing patients and, through Ryan, offering acupuncture, acupressure, herbs, nutritional supplements and other botanical topical treatments.  We also work with nutritionists, allergists, a hypnotherapist, and several other practitioners closely for when our patients need other types of expertise.  Part of what we are building is a network of providers who can work together and meet the need for holistic and integrative care, which is very exciting to me.  

 Stay in touch with the Center:

Website: http://www.chicagoeczema.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChiEczema 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoEczema

About the co-founders of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Center:

Dr. Peter LioPeter Lio is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology & Pediatrics at Northwestern University, Feinberg  School of Medicine. Dr. Lio received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, completed his internship at Boston Children’s Hospital and his dermatology training at Harvard. He has had formal training in acupuncture under Kiiko Matsumoto and David Euler, and has held a long interest in alternative medicines. He currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Eczema Association. His clinical office is located at Dermatology & Aesthetics of Wicker Park.

Dr. Ryan LombardoRyan Lombardo received his Doctorate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago, IL. The Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (DAOM) is the highest formal educational credential available in the field of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the United States. Dr. Lombardo is one of 6 doctors practicing as a DAOM recognized by the State of Illinois and has been practicing acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in the Chicagoland area as a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) and Master of Science in Oriental Medicine (MSOM) since 2003. Dr. Lombardo is a faculty member of Midwest College’s doctoral program, leading the Nutraceutical Science and Chinese Medicine Energetics curriculum.  His clinical practice is located at AcuHealth of Wicker Park.

How Quickly They Forget or Choose to Forget the Hard Times

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , , , , ,

One of things I worry most about with Tristan’s eczema is, will he look back on his toddler years (when his eczema was the worst) with fear in his eyes?

  • Will he remember the countless nights he spent writhing in itchy agony in his bed as my husband and I took turns holding him and trying to calm his irritated skin and restless mind?
  • Will he remember his hysterical pleas to skip just one bath or how it felt when the cool bath water burned his broken skin as he screamed and lashed out?
  • Will he remember my husband and I holding him down as we slathered on cream multiple times a day, every day, each time the stinging and his tears were relentless?
  • Will he remember seeing mommy cry all those times?

At 4.5 years old, I’m very relieved to say that Tristan doesn’t remember how itchy he used to be or how severe his head-to-toe eczema actually was.

Happy Eczema Free Days

A happy Tristan and a tear-less mom enjoying these eczema managed days.

Just a few months after he turned 3 we FINALLY got a handle on his eczema. (You can read about our family’s battle with eczema here. Or you can view our various Eczema Trials for all the details.) That was just a little over one year ago.  He has memories from around that time, just nothing to do with his eczema. For that I am grateful. I’m guessing this is an example of selective memory at it’s finest.

If you’re dealing with the emotional and physical stresses of eczema today, hang in there. Things will improve. Just stick with your intuition and be an advocate for your child, like this mom.

If all this talk about the challenges of dealing with severe eczema has got you down, take a minute to enjoy a laugh at our eczema spoof “Stuff Eczema Mamas Say.” I’m sure you can relate….and please try to look past my horrible acting skills.

Our Eczema Trials: Elimination Diet (How You Can Do It Too!)

Posted by Jennifer in Allergies, Eczema and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,
our eczema trials: elimination diet

Try an elimination diet and stop eating the foods harming your body.

An elimination diet really isn’t that hard and for many it provides a great sense of relief when food allergies or intolerances are discovered. In truth, it’s deciding to do the diet and embracing your decision by fully planning and preparing for it, that’s the hardest.

Why an Elimination Diet?

After years of worsening eczema and unsuccessful attempts with multiple doctors to identify the triggers, I finally realized I could no longer put off an elimination diet for my son. It was time to figure out which foods were aggravating his eczema when allergy testing all came back negative. The best way to do that, according to many health professionals, in fact it’s considered the “gold standard” for food allergy diagnosis by many pediatricians, is by conducting a food challenge. A food challenge is when certain foods are consumed in small doses and then the individual is monitored very closely, in a physicians office is best, to determine if the food causes any reaction in the body.

Food challenges are the only 100% accurate way to prove a food allergy exists, other than a history of reactions with specific foods. Allergy testing is not usually reliable as false positives and false negatives, like was the case with my son, can frequently occur. In order to successfully conduct the food challenge, it’s best to remove the foods in question from the diet completely for a given amount of time in the form of an elimination diet.

