Good news. My PUPPP/atopic dermatitis has somewhat subsided! And in addition to my last post, I have compiled a list and review of the remedies I have tried (please note that some of these are recommended by Dermas). Doing this as during my research, most remedies I found are unavailable here in Manila, such as the Grandpa’s Pine Tar soap or something. So this is to help preggy moms out there in Manila who like me, may also be suffering an itchy fate with our weather.
- Oilawin soap: First soap I used when the PUPPP first made its presence felt. This was from my first derma and according to her, its almost the same with Oilatum soap which is readily available in most Mercury and grocery stores. I don’t really like products that are only available via dermas and prefer readily available products. The soap lathers up quite nicely and has an unobtrusive scent. And I think it did help dry up the red bumps. Unfortunately, like all special soaps, this one has a short lifespan and lasted about 1 and 1/2 weeks with me (I take a shower 2x everyday). Price is PhP350 from the derma.
- Diprolene cream + Petroleum Jelly: This cream was also recommended by the derma and had to be compounded at a Mercury drugstore. While it did dry up the bumps, my main problem with this is its STICKY. Especially when you apply it to all the rashes and you’re covered neck to foot in them + the Manila heat = eew. Price including compounding is around PhP1,000++
And then these are the remedies I’ve been using, and I think that are the most helpful:
- All Organics Oatmeal soap: Like I said in my previous post, websites recommended oatmeal baths. And since a majority of us here in Manila don’t have a bath, I decided there’s no harm done in trying out an oatmeal soap. And it was refreshing! The smell’s nice and the itsy bitty oatmeal included in the soap are not abrasive to irritate the rashes. In fact, I also find them relieving the itchiness. Unfortunately, like the Oilawin soap, this one also does not last that long. I cut the soap into three parts. I started using this during the start of this week, and I’m now in my second soap slice. So I think one soap can last me around 1 1/2-2 weeks. Available at Sesou stores for PhP75.
- All Organics Aloe Vera Gel: Again, this was recommended by Google. Aloe vera has a cooling and soothing effect on the skin. Also consulted this with the derma and she said its ok albeit aloe vera also has a tendency to be drying. But with this heat and since the rashes make its presence felt when all your pores are producing sweat, I don’t really consider this a bad thing right now. Plus the fact that aloe vera is also anti-bacterial and can also help with hyperpigmentation (for the scarring scratching those rashes will surely give you) does not hurt at all. Available at Sesou stores for PhP175.
- Tiny Buds in a Rash? cream: This is actually a diaper rash cream. Mommies and preggies in various forums also reported that diaper rash cream helped them manage the itchiness brought about by PUPPPs. The advantage of this one? Its organic and also has aloe vera content (yes, I’m currently an aloe vera addict). I put this in itchy places and I can literally feel the cooling effect. This way, I minimize the scratching, and if ever I did succumb and scratched, applying this to the rash minimizes the redness and dryness. Available at Babyland and Toy Kingdom (not sure about this though) for around PhP200.
The Maldita Mom 