Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Aquaphor review
Aquaphor (by Eucerin) is a staple at our house. Somehow, both boys have had their share of dry skin and mild eczema as babies, and the advice we got from just about everyone was to use Aquaphor. This stuff is NOT cheap, but I guess you get what you pay for (at least it feels like it). It works wonders for dry skin and is very gentle, unscented, and lasts a long time. It is, however, on the heavy side as ointments go, but I guess that's how it helps lock in moisture. And it tends to leave little oil stains on your clothing because it has mineral oil in it. I'm a pretty casual dresser (the whole household is), so it's not a big concern. You kind of have to be easygoing about clothes when you have young kids, since the runny noses, spit-up, sticky hands, and general grime are impossible to avoid. Scrubs (and a washing machine) are great for that reason.
Most new parents I know are familiar with Aquaphor, since it is often used at the hospital on newborns when their skin starts to peel a few days after they are born. It is also a fantastic diaper rash ointment (better at preventing than curing). Newborn nursery nurses swear by it, and I can totally see why. It's that good. I pretty much keep a jar or tube of this stuff within reach as much as I can. I even use it myself (great for chapped lips, or dry cuticles from all that handwashing during the day). Sometimes at night, I'll rub it on my feet and put on a pair of socks, and by morning, my formerly dry heels will feel like the skin on a baby's bottom (and I've got two to compare with!).
The advice we got from the pediatrician to help combat the occasional eczema is the keep the boys nicely moisturized all the time by using it in their daily routine. I've gotten intimately acquainted with the battle against eczema since I've had kids (who knew it was so hard to beat?!), and the key is to prevent the itch-scratch cycle from ever happening. J and I pretty much slather it on the boys right after their baths, while they are still soaking wet, especially during the winter months. It seems odd at first, since it goes on white when the skin is wet, but it's absorbed within several seconds and then locks that moisture in to keep their skin hydrated. And the boys do feel a bit sticky for several minutes after bath, but it's a small price to pay compared with the awful eczema that might result if we weren't so proactive about warding it off. They still have a few flare-ups every now and then (1% hydrocortisone works well for the particularly stubborn episodes), but in general, Aquaphor has really helped to keep their skin nice and healthy. Which makes me happy as a mom, because watching your baby scratch an itch until it bleeds is never fun.
It can be difficult to find in stores, and pricing can be very inconsistent. I used to buy it at drugstore.com (they carry a variety of sizes), and Costco.com carries it too (great price, but shipping adds up). But of course, my new favorite place to get it is Amazon.com. They have the best prices, not to mention the additional convenience and savings from their Subscribe & Save program. I've got it on auto-order each month, and it's fantastic. You do end up buying them in multiples, but it's never a bad thing to have a few of these around. We stock their daycare cubbies with it (and so do many other parents), and keep some in the car as well.
We buy them in both tub and tube form. It's less expensive to buy the tubs, so we keep those at home next to the diapers. But I prefer using the tubes for the car, daycare, and diaper bag, since we don't go through those as quickly, and it seems more hygienic to not have an open reservoir that multiple people reach into every day. At least at home, I know J and I are pretty good about trying to be as sterile as possible when we use it.
There is also an excellent body wash that we have also used. It's also pricier than most, but I know a few pediatricians that swear by it too. It's really great skin care if you can afford it, as far as I am concerned. And while it takes a bite out of our household budget, it's a small price to pay for healthy skin all around.
Update (2/13/08): I know some people think it's horrendously overpriced (it is) and is the same as Vaseline (it's not, but they are similar). We have tried both and find that Aquaphor is better. Both boys have fairly sensitive skin and eczema (M is growing out of his but A has a fair number of itchy days). When we recently had to go to the allergist to see if it was food-related, the doctor told us that Aquaphor provides additional hydration as well as a barrier to moisture loss, while Vaseline just provides the barrier. I don't know if this is actually scientifically proven, but in our own trials of usage, it works better.
Whether or not it's worth the price difference, we'll that's probably up to each person to decide. It's not a small difference either. But we think it is worth it (at least for now), and budget for it accordingly (who really needs a flat panel television anyhow? My ten-year-old 25-inch model is still chugging along). When we need to use a lot or expect to have to reapply often, we use Vaseline on top of a lighter layer of Aquaphor. But for the most part, we prefer to use Aquaphor.
Useful Links
Amazon.com Aquaphor products
Aquaphor official site
