Living with infant facial Eczema: Our ongoing Journey and the reality behind the condition

In June 2025, my son began developing what initially looked like mild dryness on his face. At first, it appeared manageable — slight redness, rough patches on his cheeks, and occasional irritation around his chin. However, over time, it became clear that this was eczema, and not the mild form many people associate with the condition.

What followed were recurrent and severe flare-ups that primarily affected his cheeks, chin, and ears. These areas became persistently red, inflamed, and extremely dry. During some flare-ups, the skin appeared broken and crusted, raising concerns about infection, which was later diagnosed. Seeing these changes on your child’s face is incredibly distressing, especially when the affected areas are so visible and sensitive.

Understanding the reality of facial eczema

Facial eczema is particularly challenging. The skin on the face is thinner, more delicate, and constantly exposed to saliva, food, temperature changes, and friction. In my son’s case, the eczema repeatedly returned to the same areas — his cheeks, chin, and around his ears — often becoming more severe with each flare.

At times, the eczema progressed beyond dryness alone. The skin appeared sore and visibly inflamed, and there were periods where infection was suspected, requiring additional medical treatment. These flare-ups were not isolated or brief; they were recurring, stubborn, and emotionally exhausting.

Treatments we have tried along the way

Throughout this journey, we have followed medical advice and tried a range of prescribed treatments in an effort to manage inflammation, infection, and discomfort. These have included:

Elidel
Fucibet cream
Fucidin
Epaderm
Flucloxacillin 125 mg/5 ml Oral Suspension
Hydrocortisone Cream 1% w/w
Eumovate Ointment
Clarithromycin

Each treatment brought hope, especially during the most severe flare-ups. Some helped reduce inflammation or treat suspected infection temporarily, but none provided a long-term solution. The repeated cycle of improvement followed by relapse has been one of the hardest parts to cope with.

Explaining the images included

The images included in this article show examples of my son’s infected eczema flare-ups affecting his cheeks, chin, and ears. They demonstrate intense redness and inflammation, severe dryness with visible crusting, skin breakdown in concentrated facial areas, and how quickly eczema can escalate when the skin barrier is compromised.

These images are shared to raise awareness and understanding of how serious infant eczema can become, particularly when infection is involved. They are not shared lightly, but to show the reality behind a condition that is often underestimated.

The one consistent support: managing dryness with Epaderm

Out of all the treatments we have tried, Epaderm has been the only product that consistently helps with the extreme dryness. While it does not prevent flare-ups or infection on its own, it plays a crucial role in supporting the skin barrier.

One important lesson we learned is that hygiene and application method matter greatly, especially when the skin is broken or infected.

Why pump dispensers are essential

Using moisturisers that come in open tubs can increase the risk of cross-contamination, particularly when fingers are repeatedly dipped into the product and then reapplied to compromised skin. This is especially concerning during infected flare-ups.

For this reason, Epaderm pump dispensers are essential. They help keep the product hygienic and reduce the risk of introducing bacteria back onto already vulnerable skin.

Our moisturising routine

Hands are thoroughly cleaned before every application.
Epaderm is applied at least three times daily.
It is used generously, including on the cheeks, chin, and ears.
Moisturising continues even when the skin appears calmer.
The cream is applied using gentle downward strokes, never rubbed harshly.

This routine is demanding and repetitive, but missing applications often leads to rapid worsening.

The mental and emotional impact

One of the most overlooked aspects of eczema is the mental and emotional impact. I did not realise just how consuming this condition could be until my son developed it.

There is constant worry — about infection, scarring, discomfort, and whether the right steps are being taken. Facial eczema is especially distressing because it is always visible and difficult to protect from everyday triggers like dribbling, feeding, or temperature changes.

One of the most distressing parts of my son’s eczema journey was how much he scratched in his sleep. During flare-ups, he would scratch his cheeks and chin until they bled, often without waking himself — meaning we would only discover the damage in the morning.

No matter how short his nails were kept, it didn’t stop the constant rubbing and scratching overnight. His skin would be broken, sore, and even more vulnerable to infection the next day, which made healing feel almost impossible.

Eventually, we found something that genuinely made a difference for us: scratch-sleeve style eczema mitts designed for babies.

These have been absolute life savers for our family.

They helped by preventing broken skin caused by night-time scratching, reducing bleeding during sleep, giving his skin a chance to heal without constant damage, and allowing all of us to get better rest.

The ones we use can be found here:
https://amzn.to/3Y8m1Ai

I’m sharing this purely because of how much they helped us — especially during the worst flare-ups. Every child is different, but for us, these made a huge difference during a very difficult period.

The emotional weight of watching your child struggle, while feeling powerless to fully stop it, is immense.

Finding reliable information and support

One resource that has been particularly helpful is https://www.itchysneezywheezy.co.uk, which offers clear, practical information about eczema and related conditions in children. Having access to trustworthy guidance makes a significant difference when navigating such a complex and ongoing issue.

A continuing journey

Eczema has taught me that progress is rarely straightforward. There are improvements, setbacks, and moments where it feels like you are back at the beginning again. Even now, it remains a constant battle, particularly when flare-ups become infected.

I never truly understood how serious eczema could be until this journey began. It has reshaped how I view the condition entirely. Sharing this experience — including images — is part of raising awareness and reminding others that eczema is not “just dry skin.”

If you are going through something similar, you are not alone. Eczema is real, demanding, and deeply impactful — and it deserves understanding, patience, and compassion.