Eczema or Sunscreen Reaction?

[~Kimba~]

5.5 month old DS has had a faint red rash across his cheeks since Tuesday. Nothing major, just a few little red spots, which look a bit worse today (redder and bigger, like some of them have 'joined together'), but they don't seem to be itchy or bothering him. It's almost like the hormone rash he had when he was a newborn, but he hasn't had anything like it since then. It feels a bit 'rough' to touch where the spots are.

I thought maybe heat rash? except it hasn't been that hot.

He's just started family daycare, and I was requested to provide sunscreen for outings. His carer said she took him to the park on Tuesday so (assuming she put some on him when she took him out) I'm wondering if maybe it's a reaction to the sunscreen? It's the pink roll-on Banana Boat for babies. He hasn't reacted to it before, but to be honest I haven't had to use it often (I usually just use a hat and an Outlook sunshade on his pram, and avoid direct sun).

Does this sound like a typical reaction to sunscreen? It's only on his face/ cheeks (nowhere else on his body).

Otherwise someone suggested it could be eczema? but I have no idea what eczema actually is or what it looks like. I thought it was something to do with dry skin but DS's skin isn't dry at all.

[Chickadee]

Kimba, is he still having a reaction to the sunscreen?

[~Kimba~]

Sorry Martha just noticed your reply.

We took him to the doctor back in early April who said it wasn't a sunscreen reaction (or eczema for that matter) but just a common rash caused by dry skin from the cooler winter weather. He suggested a 1% hydrocortisone cream to clear it up, but both the chemist and our ECHN said that this was a bit extreme and that just using sorbolene should do the trick.

It's now a month later and the rash is still there, one one cheek there's a red rough patch the size of a 10cent piece and a couple of smaller patches (about 5mm wide) have just come up under his chin.

I've tried sorbolene and pawpaw ointment, both seem to calm it down a little and it seems to start clearing up, especially over the weekend when he's home, but it just keeps flaring back up after a day at daycare (or maybe it just looks worse when he's pale from being tired out)

The ECHN agreed with the doc and said 'dry skin/ common in winter' (although she hasn't seen him for a few weeks now), my mum thinks it's ringworm, but the chemist today said it doesn't look like ringworm and could be a skin infection. Nobody seems to have a clue really!

Now I've been advised to try Hydrozole cream which has the 1% hydrocortisone as well as an antifungal, and a better moisturiser (i've just got him some QV cream)

I'm really reluctant to use steroids on his face as I don't want to damage his skin, but I really want to clear it up...argh.

Is it possible that it IS eczema? there's no history of it in either my or DH's family, and he doesn't have it anywhere else on his body.

[punkbaby]

My DD has eczema on her cheeks, chin, and all her joints (ankles, elbows inside and out) she doesnt have it anywhere else though DS was riddled with it though i think each case is different. The way i describe dds is its like a hard layer of skin tiny little sandpaper lke bumps when dry but it weeps when its really aggrivated, scratching etc or when her skin doesnt get air etc usually when i treat her i get a layer of skin off after doing the wraps on her and there is fresh ski underneath

That hydrozole cream is heaven! its awesome for severe nappy rash too BUT i have only used it if other methods, sorbolene, paw paw, bepanthenen etc dont work i also have a prescription Elocon which is a steroid cream and this clears it up in no time!! i dont like using it but it makes a happier child :)

It may be a reaction to the sunscreen perhaps buy a sepearte one for sensative skin to see if this works...usually though if a rash like that doesnt clear up using your standard creams its most likely fungal or something similar and needs a kick to move it or something is causing it to flare up! Even if you smear the tiniest amount on just to test a patch :)

Just my thoughts anyhow :D Good luck i would speak to your gp again though if it continues

[nessaw1978]

Sorry Martha just noticed your reply.

We took him to the doctor back in early April who said it wasn't a sunscreen reaction (or eczema for that matter) but just a common rash caused by dry skin from the cooler winter weather. He suggested a 1% hydrocortisone cream to clear it up, but both the chemist and our ECHN said that this was a bit extreme and that just using sorbolene should do the trick.

It's now a month later and the rash is still there, one one cheek there's a red rough patch the size of a 10cent piece and a couple of smaller patches (about 5mm wide) have just come up under his chin.

I've tried sorbolene and pawpaw ointment, both seem to calm it down a little and it seems to start clearing up, especially over the weekend when he's home, but it just keeps flaring back up after a day at daycare (or maybe it just looks worse when he's pale from being tired out)

The ECHN agreed with the doc and said 'dry skin/ common in winter' (although she hasn't seen him for a few weeks now), my mum thinks it's ringworm, but the chemist today said it doesn't look like ringworm and could be a skin infection. Nobody seems to have a clue really!