Overwhelmed? Embrace the Diet and Plan, Plan, Plan.

When I finally decided to move forward with my son’s diet, the planning seemed very overwhelming. It’s best to work with a physician or nutritionist when planning the elimination diet to ensure all the proper foods are eliminated correctly AND to guarantee you’re not putting your or your child’s health in jeopardy. Removing nutritious foods from the diet means they need to be substituted with equally nutritious alternatives and this can be tricky if you’re not very well versed in a healthy eating and nutrition.

Not only is balancing nutrition hard, but it’s VERY difficult to remove staple foods from your diet. Many of the foods that should be eliminated have been in your or child’s diet since not long after you took your first bites of food as a baby. Perhaps, your body has been used to these foods for so long, that slowly over time a reaction has been building up (in the way of eczema or asthma. You don’t always consciously think about these foods because they’re part of you. You’ve never had to think about it before. So eliminating these foods is like learning a whole new language. You must become a thorough label reader, understand the confusing and misleading world of “may contain traces of,” recognize alternative names for foods (and there are many), and learn to cook with substitute ingredients.

Find the Right Resources

My mother-in-law is a super health food fanatic, so I relied much on her expertise. I also referenced “Dealing with Food Allergies in Babies and Children,” by Janice Vickerstaff Joneja, PhD, RDN. This is an EXCELLENT book that discusses food allergies in-depth and then offers detailed steps on how to conduct elimination diets for various ailments – one of which is eczema! Using Dr. Vickerstaff Joneja’s plan, made things much easier. Her book told me exactly what to eliminate and for how long.  We followed her eczema elimination diet to the letter and it improved my son’s skin tremendously, within a matter of days. When it was time to add the eliminated foods back into his diet, by way of a food challenge, we immediately were able to identify which foods were triggering his eczema as he became very itchy after eating most of them, occasionally with hives. In some cases it took a few days of consuming the foods to see a reaction. In the end we identified the following as eczema triggers for my son: dairy, gluten, soy, and corn. We later also identified through trial and error that many tree nuts cause similar reactions for him.

I’m happy to say that through an elimination diet, we saw major improvements in my son’s skin! This was one of the biggest wins in his battle against eczema. I cannot recommend elimination diets enough.

Yes, it’s hard, but you CAN do it. Here’s how:

1)    Embrace the decision 100%.

2)    Arm yourself with the right resources: physician, nutritionist, books, friends for moral support, etc.

3)    Identify the foods to avoid and ALL the alternative names for these foods.

4)    Have recipes ready to go and your pantry stocked.  Plan on spending a few hours at the grocery store carefully reading labels and finding new food substitutes.

5)    Go for it! If you feel the need to cheat, think about why you want to cheat. Is it because you’re craving one of your favorite boxed/processed chocolate chip cookies that are no longer ok to eat? Then make some using alternative ingredients. Trust me, the alternatives are actually really good!

Here are some great bloggers featuring amazing, healthy recipes that are allergy free, some are top-8 allergy free. Prepare some of their recipes in advance and prevent the desperate need to cheat by having your favorite foods with alternative ingredients on hand and ready to go.

Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen – super healthy recipes from a nutritionist.

Gluten Free Goddess – most recipes are free of more than just gluten.

Tessa the Domestic Diva & Real Food Allergy Free – check out their Allergy Free Wednesday Recipe Hop!

Grateful Foodie – practical recipes for the family.

Allergy Free Alaska – gluten and dairy-free.

Allergy Free Yumminess – check out my Pinterest board full of amazing allergy free recipe finds from around the blogosphere.

Looking for more info and tips on how to complete an elimination diet? Check out my guest post for ScratchMeNot “What’s an Elimination Diet Really Like?”

Have you tried an elimination diet? Did you see results?

Our Eczema Trials: Dry Wrapping

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With severe eczema, nothing can provide immediate relief like wet wrapping. See the step-by-step instructions on how to wet wrap in my post here. Wet wrapping isn’t a long-term solution and isn’t necessary for mild to moderate eczema, but dry wrapping is!

Dry wrapping is VERY easy to do and you may have tried it without even knowing there was a term for it.

What is Dry Wrapping?

