Most folks would probably assume that it gets worse near her period bc of hormonal fluctuations, but women also tend to change their eating habits near their periods as well. Usually they eat more junk food. It has been my experience that eczema will never clear so long as the underlying gut damage is not attended to. I would stop the pork fat--first bc unless it is a very clean source--she is exposing herself and her child to a boatload of toxins. Secondly, pigs are often fed the most common allergens, so mom may well be increasing her exposure to the foods that are issues for her. And, it has none of the anti-fungal properties of coconut oil.
Frankly, IMO, anyone who treats eczema with drugs without addressing allergies and nutrition needs to be replaced with someone who is knowledgeable. Topically, I would use coconut oil. Foods to look at--gluten, cow milk products, soy, corn--those are the big ones I am seeing.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, Toulouse, FR
Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2010 12:31:32 -0500
From: Christina <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: nipple-areolar eczema
I hope the wise ladies on the list will be able to give me suggestions once
again for a mom I am working with.
Mom is nursing a 3 year old who still nurses several times a day. She has
reccurent eczema on the nipple and areola, worse on one breast - the eczema
appeared when the nursling was 1y 8m old and has never truly disappeared since.
It looks very typical, with cracks, crusts and peeling skin and it itches like
crazy. The eczema gets worse before period and sometimes there are flare ups
that last a long time and are very difficult to break. Mom doesn't have other
skin conditions.
The diagnosis is confirmed by a dermatologist who treated it initially with mild
skin lotions without corticosteroids and it worked for a while, but stopped
working some months ago. Now the doctor wants mom to wean and start a
corticosteroid, which she is not comfortable with and delays the treatment. She
is currently using just pork fat on her nipples and although the nipples and
areolae look very painful, she says she feels ok if nothing touches them and if
her toddler is not sucking (which the toddler is NOT happy about).
So far I have suggested not allowing the toddler to come to the breast while
eating solids, always rinsing her mouth with water before sucking, coconut oil
on the nipples and areola and EFAs for nourishing skin internally and of course,
to get a second doctor's opinion.
I know there are some ladies on the list who have experience with this problem
and will search again the archives to try to find the info - but since it seems
I am never able to navigate the Search function on the list very well, I
thought I'd better post again and maybe there will be new suggestions and ideas
too.
TIA,
Christina Yaneva
National Association for BF Support
Bulgaria
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