Now I've been advised to try Hydrozole cream which has the 1% hydrocortisone as well as an antifungal, and a better moisturiser (i've just got him some QV cream)

I'm really reluctant to use steroids on his face as I don't want to damage his skin, but I really want to clear it up...argh.

Is it possible that it IS eczema? there's no history of it in either my or DH's family, and he doesn't have it anywhere else on his body.

eeek hydrocortisone cream that's a bit extreme. I would think for a baby so young. Once you start using those creams you never seem to be able to get off them. (I'm not anti creams however something so strong I am). Sudocreme seems to work wonders on my DD when she has a bit of a rash.

Funny but I always thought you weren't meant to use sunscreen on children under 1 years, because of the many checicals in it. THe use of a broad brimmed hat, light clothing and utilising shade was the key. I just had a look up about it and I read that the recommendation is 6 months now, and then the use of a mild cream designed for babies.

I would look at asking the day care lady to stop using the sunscreen to see if this works. There is plenty of other options for little one's - including shade and clothing (especially seeing they're not fully mobile). Once it has cleared up you could then try something else.

Oh well good luck. Hope you find a solution. :fingerscrossed:

[~Kimba~]

Should have mentioned that we changed sunscreen to the Ego sunsense super low irritant one a month back when I first thought it was a sunscreen reaction - but the carer hasn't taken them to the park for a while so it's unlikely that this continuing rash is from the sunscreen (and the doctor said it would have been all over his face not just on his cheeks, if it was a reaction)

(Also on the sun protection issue - sunscreen is required by daycare regulations, they won't take them outside without a hat and sunscreen, even though they also keep them covered/ shaded, it's just a precaution I think, although I've asked her to be really sparing with it)

punkbaby - his rash is a bit like that - lots of little raised bumps on his cheeks, with a couple of red patches. But it's only on his face, nowhere else. It doesn't seem to be itchy, he doesn't scratch or rub at it and doesn't react when I put cream on it. I might try some Bepanthen if the QV cream doesn't help.

I'm also thinking of asking my GP for a referral to get him allergy tested...there's no known allergies on either my side or DH's, but who knows?

[Tam-I-Am]

it's unlikely that this continuing rash is from the sunscreen (and the doctor said it would have been all over his face not just on his cheeks, if it was a reaction)

I have really sensitive skin myself, with eczema and am quite sensitive to a huge range of chemicals, and what the doctor has said is actually quite ridiculous - particularly on the face!

For example, there are particular brands of foundation that I react to, come out in chemical burns - but only around my nose and eyes. The skin on your face changes so much in thickness, oil production and sensitivity, its ludicrous to think that if your son's WHOLE face didn't break out in a reaction, it couldn't possibly be the sunscreen (although I acknowledge that its unlikely to be given the time frame that he's had the rash!)

There are .05% cortisone creams on the market that are half the strength of things like Elocon - which is quite a harsh cortisone really, and one that I wouldn't use on my DD's face, but as she predominantly gets her eczema on her face in the absense of the use of ANY chemicals on her face or body, we're kinda forced into using it. Her paediatrician has told us that using a low-dose hydrocortisone for up to 5 days will do absolutely no damage at this point, if its used sparingly and only when necessary. So far we've had to use it maybe 3 times.

I've also been told about another cream just on the market called Elidel, which isn't a hydrocortisone, or any kind of cortisone, but its apparently most effective at the time of break out of eczema, so I don't know that it would be of any benefit in this situation!

If your GP can't provide answers, or help , I'd be asking for a referral to a dermatologist too!

Hope you get some answers soon!

[Cat13]

Kimbaleo, can't help with what it is but sounds exactly like a rash my 4month DS has/had on his cheeks. It is nowhere else although he does have some dry skin patches in the skin folds of his wrists & ankles.

At first I though it was just leftovers of his newborn pimples but then the little bumps sort of joined and became little red rough patches although it doesn't seem to bother him at all, just doesn't look nice! Some days seemed worse than others and then about 2 weeks ago it got worse and covered most of both his cheeks and I wondered if it could be eczema. Still don't know the answer to that one but we suspected it was triggered by saliva on his skin from the extra drooling he was doing. So for the last 10 days or so have been paying extra attention to his cheeks and cleaning them with water before every nap time and applying Amolin nappy rash cream as a barrier. Started to improve straight away and now he almost has a pefect complexion. :yelclap: Will have to wait and see if this is just a temporary improvement but so far so good.

If you do get a diagnosis would be very interested to know as your description sounds exactly like my little man's rash.