It’s simply heavily moisturizing the skin and covering it with a dry layer, such as mittens or gloves for hands, for an extended period of time.

Why does it work?

The dry layer helps hold the moisture next to the skin and is more effective than just applying moisturizer to the skin alone. Wet wrapping is even more effective as the wet layer will maintain the moisture for extended periods of time.

What are dry wraps?

WrapESoothe wet wrapping and dry wrapping suit

AD Rescuewear suits, great for wet wrapping or dry wrapping for eczema relief.

Dry wraps are clothes or bandages used to wrap and protect eczema skin. You can use clothing made specifically for dry or wet wrapping, but items you already have at home can work too (pajamas, tube socks for hands and feet, etc). Clothing should be form-fitting and made of natural fibers like cotton or bamboo.

What do you need to get started?

  • Cream or balm/salve (National Jewish does not recommend Aquaphor)
  • (1) Set of clothing or bandages/dressings. Exact garments will depend on areas you want to treat, but can include:
    • (1) one-piece pajamas or top & bottom, form-fitting
    • (1) turtleneck for wrapping the neck, or scarf
    • (2) pairs of long white cotton tube socks to cover hands and feet
    • (1) sets of gauze bandages for wrapping the face and head

How to dry wrap step-by-step

You can dry wrap your entire body, but if the eczema is that extreme you may want to consider wet wrapping instead. Usually dry wrapping is done on specific parts of the body with chronic eczema or an irritating flare up. I like to lather my hands up with cream and slip on a pair of white cotton socks before I go to bed as it really helps the mild eczema I get between my fingers and on the backs of my hands.

  1. Moisturize the skin with a cream or balm/salve of your choice, making sure to liberally apply on the areas of the body that need treating. The skin should be very moist when finished. You may need to go back and apply another layer in some areas before moving to the next step.
  2. Cover the areas to treat with a dry layer of clothing or bandages.
  3. Leave the dry layer on for a minimum of two hours, overnight is great.
  4. If you’re able, remove the dry layer every few hours, re-moisturize, and cover with the dry layer again.

Tips for dry wrapping and your eczema child

  • Try wet wrapping at night for minimal objection from your child. An added bonus, keep the hands covered to prevent night-time scratching.
  • Virgin coconut oil and raw shea butter work great for dry wrapping. We also love Manuka Honey Skin Cream.
  • Use caution with long wrapping bandages that could become unwrapped, potentially creating a suffocation hazard. This would be of particular concern if the child wears the wraps to sleep.
  • Children’s eczema clothing is made specifically for those with sensitive skin and is great for dry wrapping.

Have you tried dry wrapping? Did it work well for you?

Guess Who’s Featured in Green Child Magazine’s Holiday 2012 Issue

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , , ,

Have you heard about Green Child Magazine? It’s a wonderful digital magazine for eco-conscious parents. Their Holiday 2012 issue is particularly special for two reasons.

1. They praise Guava Mitts in their Green Gift Guide. We love these functional stay-on mitts and proudly feature them at The Eczema Company. You can find Guava Mitts mentioned on pg. 38.

2. I am a guest contributor! Don’t miss my article “Avoid the Eczema-Winter Blues with these Natural Cold Weather Tips.” (found on pg. 56)

Those are my top two reasons why you should check out Green Child Magazine’s Holiday 2012 Issue, but the issue is packed with lots of great information on learning to raise a greener family. And I bet you didn’t know that Louise from An Apple a Day Nutrition, one of our guest bloggers, is a featured contributor in every issue. She writes about healthy eating and offers easy, but nutritional recipes to try.

Hope you enjoy the issue!

Green Child Magazine Holiday 2012

Surprise Sale – Day 21

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

To celebrate eczema awareness month in the US, The Eczema Company is offering a daily SURPRISE SALE item.  Each day a new sale item will be announced, but the sale will only be valid until 11:59pm the same day.

No more secrets! The coupon code for each daily sale item will be announced here first, but then we’ll share the love elsewhere too. After all, everyone loves a good sale. Make sure you’re subscribed to this blog, so you’re in the know as soon as a new sale is announced!

Today’s daily surprise sale is…

Guava Mitts – Save 50% off these adorable scratch mittens for babies (up to 22lbs.) with reversible modern prints. A velcro strap keeps these mittens on your little Houdinis. Sleep in peace knowing your little one’s hands are secure from scratching.

