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Exfoliating cream

Posted: Mon May 09, 2022 2:37 pm
by susie
I have been told that using an exfoliating cream would be good for the scaling – is this true? Thanks

Re: Exfoliating cream

Posted: Mon May 09, 2022 4:04 pm
by Edel O' Toole
Exfoliation is helpful. After a soak in a warm bath, some people use a loofah to rub off scale.
Adding a handful of baking soda to the bath water also helps.

Creams/lotions containing urea/lactic acid/alphahydroxyacids also help with exfoliation and are sometimes applied after bathing. These include Eucerin lotion (10% urea), Udrate cream (contains urea and lactic acid and is available on NHS prescription- Udrate has the same ingredients as Calmurid which is no longer available) and Dermal Therapy (contains alphahydroxyacids- not available on NHS).

Re: Exfoliating cream

Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 6:46 pm
by Dr Richard Goodwin
I agree, these products can be very useful for adults and older children.
For some babies with ichthyosis their skin can be unusually absorbent of certain additives, like urea. For this reason, we usually avoid ointments and creams with them in babies, as well as in children with certain forms of ichthyosis such as Netherton's.