Use the following coupon code at checkout to take advantage of this one day surprise sale.

SURPRISE21GM

And remember to feel good about your purchase, $1 from every sale in October will be donated to the National Eczema Association!

Surprise Sale – Day 18

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , , , , ,

To celebrate eczema awareness month in the US, The Eczema Company is offering a daily SURPRISE SALE item.  Each day a new sale item will be announced, but the sale will only be valid until 11:59pm the same day.

No more secrets! The coupon code for each daily sale item will be announced here first, but then we’ll share the love elsewhere too. After all, everyone loves a good sale. Make sure you’re subscribed to this blog, so you’re in the know as soon as a new sale is announced!

Today’s daily surprise sale is…

All of Sweet Knee’s Products! Rubbit Oil, Bun Glaze, Oatmeal Cookie Bath, Snooze Essential Oil, Hulababy Bath Bar, Bubbly Soap – it’s all on sale at 30% off! This is a big sale, don’t miss out on your Sweet Knee favorites. These organic products were hand-picked for their incredibly nurturing and natural ingredients – perfect for children and adults with eczema.

Use the following coupon code at checkout to take advantage of this one day surprise sale.

SURPRISE18SK

And remember to feel good about your purchase, $1 from every sale in October will be donated to the National Eczema Association!

Surprise Sale – Day 15

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

To celebrate eczema awareness month in the US, The Eczema Company is offering a daily SURPRISE SALE item.  Each day a new sale item will be announced, but the sale will only be valid until 11:59pm the same day.

No more secrets! The coupon code for each daily sale item will be announced here first, but then we’ll share the love elsewhere too. After all, everyone loves a good sale. Make sure you’re subscribed to this blog, so you’re in the know as soon as a new sale is announced!

Today’s daily surprise sale is…

WrapESoothe products – 20% off the retail price of $22.95-$59.95. These brand new wet wrapping essentials just arrived this week and are available in two styles: suits (for sizes 3T and under) and sleeves (for children and adults). They were created by an eczema mom, so not only do they make wet wrap therapy a breeze, they are super soft, comfortable and completely non-irritating. Plus, they are made with sustainable, Okeo-Tex certified TENCEL fibers made from eucalyptus wood.

Use the following coupon code at checkout to take advantage of this one day surprise sale.

SURPRISE15WS

And remember to feel good about your purchase, $1 from every sale in October will be donated to the National Eczema Association!

Surprise Sale – Day 12

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , ,

To celebrate eczema awareness month in the US, The Eczema Company is offering a daily SURPRISE SALE item.  Each day a new sale item will be announced, but the sale will only be valid until 11:59pm the same day.

No more secrets! The coupon code for each daily sale item will be announced here first, but then we’ll share the love elsewhere too. After all, everyone loves a good sale. Make sure you’re subscribed to this blog, so you’re in the know as soon as a new sale is announced!

Today’s daily surprise sale is…

Bamboo Socks – NEW item! 50% of the retail price of $5.87. These super soft socks are made from Eco-friendly bamboo and will provide a cooling sensation to prevent little feet from overheating. Available in one size, 0-12 months.

Use the following coupon code at checkout to take advantage of this one day surprise sale.

SURPRISE12BAM

And remember to feel good about your purchase, $1 from every sale in October will be donated to the National Eczema Association!

Surprise Sale – Day 11

Posted by Jennifer in Eczema and tagged with , , , ,

To celebrate eczema awareness month in the US, The Eczema Company is offering a daily SURPRISE SALE item.  Each day a new sale item will be announced, but the sale will only be valid until 11:59pm the same day.

No more secrets! The coupon code for each daily sale item will be announced here first, but then we’ll share the love elsewhere too. After all, everyone loves a good sale. Make sure you’re subscribed to this blog, so you’re in the know as soon as a new sale is announced!

Today’s daily surprise sale is…

After Sunny Aloe Spray – 80% off the retail price of $16.95. GREAT for relieving intense itching from eczema AND chicken pox! Soothing aloe helps calm the skin and provides a gentle cooling effect. Children love this stuff! Also great for relieving sunburn.

Use the following coupon code at checkout to take advantage of this one day secret sale.

SURPRISE11AFT

And remember to feel good about your purchase, $1 from every sale in October will be donated to the National Eczema Association!